Originally posted Friday February 08, 2008 09:15 PM EST
Michelle Williams, Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger's family joined hundreds of mourners at a memorial in Australia for the actor.
"It's a pretty sad time. We're finding it difficult to cope," Ledger's father Kim said Saturday morning, local time, before heading to the memorial at Penrhos College, a boarding school in the Perth suburb of Como.
Kim Ledger said the family was also planning an intimate funeral.
"The funeral will be very, very private," he said. "There will only be 10 people there, which is my immediate family and nobody else."
At the memorial, Williams and Heath's family arrived in a fleet of black BMWs. Wearing sunglasses and appearing grief-stricken, Williams held the hand of Ledger's sister Kate as they walked into the school about 12:30 p.m. Saturday, local time. Ledger's parents arrived afterward – first mother Sally Ledger Bell, with her husband roger Bell, then father Kim Ledger and his wife Ines.
Matilda, Heath's 2-year-old daughter with Williams, was not seen among the mourners.
At least 300 people attended the service, including model – and close Heath friend – Gemma Ward – Australian actors Blanchett and Bryan Brown and Australian Rules football stars Ben Cousins and David Wirrpanda, both friends of Heath's.
Ledger, 28, died of an accidental mixture of prescription drugs, the coroner says.
Hundreds Mourn Heath Ledger in Australia
Britney's Manager on Way Out, Attorney Wants to Quit
Originally posted Friday February 08, 2008 08:50 PM EST
In a shake-up, Britney Spears' business manager is close to being fired and her divorce attorney has asked the court for permission to drop her as a client.
Howard Grossman, the business manager, tells PEOPLE he is aware he was the subject of a closed-door hearing Thursday but he has no idea why a temporary conservator's motion to give Spears's father the right to fire him was granted.
Court papers show that Grossman was served Thursday with orders to surrender "all documents, records and assets relating to Britney Spears."
"The only thing I will say is my reputation speaks for itself," Grossman says. "I couldn't tell you why they chose this path."
Also, divorce lawyer Sorrell Trope tells PEOPLE he filed papers Friday asking permission to be released as Spears's attorney in her custody battle with Kevin Federline.
A hearing will be held on the matter on March 10. The high-profile divorce attorney had filed similar papers several weeks ago, but retracted them.
"We filed paper asking to be relieved, and hopefully they will find someone to replace us," Trope tells PEOPLE. "I'm not at liberty to say more at this time."
K-Fed’s Fashionable Night in the Marc Jacobs Front Row!
Marc Jacobs’ front row tonight was filled with fashionistas such asVictoria Beckham, Anna Wintour. . . K-Fed? The budding actor’s rep confirmed his expected presence at the closing show of Fashion Week yesterday to PEOPLE, and he turned up to not just Jacobs’ show, but also Diddy’s Sean John line beforehand. Clad in a Sean John pinstriped suit and a pink shirt — and sporting a mohawk– Kevin Federline came backstage to hug the rap-mogul and designer on the way to his front row seat. Once the lights dimmed, he was off to Marc Jacobs — for a quick change into that designer’s duds and a private banquette, where he sipped water as he watched the models come down the runway. And what did Federline think of the big show? He tells PEOPLE on his way out, “I thought it was great.”
Coroner: Brad Renfro Died of Heroin Overdose
Originally posted Friday February 08, 2008 05:25 PM EST
Actor Brad Renfro's death has been attributed to "acute heroin/morphine intoxication," according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Coroner's office.
"The final manner of death has been ruled an accident," the coroner's office said, adding that the drugs were injected.
The 25-year-old actor, who starred in 1994's The Client and, later, Apt Pupil, had recently completed a movie with Winona Ryder and Billy Bob Thornton. Renfro was found dead in a Los Angeles apartment on Jan. 15.
Renfro's troubles go back to 1997, when he was sentenced to two years of probation after he tried to steal a yacht.
This was the second coroner's report issued for an actor this week. On Wednesday, the determination was announced that Heath Ledger also died from an accidental overdose, though of prescription drugs.
TMZ.com first reported the findings of the toxicology report on Renfro.
Britney Gets a House Call – from a Hairdresser
Originally posted Friday February 08, 2008 08:25 PM EST
Britney Spears is addressing more than her mental health needs – she got a house call from a hairdresser.
"Britney needed some help with her extensions and wanted to talk about a new color," says Kim Vo, celebrity colorist and owner of Kim Vo, Beverly Hills and Kim Vo, in the Mirage in Las Vegas. "I hadn't worked with her before, but they asked me so nicely to help."
Vo arrived at her Beverly Hills home on Thursday afternoon – the day after her early release from UCLA's psych ward – and worked with the troubled pop star for four hours in a spare bathroom.
"She was more patient than I would have been," says Vo, who is an E! commentator and has appeared on Extreme Makeover. "She was sweet and has that Southern hospitality... She offered me iced tea and asked if I was comfortable."
Finding her scalp and hair in great shape – and "her skin is glowing, like a young girls," says Vo – he streaked her dark brown locks with a caramel color. "We wanted to brighten it up a bit. She's ready for something new," he says.
While Vo and Spears worked in the upstairs, her mom was downstairs cooking chicken for dinner.
"That smells so good, mama," Spears called down the stairs.
Vo felt none of the drama that has surrounded Spears and her family.
"It's a peaceful home," says the hairdresser. "It was not a rock-and-roll kind of place. Very classic and peaceful. She gave me a hug when I finished and both she and her mom told me how much they liked her new look."
Friend: Kirsten Dunst 'Trying to Take a Break'
Originally posted Friday February 08, 2008 02:15 PM EST
A friend of Kirsten Dunst's says the lingering effects of being a child actress and the pressures from constant media scrutiny are at the core of her decision to seek help in rehab.
"It's cruel the way people have put her under a microscope," says a friend of the actress. "She's trying to take a break. It's a great thing."
The friend adds: "She's an incredible woman – so giving of her time, her money, her soul. That's the story that should be told. Everyone has problems, but not everyone is forced to deal with them in a fishbowl."
Dunst, 25, is being treated at the exclusive Cirque Lodge Treatment Center in Utah, the same facility where Lindsay Lohan spent nearly two months and where Eva Mendes recently checked in.
The Dunst friend notes that the Spider-Man star spent her childhood working as an actress.
"There's probably less than a half of a percent of people in the world who understand the issues of being a child star and the pressures that come with it," says the friend. "You have to figure out a lot of lessons later in life, ones you didn't learn in school. The socialization is very different."
Pat O'Brien Is Back in Rehab
Originally posted Friday February 08, 2008 06:25 PM EST
Pat O'Brien, co-host of The Insider, has returned to a rehab center.
The entertainment host "has entered a rehabilitation facility for treatment," according to a statement posted on the Insider's Web site. "O'Brien and his doctors felt this is the best course for maintaining his sobriety."
O'Brien, a veteran of CBS Sports and Access Hollywood, first entered a rehab program in 2005. In a statement at the time, he said, "I have had a problem with alcohol. Overcoming this problem is a top priority in my life."
After completing a 40-day program, O'Brien told PEOPLE, "When you hit the bottom with this disease, it's a real bottom, like being in a grave that hasn't been covered yet."
He said that his break from drinking had allowed him to see that "on the other side of that door is hell. And I'm not ready to see that again."
Audrina: Seeing Justin Bobby Was ‘Really Good’
February 8, 2008
Just one day after crossing paths with ex-boyfriend Justin Bobby at Hollywood hot spot Les Deux Wednesday, The Hills star Audrina Patridge told PEOPLE at the Nicole Khristine jewelry launch party Thursday that she has split from her most recent boyfriend, Bernard Steimann. “We filmed [the split] last week,” Patridge said. “It’s not a big deal. I’ve known him since I was fifteen and we all have the same circle of friends. We’re still going to see each other as friends.”
But Patridge was hesitant to define her relationship with Justin Bobby. “It was really good seeing him,” she said. “You’ll have to watch and see. [But] you know honestly, I’m not ready to be in a relationship right now.”
Patridge was equally coy when asked about roommate Lauren Conrad’s on-again relationship with Laguna Beach alum Stephen Colletti. “They’ve always been good friends. They’ve always hung out and talked, ever since I’ve known them, so it is nothing surprising to me,” she told PEOPLE. “They are so cute together, they are like best friends.”
But are the two now boyfriend-girlfriend? Not according to Patridge. “They’re not together,” she added. “He can’t be on the show because he’s on One Tree Hill. So they are just friends.”
Michelle Williams Arrives in Heath's Hometown
Posted Wednesday February 06, 2008 06:30 AM EST
Michelle Williams and her two-year-old daughter arrived in Perth, Australia, Wednesday afternoon local time for Heath Ledger's funeral.
Williams, wearing a black dress and black sunglasses, held Matilda in her arms as they exited the plane under heavy security. Matilda clung to a stuffed rabbit as more than five police officers and airport security escorted them into an elevator.
Williams's arrival comes one day after Ledger's father, Kim, mother Sally and sister Kate all returned home from the U.S.
From the airport, Williams and Matilda (who was wearing a striped dress and was covered with a blanket) headed to Heath's mom's house in the suburb of Applecross. Soon afterward, guests began dropping by to pay their respects. One woman delivered a bouquet of flowers and Kim Ledger's wife, Ines, dropped off a covered casserole dish.
A private funeral for the actor – who was found dead in his Manhattan apartment Jan. 22 – is expected to take place on Saturday.
Although Williams and Ledger (who met while filming Brokeback Mountain) split last September, the two remained bonded by love for their daughter. In a statement released after his death, the actress said, "My heart is broken."
Britney Pleads with Father: 'Let's Get Out of Here'
Originally posted Tuesday February 05, 2008 10:00 PM EST
Britney Spears's father has recounted a heartbreaking meeting with his confused daughter as she struggled to cope in a psychiatric hospital.
"Come on, daddy, let's get out of here. Take my hand and let's walk out of here together," Britney said, according to Jamie Spears.
Jamie told her daughter: "I wish I could, but I can't."
In court papers filed as part of his effort to take over his daughter's affairs, Jamie Spears described how he arrived at UCLA Medical Center on Sunday. Britney had called him several times while he was working as a caterer for a Super Bowl party, urging him to see her.
Jamie Spears, who had spent several hours with Britney the day before at the hospital, found his daughter lying in bed. He leaned over to kiss her, but she turned her head away.
"I love you," he told her.
"No, you don't," said Britney. She got out of bed and said, "The doctor told me you are keeping me in here."
Jamie Spears denied it, but Britney insisted, saying, "Somebody's lying. You put me in here."
After the nurse assured Britney that, "Your daddy is not keeping you here; the hospital is keeping you here," Britney turned to her father. That was when she pleaded to leave – and her father said they couldn't.
When Britney became agitated, her father started talking about her sons Jayden and Preston, now in the custody of their father, Kevin Federline.
"Do you want me to help you get your babies back?" he asked her.
Britney, "No, I have new lawyers that will help me with my stuff."
But her father had to tell her that she had not actually fired her custody lawyers, and that there were now new lawyers involved in dealing with her affairs. Jamie said that if she needed help with the custody case, he would be there for her.
The conversation ended with Britney saying that her pal Sam Lutfi had wrongfully taken some of her property and she asked her father for help to get it back. Her father said he would.
Jennifer Lopez's Dad Confirms Twins
Originally posted Tuesday February 05, 2008 06:00 PM EST
The rumors are true, confirmed by no less a source than her father: Jennifer Lopez is expecting twins.
And it isn't even a Lopez family first.
"Yes, twins," her dad David Lopez said in an interview on the Spanish-language show Escándalo TV, PEOPLE en Español reports. "The thing is in my family, my sister also had twins, so it's a hereditary thing."
For David Lopez, the news means double the excitement.
"I'm very proud. Jennifer has yearned to be a mother for many years," he said.
And he already has gifts ready for his 38-year-old daughter's babies.
"In Puerto Rico it's custom to buy an azabache [black stone] bracelet for babies to protect them from the evil eye, it's part of our culture," he said.
As she became noticeably pregnant, J-Lo finally announced last November that she and Marc Anthony were expecting.
Britney's Mom Charges: Sam Lutfi Drugged My Daughter
Originally posted Tuesday February 05, 2008 03:20 PM EST
Britney Spears's mother accused Sam Lutfi of drugging the singer and verbally abusing her, according to a request for a temporary restraining order against Lutfi.
The request, which was granted, also gives a detailed description of the chaotic scene at Spears's house when her mother arrived Jan. 28 for an intervention, with Spears bizarrely talking like a "very young girl" and changing her clothes and her dogs' clothes "many times."
The restraining order, which forbids Lutfi from getting within 250 yards of Spears, her homes, her family's homes and the hospital where she's staying, alleges: "Mr. Lutfi has drugged Britney. He has cut Britney's home phone line and removed her cell phone chargers. He claims to control everything."
View the complete documents here.
Lynne Spears's Allegations
In a six-page declaration, Lynne Spears says that when she and her friend Jackie arrived at her daughter's house, Lutfi – a constant companion of Britney – revealed he was giving her drugs."Sam told Jackie and me that he grinds up Britney's pills, which were on the counter and included Risperdol and Seroquel," Lynne says.
[There appears to be no medication called Risperdol. Risperol is a sleeping medication, and Risperdal is an anti-pyschotic drug. Seroquel is prescribed to treat bipolar disorder.]
"He told us that he puts them in her food and that was the reason she had been quiet for the last three days," Lynne continues. "She had been sleeping. He told us that the doctor who is treating her now is trying to get her into a sleep-induced coma so that they could give her drugs to heal her brain."
Lutfi also demanded that Lynne do what he ordered, according to Lynne.
"I'm the one who spends 24/7 with your daughter," Lynne quoted him as saying. "I sleep in cars outside her house so she can't leave." He then allegedly told Lynne: "You people throw everyone under the bus. If you don't listen to me I'm going to make your name s--- in the papers."
Lynne added that Lutfi "told me that if he weren't in the house to give Britney her medicine, she would kill herself. Then he said to me, 'If you try to get rid of me, she'll be dead and I'll piss on her grave."
Sam's Argument with Britney
Lynne claims that Britney and Lutfi had an argument earlier in the evening."Sam had told Britney that she was an unfit mother, a piece of trash and a whore, that she cares more about [paparazzo] Adnan [Ghalib], her current boyfriend, than she cares about her kids, and that she does not deserve the kids."
Lynne says her daughter was acting strangely.
"Britney ... became very agitated and could not stop moving," says Lynne. "She cleaned the house. She changed her clothes many times. She also changed her three dogs' clothes many times. Britney spoke to me in a tone and with the level of understanding of a very young girl. Britney then picked up a bottle of pills and read part of the label and asked us, 'What does insomnia mean?' Sam told her the pills will help her stay awake."
Three days after the scene at the house, Spears was hospitalized at UCLA Medical Center's psych ward and is under a 14-day forced hold. Her father Jamie Spears and a lawyer have been granted temporary control of her affairs.
Amy Winehouse Questioned by Police
Originally posted Wednesday February 06, 2008 07:15 AM EST
Amy Winehouse was interrogated Tuesday about the video in which she allegedly smoked crack cocaine, police confirmed to PEOPLE Wednesday.
Winehouse, 24, was not arrested and no charges were filed, but London police told PEOPLE that "inquires into the matter are continuing." (While it is police procedure to keep private the names of suspects who have not been placed under arrest, a police spokesman read out the statement when asked about the singer).
The meeting with police comes after the British tabloid The Sun ran stills from the video on Jan. 22. The images show the singer smoking a pipe which the newspaper claimed contained crack. The paper later handed the video over to police.
There is no indication whether the episode will affect Winehouse's request for a visa from the U.S. Embassy in London. The Back to Black singer, who received six Grammy nominations, hopes to attend the Feb. 10 awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
The troubled singer entered rehab not long after the tape became public. According to the BBC, she has been undergoing treatment at the Capio Nightingale clinic in north London since Jan. 24.
Paris Hilton Talks About Her Acting Coach
Originally posted Tuesday February 05, 2008 04:40 PM EST
Paris Hilton is eager to prove her acting chops and credits her acting coach and life experiences with helping her.
"My acting coach, Ivana Chubbuck ... She's an incredible acting coach," Hilton told PEOPLE at Monday's premiere of her new romantic comedy, The Hottie and the Nottie, in Hollywood.
"If it's a scene where I have to get upset, I'll think of a past person," the heiress, who turns 27 on Feb. 17, said recently of Chubbuck's advice. "I'll think of something in my life, use it in the scene, and it really works."
Hilton's previous film credits include the horror remake House of Wax and straight-to-DVD comedy Bottoms Up. She working on a documentary with Entourage star Adrien Grenier, which is "going great," he tells PEOPLE. Hilton is also set to appear in the musical Repo: The Genetic Opera, and recently confirmed that she will be shooting at least one episode of Showtime's The L Word.
"When the strike is over, we'll do it," Hilton said. "I don't know [what character] yet. I just know I was asked by the creators."
Mom Kathy Hilton, who admired Hilton's pink Dolce & Gabbana dress from afar at Monday's premiere, told PEOPLE she didn't lend any acting advice to her daughter: "No, no … Taking your time, reading it, and making sure that it's something you can do, and it's fun. Just having fun with it."
Not one to shy away from fun, Hilton said recently, that "actors are really great if they've lived the life of a lot of things happen to them. I've had a lot happen to me in my life. Now I've learned to use those experiences in my acting."
Heath Ledger Toxicology Test Results Delayed
Originally posted Tuesday February 05, 2008 06:40 PM EST
Heath Ledger's toxicology test results are now expected to be released Wednesday morning, a source in the New York City Medical Examiner's office confirmed to PEOPLE.
"They definitely will not be released" Tuesday, said the source. "They were supposed to be released [Tuesday] but they will instead be released Wednesday morning." The source did not specify the reason why the results are being held overnight.
Ledger was found dead Jan. 22 in his Manhattan apartment and police confirmed they discovered various medications in his bedroom and bathroom, including prescription sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication. No illegal drugs were found in his home.
An initial autopsy performed the day after his death proved inconclusive, but Wednesday's toxicology results are expected to confirm the cause of Ledger's death
Heath Ledger's Family Heads Home
Originally posted Monday February 04, 2008 03:00 PM EST
Heath Ledger's family has departed from Los Angeles back to Perth, Australia, for what is expected to be a funeral in the actor's hometown.
The group of about 15 people, including the actor's father Kim, mother Sally and elder sister Kate, left LAX for Tullamarine Airport, on Sunday night, reports Perth Now, which described the exit as having been carried out in a military-style operation overseen by the Australian Consulate and handled by police and private security staff.
An Australian Consulate rep supervised luggage check-in two hours before the family, which had been staying at the Beverly Hills Hotel for two weeks, pulled up to the airport in luxury 4-wheel-drive vehicles.
The newspaper described the mother and father as looking exhausted as they cleared security.
On Saturday, a star-studded, private memorial to Ledger was held at Sony Studios in Culver City.
It is believed that Ledger, who died on Jan. 22, will be buried in a family plot with two of his grandparents at Perth's Karrakatta Cemetery. It is not known if Michelle Williams and her 2-year-old daughter with Ledger, Matilda, will attend the Australian burial service. Neither attended Saturday's funeral.
This week, results of a toxicology test are due to be released by the New York Medical Examiner's Office. An earlier autopsy proved insufficient in revealing the cause of his death.
Brandy's Mom: Kim Kardashian Abused My Credit Card
Originally posted Monday February 04, 2008 09:00 PM EST
R&B singer Brandy Norwood's mother filed a lawsuit Monday against Kim Kardashian accusing her of running up more than $120,000 in credit card charges without permission.
The suit, which also names Kardashian's siblings Khloe, Kourtney and Robert Jr., alleges they ran up the charges on the mother's card in 2006 and 2007. It seeks the return of the money plus 10 percent interest.
Kim Kardashian denied the allegations, telling PEOPLE she and her siblings had Norwood's permission to make the purchases.
"We have her signature on all items," Kardashian says.
In the lawsuit, Norwood's mother, Sonja Norwood, who is also her manager, alleges Kim Kardashian had only been authorized in 2004 to make one purchase on the Norwood American Express card in Kim's then-capacity as a stylist for Brandy (Brandy's brother, Ray J, also appeared in the infamous sex tape with Kim).
But later, Kardashian, now starring in the E! reality show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, made unauthorized purchases and passed on Norwood's card number to her siblings, who also then made unauthorized purchases, including for items in two Kardashian family-owned clothing stores, Dash and Smooch, for a total of $120,636.
Lindsay Lohan Opens Up About Recovery
Originally posted Monday February 04, 2008 02:40 PM EST
Six months after leaving Cirque Lodge in Utah, Lindsay Lohan is opening up about her party-girl image, getting back to work and how she's ridding her life of bad influences – and the wrong people – by sharpening her instincts.
"There are friends that have been hard to hang out with because they've gone done a different path," the actress, 21, tells the U.K. edition of Glamour for its March issue, in her first interview since being in rehab. "But it's hard because I'm the kind of person who wants to trust everyone."
Despite the temptations put before her and others of her generation – Lohan expresses empathy for Britney Spears and Amy Winehouse – she insists she's comfortable with her own company.
"I'm fine being alone during the day, but I hate being alone at night. I like having friends around me, but now I'd much rather be at home," she says, pointing out that she now suddenly has more hours of the day to fill, which she tries to do by writing in her journal and watching TV.
"That's not to say I'll never go to a club again," she says, "because I'd be lying."
Finally, asked what she believes is the biggest misconception others have about her, Lohan replies, "that I don't have my head in the right place. That, and probably that I'm not a good person ... because actually I am."
Teri Hatcher's Lip Lawsuit Leaves Court
Originally posted Tuesday February 05, 2008 08:30 AM EST
A Los Angeles judge threw a big kiss to Teri Hatcher on Monday, ruling that a lip-plumper company's lawsuit against the star should be settled in arbitration and not in a court of law.
In its Superior Court lawsuit filed in December, cosmetics company Hydroderm accused the actress, 43, of breaching their 2005 "exclusive endorsement deal" when she sang the praises of rival City Cosmetics.
The Desperate Housewives star even posed for pictures applying CityLips pout plumper (a direct competitor to Hydroderm's Volumizing Lip Serum), the $2.8 million suit alleged.
"Hatcher's name, image and likeness have been linked to so many competitors' products," according to the suit, "that it is anyone's guess as to what product keeps her skin and lips youthful."
Hatcher responded to the claim by insisting she has "done absolutely nothing wrong."
Contractually Bound to Arbitrate
In her ruling Monday, Judge Helen I. Bendix said that both Hatcher and Hydroderm are bound by a prior agreement to arbitrate all of the company's claims rather than litigate them in court, the Associated Press reports.Hatcher's attorney Alan Wertheimer has labeled the suit an "unjustified and public assault on Teri Hatcher's good name, reputation and celebrity."
He further stated that Hatcher's contract with Hydroderm did not affect her previous arrangement with CityLips.
Casey Affleck: Fatherhood Is 'Transformative'
Originally posted Tuesday February 05, 2008 07:30 AM EST
Casey Affleck is on a hot streak – scoring a best supporting actor Oscar nomination for his role in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and starring in the critically acclaimed Gone Baby Gone.
But his most rewarding role to date? Playing dad to his two young sons.
"[Being a parent] sort of changed everything," the 32-year-old actor (little brother to Ben Affleck), told reporters at Monday's 80th annual Academy Awards Nominees luncheon. "It's far and away the best thing that ever happened to me."
Affleck's wife, Summer Phoenix, gave birth to son Indiana, 3, in 2004, and to another son, whose name has yet to be announced, in January.
"It's been transformative," he said. When Phoenix was first pregnant, he added, "I remember... getting a lot of advice from people that I really trusted and... after I had the kid, thinking why didn't anyone tell me this is the way it was going to be?"
Explaining parenthood is "a little bit like trying to describe to somebody... what life is like on another planet, in another galaxy," Affleck said. "Until you're sort of there in that other galaxy, then you'll never really know what it's like."
After his recent professional success, Affleck said he's been enjoying some quiet time at home with his little ones.
"I love being around the house and being with the kids everyday," he said. "Being an actor means that, if you're successful anyway, you can kind of work for three or four months out of the year and then you're home a lot of the time."
George Clooney: Oscars Are a Sweet 'Escape' From U.N. Work
Originally posted Tuesday February 05, 2008 06:25 AM EST
An Oscar nomination is nice and all – but as far as George Clooney is concerned, it can't compare to being named a United Nations "messenger of peace."
"I just spent literally two weeks in four conflict zones," Clooney, 46, told reporters at Monday's 80th annual Academy Awards Nominees luncheon in Beverly Hills. "I've spent the last two weeks around a lot of people who were killing and shooting each other for what seems like senseless reasons."
The actor – recognized by the U.N. for "focusing public attention on crucial international political and social issues" – went on describe his tour of some of the world's most dangerous places.
"I was in Chad three days before the rebels overthrew it, with President [Idriss] Deby," the Oscar-nominated Michael Clayon star explained. "I was in Angola for the peace treaties. Now, I'm here [at the Oscar luncheon], which... is a conflict zone."
He added, "It's kind of nice to be wearing a suit again. I'm happy to be here."
Clooney, who said that he supports Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential race, called the nomination (his first for Best Actor) a "fantastic honor." In light of his U.N. work, it's also a "tremendous escape," he said. "Things like what's been going on [in the world], or what I've been experiencing the last few weeks, always puts things in perspective."
As Oscar night approaches, he explained, "You're able to go, 'God, this is really nice,' and not be as uptight about it. You have to accept it when people are nice to you and not worry about it when they're not."
Court: Britney's Dad Stays in Control – for Now
Posted Monday February 04, 2008 08:10 PM EST
Britney Spears's father and a lawyer will remain in control of the singer's affairs, including her $40 million fortune, a court ruled Monday.
Jamie Spears will remain co-conservator of his daughter's estate until Feb. 14, a commissioner ruled, despite a lawyer's claims Britney Spears had a "strong desire" against her father's temporary supervision.
The decision came in a hearing in which attorney Adam Streisand, who asserted he was hired by Britney Spears, argued that Jamie Spears's conservatorship "would only cause further distress, agitation and estrangement."
In addition, Streisand argued that co-temporary conservator Andrew Wallet "simply doesn't have the knowledge" to manage Spears's vast estate, he said in court. It was Streisand who valued the estate at $40 million.
Streisand, said to be a second cousin of singer Barbra Streisand, instead suggested that Northern Trust Bank be named as the temporary guardian of Spears's wealth.
But following the hearing, Commissioner Reva Goetz ruled that Jamie Spears and Wallet would remain co-conservators, a court spokesman said.
"The commissioner felt Mr. Streisand had no standing to represent Ms. Spears," the spokesman added.
Lawyers for Jamie Spears began the session with an opening statement asserting that the father had no interest in taking her wealth, but rather watching over it until his daughter recovers, with the eventual hope that she will be reunited with her children.
Wallet vehemently argued that the court be shown proof that Britney Spears was of sound mind to hire Streisand.
Jamie Spears, wearing a navy suit, was present in the courtroom, looked solemn, but did not speak.
Spears 'Lacks the Capacity' to Hire a Lawyer
A court-appointed lawyer for Britney Spears, Samuel Ingham, was also present, and testified that he met with her at the hospital Sunday for 15 minutes.He added that in his opinion the pop star "does not understand the nature of these proceedings" or their impact on her future. He added, "I think she lacks the capacity" to hire a private lawyer.
It was also revealed by Jamie Spears's attorneys that despite a restraining order issued Friday, Britney pal Sam Lutfi had spoken to her on the telephone Sunday .
The father's lawyers expressed difficulty in subpoenaing Lutfi with the order, saying he would not answer the door when a person recently came to serve him.
By the hearing's end, the court ordered Spears to have no contact, direct or indirect, by phone, email, text message or any other means with Lutfi, a court spokesman said, and an attempt to serve Lutfi with a revised restraining order would occur.
In addition, a court-ordered physician will evaluate the singer's "competence to make her own decisions" and to report his findings on Feb. 13
A Sorrowful Return to Australia for Heath Ledger's Family
Posted Tuesday February 05, 2008 01:20 AM EST
Heath Ledger's family made a sad return to Australia, arriving in their hometown of Perth for a private funeral for the actor.
Ledger's father Kim and other relatives appeared solemn and tired as they walked through the airport Tuesday afternoon local time.
Asked by PEOPLE for a comment about his long trip home, Kim Ledger said only, "I'm sorry," as he was escorted with his family by heavy security off the plane. They then went into an elevator.
Kim, Ledger's mother Sally and elder sister Kate first arrived in Brisbane in the morning after an overnight flight from Los Angeles.
That evening, Kim and his daughter were spotted entering Sally's home in the suburb of Applecross.
Their arrival comes two weeks after the death of Ledger, whose body was found in his Manhattan apartment. No cause of death has been determined. Authorities are awaiting the results of a toxicology report.
The family had spent more than a week in Los Angeles attending memorial services for the actor.
On Saturday, friends and celebrity colleagues – including Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Sienna Miller, Ellen DeGeneres and director Todd Haynes – gathered on the Sony lot in Culver City to remember Ledger.
The memorial came a week after relatives and close friends paid tribute to the 28-year-old actor at a smaller service at an L.A. cemetery.
According to Australian newspaper reports, Ledger is expected to be buried in a family plot with two of his grandparents at Perth's Karrakatta Cemetery.
Britney Spears Now Under 14-Day Hold
Posted Sunday February 03, 2008 12:40 PM EST
Britney Spears's hospitalization has been extended to an additional 14-day hold, a source exclusively confirms to PEOPLE.
Only her psychiatrist would've had the authority to request the involuntary stay. However, it's possible the singer could be out earlier if she legally demands to be released or her doctor deems her well enough for outpatient treatment.
What is life like for Spears at the Stewart & Lynda Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA? According to the patient's bill of rights at the hospital, she is allowed to wear her own clothes and keep her own personal possessions, including toiletries. She may also see visitors every day and make and receive phone calls – but not on her personal cell phone. There are pay phones on the floor.
There are two wings at the hospital, separated by a kitchen/dining room. Patients sometimes mix, especially for smoke breaks out on the deck, which is gated and surrounded by a metal fence.
The average patient sees his or her attending doctor every day. Since UCLA is a teaching hospital, the attending doctors are often accompanied by students. Staffers check on patients at least once an hour, even during the night.
'It's a Terrible Situation'
The Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital is known as one of the top facilities of its kind; still, "It is a terrible situation," says a source close to the Spears family. "Britney is in a padded room. Her family is so worried about her."Terry K. Wasserman, a veteran L.A. attorney specializing in mental health cases (who’s not involved in the Spears matter), explains that if a patient becomes combative, he or she "could be placed in a 'quiet room,' some of which are padded."
Wasserman adds: "Another possibility is being confined to a bed by leather restraints. In extreme, life-threatening situations – when the patient is a threat to oneself or medical staff – a psychiatrist can inject a person with psychotropic medication."
In addition, Wasserman says, "a doctor can force a patient to take prescribed medication. If he or she resists taking the meds, the psychiatrist can obtain authorization to forcefully medicate the person – but only after a hearing on the matter takes place."
Jordin Sparks's Super Bowl Gig a Family Affair
Originally posted Monday February 04, 2008 08:25 AM EST
Jordin Sparks's singing the "Star-Spangled Banner" at Sunday's Super Bowl was one big family affair.
Jordin's mother Jodi lent her 18-year-old daughter jewelry to complement her Dolce & Gabbana sleeveless dress, her grandparents helped put together her ensemble, and her younger brother kept her company.
And then there was her father's contribution. Until he retired from the team in 2001, Phillippi Sparks played for the New York Giants – who just happened to beat the "unbeatable" New England Patriots on Sunday, 17-14.
"You couldn't ask for a more fitting story," Phillippi Sparks told the Associated Press. "How could it have been better aligned?"
As for Jordin, whose home in near the University of Phoenix Stadium where the big game was played, the American Idol champ said, "Growing up around [my dad] was really cool. I became a huge [football] freak."
As a result, "When they approached me to sing at the Super Bowl, I was like, 'Yeah I want to sing at the Super Bowl – are you crazy?' I'm very, very, very happy," she said, though she did admit there was one thing missing: "I have always wished that I could have played, and I can't."
Amy Winehouse Campaigns to Save Pub
Originally posted Monday February 04, 2008 09:30 AM EST
Amy Winehouse: Political activist?
The rehabbing singer is pitching in to help preserve The George Tavern, one of her favorite London pubs.
Before she entered into a U.K. treatment center, the Grammy-nominee suggested selling t-shirts to campaign against a planned apartment development which, opponents say, will ruin the bar's unusual 360-degree light. (Parts of the pub date back to 1654, and the atmospheric lighting has been much praised by artists and directors.)
"Amy's a friend, so I went to her flat to see her and she was there with her hairdresser Alex [Foden]," the pub's landlady Pauline Forster tells PEOPLE. "We started talking about the way forward and she said, 'We've got to do a Save The George t-shirt.'"
(The singer did some photo shoots, including one for the cover of her album, at the music venue. Another famous visitor: Justin Timberlake.)
Kate Moss – who has been photographed wearing the $50 t-shirt – has also pledged to "do all she can," Forster said.
As for Winehouse, Forster has not been able to speak with the singer since she entered rehab.
"She's not well, so nobody's allowed to contact her," Forster said. "I spoke to her on the phone twice before she went into rehab, and I've spoken to her father a couple of times. He told me I could write her a letter, so I sent a handwritten one and popped a t-shirt in the post."
On Saturday afternoon, the singer left rehab briefly to visit with her father and her manager, who passed along bottles of Diet Coke and takeout from Nando's, a U.K. chain restaurant.
Angelina Jolie's Onstage Revelations
Originally posted Sunday February 03, 2008 11:25 PM EST
With Brad Pitt in the audience and her latest director Clint Eastwood to present her with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival's Outstanding Performance of the Year Award for A Mighty Heart, Angelina Jolie signed autographs and posed for photos Saturday night with scores of fans who filled the streets.
She then took to the stage to discuss her career and reveal a few candid nuggets from her off-screen life.
Among Angelina's revelations:
• She retains fond memories of sharing a single acting scene in Tomb Raider with her father Jon Voight, from whom she's currently estranged. "Strangely enough, the scene was about a daughter and her father who had not spent their lives together and had a lot of questions for each other ...[It was] kind of therapeutic for us to get some things out and talk. We spent that time as two artists, and it was a special time. It was an important time."
• When her ex-husband and Pushing Tin costar Billy Bob Thornton was mentioned, she said, "I thought he was an amazing artist, and still is."
• Prior to screening the famous tango scene clip from Mr. & Mrs. Smith, she was asked if she or Pitt was the better dancer: "I think we're about equal," she replied. "Equally not so good."
• Despite starring in several high-tech productions, she's technologically challenged in real life: "As Brad knows, I don't really how to turn on a computer."
• After back-to-back clips featuring romantic scenes with Brad in Mr. & Mrs. Smith and her and Matt Damon in The Good Shepherd, Jolie said she looked like she was "out on one date and went out on another." Given the choice between former [Pitt] and current [Damon] holders of PEOPLE's "Sexiest Man Alive" title, she said, "I'm going with the first one."
• Both she and Pitt were initially reluctant to take on their roles in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but "obviously I'm very glad I did it – It changed my life."
• Asked if her humanitarian efforts were an even greater passion than acting, she chose a third alternative: "I love being a mom, and I think that's my big passion: being with my family."
Helena Christensen: Heath Was Different From Anyone I'd Met
Originally posted Monday February 04, 2008 07:20 AM EST
Helena Christensen – who's still mourning the loss of her friend Heath Ledger – made one of her first public appearances since the actor's death, stepping out for Sunday's Y-3 fashion show.
Although the days since Ledger's shocking Jan. 22 death have been hard, the supermodel tells PEOPLE she's coping – thanks, in part, to her 8-year-old son, Mingus.
"Time passes," she told PEOPLE after the show, part of New York City's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. "It's doesn't make it easier, but you try to do the best you can. When you have a child, they kind of bring you back to the moment in a really comforting way."
Christensen – who was linked to Ledger following his split from Michelle Williams, but always insisted they were just friends – had been on her way to visit the actor when his body was discovered. "I had just left him a message and heard his voice on the machine," she previously told Women's Wear Daily, adding that she was "beyond sad."
Although she couldn't attend Saturday's memorial service in L.A., Christensen said she'd heard the ceremony – attended by Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Sienna Miller and Ellen DeGeneres – was "beautiful."
"Because I had my son, I couldn't leave," she said. "But everyone said it was very moving and it was an amazing way to say goodbye to him."
These days, Christensen is focusing on the happy times she shared with Ledger. "I have only good memories of him," she added. "Losing any friend is horrific, but he just has this thing about him – this special, enigmatic thing that I have never met in anyone before. That's what all of his friends are saying. They are totally devastated by losing someone who gave them so much. He gave everyone so much."
In Court: Battle For Britney?
Originally posted Monday February 04, 2008 06:00 AM EST
As Britney Spears remains on a 14-day forced hospitalization, attorneys for the singer may object in a Los Angeles courtroom Monday to her father's control of her affairs.
Spears, 26, has had strained relations with her dad for years. "I am praying for my father. We never had a good relationship," Britney said in a statement last year regarding a feud.
"There could be a clash of wills over which side claims to have her best interests at heart," says L.A. probate attorney Allan Cutrow, who's not involved in the case.
Her father, Jamie – who visited Britney at the hospital on Sunday afternoon – and a lawyer named Andrew Wallet, were given widespread power over Spears's finances after a court named them co-conservators of her estate on Friday.
Courts grant this control when a person is incapable of handling their own affairs.
Jamie, alone, was also named temporary conservator of her person – in charge of her basic care and needs. He does not, however, have authority over her psychiatric treatment.
By now, a court-appointed attorney may have advised Spears of her right to protest her dad's control. If she does, the court may replace her father with someone who's deemed impartial.
It's also unclear whether Spears's custody lawyers, of the firm Trope and Trope, have the right to object.
"Depending on the powers the court granted the co-conservators, they may have the power to fire Trope and Trope at any time," Cutrow says.
Also Monday is a scheduled hearing in Spears's ongoing custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline. She currently has no visitation rights of their sons, Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1.
The former couple are not required to attend either hearing.
"This could only be the beginning of a long, protracted battle over her care, and control of her wealth," Cutrow adds.
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