Cruise to Paramount: I don't need your money

Friday, August 25, 2006 Cruise to Paramount: I don't need your money NEW YORK — In his war of the words with Paramount, Tom Cruise fired back Wednesday, saying he's got a whopping $100 million to keep making movies. After he was unceremoniously dumped by Paramount over his antics, Cruise insisted he's got cash backing for future projects. Sources close to Cruise say he's locked in a $100 million-a-year fund from private equity firms. The megastar is trying to climb back after a highly unusual public spanking from media mogul Sumner Redstone, who runs Paramount owner Viacom. Redstone trashed Cruise, whose movies make him the fourth-biggest moneymaker in Hollywood, claiming the megastar's real-life bizarro behavior hurt his box office draw — cutting as much as $150 million from this summer's "Mission: Impossible III." Soldier who was rescued is expecting first child MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Jessica Lynch, the former prisoner of war whose 2003 rescue in Iraq made her an instant celebrity, is pregnant. She and boyfriend Wes Robinson are expecting their first child in January, publicist Aly Goodwin Gregg said Thursday. "I was not sure if this could ever happen for me," Lynch, 23, said in a statement. "Learning to walk again and coping with the internal injuries that I still deal with pale in comparison to the tremendous joy of carrying this child." The former Army supply clerk suffered spinal fractures, nerve damage, and a shattered arm, foot and leg when her humvee crashed during a fire fight in March 2003 in Nasiriyah, Iraq. Eleven American soldiers were killed and six were captured, including Lynch. She was rescued nine days later during a special-forces raid on an Iraqi hospital that was videotaped, transforming the soft-spoken young woman into a hero at a time when the U.S. war effort seemed bogged down. It also stirred complaints of U.S. government media manipulation. Lynch returned to West Virginia after being released from a military hospital and was briefly engaged to Army Sgt. Ruben Contreras Jr. Family friends introduced her to Robinson, who lives in Vienna, W.Va., and works at a manufacturing plant. Indian actress, Gere to co-star in movie NEW DELHI — It's another pretty woman for Richard Gere. Bollywood star and former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen will co-star with Gere in a new movie titled "The Expat," the 30-year-old actress told the Times of India newspaper in an interview published Thursday. "I have already signed [to do] the film. And yes, Richard Gere plays the male lead," Sen told the newspaper. She did not say when shooting was set to start. The movie, to be shot in Argentina, is a Miramax production and will be directed by U.S.-based Sutapa Ghosh, she said. Sen was crowned Miss India in 1994 and went on to win the Miss Universe pageant. She has since acted in more than 25 films in Bollywood, India's prolific and popular Hindi-language film industry. Today's birthdays Game-show host Monty Hall is 85. Actor Sean Connery is 76. Talk-show/game-show host Regis Philbin is 75. Actor Tom Skerritt is 73. Rhythm-and-blues singer Walter Williams (The O'Jays) is 64. Rock singer-actor Gene Simmons is 57. Country singer-musician Henry Paul (Blackhawk) is 57. Rock singer Rob Halford is 55. Rock singer Elvis Costello is 52. Movie director Tim Burton is 48. Country singer Billy Ray Cyrus is 45. Rock musician Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard) is 44. Rap DJ Terminator X (Public Enemy) is 40. Alternative country singer Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) is 39. TV chef Rachael Ray ("30 Minute Meals") is 38. Country singer Jo Dee Messina is 36. Model Claudia Schiffer is 36. Actress Rachel Bilson ("The O.C.") is 25.