More Trouble for Robert Downey Jr.

Only three months after his release from prison actor Robert Downey Jr. will again face the court on new drug charges. According to Reuters, the 35-year-old actor was picked up at the Merv Griffin resort hotel in Palm Springs, after police received an anonymous tip regarding a gun and drugs found in his room. Authorities found Downey alone with cocaine and methamphetamine, where he was arrested without incident.

Downey, who has been enjoying success as a regular on Ally McBeal, has been in and out of the court systems since 1996 for drug charges. In 1999, the actor failed to submit to drug testing and was sent to California State Prison in Corcoran, where an error in sentencing caused him to serve more time than he was supposed to. Downey was released from prison in August 2000.

A Second Lost and Found

Universal Pictures has lined up Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz and Nickelodeon regular Amanda Bynes for the film Lost and Found, not to be confused with David Spade's latest comedy of the same name. This story is about a young entrepeneur who's idea for a movie is stolen by a slimey Hollywood producer.

Muniz and Bynes will begin filming the project next spring, under the direction of Shawn Levy, who has directed episodes of the series Cousin Skeeter and other Nickelodeon programs. Universal will have to decide if they will need to change the name of the project before releasing it in theatres, in order to avoid confusion with the Spade film.

Things Get Hot For Shepherd

Actress Cybill Shepherd considers herself lucky no one was harmed in the fire that consumed the top floor of her home this past weekend. Shepherd fled her home and called the fire department after what appeared to be smoke billowing from her attic.

Officials had no problem extinguishing the blaze, which Shepherd told reporters might have been caused by a bedroom fireplace. The fire is still currently under investigation.

November 20, 2000

Becall Honored In Stockholm

Legendary actress Lauren Becall assured her fans in Stockholm this past weekend that just because she was receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award, it did not mean an end to her illustrious career. The 76 year old told reporters after receiving the honor that she had no intentions of quitting the business any time soon, during the Swedish 11th Annual Film Festival.

Becall is best remembered for her work with Humphrey Bogart, but has contributed a large body of impressive work over the years, including most recently Waiting in the Wings, a Broadway comedy about two former actresses living in a retirement community.

From One Villain to the Next for Dafoe

Willem Dafoe has his hands full these days playing some real lunatics. First he will quench his thirst for blood next month in Shadow of the Vampire a gothic remake of the classic horror flick Nosferatu. This past weekend, Dafoe sealed the deal to play the Green Goblin, (the evil foe of Peter Parker) in the highly anticipated Marvel classic Spiderman.

Shooting for Spiderman is expected to get underway in January under the direction of Sam Raimi.

Crowe Gets Pick of the Litter

Cameron Crowe is destined to hit paydirt again considering the cast he has lined up for his new thriller Vanilla Sky. Crowe has already confirmed that Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz and Cameron Diaz will be on board in this story that involves a romantic triangle, a car accident and reconstructive surgery. Kurt Russell may also join the cast, according to Variety the actor is currently in final negotiations over the project. Russell just wrapped up a project with Kevin Costner for Warner Bros. called 3000 Miles to Graceland, which is due out this next February.

This will be the second picture Crowe has worked with Cruise, the first being the extremely successful Jerry Maguire.

Wedding Bells for Douglas and Zeta-Jones

The stars came out this last weekend for a night of glamour and wedding vows, as megastars Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones finally tied the knot. Fans and paparazzi lined the streets outside the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan hoping to catch a glimpse as Jones and Douglas as they said their vows in front of 250 guests.

Among them were actors Jack Nicholson, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Danny DeVito, James Woods and Goldie Hawn to name a few. Douglas' parents Kirk Douglas and Diana Douglas Darrid were in attendance, as well as the groom's 21-year-old son from his first marriage, Cameron, who served as the best man. Fellow newlyweds Brad Pitt and Jenifer Aniston were also on hand to wish the couple well. November 13, 2000

Streisand To Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

The woman who has been getting a lot of attention for her support of Democrat Al Gore's presidential campaign will more appropriately be recognized for her impressive body of film work as director, composer, singer, actress and producer. Barbra Streisand was announced last week to be the 29th recipient of the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award. According to Associated Press, AFI Chairman Howard Stringer said the 58-year-old star ``is a living legend who epitomizes the essence of American Film, a pioneer in everything she does, whether it's acting, directing, writing, producing or singing.'' Streisand has racked up an impressive list of awards over the years including two Oscars, 10 Golden Globe awards, 10 Grammys, Two Peabody Awards, three Emmys, a Tony and two Women in Film Crystal Awards.

Streisand will be the first female director ever to be honored with the award which she is slated to receive at a ceremony in February. She joins the ranks of other notable Lifetime Achievers including Dustin Hoffman, Steven Spielberg, Jack Nicholson, Elizabeth Taylor, Gregory Peck, Sidney Poitier, James Cagney, Orson Wells, Alfred Hitchcock, and James Stewart.

Charity Ride Brings Out The Stars

They called it the "Love Ride", and set out to make more than a million bucks for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Nearly 20,000 riders joined Jay Leno and Peter Fonda on Sunday in the 50 mile run that folks are now calling the "largest motorcycle fund-raising event in the world".

Among the other celebs riding for charity were Billy Idol, Pat Boone, Larry Hagman, and Chuck Woolery.

Cage Tackles More Edgy Characters

Actor Nicholas Cage has been known to take on some difficult roles, like the suicidal alcoholic he portrayed in Leaving Las Vegas, for which he won an Oscar. In his next project, Cage will play another trauma-filled character, this time a war-torn veteran in a post-World War II film called Windtalkers.

Following on the heels of that film, Cage plans to star in a dual role as a man and his imaginary twin brother in Adaptation. The actor told the Associated Press recently he doesn't look forward to putting on the extra 20 pounds that role will require.

Loren Returns Home

After a 15-year-absence, actress Sophia Loren returned to her hometown of Procide this past weekend. Director Lina Wertmuller will feature Loren in a project that remains unnamed thus far. The actress visited her birthplace accompanied by her niece, Alessandra Mussolini, who also happens to be the attorney granddaughter of the late dictator Benito Mussolini.

The Oscar winner currently resides in the U.S., and also enjoys a home in Switzerland. The Italian megastar had previously sworn off visiting the tiny fishing island that sits in the Bay of Naples after her hometown claimed she had lived too long abroad to be considered a resident that would be allowed to vote.

November 6, 2000

Baldwin Seeks Help For Tooth Fairy

Actor Alec Baldwin is pushing for a legislative committee in Westchester County to help him fund the Tooth Fairy. The Tooth Fairy Project that is... a program that tests baby teeth for strontium-90, known as a byproduct of nuclear explosions. Baldwin has formed his own organization, the Radiation and Public Health Project, a group that believes the isotope is being emitted at dangerous levels from nuclear power plants, including Indian Point plants in Westchester.

The actor made his request Thursday before the committee, pleading with them to consider the studies that show the higher the level of strontium-90 in baby teeth, the greater their risk of developing cancer before age 5. Baldwin's organization has requested at least $50,000 from the committee to help cover the research.

Martin and Schepisi Together Again

Picasso at the Lapin Agile is the name of a new collaboration between director Fred Schepisi and actor-writer Steve Martin. The duo last worked together on the hit romantic comedy Roxanne in the late 80s.

The play, written by Martin, is a comedy about a fictitious night in 1904 when Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein meet by chance in a bar. Indie production company Abandon Pictures has optioned screen rights to the play, however, Martin is not expected to star. The comic actor/director/writer recently finished publishing his first novella, Shop Girl, and also completed the Artisan comedy Novocaine with Helena Bonham Carter and Laura Dern.

Vamper Bon Jovi

Rocker Jon Bon Jovi will be sinking his teeth into a sexy new role as one of John Carpenter's vampires in his latest thriller John Carpenter's Vampires: Los Muertos.

Bon Jovi, recently surprising audiences with his portrayal of a dead-beat dad in Pay It Forward, has been cast as the lead in the Vampires film, which is set to begin production early next year in Mexico. Bon Jovi's film credits also include U-571 and No Looking Back. Bon Jovi, his rock band are slated to perform at next year's Super Bowl.

"The Cat's Meow" snares Tilly and Dunst

Director Peter Bogdanovich has signed on Jennifer Tilly, Kirsten Dunst and Eddie Izzard to star in the Lion's Gate thriller The Cat's Meow, a film that is set to begin production this month in Berlin and Greece.

Tilly will play legendary 1920s gossip columnist Louella Parsons, Dunst will play Marion Davies, and Izzard will play Charlie Chaplin. According to Variety, the story is of the scandalous murder and ensuing cover-up of one of Hollywood's Golden Age power brokers set aboard William Randolph Hearst's yacht during the 1920s.