NEWSMAKERS | Report: Depp to buy a palace in Venice

NEWSMAKERS

Report: Depp to buy a palace in Venice

Johnny Depp has dug deep and come up with $13.7 million to buy a palace on Venice’s famed Grand Canal, a newspaper reported Saturday.

The Hollywood heartthrob apparently fell in love with the Palazzo Dona Sangiantoffetti when he spent time in the lagoon city last year during filming of the comedy-thriller, “The Tourist.”

Depp outbid an “Arab prince” who was also interested in the 17th-century palace, Venice-based daily La Nuova Venezia said, citing estate agent Alessandro Proto Consulting, which is handling the deal.

Sir Peter Jackson ‘well’ after surgery

WELLINGTON, New Zealand

“Lord of the Rings” director Sir Peter Jackson is in stable condition in the intensive-care unit of Wellington Hospital after surgery for a perforated ulcer.

Publicist Melissa Booth said today that Jackson was “doing well” but would be in the hospital for at least a few more days. She said doctors expect Jackson to make a full recovery.

Jackson was admitted to Wellington Hospital Wednesday after complaining of acute stomach pains.

His illness has delayed the start of filming of “The Hobbit,” the two-part prequel to his Academy Award-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Production of “The Hobbit” had previously been troubled by financial issues and the departure of its initial director Guillermo del Toro.

Hopkins takes ‘Rite’ right to the top

NEW YORK

The Anthony Hopkins horror film “The Rite” topped the box office on a weekend notable for the bump many Oscar-nominated films received, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The Warner Bros. flick earned $15 million from just under 3,000 theaters. The PG-13, “Exorcist”-influenced movie drew most of its audience from the older-than-25 demographic.

Last week’s top film, the Natalie Portman romantic comedy “No Strings Attached,” from Paramount, slipped to second with $13.7 million.

The other debut this weekend, CBS Films’ action film “The Mechanic,” which stars Jason Statham and Ben Foster, took in $11.5 million, tied for third with Sony’s updated superhero film “The Green Hornet.”

In fifth place was “The King’s Speech” with $11.1 million.

Brown completes counseling program

LOS ANGELES

Chris Brown has completed a domestic-violence-counseling program required as part of the singer’s guilty plea to assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna nearly two years ago.

On Friday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg congratulated the 21-year-old R&B performer for finishing the yearlong program.

As a result of completing the required counseling, Brown will no longer have to appear in court every three months for progress report hearings.

Brown is serving five years of probation after pleading guilty last year to assaulting pop star Rihanna in a rented sports car after a pre-Grammy Awards party.

City News Service reports the judge said she would consider lifting the protective order against Brown at a later date.

The court order requires Brown to stay at least 100 yards away from Rihanna.

Combined dispatches