New Bond gets his girl

New Bond gets his girl
NEW YORK -- The new James Bond now has his Bond Girl. French actress Eva Green, whose screen credits include Bernardo Bertolucci's erotic drama "The Dreamers," will co-star as the enticing Vesper Lynd in "Casino Royale" opposite Daniel Craig. Craig is making his debut appearance as Bond in the film, which is expected to be in theaters Nov. 17. Martin Campbell will direct. Danish-born actor Mads Mikkelsen will play Le Chiffre, Bond's nemesis, and Jeffrey Wright ("Syriana," "Basquiat") has joined the cast as Felix Leiter. Green's screen credits also include roles in Jean-Paul Salome's French-language film "Arsene Lupin" and Ridley Scott's "Kingdom of Heaven," with Orlando Bloom and Liam Neeson.
No apology from Clooney
LOS ANGELES -- George Clooney, who may be giving speeches again at next month's Academy Awards, says he has no regrets about making an off-color joke about disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff during last month's Golden Globes. "I make no apologies for that -- it was a joke," Clooney told CNN's Larry King on Thursday. The 44-year-old actor-director made a risqu & eacute; reference to Abramoff's name as he accepted a best supporting actor Golden Globe for "Syriana." Clooney is nominated for two Oscars: best supporting actor for "Syriana" and best director for "Good Night, and Good Luck." He also shares a best original screenplay nomination with Grant Heslov for the latter film. Abramoff's father, Frank, wrote an angry letter to The Desert Sun newspaper of Palm Springs. He denounced Clooney for a "glib and ridiculous" attack on his son that he said reduced his granddaughter to tears. "Believe me, the person who's disparaged the Abramoff name is not me," Clooney told King. "Unfortunately, I think he also hurt the House of Representatives along the way." But, Clooney said he admired Abramoff's father for sticking up for his son.
Today's birthdays
Actor Jack Palance is 85. Former Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown is 84. Actor George Kennedy is 81. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va., is 79. Author Toni Morrison is 75. Singer Yoko Ono is 73. Singer Herman Santiago (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers) is 65. Singer Dennis DeYoung is 59. Producer-director-writer John Hughes is 56. Actress Cybill Shepherd is 56. Singer Juice Newton is 54. Rock musician Robbie Bachman is 53. Actor John Travolta is 52. Game-show host Vanna White is 49. Actress Greta Scacchi is 46. Actor Matt Dillon is 42. Rapper Dr. Dre is 41. Actress Molly Ringwald is 38. Actress Sarah Brown is 31. Actor Tyrone Burton is 27. Actor Shane Lyons is 18.