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The row over the imminent release of the Da Vinci Code film grew today when star Tom Hanks hit out at its Catholic critics. Cardinals, speaking with the authorisation of the Vatican, have called for the Hollywood version of Dan Brown's bestselling novel to be boycotted. They say the theme of the film - that Jesus Christ had children with Mary Magdalene and that hardline Catholic movement Opus Dei covered up his secret life - is highly blasphemous. But Oscar-winner Hanks said objectors to The Da Vinci Code are taking the film too seriously, telling the Evening Standard: "We always...

Ben Affleck: Bush Can Be Hung for 'Leaks' in Plamegate By Josh Hart Apr 9, 2006 Actor Ben Affleck suggested this weekend on 'Real Time with Bill Maher' that President Bush “probably leaked” Valerie Plame's name and so “if he did, you can be hung for that! That's treason!” The would be politician and Democrat went through this exchange according to News Busters that gives a brief and rough transcript on how Mr. Affleck came to this conclusion. *** The panel guests were Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) who was quite humorous as he let loose with some funny four-quotes. Bill...

Belzer's Morons By Doug Powers On a regular basis, we hear people say how they "support the troops but are against the war." This has never made much sense to me, but then again, I'm not as smart as actors and comedians. Is there anything they don't know? Richard Belzer helped hash this out recently. The Law & Order actor and long-time comedian let the cat out of the bag during an appearance on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. The bottom line for Belzer: The troops aren't the best qualified to comment on the war because they don't have...

George Clooney is convinced he ruined John Kerry's chances in the race for US president in 2004 - by snubbing an invitation and hurting his feelings. The Ocean's Twelve actor was one of several screen stars invited to ride on Kerry's election train, but it all went downhill for the Democrat when Clooney stayed away. He recalls: "Kerry asked me to ride on his train - he had a train going cross-country after he was nominated and some actors went on board. I called him and explained that I couldn't do it. I'd hurt him. I'd actually caused him harm...

Gwen Stefani's Harajuku girls have been getting a lot of attention lately, and I have to say that I am confused. I like Gwen Stefani, she's allright. She's very stylish, has a nice voice and a flat stomach. She is a rock star and quite good at it. Now she has 4 things all together, the Harajuku Girls. I want to like them, and I want to think that they are great, but I am not sure if I can. I mean, racial sterotypes are really cute sometimes, and I don't want to bum everybody out by pointing out the...

Ocean's Eleven star George Clooney is urging his fellow Hollywood stars to keep quiet when it comes to politics, because he fears celebrity endorsements could wreck their favourite candidates' chances of victory. Democrat Clooney and a number of screen stars have recently come under attack for voicing their political views. And the actor, whose father Nick Clooney was recently defeated in his bid to be elected the congressional representative for Kentucky, has now vowed to be a lot more politically low-key. He says: "My father ran for congress last year. I couldn't campaign for him and I knew I couldn't,...

Berlin (dpa) - Actors Catherine Zeta-Jones and Antonio Banderas at the presentation of their latest film on Sunday in Berlin expressed their concerns about the government of U.S. President George W. Bush. Banderas openly criticized the U.S. government, saying it had done its job very poorly. The price for Bush's policies would be enormous not only for the U.S., he said, but for the rest of the world. Zeta-Jones also stated her dissatisfaction with the current U.S. administration.

Clooney: Liberal 'As Loud As I Can' Actor George Clooney tells Newsweek's Film Critic David Ansen he's upset 'liberal' has become a dirty word. "It blows my mind, because [unlike conservatives] we don't have to put the word 'compassionate' in front of it to say we actually give a s--t about people. I'm going to keep saying 'liberal' as loud as I can and as often as I can," he says in the October 10 issue (on newsstands Monday, October 3). Ansen talked to Clooney while he was in New York promoting the New York Film Festival debut of "Good...

Let Hollywood know that with Freedom of Speech comes RESPONSIBILITY. Outside the 77th annual ACADEMY AWARDSin Hollywood, California February 27, 2005 - 12 noon Corner Hollywood and Whitley3 blocks east of Highland. -RETURN HOLLYWOOD TO AMERICA--TAKE BACK HOLLYWOOD- We need some volunteers to show up and hang with Ted Hayes and Ron Smith at the corner of Hollywood and Highland at 6AM. Contact Ted or Ron for details. The rest of you can show up at 12 noon at Hollywood and WHITLEY to march three blocks west on Hollywood to the corner of HIGHLAND. Southern California CONSERVATIVES: Please JOIN...

LONDON - Dustin Hoffman flew into London, and denied reports that he planned to settle in Britain permanently. Hoffman arrived with his wife, Lisa, Sunday to promote his new film, "Meet the Fockers," the sequel to 2000's "Meet the Parents," in which he stars alongside Robert De Niro (news), Ben Stiller and Barbra Streisand (news). The 67-year-old actor told reporters at Heathrow Airport that media speculation that he plans to move to Britain was wrong. "I was doing some publicity for this movie in the states, and one of the things they asked was don't I have a place in...

JERUSALEM -- Actor Richard Gere has recorded a TV commercial urging Palestinians to vote in their election Sunday. In a transcript obtained by The Associated Press, he said: "Hi, I'm Richard Gere, and I'm speaking for the entire world. We're with you during this election time. It's really important: Get out and vote."

Kerry supporter Natalie Portman Actress Natalie Portman, sporting a yellow T-shirt featuring a John Kerry photo with the "That 70s Show" font, praised Kerry as having "the perfect combination of compassion, intelligence, and composure. I'm a huge fan."

Posted on Tue, Jul. 27, 2004 Actor Richard Dreyfus slams Bush By Laura Kurtzman Mercury News BOSTON - The Kerry campaign has been adamant that this Democratic convention not turn into an occasion to bash President Bush. But the message has not gotten to Richard Dreyfuss, the actor who addressed the California delegation at its Tuesday breakfast. In a speech that went on so long that California Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres began to hover nervously at his side, Dreyfuss called Bush ``arrogant and incompetent'' and said ``his appeal to patriotism is simplistic and thuggish.'' Dreyfuss added, ``He is the...

Quote: "... I’m not saying I loved Gore, but I’m saying I don’t want that mother-f*cking Bush in the White House." John Cusack

Gangs of New York (2002) DVD/Video Release Date July 8, 2003 http://movies.go.com/movies/G/gangsofnewyork_2001/index.html American Stars Slam Bush Over Iraq at Berlin Fest Thursday February 13, 10:15 AM Dustin Hoffman and Martin Scorsese added their voices to a peace movement sweeping Europe, telling audiences in Germany violence would not solve the world's problems and that they wanted to speak out against Bush, without criticizing America. Scorsese, a director famed for violent gangster films such as "Goodfellas" and whose latest "Gangs of New York" is competing in Berlin for a "Golden Bear" award, hoped war could be averted. "It seems to me that...