KEY POINTS:
She's known as the Hollywood stick insect, but Nicole Kidman is about to pork out and fatten up in the name of art.
In a similar fashion to Renee Zellweger who famously bulked up for her role as Bridget Jones, Kidman is said to have already put on 10lb for her latest flick, The Reader.
Word has it that the Aussie actress is hoping to at least double her weight gain for what she describes as the "most challenging" role of her career.
A source tells British newspaper The Daily Mail: "The part she plays demands that she gets fatter throughout the movie as her character slips into middle age.
"It's a very demanding role because there are a lot of explicit lovemaking scenes.
"Nicole was originally planning to use prosthetics but was told by the director, Stephen Daldry, that it would be more realistic if she gained the weight."
So Kidman will be paid to gain weight and indulge in a bit of the other on silver screen. Sounds like a real challenge.
Mind you, anyone who manages to stay married to Tiny Tom for ten years deserves some serious credit.
Here's Nicole looking gorgeous on the cover of Interview magazine.
Jake-ing around
Ever since he dropped his Levis and got intimate with Heath Ledger in seminal flick Brokeback Mountain, tongues have been wagging that bearded hunk Jake Gyllenhaal is gay.
Jakey did little to dispel the rumours when he was out and about making the rounds of press for his latest movie, Rendition.
While being quizzed by the press about the finer details of the film, Gyllenhaal felt compelled to share a particular anecdote with the press about a time he spent on the floor of a women's toilet ... with Susan Sarandon.
He explained: "I was stuck in a woman's bathroom once with Susan Sarandon. She was interviewing me for a magazine and we couldn't find a battery for our recording device so we ended up in a woman's bathroom.
"I discovered that day that the floor in a woman's bathroom is colder than the floor in the men's. And, believe me, I've spent a lot of time on the floor of a men's bathroom so I should know!"
I'm assuming he was probably referring to a drunken occasion he was hunched-double and talking through God's great telephone in the gents, as opposed to any deviant behaviour.
As for Jake being gay? I think it's a serious case of 'wish you were queer' on behalf of some folk.
Clever Mel
Spice Girl Mel B may come across as a bit of a low watt bulb at times, but when it comes to matters of matrimony, her head's completely screwed on.
Mel has forced her hubby to sign away any claim to her new $3 million Hollywood Hills mansion.
She bought the house after signing a $10 million deal with her management to tour with the Spice Girls this year.
But partner Stephen Belafontane has reportedly had to sign a document saying that she is the sole owner of the pad.
Mels is said to be uber paranoid after her costly divorce to dancer Jimmy Gulzar, and will do all it takes to protect her assets.
A source reveals: "Mel learned a lot from her divorce. She is smart enough to know she has to protect herself and her children."
"Stephen was happy to sign the form giving up rights to the property. He is not after Mel's cash."
Brit Brit's new album leaked
The Interwebnet: friend or foe?
Speak to Britney's people and they'll tell you that the internet is the root of all evil. Why? Because some devious soul has got their mitts on Unfitney's new album and posted it online.
First it's the Spice Girls, and now poor Britney. Here's the culprit.
* Have a look at Britney's luscious new lips...they look like they've been attacked by a swarm of bees.
* Own the sock that Britney ran over last week.
You so hot...
Madonna is looking absolutely fabulous for her age, despite that humongous gap between her gnashers.
Halle Berry's slip
Pregnant Halle Berry made a bit of boob while being interviewed by Jay Leno for the Tonight Show - she made an anti-semitic remark.
During the interview Berry was showing host Leno and the audience some pictures of herself, and when she came across one where her nose appeared to be elongated, she said: "This one is like my Jewish cousin."
According to one audience member: "She introduced the first photo by saying, 'Here's where I look like my Jewish cousin!' - it was a picture of her with a huge, distorted nose. No one laughed, and Jay nervously said, 'I'm glad you said that and not me'. When the show aired, they cut out her 'Jewish' comment and added a laugh track to the bit."
Berry has since issued a groveling apology.
Oh dear. Do you think she's been taking lessons from the grand master of tourettes, Mel Gibson?
Source: NY Post
Pavarotti died in debt
He may have been big in personality, but Pavarotti's bank balance was anything but.
Word has it that the tenor was in fact severely in debt when he died - a staggering $35m to be precise.
Oh, can you imagine the scene when his will was read out? The big man must have been guffawing his big behind off from the afterlife.
Pavarotti allegedly left behind an $18m overdraft, as opposed to the $531m fortune that his family was hoping for.
How fabulous. I love the big fella's ethos: earn it, live it and burn it!
