Portman Agrees To 'Leon' Sequel
26 December 2003
Movie beauty Natalie Portman is keen to reprise
her debut film role in a sequel to cult favorite
Leon. The actress, 22, first came to
international recognition in her acclaimed
performance as an assassin's 11-year-old pal in
the 1994 film, which starred Jean Reno in the
lead role. And now Natalie has confirmed the
long-awaited sequel is ready to roll, and she
can't wait to be involved - despite needing a
break following years working on the Star Wars
trilogy. She says, "The script's really great,
and worth delaying a vacation for."
Portman for Lois Lane?
20 November 2003
Star Wars beauty Natalie Portman is the
frontrunner to play Superman's leading lady Lois
Lane in the upcoming blockbuster, according to
reports in her native America. The brunette
actress has been named as studio Warner Brothers'
first choice to play the intrepid journalist,
who is saved from tragedy by her superhero
boyfriend. When asked if Portman has inked a
deal with director Richard Donner - who has
replaced Charlie's Angels filmmaker McG - her
agent replied "nothing's conclusive". The
project has been beset by problems, and actors
Jude Law and Josh Hartnett have both turned down
the chance to play the man of steel. Brendan
Fraser is the latest star to be linked to the
role.
Portman Romancing Bernal
4 November 2003
Star Wars beauty Natalie Portman has embarked on
a romance with Mexican screen hunk Gael Garcia
Bernal. Israeli-born Portman, 22, and 25-year-old
Y Tu Mama Tambien star Bernal have been spotted
out and about on intimate dates in New York in
recent weeks. The pair met at an Academy Awards
after-party in March, and have since stepped out
together at other high-profile events, such as
last month's 41St Annual New York Film Festival.
Pals claims Bernal is even making plans to move
into the New York home of Harvard University
graduate Portman.
Roberts 'Closer' to Blanchett Role
23 September 2003
Superstar Julia Roberts is in talks to play the
lead in new film Closer after Cate Blanchett
dropped out from the role. Blanchett last week
quit the film after announcing she's pregnant
with her second child, so The Graduate director
Mike Nichols approached the Pretty Woman actress
to take over in his adaptation of Patrick
Marber's play. Jude Law, Natalie Portman and
Clive Owen are also on board for the film, about
the tangled relationship between two couples
after a man from one and woman from the other
have an affair. Blanchett is currently wrapping
up Martin Scorsese's The Aviator, a Howard
Hughes biopic. She will then go to Italy to
shoot Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic alongside
Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Anjelica Huston
before her baby is due next year. Roberts will
next appear in Mona Lisa Smile, followed by
Ocean's Twelve, Steven Soderbergh's follow-up to
his 2001 heist flick.
Hartnett Wins Sexy Veggie Poll
16 July 2003
Hunky actor Josh Hartnett has been voted the
world's sexiest vegetarian in a new People For
The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA) poll.
Thousands of animal lovers voted at the
organizations' website, and selected the Black
Hawk Down star over British actor Jude Law. In
the hottest female vegetarian poll, model Lauren
Bush beat out PETA campaigner Pamela Anderson.
Other stars who fared well in the poll were My
Big Fat Greek Wedding star John Corbett, Kelly
Osbourne, Sir Ian McKellen and rap mogul Russell
Simmons. Previous poll winners Tobey Maguire and
Natalie Portman also featured in the respective
top 10s. A thrilled Hartnett admits his decision
to go meat-free came several years ago and
happened in an instant. He says, "One day I was
cutting up a chicken for my mom, and I hit a
tumor with the knife. There was pus and blood
all over the place. That was enough for me."
Natalie Portman Goes for Coffee
20 January 2003
Star Wars stunner Natalie Portman has become the
latest to appear in commercials for Japanese TV
- and she's plugging coffee. The 21 year-old
actress will join Leonardo DiCaprio, Harrison
Ford, Jennifer Lopez and Nicolas Cage promoting
products on Japanese television - and she's
clinched a reported $1 million for her efforts.
According to American tabloid the Star, Portman
secretly shot a commercial for the Japanese
coffee, Caffe Latte, during her holiday break
from the prestigious Harvard University. In it
she plays a college student praising the virtues
of the foamy java. A source says, "She was a
natural. She even speaks a few words of Japanese."
