By SEAN DALY Special to the Daily press
Top celebrity news ■ HALLE BERRY MAY RETURN AS “JINX”... in a sequel to the mega-James Bond hit “Die Another Day.” Backstage at the NAACP Image Awards on March 8 (she won O u t s t a n d i n g S u p p o r t i n g Actress for the role), Berry said a script is already in the works. “They are in the process of working on it right now,” she told us. “So if it is any good, hopefully we can make a decent movie out of it.” ■ SPIKE LEE WAS HONORED... with a lifetime achievement award at the NAACP ceremony, but reportedly left the event at LA’s Universal Amphitheater early to catch a red-eye back to New York for Michael Jordan’s final game at Madison Square Garden. During the tribute, NBA star John Sally told the film-maker, “I have a championship cigar for you, but since the Knicks are never gonna win one, I’ll just hang on to it.” ■ FRANKIE MUNIZ SAID NO TO MICHAEL JACKSON... a few years go when the Gloved One invited him for a sleepover. “Michael is a huge fan of ‘Malcolm In The Middle’ which is kind of creepy,” the 16 year-old star revealed while promoting his new movie, “Agent Cody Banks,” which opened Friday. “I have been invited over (to the Neverland Ranch in Encino), but I didn’t stay with him.” ■ STOCKARD CHANNING IS NOT A FAN OF AWARD SHOWS... “I have been fortunate enough to win at the last couple I was at,” The “West Wing” star told reporters after c l a i m i n g O u t s t a n d i n g Supporting Actress honors at last weekends Screen Actors Guild Awards. “Generally as I move toward the stage, I start falling, my eyes start running... it totally brings back every nightmare I ever had in high school.” ■ WHO INSPIRES AMY BRASSETT... of “Cedric The Entertainer Presents?” Turns out it’s none other than drag queen RuPaul. “My whole bathroom is done in Barbie and RuPaul,” the actress revealed. As for the rest of the house? “It’s mostly Indonesian art and Earthtones,” she says. “The bathroom is my opportunity to be with RuPaul and Barbie.” ■ RENEE ZELLWEGER WILL KEEP BUSY... in the days leading up to the Academy Awards. The nominated Best Actress will be attending her best friend’s wedding shower, helping her get fitted for a wedding dress, and shooting some last minute scenes for her new movie “Down With Love.” “My entire family is also coming in from Australia,” he says. Meanwhile, her nominated costar QUEEN LATIFAH plans to spend the time relaxing: “I am just gonna kick back for a day or two, let the wardrobe people worry about my wardrobe, and get a massage.”
The list: “What in your day to day life are you really good at and really bad at?” ■ JAMIE LYNN SIGLER (”The Sopranos”): I’m really good at sports like softball and tennis. I’m getting good at golf. I took up golf for AJ because he’s a good golfer and he thought it would be something good for me to do. Actually I thought it was boring and you have one good swing and you’re hooked. It’s pretty bad. I had a couple great swings my first lesson and now I’m begging him to play. Something I’m really bad at would be lying. I’m a horrible liar. ■ JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT (”The Tuxedo”): “I hook up electronics really well. Like home stereos. I play the guitar really badly. Right now I am officially the world’s suckiest guitar player.” ■ SHERYL CROW (Singer): “Running hurdles. I’m a good hurdler. I used to run in high school and at the time could almost beat anybody, but not now.” ■ SOLEIL MOON FRYE (”Sabrina The Teenage Witch”): “I love boxing. My father was a six-time golden glove. I’m not going to compete for the Golden Glove, but it’s so much fun.” ■ RYAN PHILLIPPE (”Igby Goes Down”): “I sing really badly. And something I do really well would be Martial Arts, I guess. I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.” ■ VIN DIESEL WANTS TO SING... in an upcoming big screen version on “Guys and Dolls.” The “XXX” action hero has yet to officially sign on for the project, but said last week that he is ready to try a musical — especially if it were to co-star NICOLE KID- MAN. “The idea of me singing... I’m scared shitless of singing,” he said. “But Tom Hanks always told me, ‘Do what you are afraid of.’” Diesel’s current movie, “A Man Apart,” opens April 4.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 15, 2003. Read the original PDF.