Johansson is engaged

Johansson is engaged

LOS ANGELES — Scarlett Johansson and her boyfriend, Ryan Reynolds, are engaged. The 23-year-old actress and the 31-year-old actor have not set a wedding date, Johansson’s publicist, Marcel Pariseau, said Monday. Johansson’s recent credits include “The Other Boleyn Girl” and “The Nanny Diaries.” Reynolds recently starred in “Definitely, Maybe.” He was previously engaged to Alanis Morissette.

Shyamalan aims to scare with new movie

MUMBAI, India — Hollywood filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan promised Monday that his new movie, “The Happening” starring Mark Wahlberg as an ordinary school teacher, will terrify theatergoers. “It is an extremely scary movie — this is meant to scare you,” the Indian-born director told reporters in Mumbai. Shyamalan, who lives near Malvern, Pa., and shoots his movies in and around Philadelphia, was visiting India to receive one of the country’s highest civilian awards for his contribution to cinema.

In his new movie, which will be released worldwide on June. 13, Wahlberg plays a school teacher on the run from a natural disaster that threatens the entire world.

Clay Aiken: I’m no Justin Timberlake

NEW YORK — Clay Aiken is realistic about his niche in the musical landscape. “I’m not cool, you know what I mean? I’m not gonna lie,” the good-humored singer told The Associated Press in a recent interview. “I’m not trying to be Justin Timberlake. Thank God we have him, but I’m not him. ... I’m not gonna bring anybody’s sexy back.”

Aiken embraces his pop-lite sensibility in “On My Way Here,” his first album of all-new material in more than four years. The 29-year-old “American Idol” alum — he placed second to Ruben Studdard in the Fox show’s second season — was the first nonwinner to release a successful album, “Measure of a Man,” which went double platinum in 2003. He followed that up with two cover albums: “Merry Christmas With Love” and “A Thousand Different Ways.”

The North Carolina native has racked up more life experience since his “Idol” days, and felt a deep, personal connection to the songs on the disc.

“When I [did] the first album, I ain’t been through nothin’, you know? ... But now I’ve gone through some crap, and I’ve gone through some good things, and I’ve started thinking, ‘Oh, wow, I know what that song’s saying, I’ve done that, I’ve experienced that, that’s happened to me,”’ he mused in his Southern drawl.

Today’s birthdays

Singer Bob Seger is 63. Singer Jimmie Dale Gilmore is 63. Actor Alan Dale (“Ugly Betty”) is 61. Actor Ben Masters (“Passions”) is 61. Host Tom Bergeron (“Dancing with the Stars,” new “Hollywood Squares”) is 53. Actress Roma Downey (“Touched by an Angel”) is 48. Actor George Clooney is 47. Guitarist Mark Bryan of Hootie and the Blowfish is 41. Guitarist Chris Shiflett of Foo Fighters is 37.

Prosecutor: Harassment terrified Uma Thurman

NEW YORK — A Manhattan prosecutor says a former mental patient “terrified” actress Uma Thurman by stalking and harassing her for more than two years.

Assistant District Attorney Jessica Taub says in Monday’s closing arguments that Jack Jordan’s trial “is not about a man in love.”

Defense lawyer George Vomvolakis concedes that Jordan’s behavior was obsessive. But he says his client never meant to scare, harass, annoy or alarm the actress.

Jordan faces up to a year in jail if convicted of aggravated harassment and stalking the star of “Pulp Fiction,” “Kill Bill” and other films.

Prince Harry honored for military service

LONDON — A grinning and blushing Prince Harry was given a medal for his service in Afghanistan on Monday by his aunt, Princess Anne. The young red-haired royal struggled to contain a smile as the princess pinned the Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan to his desert fatigues in a ceremony at the Combermere Barracks in Windsor, west of London. Harry was among 170 members of his unit, the Household Cavalry Regiment, who were decorated for their service in Afghanistan as friends and family looked on.

The 23-year-old prince’s deployment there was cut short earlier this year after news of his mission became public. But he served about 10 weeks — enough to meet the four-week minimum required to receive the medal. Harry’s girlfriend, Chelsy Davy, and his older brother, Prince William, both looked on as Harry received his medal. Led by a marching band, Harry and his comrades then marched across Windsor from their barracks to a church for a thanksgiving service.

Today’s birthdays

Singer Bob Seger is 63. Singer Jimmie Dale Gilmore is 63. Actor Alan Dale (“Ugly Betty”) is 61. Actor Ben Masters (“Passions”) is 61. Host Tom Bergeron (“Dancing with the Stars,” new “Hollywood Squares”) is 53. Singer John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants is 48. Actress Roma Downey (“Touched by an Angel”) is 48. Actor George Clooney is 47. Singer-bassist Tony Scalzo of Fastball is 44. Guitarist Mark Bryan of Hootie and the Blowfish is 41. Guitarist Chris Shiflett of Foo Fighters is 37.