People: Shirley MacLaine, Kyra Sedgwick, Jennifer Lopez, Demi Moore, Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian, Etta James
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Shirley MacLaine will join the cast of British period drama "Downton Abbey" for its third season, producers confirmed Monday, People reports.
MacLaine, 77, will play Martha Levinson, the American mother of Elizabeth McGovern's wealthy countess, Lady Cora Grantham. The Oscar-winning screen legend will go toe to toe with Maggie Smith, who portrays the tart-tongued Dowager Countess Violet, according to the show's producers.
Gareth Neame, managing director of Carnival Films, which produces the series, said the new character "will be a wonderful combatant for Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess and we are excited at the prospect of Shirley MacLaine playing her."
The second season of "Downton Abbey," which airs in the United States on PBS, concludes Feb. 19. Production for the Golden Globe-winning show's third season, which will reportedly take place during the 1920s, will begin in the spring. The show is expected to air in September in the U.K., followed by a U.S. premiere.
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Despite the many gorgeous celebrities flocking to Sunday night's Screen Actors Guild Awards red carpet, Kyra Sedgwick stood out thanks to a bold new accessory, People reports.
Clad in a fire engine red Emilio Pucci column, "The Closer" star (and best drama actress nominee) explained the significance of the linear design resting just north of her exposed ribcage.
"It's a family tattoo," she told E! "It's all our initials K, K, S and T."
The actress was, of course, referring to husband of 23-years, Kevin Bacon, their son Travis, 22 and daughter Sosie, 19.
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Does Jennifer Lopez want to be a bride again?
"I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. We'll see. I mean, I don't know," a slightly flustered Lopez, 42, told Matt Lauer on Monday's "Today" show when he asked, "Do you think you'll marry again?"
"It's not time to think about that yet," she said. "It's still fresh."
On the topic of appearing with her ex-husband (since last July) Marc Anthony on their new TV show, "Q'Viva! The Chosen," Lopez admitted that, given their personal circumstances, it would have been easy to walk away from the show commitment.
But, she explained, "Marc and I were friends before we got married. We were friends for years, and we always loved each other. And we always worked together, so it wasn't an unnatural thing for us to continue working together. And, obviously, we have children together, so it's not going to be like he's not in my life. He's always going to be in my life."
She also conceded that there are uncomfortable moments between them, but said, "There is real love there."
On the relationship front, Lopez was seen getting wild with boyfriend Casper Smart on South Beach this weekend.
After a marathon two-day photo shoot on Ocean Drive in South Beach for an upcoming Vogue magazine feature, Lopez and Smart, 24, joined Latin crooner Enrique Iglesias and a group of other colleagues for dinner at Casa Tua late Saturday night.
"After a festive dinner, she jumped up on the table and performed an impromptu dance in front of Casper, who sat there wide eyed and happy," a source told People. "She was having a blast and looked radiant."
The source added: "The last time I saw Jennifer at Casa Tua, she was with Marc, and neither performer looked happy. This was like a positive renewal for Jen."
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Demi Moore cited a "personal crisis" as why she dropped out of her role in the Linda Lovelace biopic after being hospitalized last week, according to the film's producers. But it wasn't an easy decision to leave the part behind, People reports.
Moore, 49, was "devastated" to abandon her cameo as Gloria Steinem, according to Heidi Jo Markel, who's producing Lovelace with partners Jim Young and Laura Rister.
"It was a shock and a concern for all of us," Markel tells People. "We got a call from [Moore's representative] on Tuesday morning and said, 'There's been a personal crisis and we need to let you know that.' And we were clueless. We had no idea what it entailed. We just knew she was out, that there was probably a health concern, and to move on."
Though Markel and her producing partners were "shell-shocked" when they heard the news, she says their biggest concern now is for Moore to make a full recovery.
"It was mostly that we were worried about her health. Movies come and go, but someone's health is the most important," she said. "We just want her to be well."
With Moore out, Sarah Jessica Parker will now fill Moore's shoes in Lovelace.
Of Parker stepping in, Markel said: "She's incredible. She has incredible moxie and strength of character and we were just so overjoyed that we could get her and she was interested in doing the part."
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Sexy sells, and the Kardashians know it!
Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian went nearly naked -- wearing just jeans and no shirt -- to promote the latest addition to their Kardashian Kollection, a denim line, E! News reports.
The sexy photo, which first appeared on Celebuzz, was shot by fashion photographer Nick Saglimbeni.
Khloe and Kim stand back to back while older sister Kourt manages to look as graceful as she can while lying upside down with her legs intertwined with Kim's -- and all the ladies are strategically covering their exposed curves with their arms.
Kardashian Kollection cocreator Bruno Schiavi dished, "We're very excited about it. It launches in about four weeks. The girls love denim."
A home collection and a swimsuit line are soon to follow.
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Rev. Al Sharpton says Etta James should be remembered as a woman and an artist who "turned her pain into power."
Sharpton eulogized the rhythm and blues singer at a memorial service Saturday in which he highlighted James' vocal talent but also her bluntness and ability to break down racial and cultural barriers, the Associated Press reports.
The reverend opened his eulogy by reading a statement from President Barack Obama, who danced with the first lady to James' well-known hit "At Last" during their inaugural ball. His statement praised her "legendary voice."
James died Jan. 20 after battling leukemia and other ailments.
Stevie Wonder performed "Shelter in the Rain" and Christina Aguilera performed James' signature song, bringing the hundreds of friends, family and fans gathered to celebrate James' life to their feet.
First Published January 31, 2012 12:00 am
