The land of the dreamers
Bill Zwecker: Nicole Kidman sure knows how to enter a room. The flame-haired Oscar winner, looking regal and yet approachable, virtually floated into a cozy suite at the legendary Beverly Hills Hotel on a recent afternoon. When asked if she was channeling Lady Sarah Ashley, the aristocratic Englishwoman in her new film "Australia," Kidman lets out a very un-aristocratic, totally Aussie chortle.

Anatomy of a tragedy

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Thursday will mark the 30th anniversary of the assassination of San Francisco city supervisor and ground-breaking gay activist Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone.

Madonna, Guy Ritchie finalizing divorce today

Well, it's officially over. It was predicted Madonna and Guy Ritchie's divorce would be finalized before Christmas, but now it will beat a Thanksgiving deadline.

Good tale wags animated dog in Disney's 'Bolt'
Bill Zwecker: It's not among the most original Disney animated films, yet ''Bolt'' is one of those movies that in the end does what it's supposed to do. It's charming, nicely paced, often quite funny and features well-chosen voice talent. Most important, it provides a satisfying entertainment ''meal.''

Miley Cyrus in diva mode over Justin Gaston
Bill Zwecker: Thanks to her ''Hannah Montana'' bonanza, Miley Cyrus has jillions of young fans, but we keep hearing the teen sensation's diva behavior is often now in high gear. Maybe it's because she she was under the weather with a bit of a flu bug at the Hollywood premiere for her new ''Bolt'' film, co-starring John Travolta, but sources backstage say Cyrus ''was really ugly'' when talking about her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus.

Scarlett Johansson, husband Ryan Reynolds thinking about having baby soon

Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds are keeping mum about their relationship, but friends of the stars say the newlyweds already are thinking about kids.

'Dancing' star Cody Linley ‘always whining’

There are conflicting reports from inside the ''Dancing With the Stars'' camp about Cody Linley, but two sources do agree on one thing: The youngest-ever competitor on the show has changed dramatically from when the show's seventh season began.

Bill Murray dines at Sepia with Miss USA Crystle Stewart
Bill Zwecker: One thing's for sure: Since Bill Murray's ugly split with ex-wife Jennifer, the Wilmette native's mood certainly has brightened. Though it took the actor some time to work through the depression he experienced due to the breakup of his 11-year marriage, lately Murray has appeared much happier.

Kitty Kelley claims Oprah book won't be hatchet job
Bill Zwecker: The London Times likely exaggerated when it reported Oprah Winfrey ''must be quaking in her [Manolo Blahnik shoes] at the news she is in the sights of Kitty Kelley, the poison pen biographer,'' but in the upcoming December issue of Chicago magazine, writer Josh Schollmeyer makes it pretty clear Kelley's long-anticipated book about the TV queen will not be a puff piece.

Brad's beef is with Jen
Bill Zwecker: The new Vogue magazine interview with Jennifer Aniston has again revived chatter about the breakup of the actress' marriage to Brad Pitt. Though the former ''Friends'' superstar has universally -- and justifiably -- been seen as a victim of Angelina Jolie stealing her man, a source close to the Brangelina camp says Aniston's ex-husband called her to complain about the Vogue piece.

Will girls go wild here?
Bill Zwecker: Given the riots in San Francisco surrounding a mall appearance by ''Twilight'' star Robert Pattinson, the Orland Park Police Department is gearing up for the actor's scheduled appearance tonight at Orland Square Mall. In addition, the mall's own security force is said to be ''totally ready'' for the expected hordes of 'tween and teen girls who make up the bulk of fans for the books by Stephenie Meyer.

Security in place for 'Twilight' star's local event
Bill Zwecker: Given the riots in San Francisco surrounding a mall appearance by ‘‘Twilight’’ star Robert Pattinson, the Orland Park Police Department has geared up for the actor’s scheduled appearance early Wednesday evening at Orland Square Mall. In addition, the mall’s own security force is said to be ‘‘totally ready’’ for the expected hordes of tween and teen girls, who make up the bulk of fans for the Twilight saga of books, penned by Stephanie Meyer.

Madonna likes a player

No matter the denials or (more recently) the simple ''no comment'' lines, the Madonna-Alex Rodriguez romance apparently is the real deal.

'W.' star says Bush saw film

LOS ANGELES -- The lame-duck White House couldn't have been more dismissive of Oliver Stone's biopic "W." -- no surprise, considering the film depicts George W. Bush first as a young man who boozes and womanizes, and later as a commander-in-chief who leaves key policy decisions to Dick Cheney and Karl Rove.

Olga Kurylenko accents the positive
Olga Kurylenko's career likely will get an enormous boost with the release of ''Quantum of Solace,'' but the Ukrainian actress says her road to playing the mysterious Camille in the new Bond film had a rocky start.

First Colin Powell, then James Bond
Jeffrey Wright says, ''I could never kill anyone -- and sometimes that's part of being a spy. But as an actor, I'm all about pretending to be someone else -- an aspect that could come in handy as a CIA agent.''

Janet looks for bailout
Bill Zwecker: Things sure have not been going well for Janet Jackson lately. While still popular with many, the most successful female member of the musical Jackson family is facing a tough patch in her career, leading to a planned summit of Jackson's inner circle.

Spike does Obama thing

Now that the election is over, it's on to the inauguration. Given the huge support President-elect Obama has received from the Hollywood community, the festivities surrounding our 44th president's swearing-in Jan. 20 promise to make it possibly the most star-studded and exciting inauguration in American history.

Peter, Bobby, cheese!
Bill Zwecker: Nyuk, nyuk! Fans of ''The Three Stooges'' will undoubtedly be intrigued by a movie project that directing siblings Peter and Bobby Farrelly have been eager to put together for ages.

'Viagra Triangle' a ghost town

'I've never seen anything like this,'' Gibsons partner John Colletti was saying Tuesday evening. ''It's dead here tonight.''

Star power not the ticket
Bill Zwecker: It's probably not surprising that a lot of Barack Obama's biggest celebrity supporters were clamoring for VIP invites to tonight's big rally in Grant Park. While the Democratic nominee is thankful for both the big checks and outspoken expressions of support from all those famous faces, I've learned from a key Obama insider that a number of big-time boosters have been told politely to stay away tonight.

He burns, burns burns out on film

Guess Joaquin Phoenix wasn't kidding about quitting acting. A close associate of the former Oscar nominee told me Sunday, ''This is the real deal. Joaquin is not only working on an album, he's already talking to a number of people about putting together a concert tour for either late next year or early 2010 to promote it.''

New at-bat for A-Rod?

Sounds like that much-denied romance between Madonna and Alex Rodriguez may still be simmering on the front burner.

Martha has designs on Chicago
Bill Zwecker: The force of nature that is Martha Stewart swirled through Chicago on Thursday, boosting her new, very comprehensive Martha Stewart's Cooking School cookbook, but also further reinforcing the lifestyle guru's far-reaching brand.

'Good' friendship forms

In ''Good,'' the film that officially closed this year's Chicago International Film Festival on Wednesday night, Viggo Mortensen and Jason Isaacs play best friends in a tale about friendship, betrayal and the consequence of misguided decision-making, set in Nazi Germany in the early years of Hitler's regime.

Stay in 'School' and earn

Zac Efron's seemingly cocky look on this page is perhaps not surprising -- given the young actor is on the fastest of fast tracks Hollywood can provide.

Pinkett Smith enjoys feel of director's chair
Bill Zwecker: Jada Pinkett Smith, like her superstar husband Will Smith, has found major fame thanks to an acting career, but the diminutive entertainer said Tuesday, ''For me, I always considered acting a steppingstone to doing other things -- like directing.''

Clashing points of 'View'

It probably comes as no surprise that the tension backstage at "The View" is getting even more tightly wound.

Jennifer's greatest champion
Bill Zwecker: I only met Jennifer Hudson's late mother Darnell Donerson on two occasions -- the night Hudson won her Oscar, and a few weeks later, when the newly minted Academy Award winner was honored in Chicago. At the Governors Ball in Hollywood, Mrs. Donerson told me, ''I have to keep pinching myself."