CELEBRITY EXTRA
By Cindy Elavsky
Q: When I was watching the Academy Awards ceremony, I saw a familiar-looking girl who presented with Rob Pattinson. Who is she? Was she ever on a soap opera? — Georgia F., via e-mail
A: Amanda Seyfried, who most recently starred in the big-screen adaption of “Mamma Mia!” with Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, is the beautiful young actress in question. Some of her earlier small-screen roles were as Lucy on “As the World Turns” and Joni on “All My Children.” She first came to my attention as the ditzy Karen from the Tina Fey-written feature film “Mean Girls.” Amanda also currently stars as Sarah, Bill and Barb’s oldest daughter, on HBO’s “Big Love.” This in-demand actress can be seen next in “Boogie Woogie” and “A Woman of No Importance.”
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Q: I am so sad that this is the final season of “ER.” I think it is as good this last season as it ever has been. When is the final show? — Holly J., Clarksville, Tenn.
A: The cast and crew of “ER” will save their final patient on April 2. This last season has seen the shows jampacked with special guest stars, including Noah Wyle, Anthony Edwards, Eriq La Salle, Alex Kingston and William H. Macy. Perhaps the biggest news is that George Clooney and Julianna Margulies are reprising their roles of Dr. Doug Ross and nurse Carol Hathaway, although their characters’ story line has been kept very hush-hush.
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Q: Is it true that “American Idol” is going to be turned into a movie? — Tabitha D., via e-mail
A: If Anthony Hopkins has his way, you just might see “American Idol” on the big screen someday in the future — with Mr. Hopkins himself starring as the acid-tongued Simon Cowell. Anthony recently told MTV.com: “We are ’American Idol’ addicts. Simon is my favorite, because he’s so brutally honest. There’s no political correctness with him. He says it as it is.” And who would play Randy Jackson? According to Randy, he says (with tongue firmly in cheek), “I’ve been told I resemble a cross between Will Smith and Denzel (Washington), so I’d probably let one of them play me.”
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Q: Could you please tell me who the actor is who played Glover in “Mad Money”? He also played an angel who had been an alcoholic in “Over Her Dead Body.” I think he was great in both movies and would like to know more about him. — Martha W., Fort Worth, Texas
A: Prolific character actor Stephen Root is the name you are looking for. He is perhaps best known to fans as Milton Waddams from the cult hit “Office Space” and as station manager Jimmy James from “NewsRadio.” He also does a lot of voice-over work for cartoons on the small and big screens, and currently has quite a few films coming up, including “The Soloist,” “Unthinkable” and “Men Who Stare at Goats.”
Have a question for Cindy? E-mail her at [email protected], or write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.
© 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.