Newsmakers

April 6, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Hopper faces no easy ride

LOS ANGELES

Dennis Hopper’s estranged wife and daughter can live on his property while the couple resolve their bitter divorce case and the actor fights prostate cancer, a judge ruled Monday. Superior Court Judge Amy Pellman also ordered the actor to pay $12,000 a month in spousal and child support.

Hopper, 73, did not attend the hearing but was repeatedly described by his attorney as “desperately ill.” Hopper’s adult children attended but did not speak.

Pellman sternly told both sides they needed to come together during what appeared to be Hopper’s final days.

“It’s never one-sided,” Pellman said of the family turmoil. “There needs to be street-cleaning on both sides of this street.”

The judge noted the couple’s 7-year-old daughter is about to undergo the traumatic loss of her father, and the rhetoric should be toned down.

“Having her extended family in a war with her mother is not in her best interests,” Pellman said.

The rulings came after two months of bickering in court filings, including allegations of abuse by both sides, and jockeying for financial position.

The couple has been married for nearly 14 years. Hopper filed for divorce in January.

“It’s heartbreaking and I hope it can be amicably resolved,” Victoria Duffy Hopper said after the hearing.

She has been living in a house at her husband’s Venice compound, which is also home to one of his adult children.

She has agreed to remain at least 10 feet away from the “Easy Rider” star and avoid the main home on the property.

She said in court filings the divorce was an attempt to cut her out of her inheritance, an accusation that has been denied.

Hopper’s attorney, Joseph Mannis, said after the hearing that he was happy with the outcome, aside from the judge awarding Victoria Hopper $200,000 in attorney and accountant fees.

He said his side did not intend to further contest the spousal or child support orders but was preparing for a fight over the couple’s prenuptial agreement.

The agreement calls for Victoria Hopper to lose her stake in her husband’s estate if they are divorced or not living together when he dies.

Another hearing on how to divide Hopper’s life insurance policy will take place in May.

Jolie-Pitt visit Bosnia

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt visited Bosnia on Monday, intending to spotlight the plight of 117,000 people who have not able to return to their homes, even though the Bosnia war ended 15 years ago.

But they tried to do so while evading the spotlight themselves: There were no reported media sightings of the celebrity couple.

The two arrived Sunday evening, said Aida Prljaca, the spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Sarajevo.

Jolie, who has been a UNHCR ambassador since 2001, will visit projects meant to help Bosnians who cannot return home, either because their homes have not been rebuilt or the infrastructure in their villages has not been repaired.

Some 7,000 people live in dozens of refugee centers throughout the country. The other 110,000 live primarily with relatives or in rented housing.

Jolie is filming “The Tourist” with Johnny Depp in Italy.

CMT Awards set

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum and Sugarland each are up for four CMT Music Awards.

Six other country music acts received three nominations apiece. CMT announced eight nominees in most categories Monday, and fans can vote at the network’s Web site until May 3 to narrow each to four finalists. Voting for a winner in all categories except video of the year will start May 11.

The finalists for video of the year, which includes 10 nominees, will be announced at the start of the June 9 awards show, and fans will vote by text message.

Wrestler found dead

NEW YORK

Police say a man who identified himself as one of the first openly gay professional wrestlers was found dead of an apparent suicide in his New York City apartment.

Police say Chris Klucsaritis, who wrestled under the name Chris Kanyon, was found by his brother in the living room of his apartment Friday. A suicide note has been recovered.

The 40-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner’s office is investigating to determine the exact cause of death.

He started his career in the late 1990s and was part of the championship tag team “Men at Work.” He later joined World Wrestling Entertainment.

He retired in 2004. But Klucsaritis still wrestled on occasion, billing himself as an openly gay wrestler.