newsmakers

newsmakers

Baby girl for Willis, wife Emma Heming

NEW YORK

Bruce Willis is a father again.

The actor’s wife, designer-model Emma Heming Willis, gave birth Sunday in Los Angeles to a baby girl. They named their daughter Mabel Ray Willis, who weighed 9 pounds, 1 ounce.

A statement Monday from Willis’ publicist said the couple are “overjoyed,” and both mom and baby are “healthy and doing beautifully.”

This is the couple’s first child together. Willis, 57, and Heming, 33, were married in 2009.

Willis has three daughters, Rumer, 23, Scout, 20, and Tallulah, 18, from his previous marriage to actress Demi Moore.

Trailer from Houston’s new film debuts

NEW YORK

Viewers got a first glimpse of Whitney Houston’s upcoming film Monday when NBC’s “Today” show premiered a trailer for the much-awaited release.

A remake of the 1976 original, “Sparkle” stars Houston as the mother of three girls who form a singing group and struggle with fame and drug addiction.

Houston, who died in February after her own battle with drug abuse, was poised for a movie comeback in “Sparkle” 20 years after her defining film portrayal in “The Bodyguard.” She also served as an executive producer of “Sparkle.”

The brief trailer displayed the daughters in performance and Houston telling them, “I always knew you had the gift.” No drug references were evident, nor was Houston seen singing.

“Sparkle” is scheduled for release Aug. 17.

Alec Baldwin engaged to marry girlfriend

NEW YORK

Alec Baldwin is giving marriage another shot. The actor popped the question over the weekend to his 28-year-old yoga- instructor girlfriend, Hilaria Thomas. They began dating last year.

His publicist Matthew Hiltzik made the engagement announcement over Twitter.

Baldwin, who once starred in a film called “The Marrying Man,” turns 54 today, and an engagement, says Hiltzik, is a “great way to celebrate!”

Baldwin previously was married to Kim Basinger. They have a daughter named Ireland. He published a book in 2008 called “A Promise to Ourselves” about his personal experience dealing with divorce and his battle with Basinger over custody of their daughter.

Vindicator wire services