Mischa Barton Eyed For "Supergirl"
Mischa Barton is getting lots of attention these days, and now Warner Bros. wants to feature the fast-rising star as "Supergirl." Cinemablend.com reports the 20-year-old beauty might soon be flying onto the big-screen with some of that kryptonian kismet, when "Superman Returns" has primed moviegoers. With the anticipation building for the superhero summer blockbuster, producers will watch "Returns" closely at the box-office. If audiences approve of director Bryan Singer's new film starring Brandon Routh, expect history to repeat itself with a re-make of the 1984 Superman spin-off, which starred Helen Slater. In the meantime Barton will be staying busy having just wrapped the romantic adventure "Decameron: Angels & Virgins" and will star in the supernatural/thriller "Hexx" after "Closing the Ring" with Shirley McClaine.
Alba Plays Hardball with "Playboy"
Jessica Alba is not feeling particularly playful about her unwitting role as a Playboy cover girl.
The Sin City star, whose bikini-clad bod graces the cover of the nudie mag's March issue, is threatening to sue the publication for using her image for commercial purposes without her consent and causing "immeasurable harm" to her reputation and career.
Earlier this week, Alba's legal team at celeb-friendly firm Lavely & Singer fired off a strongly worded legal missive to Playboy Enterprises, accusing Hugh Hefner et al of making it seem like she appears in a "nude or semi-nude pictorial" within the pages of the magazine.
In the letter, available for viewing at the Smoking Gun Website, Alba's attorney, Brian Wolf, claims that the actress was approached by the magazine about posing for photos in connection with an article on Hollywood's 25 sexiest celebrities, but that she refused the offer and denied Playboy permission to use her picture.
Despite Alba's flat-out rejection, her lawyer alleges that Playboy went ahead and obtained a publicity photo of the Into the Blue star under false pretenses by telling Columbia Pictures that the actress had approved the use of the photo, which then wound up on the cover of the bunny-eared publication.
According to Wolf's letter, Alba's outrage stems in part from the potential injustice visited upon Playboy readers who might be duped into purchasing the plastic-sealed magazine because of the misleading insinuation that she trades her bathing suit for her birthday suit within its pages.
"In featuring Ms. Alba's photograph on the cover of Playboy's March issue, it is clear that Playboy's intent was to create a false belief and/or expectation among the public that Ms. Alba voluntarily appeared in the nude, or semi-nude and that a revealing pictorial of her in contained in Playboy's March issue," Wolf fumes.
On behalf of his wronged client, Wolf demands that Playboy "cease and desist" from distributing the offending issue of the magazine and shell out an as-yet undetermined monetary settlement to Alba to compensate her for the damage wrought upon her "good name, reputation and career."
He also requests that Playboy turn over any profits from the sale of its Alba issue to the reluctant cover girl.
The magazine's allegedly unauthorized use of Alba's photo also earned a stern rebuke from Sony Pictures' legal department, which expressed "dismay and anger over the outrageous, unethical behavior utilized by Playboy personnel" to obtain the cover shot.
While Sony has reserved the right to take legal action against the magazine, for now, the studio simply wants an apology and the assurance that Playboy won't resort to similar shenanigans in the future.
When she's not busy defending her modesty, Alba has a busy production slate ahead of her, as she prepares to return for sequels to both The Fantastic Four and Sin City.
She recently wrapped filming on the upcoming thrilled Awake, in which she stars opposite Hayden Christensen. The film is slated for a fall release.
Pearl Jam Releasing New Studio Album
SEATTLE - Seattle rock band Pearl Jam announced Wednesday that it will release its eighth studio album — and first since 2002 — in early May.
The self-titled CD is also its first release on its new label, J Records.
The album's first single, "World Wide Suicide," will be made available to radio stations March 8, and the same day the song will be available as a free download from the band's Web site, http://www.pearljam.com.
Tour dates in support of "Pearl Jam" will be announced later this month, the band said in a news release.
Pearl Jam was formed in 1991 and rose to prominence during the Northwest's early 1990s grunge movement. The band has sold nearly 60 million albums worldwide.
'West Wing' Alums to Return for Show's End
NEW YORK - A flock of alumni of NBC's "The West Wing" will return to reprise their roles one last time for the White House drama's final episodes, the network announced Tuesday.
Rob Lowe will come back as Sam Seaborn, the senior political official he played from 1999-2003. Lowe was nominated for an Emmy for his performance in 2001.
Mary-Louise Parker, who now stars on Showtime's "Weeds," will return as women's-rights advocate Amy Gardner, who in years past has had an on-again-off-again romance with presidential adviser Josh Lyman ( Bradley Whitford).
Also bringing back their characters: Anna Deavere Smith, Emily Proctor, Marlee Matlin, Gary Cole, Tim Matheson, Timothy Busfield and Annabeth Gish.
"West Wing," starring Martin Sheen as President Jeb Bartlet, has five episodes remaining before going off the air for good after seven seasons. The program airs Sundays (8 p.m. EST).
This year's story line has featured a presidential race between candidates played by Alan Alda and Jimmy Smits. NBC promises that the election will be decided before the series disappears.
The show's alumni will appear on one or more of the final episodes, but not necessarily the finale, which will air May 14. Aaron Sorkin, who created the show in 1999 and served as executive producer until 2003, will not be returning to aid in the finale, NBC said.
Oscars viewers to hear word "bitches" in song
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - There will be no F-word but the word "bitches" will be heard during the first-ever rap performance at the Academy Awards on Sunday.
At the request of the Academy and ABC, which is broadcasting the Oscars show, the authors of best song nominee "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from the film "Hustle & Flow" have substituted less offensive words for the song's profanity-laced lyrics.
"As long as the Academy approves it, it's cool," said rapper Jordan "Juicy J" Houston, a member of Three 6 Mafia, which wrote the song for the film and will be performing it.
But he said he was told by actress Taraji P. Henson, who performed the song in the film, and will sing onstage with Three 6 Mafia, that the show's producers were letting her keep the word "bitches," in the chorus. "Taraji said the Academy told her she can say 'bitches,"' said Houston.
A spokesman for Gil Cates, the producer of the Oscars telecast, confirmed that the word "bitches" was not one of the words changed by the nominated artists.
In another flap over lyrics a few years ago, actor-comedian Robin Williams performed a cleaned-up version of "Blame Canada" the off-color, Oscar-nominated song from the animated "South Park" movie during the Oscars telecast, replacing the f-word with a lesser f-word that means an expulsion of intestinal gas.
After being asked to perform the pimp song at the 78th Academy Awards, Houston, along with fellow songwriters, Paul "DJ Paul" Beauregard and Cedric "Frayser Boy" Coleman, combed through the tune, line by line, substituting various words to make the lyrics meet ABC's broadcast standards.
The song portrays the life of a hustler in the inner city of Three 6 Mafia's home town, Memphis, Tennessee,
"We know there will be children watching and we want it to be family-friendly," Houston told Reuters.
While rapper Eminem won the best song Oscar in 2003 for "Lose Yourself" from the film "8 Mile," he skipped the ceremony and the song was not performed.
Some industry analysts have suggested the Academy is hoping to reach a younger demographic by putting rap on the show.
Aaron Rosenberg, lawyer for Three 6 Mafia, said it was a milestone for the Academy to recognize hip-hop's influence on American culture and the group is extremely sensitive to decency concerns after the baring of Janet Jackson's breast during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show.
"They worked hard to clean it up as much as possible without compromising their artistic integrity," he said.
Just in case, ABC is also expected to use a five-second delay to aid network censors.
Chappelle Said Unhappy With Network Plans
DAYTON, Ohio - Comedian Dave Chappelle says he may never return to his hit Comedy Central show if the cable network goes through with plans to air new episodes culled from material he filmed before leaving the series.
"I feel like it's kind of a bully move," Chappelle told the Dayton Daily News in a telephone interview for a story Wednesday. "That's just how I feel about it. I don't know if that's the case. But if people don't watch it, then I'd be more than happy."
Last May, Chappelle stunned his fans and the entertainment industry by skipping out on a $50 million contract and leaving "Chappelle's Show" in mid-production. He spent two weeks in South Africa before returning home to his farm near Yellow Springs, Ohio. He has since resumed performing live standup.
Chappelle said his possible return to "Chappelle's Show" is still up in the air.
"But I think if they air that stuff, I can't see how I'm going to be able to," he told the Daily News. "That will damage our relationship."
Comedy Central has said in the past it plans to air the material, but wouldn't comment on any current specific plans.
"We are still waiting patiently for Dave to return to work, but we know that our viewers are looking forward to seeing the material he produced for the third season," Comedy Central said in a written statement.
Chappelle was scheduled to do a standup show and attend the premiere of his new movie "Dave Chappelle's Block Party" in the Dayton area Wednesday.