These days it seems Justin Timberlake’s uncovering more than Janet Jackson’s nipple shield.
The pop idol tagged along with Associated Press reporter Bob Porterfield last week to get a taste for journalism as he prepares to play a reporter in the upcoming drama “Edison.”
Timberlake’s character exposes an elite team of corrupt police in the movie, which also stars Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman and LL Cool J. Shooting is expected to begin in Canada this month.
JT created a stir at the Los Angeles county courthouse as he filled out an application for legal documents and pored over them with Porterfield in a public viewing area for about 45 minutes.
Porterfield, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner who teaches graduate-school journalism, was impressed. “I thought he was sharp. He seemed attentive and interested in learning this stuff. He has a real interest in developing his part. He took quite a few notes.”
FAIR WARNING: Move over Tyra Banks and Vanessa Williams: Kate Moss is the latest runway beauty to try her hand at acting.
The stick-thin model is rumored to be taking lessons from none other than good friend Gwyneth Paltrow, ananova.com reports. Moss also used to date Johnny Depp–another resume-builder.
Meanwhile, Paltrow has been honored with the Distinguished Decade of Achievement in Film Award from the National Association of Theatre Owners, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
THE RIGHT DUFF: The way Hilary Duff and tween queen rival Lindsay Lohan keep cranking out movies, it’s a wonder video stores haven’t given them their own section.
Duff’s working on yet another big-screen project, “The Perfect Man,” Variety reports.
She’ll play a daughter looking to fix up her single mom but gets so frustrated looking for the right guy that she ends up making one up. Look for Duff in the upcoming “A Cinderella Story.”
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING
The best late night one-liners
“Ten states got a chance to choose the Democratic nominee [Tuesday]. As expected, the winner in all 10 states was ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ “
–Conan O’Brien on Tuesday’s “Late Night”
UPON FURTHER REVIEW: “Average Joe: Hawaii” ice queen Larissa Meek appeared on the “Today” show Tuesday, giving us an opportunity to revisit the stupidest ending in the history of TV.
On Monday’s series finale, we saw Larissa dump “average” guy Brian for pretty boy Gil, only to have Gil dump her because–Gasp!–Larissa used to date Fabio.
But Larissa and Gil appeared together on “Today” and said they were still together despite the Fabio fracas, TV Guide reports. Score one for dumb love.
SAY WHAT? Oscar weekend has come and gone, but the gossip lingers.
Sources say Scarlett Johansson and Benicio Del Toro formed an odd couple over the weekend and made no secret of their cuddliness during pre-Oscars festivities, the World Entertainment News Network reports.
Del Toro, who was nominated for best supporting actor, reportedly spent Saturday night all over the 19-year-old actress before the pair retired to the Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles.
We’ll believe it when we see it.
The Oscars also allowed the tabs to revisit rumors that “Mona Lisa Smile” star Julia Roberts is pregnant. The New York Daily News noted that Roberts was “glowing” and wore a gown with folds gathered in the front. One of her reps, of course, shot them down: “Julia is not pregnant.”
Catty corner
TELECAST BLAST: Another year, another tedious Oscars telecast. Unfortunately for first-time producer Joe Roth, the complaints–Billy Crystal wasn’t funny, the show dragged on too long, the acceptance speeches were boring–drowned out the kudos.
“It was the most boring Oscars I have ever seen,” Elton John told the New York Daily News at his afterparty with InStyle magazine. “I thought there might be one surprise in the song category, but even there ‘Lord of the Rings’ won. And I don’t think it deserved to.”
———-
Compiled from RedEye news services and edited by Leo Ebersole (lebersole@tribune.com) and Curt Wagner (cwwagner@tribune.com)
