By Jill Jackson
HOLLYWOOD … Oscar winner Rachel Weisz was a big hit onstage in London playing Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Practically every name in the business wants a chance at that role. It’s just about THE No. 1 showcase for acting.
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Comes a most interesting question from Helen H. of Bangor, Maine. She asks, “How many husbands did Elizabeth Taylor have, how many times has she changed her hair color, AND, do you know her?” Well now, let’s see. I do not really know Elizabeth personally. I have sat next to her many times at industry dinners, and we’ve “chatted” small talk. However, my close friend Roddy MacDowall, now deceased, was a close friend of Elizabeth’s, and he kept me posted on her “doings.” … As to the husbands, she had eight if you count marrying Richard Burton twice, seven in reality. Nicky Hilton, Michael Wilding, Mike Todd, Eddie Fisher, John Warner, Burton and Larry Fortensky. … As for changing her hair color, I would say she started out with her natural color: a dark brown. Then it went gray, then white. Then she dyed it yellow. Now I think she is coloring it a sort of dark brown. … You also asked about her children and grandchildren, but we’ll go into that in another writing.
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Some of the attendees at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland in May will be Andrzej Wajda, Hong Sangsoo, Isao Takahata, Yoshiyuki Tomino, Maurizio Nichetti, Eleni Karaindrou, Albe Schwacher, Brilliante Mendoza, Jalill Lespart and others. Try these at your next spelling contest.
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Interesting list in the Hollywood Reporter titled “First Ladies Over Fifty.” Among those cited: Meryl Streep, with 15 Oscar nominations and two wins; Maggie Smith, with six Oscar nominations and two wins; Kathy Bates, three Oscar nominations and one win; Sigourney Weaver, three Oscar nominations; and Diane Keaton, four Oscar nominations and one win.
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Big doings at the Berlin premiere of “Inglorious Basterds.” Many stars showed up from many countries, among them Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Quentin Tarantino and, of course, Angelina. And from someone who was there, I’m told it was a buzzing sound like a beehive when all the languages were being heard at the same time. I’m also told some of the dresses worn by “les femmes” were glorious.
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BITS ’N’ PIECES: Since Paris Hilton moved to gated quarters in Beverly Hills, she hasn’t been sighted in my area (Sunset Boulevard) in recent months. She’s also been (at this writing) relatively “low key.” … News is that Paris’ good friend Nicole Richie is “preggers” with her second child, which keeps her out of the “fray” for a while. … Leonardo? He’s still bouncing about the nightclubs and breaking the hearts of lots of ladies.
© 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.