Movies

It isn't all work for George Clooney while he films "Ocean's 13." According to an insider on set at the Warner Bros. lot, George Clooney spends every free minute he has off camera on the court. The basketball court that is.

This isn't the first time we've heard of Clooney's hoop obsession. Back when George was on the cast of "E.R.", Warner Bros. actually built him his own court on the lot. Some actors do breathing excercises to prepare, Clooney shoots hoops. What a life!!

Puck. Omarosa. LC. If you're a fan of reality TV then you probably recognize those one name monikers and the "characters" that go with them.

With every passing day there seem to be more and more reality shows filled with an endless pool of wannabe stars clamoring for fame. While most will be forgotten faster than you can say Darva Conger, a rare few have managed to eek out legit careers. And by legit we mean more than just appearing on more reality shows.

TMZ reveals which reality stars have beaten the odds and gone on to become real stars.

Kelly Clarkson

At first, things didn't seem to look too good for America's first "Idol" winner. Shortly after obtaining the now illustrious crown, Kelly Clarkson co-starred in the 2003 film "From Justin to Kelly" with "Idol" loser Justin Guarini - may he rest in peace. The film turned out to be a flop of epic proportions. But the talented singer endured long enough to obtain new management and release the 2004 multi-platinum album "Breakaway," which featured 5 hit singles including the monster track "Since U Been Gone." While past "Idol" winners (and Clay Aiken) have gone on to earn platinum-selling albums, Clarkson is the only "Idol" to receive the biggest musical career legitimizer there is -- two Grammy awards. We'd like to see Simon Cowell badmouth that!

Johnny Knoxville

Not even Paris Hilton could have imagined that videotaping yourself getting kicked in the groin or barbecuing your steak-covered body on a grill could lead to a legitimate acting career. Well, that's exactly what happened to Johnny Knoxville after his MTV stunt show, and it's big screen version, "Jackass" became a huge hit. Soon Knoxville's fearless attitude and rockstar looks had the studios knocking down his doors. Johnny has gone on to star in over ten films including last summer's hit "The Dukes of Hazzard." While Knoxville hasn't abandoned his reality show roots, "Jackass: Number Two" comes out this month, nothing says you've arrived quite like being linked to your on screen co-star (Jessica Simpson).

Jacinda Barrett

Another MTV alum who's caught Hollywood's eye is former London "Real World" roommate Jacinda Barrett. Since appearing on the reality show in '95, the former model has been steadily building a solid resume. She's co-starred with A-listers like Anthony Hopkins and Nicole Kidman in "The Human Stain", and with Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant In "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason." This summer she starred in the remake of "Poseidon" and will next be seen with Zach Braff in "The Last Kiss" and with "Napoleon Dynamite's" Jon Heder in "School For Scoundrels." We think it's safe to say you won't be seeing Jacinda on a "Real World/Road Rules Challenge" in the near future.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Elisabeth Hasselbeck's experience roughing it in the wilds of "Survivor:The Australian Outback" was nothing compared to her mornings spent sparring with the other ladies on "The View." After her jungle days ended, Ms. Lizzie hosted E!'s "The Look for Less." That led to the high profile gig on "The View" and, eventually, to becoming Barbara Walters' conservative crybaby. And now that Meredith Vieira and Star Jones have left the show, Hasselbeck has firmly cemented her place at the gabfest's table. But with outspoken talkshow vet Rosie O'Donnell joining the morning show on September 5, all eyes will be on Elisabeth to see if she holds her own or crashes and burns under Rosie's reign. Regardless, as far as her career goes, and at least for now, it appears the tribe has spoken.

Jennifer Hudson

After filming scenes for the third entry to the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, everyone's favorite swashbuckler took time to meet and greet his fans.

While co-star Orlando Bloom tends to duck out of the fanfare, Johnny Depp has continually shown his appreciation for the people who've made "Pirates" one of the strongest box-office beasts.

As filming continues in the Redondo Beach area of Southern California, Jack Sparrow's ship, The Black Pearl, has been spotted floating off the shores, lit by torches at night.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End" hits theaters May 2007.

Was it the rebel / punk influence of Johnny Ramone that inspired Nicolas Cage to star in the remake of the 1973 cult classic 'The Wickerman'? He did say that Johnny "was a fan."

But it's when Mr. Cage starts making statements like "[Wickerman] was so unlike any other movie I'd seen, so I kept thinking how we could recreate it and make it relevant to today," that the list of not-so-memorable 2006 remakes come to mind: 'The Hills Have Eyes', 'When A Stranger Calls', 'The Omen' ... and the list goes on and on.

Didn't Joaquin Phoenix have a different name before?

Yes, Ivette, Joaquin used to answer to another name -- Leaf! But it was not his birth name. He has always been Joaquin, but used the alias Leaf as a child and as a young actor. Around 1989, he dropped that name and returned to Joaquin.

That said, Joaquin will next be seen in "We Own the Night" with Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall and Eva Mendes. He will also star with Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Connelly in the thriller "Reservation Road." Expect both flicks out next year.

For all things Joaquin, click here.

Wasn't Patricia Heaton supposed to get a TV show?

Sal, everybody's favorite Barone is indeed supposed to continue on with her television career. "The Path to 9/11" is a mini-series documenting the events which lead up to the tragic event. She can be seen here along with Donnie Wahlberg and Harvey Keitel on September 10 and 11 on ABC at 8/7c.

Her comedy pilot, however, did not get picked up, but, according to ABC president Stephen McPherson, it could be considered for a midseason replacement.

To read more about previous co-star Brad Garrett's show, click here.

Are Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova together?

Jennifer, it looks like Andy and Maria are sharing more than their love for tennis. And it's been going on for more than a year, according to US Weekly. Although their age difference has been a reason for the hush-hushness thus far (Roddick is 24, Sharapova is 19), it seems as though they're finally comfortable letting it all hang out. With the U.S. Open going on, we'll have to wait and see if their off-the-court action translates onto the court.

For more hook-ups you might care about, take a look at this!

Will "King of Queens" return to TV this fall?

Norma, you won't be seeing "King of Queens" premiering in early fall, but you can expect to see the show midseason on CBS. Thirteen more episodes were ordered, however it was decided to save those final thirteen for later. Still, Kevin James was nominated this year for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series -- so something's going right down there! The show is currently in negotiations for another season.

For more TV news, check this out!

What happened to Kelly from "Saved by the Bell"?

Tiffani Thiessen, of "Saved by the Bell" and "Beverly Hills, 90210" hasn't turned her back on the small screen just yet. She is filming with Faye Dunaway for the movie "Pandemic," a four-hour mini-series for the Hallmark Channel set for next summer. In this thriller, a doctor rushes to find a cure for bird flu spreading throughout Los Angeles.

Ben Affleck is getting sick of all the media focus put on his personal life and says it's hurting his career. While promoting his new film "Hollywoodland" at the Venice Film Festival, Affleck had a few words targeted at the celebrity-obesssed culture.

"I think more and more people pay attention to actor's private lives ... it makes it difficult to suspend disbelief when you are going to watch their movie because really what you are thinking about is whatever you have read about them in a magazine rather than the performance they are giving and it makes the actors job harder."

Affleck even got a bit poetic at the presser, telling reporters "the movies become incidental pit stops and commercial breaks in the soap opera of their life."

Scarlett Johansson's curvy figure has always drawn a lot of attention, but it is too hot for the big screen? While promoting her new film "The Black Dahlia" at the Venice Film Festival, the buxom blonde was bombarded with questions about a raunchy sex scene with on and off-screen boyfriend Josh Hartnett.

Though some of the press has called the romp a distraction from the film, Johansson is optimistic about the scene. "It's hard to get a perspective on that when it is you, but I hope that is not true. I mean, it's nice to be sexy but hopefully that is not overwhelming, hopefully it is in balance with the rest of the story."

Johansson also told reporters she was only following the direction of Brian De Palma saying he wanted it to be "aggressive ... an exorcism of sorts."

Audiences can check out the scorching scene when the movie hits theaters next month, though you'd have to be crazy to have a problem with a sexed-up Scarlett.

Mel Gibson gets blown away outside Moonshadows restaurant in Malibu, and it's coming soon to a theater near you.

TMZ has obtained the opening sequence of the script for the sequel to "The Hebrew Hammer," a 2003 Jewish blaxploitation comedy starring Adam Goldberg. The sequel, called "The Hebrew Hammer 2: Hammer vs. Hitler," depicts a very drunk Mel Gibson spilling out of Moonshadows, two blondes on each arm and a bottle of Irish whiskey in hand. Gibson then obnoxiously berates the valets, leaps into his Lexus and speeds off, screaming obscenities about the Jews. Apprehended by a policeman down the road from Moonshadows, Gibson's anti-Semitic tirade is cut short when the cop -- "The Hebrew Hammer" -- puts a bullet in Gibson's head, spraying a bloody Star of David onto the windshield of his Lexus.

In the new film, written by director John Kesselman, "The Hebrew Hammer" is now married and enjoying the good life in suburbia. But the Hammer is forced to dust off his pimpy, black leather couture to confront a new menace: A time-traveling Hitler, intent on altering key moments in Jewish history -- to the detriment of the Jews

A tug-of-war has erupted over Kesselman's sequel. Insiders tell TMZ the pitch has sparked interest from Hollywood execs, in no small measure because of its hilarious-but-controversial opening scene.

TMZ has obtained video from the set of the new Transformers film, including shots of two Autobots in action!

The two "robots in disguise" zipped through a closed Los Angeles street filled with a ton of overturned cars and rubble, as signs warning of "gunfire, managed explosion and smoke" continued to flash.

One car, a silver Pontiac Solstice, is rumored to be Jazz, a character "played" by a Porsche in the animated series. The other vehicle, a souped-up Hummer, is said to be Ratchet, who was "played" by an ambulance in the original series. It should be remembered that the Autobots are the protagonists of the Transformer universe with the evil Decepticons as their enemies.

Sultry Keira Knightley is finally back where she belongs ... hitting the high seas as Elizabeth Swann on the set of "Pirates of the Caribbean 3."

Cameras spotted the British beauty catching a ride on a small transfer boat as she made her way to the Black Pearl. The massive floating set is currently drifting off the coast of Long Beach, Calif. Despite roasting in the blazing California sun, Keira was all smiles in her Asian-influenced costume.

The third installment of the Pirates series will attempt to swashbuckle its way past the $1 billion mark set by its predecessor when it hits theaters next May.

What's the latest on Halle Berry?

Bill, you can breathe easier now, for we have your Halle Berry scoop. Her love life is sailing along as smooth as anyone could dream of. She and loverboy Gabriel Aubry have been seen all over town buying art and visiting pet stores, and they've even been spotted observing the construction of their Hollywood Hills home together!

Halle's professional life is still in full swing as well. The Oscar winner just finished filming a movie with Bruce Willis called "Perfect Stranger," where her character goes undercover to solve a murder, and somehow gets caught up in the world of obsessive online love. Now, she's in the middle of shooting another flick called "Things We Lost," along with Benecio Del Toro and David Duchovny. Both movies are slated for a 2007 release.

To see more of Halle, go on and click here!

What's the name of Chris Daughtry's new band?

Crystal, it's not Fuel, that's for sure. However, he is working on putting together a new band aptly named, "Daughtry." Chris plans on doing the writing for his songs and working alongside distinguished producer Howard Benson (Hoobastank, Papa Roach). His first single is scheduled for radio at the end of September. Though the site is not yet functioning, fans will be able to visit www.DaughtryOfficial.com for the latest on one of America's favorite "Idol's."

For more on "American Idol," take a look at this.

"Who?" you ask.

John Malone is hardly a household name mogul the way that News Corporation capo Rupert Murdoch is, and that's how he'd like to stay. But even though he lacks the ego and headline grabbing persona of The Rupe, Malone is moving from being "just a numbers guy" to a quietly potent content wizard.

Malone started in the decidedly un-sexy world of cable, in the even-less-sexy state of Colorado. He grew his TCI cable concern it into the largest cable network in the U.S. by 1999, when it was acquired by AT&T. Of course, like any true deal-aholic, by 2002, Malone had gotten AT&T to spin Liberty off again - less its U.S. cable systems and a huge pile of cash.

A new movie is depicting the last 48 hours of Christ's life. No, not "Passion of the Christ." It's called "Color of the Cross," an independent religious biopic that premiered at Cannes in May.

The movie bills itself as "the first dramatic film in Hollywood history ever to depict Christ as a man of color" and as "the first Christian based film to inject race as a possible factor in the Crucifixion of Christ."

"Color of the Cross" doesn't focus on the bloody torture of Christ's crucifixion (like some movies), but on his agonizing struggle with impending death. Writer, director and star Jean Claude LaMarre says, "Our movie is not about dividing Christians, but broadening their perspective. For centuries, Leonardo Da Vinci's portrayal of Jesus has been widely accepted. We are offering an alternative image. There's room for all. We will be seeking the Pope's blessing on this one."

Jessica Alba is getting up close and personal with her finned co-stars in "Good Luck Chuck." The foxy brunette was caught in action feeding a group of penguins while filming on the set of her new movie in Edmonton, Canada. Alba is staring opposite funnyman Dane Cook in the romantic comedy.

This is the same set on which Alba lost one tooth and chipped another while filming a love scene with Cook a week ago. Alba described that somewhat calamitous clinch as "not the slowest, most romantic love scene," hence the dental issues.

"Good Luck Chuck" is scheduled to hit theatres within the next year.

A week after Sumner Redstone made headlines around the world by declaring Tom Cruise persona non-grata at Paramount Pictures, the world's biggest and strangest star has a new investor.

In an announcement released this afternoon, C/W Prods. will be backed by a trio of investors including Washington Redskins owner Daniel M. Snyder, Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro, and Dwight Schar of NVR, Inc., a residential construction and mortgage banking concern.

The company, to be called First and Goal, LLC, will "...invest in Cruise/Wagner Productions, providing development and overhead financing in this two year deal with the option to renew [for the] long-term..."