HOLLYWOOD -
Top Story
Blushing bride Julia Roberts told ABC's Diane Sawyer on Monday that she was "born to love" her new husband, cameraman Danny Moder. Speaking about her secret July 4 midnight wedding for the first time, Roberts described Moder, whom she met while filming The Mexican, as "a man among men, unselfish and all-encompassing." Even though the actress has had a rather shaky history in her love life, she told Sawyer, "I hope there are some people who agree that I have done some good, some kind things in my life, but to really ultimately stand fully in a moment of realizing that I was born to love, and to be the wife of, this man."
Roberts also spoke publicly for the first time on her split with actor Benjamin Bratt, who recently married actress Talisa Soto (they are expecting their first child). Roberts said Bratt made his own choices and "all the better because he was unhappy, and he left and moved along and found happiness."
Celebs
Samuel L. Jackson won't be making a movie with a rapper-turned-actor anytime soon. He commented to the Sacramento Bee that he believes the trend of taking rap singers and making them movie stars is an "aberration." He explained, "I know there's some young actor sitting in New York or L.A. who's spent half of his life learning how to act and sacrificing to learn his craft but isn't going to get his opportunity...because of some actor who's been created."Movies
Andy Garcia is poised to join Ashley Judd and Samuel L. Jackson (and no rap singers in sight) in Paramount's Blackout. The Hollywood Reporter describes the film as a female-driven gritty thriller in which a police detective (Judd) investigating a murder finds her past lovers dying around her. Garcia would play a fellow colleague and potential love interest. He just shouldn't get too close.Continuing the rap theme, Ja Rule is set to join the sequel The Fast and the Furious 2, reprising his role as street racer Edwin. He'll get more screen time in this go-around, as he co-stars with Paul Walker and Tyrese, two undercover cops who once again hit the street-racing scene to bring down a formidable drug trafficker.Christina Applegate is in negotiations to star with Ben Affleck in DreamWorks' Surviving Christmas. The project focuses on a rich record executive (Affleck) who, rather than spend the holidays by himself, rents the family who now lives in his old childhood home. Applegate would play the family's well-educated scientist daughter.Tube News
Bet Regis Philbin never thought he'd be someone's inspiration. Donny Osmond told The Associated Press he credits the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire host for making game-show hosts cool again, as he takes on the host role this September in Pyramid. The game show is a syndicated revival of $25,000 Pyramid and $100,000 Pyramid, which Dick Clark hosted in the 1970s and '80s. "Hey, hey, we're the Monkees!" We could be hearing those immortal lyrics once again as NBC is looking to revive the '60s pop quartet format that made stars out of Monkees band members Mickey Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork. NBC would be looking for a new group, with a fall 2003 launch date.Music News
Death Row Records mogul Marion "Suge" Knight will be publishing his autobiography in 2003. The as-yet-untitled book will look at Knight's life, including his tumultuous relationships with Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls, Snoop Dogg and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, as well as his five years in prison.