Teen America loves drama–both onscreen and off, apparently.
Fox’s prime-time soap “The O.C.” racked up seven Teen Choice Awards nominations, most among TV shows, while buzz-heavy action flick “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” picked up five–including Choice Date Movie–even though it isn’t even in theaters.
Other multiple nominees include Ashton Kutcher, Eva Longoria, “One Tree Hill’s” Chad Michael Murray, “Hitch” and “Star Wars: Episode III–Revenge of the Sith,” zap2it.com reports.
Adam Brody and Rachel Bilson helped put “The O.C.” on top by scoring nods in the Choice Hottie categories. “Smith” star Angelina Jolie did too.
Speaking of Jolie and co-star Brad Pitt, they dropped into New York this week to give (separate) interviews to feed the “Smith” hype. The New York Daily News says the two stayed at different hotels, and Pitt’s publicist confirmed that his interviewers were asked not to inquire about Brad’s personal life.
NIC FIT? Unlike ex-hubby Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman isn’t declaring her love from every hilltop in the Western world, but the “Bewitched” star remains the subject of romantic gossip.
The New York Post links Kidman to French billionaire Francois Pinault, owner of Gucci’s parent company, PPR. Kidman, a spokeswoman for rival fashion house Chanel, was previously linked to real estate mogul and movie producer Steve Bing.
Nic’s rep, Catherine Olim, scoffed at the rumor. “Don’t be silly,” she said. “She is not dating anyone.”
GRAND HILTONS: The Hilton clan is right where it wants to be: In the spotlight.
Paris’ surprise engagement dominated the gossip press earlier this week, and her mother Kathy is keeping the family in the headlines as she promotes her new NBC reality show “I Want to Be a Hilton.”
On the show, 14 contestants compete to become the ultimate New York socialite, all under Kathy’s guidance. “I wanted people who would like the opportunity to be exposed to different challenges and culture,” she told the New York Daily News.
She also appeared on the “Today” show Wednesday and gushed about Paris’ new fiance, Paris Latsis, people.com reports. “He is … gentle, kind, brilliant and very, very low-key,” she said. “I’ve never seen Paris this happy in her life.”
You might recall that Hilton’s parents had similar words of praise when Nicky Hilton married Todd Andrew Meister. “Todd exudes a great warmth and personality,” Rick and Kathy Hilton said in a statement at the time. Nicky’s marriage was annulled in November.
THE SHOW GOES OFF: Comedy Central can’t keep tabs on Dave Chappelle, and the third season of “Chappelle’s Show” isn’t airing anytime soon, if ever.
Things couldn’t be better.
In fact, “Chappelle’s Show” is as strong as it has ever been after setting a single-day TV-to-DVD record with 500,000 sales of the Season 2 DVD set, Entertainment Weekly reports. According to Paramount Home Entertainment, 1.2 million units flew off the shelves in the first week.
Season 1 remains the top-selling TV-to-DVD title of all time, with 3 million copies sold. Looks like that record is getting smacked down. Cold-blooded!
HOLDING COURT: 50 Cent has sued three video production companies, alleging they used footage from an interview without honoring an agreement to make a charitable donation.
The rapper alleges that he agreed to do an interview with Czar Entertainment Inc. about Kelvin Martin, a 1980s criminal who went by the street name 50 Cent. He says the free interview was to be used for a video series to be called “Infamous Times.”
In return, the company agreed to make a donation to Martin’s family or to 50 Cent’s charity, the G-Unity Foundation, according to the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court.
The lawsuit contends that Czar Entertainment failed to make the donation and instead used the footage for a DVD called “The Original 50 Cent: The True Story of the Legend Who Inspired the Biggest Name in Rap.”
Czar Entertainment responded with a statement Wednesday, claiming the lawsuit was “without merit” and would “prevent us from fulfilling our commitment to the Martin family.”
COMING SOON: Carrie Underwood: You just won “American Idol.” What are you going to do next?
Duh, record an album. The plucky Oklahoman will release “Inside Your Heaven,” the original song she performed on the Fox talent show’s season finale, as a single June 14 and hopes to release her first full album by the fall, billboard.com reports.
Underwood says it’s too soon to say who she’ll work with on her album, but hinted that she’d like to work with country-pop group Rascal Flatts.
“I definitely want to stick to my country roots,” she said.
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Compiled from news services and edited by Leo Ebersole (lebersole@tribune.com) and Victoria Rodriguez (vrodriguez@tribune.com)
