'Lost' actress Rodriguez: You'd better respect her
'Lost' actress Rodriguez:You'd better respect her
NEW YORK -- "Lost" actress Michelle Rodriguez says she treats people with respect -- unless provoked. "My family taught me about ethics and the importance of respecting everybody," Rodriguez tells People en Espanol magazine in its debut "New Hollywood" issue. "But, if someone is disrespectful to me, then we have a problem." Rodriguez, 27, who plays Ana Lucia Cortez on the ABC castaway drama, is on one of four celebrity covers of the "New Hollywood" issue, on newsstands Feb. 6. The other covers feature Wilmer Valderrama of "That '70s Show," actress Zoe Saldana ("Guess Who") and designer Eduardo Xol of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." Rodriguez tells the magazine she's inspired by the peacefulness of Hawaii, where "Lost" is filmed. "I always ask the universe for things if I feel I need to learn a lesson," she says. "The same applies when I am 'partying' too much or am acting a little crazy. I ask for mental clarity, peace and I always receive it. There is so much I want to do and this is the moment." Rodriguez pleaded not guilty last month in a Dec. 1 drunken driving arrest. She was also cited for speeding in Hawaii three times last year. In 2004, she pleaded no contest in Los Angeles to three traffic violations, including drunken driving.
Joaquin Phoenix walksaway from car accident
LOS ANGELES -- Joaquin Phoenix's car overturned on a canyon road and collided with another vehicle after his brakes went out, but there were no reports of injury, police said. Phoenix, the 31-year-old star of the Johnny Cash biopic, "Walk the Line," was driving eastbound above Sunset Strip about 2:50 p.m. Thursday when he realized his brakes were not working, said Officer Jason Lee, a police spokesman. He lost control of his car, which overturned and hit another vehicle also headed eastbound, Lee said. The actor's publicist, Susan Patricola, said in a statement that Phoenix was wearing his seat belt and walked away from the scene after being helped out of his vehicle by a passer-by. Earlier this month, Phoenix won a Golden Globe for best actor in a musical or comedy for portraying country legend Cash. Phoenix is nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award, which will be handed out Sunday. Patricola told Us Weekly magazine that he will be at the awards ceremony despite the car accident.
Ted Kennedy Jr. to receive cancer courage award
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Ted Kennedy Jr. was chosen to receive the Gilda Radner Courage Award from Roswell Park Cancer Institute, which called him "a hopeful example and advocate for other cancer patients." The son of Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy lost his right leg to bone cancer at age 12 and went on to pursue a legal career dedicated largely to advocating for people with disabilities. Kennedy said he planned to talk about the social and emotional aspects of treatment and rehabilitation. He encourages cancer patients to take an active role in their care and to consider participating in clinical trials of new treatments to further research. Kennedy took part in a clinical trial of a then-experimental drug after his 1973 diagnosis. The Gilda Radner Courage Award, named for the late comedian, recognizes a cancer patient whose public battle has given hope to cancer patients and has focused public attention on cancer.
For second time in week,Doherty caught with drugs
LONDON -- Pete Doherty, the sometime boyfriend of Kate Moss, was jailed Friday after pleading guilty to possessing drugs for the second time in a week. The 26-year-old singer was arrested in east London on Thursday by officers who thought he looked "disheveled and suspicious," prosecutors said. He pleaded guilty to heroin possession at Thames Magistrates' Court and was ordered jailed until a hearing Feb. 8. Doherty's band, Babyshambles, had been due to perform in Glasgow on Friday, Bristol today and London on Sunday. Doherty appeared at the same court a week ago and admitted possessing heroin, crack cocaine, morphine and marijuana. He was freed on bail. He also is on bail after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine and heroin after a Nov. 30 arrest.
Today's birthdays
Musician-composer Acker Bilk is 77. Actor Nicholas Pryor is 71. Actor Alan Alda is 70. Actress Susan Howard is 64. Actress Marthe Keller is 61. Actress-singer Barbi Benton is 56. Actress Harley Jane Kozak is 49. Movie director Frank Darabont is 47. Rock musician Dave Sharp is 47. Rock singer Sam Phillips is 44. Rock musician Dan Spitz (Anthrax) is 43. Country musician Greg Cook (Ricochet) is 41. Singer Sarah McLachlan is 38. Rapper Rakim is 38. DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill) is 38. Actress Kathryn Morris ("Cold Case") is 37. Singer Joey Fatone Jr. ('N Sync) is 29. Singer Nick Carter (Backstreet Boys) is 26. Actor Elijah Wood is 25.