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Despite the fact armed tanks are guarding London’s Heathrow Airport in wake of terrorist threats, many of the nominees for the British Academy of Film and Television Awards, who are also nominated for Oscars, will be making the trip to the U.K. for this Sunday’s ceremony. Variety reports some of the nominees making appearances include Adrien Brody, Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek. Nominee Jack Nicholson, however, will not be attending. The BAFTA ceremony will take place at the Odeon Leicester Square.
Celebs
According to Variety, Ashley Judd will make her Broadway debut as Maggie the Cat in a revival of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, currently making a splash in London with Frances O’Connor, Brendan Fraser and Ned Beatty as Big Daddy. This means, however, that Judd has officially passed on playing Catwoman in Warner Bros.’ new Batman flick, which is still in development.
Meryl Streep is reaping accolades. Along with winning the Golden Globe and being nominated for an Oscar, the actress is also to receive an honorary Cesar, the French equivalent to the Academy Award. The ceremony will take place in Paris on Saturday, Variety reports. And since she’ll be heading that way for the BAFTAs…
Movies
Kate Hudson, currently starring in the hit romantic comedy How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days, will be taking on the hosting duties for the Scientific and Technical Academy Awards. The Associated Press reports the event will be held March 1, three weeks before the Academy Awards ceremony on March 23, at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles.
20th Century Fox is looking for partners to help mount their big-budget movie Tripoli, which is set to begin production on the coast of Morocco this summer. The film tells the true story of William Eaton, an American who helped the heir to the throne of Tripoli lead an overthrow of a corrupt ruler in the early 1800s. Variety reports the budget could go as high as $120 million. No talent has been attached as yet.
Tube
If this is something you actually want to see, Melissa Joan Hart will allow camera crews to follow her around as she prepares for her summer wedding to musician Mark Wilkerson. The footage will then be edited into a special or series for ABC, Variety reports. During an appearance on Tuesday night’s Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, Hart admitted, “I actually asked for it because I thought it would be cool to have professionals really shooting the bachelorette party and the bachelor party and the engagement party and the bridal shower and going with me to try on my dress. And I’ll have it all on video. I’m going to produce it so I’ll have total control.”
Music
The eighth annual Ozzfest lineup was announced Tuesday, including Korn, Disturbed and Marilyn Manson. The show begins June 28 in San Antonio, Texas.
AP reports boy-band hit maker Lou Pearlman, best known for launching the Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync, is the target of a Florida state probe into complaints that Pearlman’s company, Trans Continental Talent Inc. allegedly duped several aspiring models and actors out of money, sometimes $1,500 a pop, for space on the company’s Web site.
