JILL JACKSON’S HOLLYWOOD
By Jill Jackson
HOLLYWOOD … Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street was once a famous corner in Filmtown where stars met to dine in the famous restaurants and shop at the famous stores. Today it houses a brand-new condominium complex opening in the fall of ’09 — and get this — prices start at $800,000 and go up to $9 million! Which gets me to wondering who has that kind of money. So, I avidly wait to see who will inhabit these dwellings.
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Some new names on the big screen. Logan Lerman is set to star in “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.” This about Greek god Poseidon’s 12-year-old son, who is half-human and on a quest across modern America to save his mother, return Zeus’ lightning bolt and prevent a war among the gods. (Quite an undertaking, wouldn’t you say?) Brandon T. Jackson plays Percy’s best friend, a satyr (half-goat and half-human). The film is based on the book “The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan.
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Woody Allen is at work again. And as usual, he will not reveal the plot of his newest undertaking. But he has hired Spaniard Antonio Banderas, Indian Frieda Pinto, British-Australian Naomi Watts, Britian’s Sir Anthony Hopkins and American Josh Brolin. And that’s all the “Woodster” will say for now.
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Jeff Goldblum joins Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman in “The Baster.” This a romantic comedy about a man (Bateman) whose female best friend, Aniston, plans to become pregnant through artificial insemination. However, he replaces the preferred sample with his own sperm. Seven years later, the woman returns to New York and he is forced to live with the secret that he is the child’s father. Goldblum plays Bateman’s best friend, whose idea of working out is walking slowly on a treadmill while eating a candy bar. In real life, Jeff was married to Geena Davis and Patricia Gaul, and was once engaged to Laura Dern.
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Big doings at the Cesar Awards in gay Paree. After the presentations, the party lasted far into the next day. Dustin Hoffman received the Life Achievement Award, and among those who sipped champagne and danced the night away were Emma Thompson, Sean Penn, Robin Wright, Kristin Scott Thomas and Tilde Swinton.
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It’s no longer Britney, Lindsay and Paris who attract the paparazzi. It’s the Octomom. They still patrol her house, hoping to catch a shot of the woman who carried eight babies. Or better yet, a shot of any of the 14 kids. Hopefully this mania shall pass — one way or another.
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BITS ’N’ PIECES: Teenage girls carrying on now over the Jonas Brothers like teenage girls did over Frank Sinatra in his heyday. … If ever President Obama decides he doesn’t want to be “Prez” anymore, he can always turn to showbiz. He displayed his charisma on a recent “Tonight Show” with Jay Leno. … Most stars have one film they enjoyed making most: Rock Hudson’s was “Giant,” Frank Sinatra’s was “From Here to Eternity,” Elvis Presley’s was “King Creole,” Marlon Brando’s was “Burn” (No, not “A Streetcar Named Desire”), Burt Reynold’s was “Deliverance,” Kirk Douglas’ was “Lonely Are the Brave” and James Cagney’s was “Yankee Doodle Dandy.”
© 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.