March 10:

My friends Zohra and Munir have emailed me scans of the UK Glamour article on Kate. Great color photos! It's posted on a separate page.

Rona sent me a video clip she made of an interview with Kate that was broadcast on TV in Israel March 8.  I have made a transcript of the interview and published the audio. (We're also working on publishing the video clip.) GO HERE! Thanks, Rona!!

The entertainment programs last night broadcast 'previews' of the Screen Actors Guild awards ceremony. No mention of Kate, but it's interesting to learn about the preparations. Following are excerpts from the programs:

From E! News Daily:

Reporter Cindy Hom: Crews are working overtime to prepare for this Sunday's seventh annual Screen Actors Guild awards in Los Angeles.

Executive Producer Jeff Margolis: Each year, we approach this show as if it were the first time it were ever on the air.

Hom: The awards are voted on entirely by members of the Screen Actors Guild, and include both television and film.

Margolis: What we can do with all these tables is we can mix people, like we can put the cast of 'Gladiator' at the same table as the cast of 'Friends'.

Hom: But the awards themselves aren't the only reason for attending.

Chef Bill Starbuck: 800 rack of lambs, some beef filet, seasoned peppered french fries, and a wonderful variety of salads.

Hom: There's an after party with mountains of food, and presenters are given a gift basket worth thousands of dollars. In addition to everything else, nominees still have to worry about what they're going to wear…

Host Steve Kmetko: Jules [Asner] and I plan on being in the 'one-on-one' room for reactions and celebrations. Our pre-show coverage will begin Sunday at 4 PM and go right up on to the ceremony, which starts at 8 PM. Plus, we'll have a special SAG edition of E! News Daily on Monday.

From Entertainment Tonight:

Reporter: As workers continue to put the finishing touches on the SAG's, Executive Producer Jeff Margolis gave ET a peek inside the presenters' gift basket, valued in the thousands. Presenters also have access to the swank back stage lounge, where they can pick their choice of goodies.

Kathy Connell, SAG Awards Producer: They're giving us their time and talent, and we're giving a little bit of a thank you back to them.

Reporter: Director Ron De Moraes will introduce a first for the Sunday TNT broadcast - a live orchestra on stage.

Moraes : It becomes a true party, which the show always has been.

From Access Hollywood:

Host: Another awards show is racking Hollywood's nerves. We are just two - count 'em - two days away from the Screen Actors Guild awards, and adding to the anxiety is the impending actors' strike.

Margolis: This year we're having a little bit more difficulty booking [celebrities] than we have the past couple of years that I've been here.

Host: Will the red carpet for the seventh annual Screen Actors Guild awards be empty on Sunday? Well, Executive Producer Jeff Margolis, who's putting the finishing touches on the show, told us that with much of Hollywood working overtime this weekend to beat the impending actors' strike, getting stars to commit has been a struggle.

Margolis: There are a lot of actors who are trying to get movies done, or television series, and are working six, seven days a week, are not available.

Host: But with a few well-placed calls, he did get A-list stars like Russell Crowe, Robert Downey, Jr. and Kate Hudson to say 'yes' to an event that Margolis calls the most relaxed of all the awards shows.

Margolis: The actors love this evening. We don't design a television show, we design an evening of celebration. We put the cast from 'Gladiator' at the same table as the cast from 'Friends', and these actors get to meet one another for the first time.

Host: Well, the final count of the ballots is under way, and the big question, especially with the Oscars barely two weeks away, is who will win?

March 9:

Thanks to Emmeline for the tip on the 'Fashion Face-off' at the Mr. Showbiz site. Kate will face Jennifer Lopez later in the voting. Check it out now - you may want to vote for others before it's Kate's turn. Here's info on the poll, and how they described Kate's dress:

Call us shallow, but we think of Oscar fashion as a spectator sport. Hear us out, now: It's ultra-competitive, each player's standings change season to season (except for Goldie Hawn, who's frozen in time), and there can really only be one winner. So, join us as we pit two fashion divas from Oscars past against each other for the next 15 days, up until Oscar night.

Kate Winslet -- Fashion followers argued over Kate Winslet's gold-and-green Givenchy, which she wore to the Titanic-dominated awards in 1998. While some said it was too matronly for the young actress, many said its gilded touches and butterfly appliqués (which also adorned her satin pumps) were as sassy as the British star herself.

I found a nice review of Quills in an Italian publication. The critic describes the story of the film, and comments that Madeleine/Kate is ''beautiful, sweet and feminine'', that she ''remains the only positive note of that sad final period of his [Marquis'] life'', and that ''their relationship is intense and obsessive…but never degrading.'' Director Philip Kaufman ''explores with acumen and humor'' the mind of the Marquis. The performances are called ''exceptional''.

I also found a review of the film published in Madrid. Excerpts:

'Quills' shows the last days of the Marquis de Sade through the thriller and black comedy, in which the 'fight between love and lust', and between censorship and the unforseable consequences of freedom of expression are reflected. An ironic tone transforms the life of Sade, turning it into a sensual and sinister story…

'Quills' also has Kate Winslet, who interprets Madeleine. After her debut in 'Heavenly Creatures, by Peter Jackson, the actress was honored to work next to Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman in the film 'Sense and Sensibility, by Ang Lee, for which she was nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress. Later, she carried on next to Leonardo DiCaprio in 'Titanic'.

I read a story about Intermedia (the company behind 'Enigma') in Daily Variety the other day that is posted on their website today. The company is strong and they expect $330 million in sales of films this year. The article doesn't mention 'Enigma' as one of the films up for 'sale', but let's hope it does sell soon (if it hasn't been sold to a U.S. distributor already).

LONDON -- While the Neuer Markt collapses around it, IM Internationalmedia AG, better known as Intermedia, just keeps getting stronger. Its annual results, announced Thursday, paint a picture of a company that's piling on cash, beating profit predictions and readying itself for some major corporate acquisitions.

Intermedia now is predicting sales in the current year will more than double to $330 million. That figure is based solely on the company's own productions, including "K-19," "K-Pax" and "The Quiet American," and does not include acquired films.

March 8:

Josie emailed me to inform me that Kate is featured in the current issue of Hello! Magazine. There is a photo of Kate at the Baftas and a three page article of her house in Cornwall that includes pics. Last week I reported news of her agent attempting to block publication of certain photos. Were these the photos? Makes sense. Yes, Kate has given interviews from her home recently; however, she has not yet allowed any photos taken. Therefore, I will respect her wish for some privacy and not post the photos on the internet.  I am posting the info that the photos exist because it's no secret now, and so that we fans can try to obtain the mag for our own private files.

Thanks so much to 'Vampy' for posting these great Vanity Fair photos on our message board today! You rock!!

Thanks to Lorissa for scanning these items from Australian publications!! The first is a mention of Kate at the Baftas; the second is an article about the Vanity Fair cover:

I have been notified this morning by Amazon.com that the Quills DVD can now be pre-ordered! There's not much more info on the Amazon site. I have been told that the release date is May 8.

Kate has been 'besieged' with offers! Is East of Harlem project a 'go' for Kate? From Reuters:

Hours after word leaked that Pierce Brosnan was suddenly available since his film ''A Sound of Thunder'' would be stalled for rewrites, 007 found himself in the crosshairs of half a dozen other pictures which would be instantly greenlit if he committed to them, sources said…

Brosnan wasn't the only thesp in high courtship. Kate Winslet has also been besieged by offers once it appeared that her planned film, ''East of Harlem,'' might get pushed past the strikes. But that film seemed very much alive Wednesday, with a major studio ready to step forward and finance the low-cost film, a comedy which chronicles Sheridan's early days when he arrived from Ireland to New York to open the Irish Arts Theatre.

Still more coverage of the Vanity Fair cover - This is from Liz Smith's column, carried in the Los Angeles Times:

The first thing you notice that's different about this year's Hollywood issue cover is that you can actually identify all the people on it," writes editor Graydon Carter in April's Vanity Fair. Each March, a great, big, fat issue of VF lands on our desks--an issue devoted entirely to Hollywood's past and present. This is because Vanity Fair has tried to, more or less, take over the days and nights of the Academy Awards madness in Hollywood. Carter and his minions have succeeded. One can hardly bear to think of submitting to Oscar mania without Vanity Fair as host, arbiter and shaper.
The "legends" issue is a keeper. Its cover, ranging from Nicole Kidman to Sophia Loren, is fabulous. I have already asked where Lauren Bacall was and one wonders how Barbra Streisand missed making the cut. But the really big name missing is Julia Roberts. The issue comes out just as Roberts has been honored by the American Museum of the Moving Image in New York, just as her movie, "The Mexican," becomes her third No. 1 hit in a row and just before the Oscars themselves, with Roberts up for best actress. Well, I'm told that Roberts turned down the chance to pose with her peers--Meryl Streep, Catherine Deneuve, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Vanessa Redgrave, Chloe Sevigny, Penelope Cruz, et al.

I scanned this great photo of Kate with Ang Lee (to whom she presented the Best Director award) and Christina Ricci at the Baftas. It's in Weekly Variety. Click on thumbnail for larger pic!

I also scanned the 'congratulations-on-your-SAG-nom' ad placed by the William Morris Agency in The Hollywood Reporter.

While I was at the book store yesterday, I skimmed through the Geoffrey Rush article in the March issue of Movieline Magazine, and noted his comments about Quills:

[On being asked if he was familiar with the Marquis] ''Yeah. I had done 'Marat/Sade' on stage, and when I was at university in the late 60's, Sade was a counterculture icon. When I read Doug Wright's script, I said, 'Wow'. The dialog was so lurid and funny. Still, I thought I was wrong for the part because in the script Sade is in his 70's and weighs over 300 pounds. The age and weight differential didn't seem to bother Kaufman.''  Rush got on well with Kaufman, but the thing that pushed him to commit was hearing that Kate Winslet was interested in playing the literate laundress who trades kisses for pages, which she then smuggles out of the prison. ''Kate's one of those rare creatures who is not afraid of making daring choices,'' says Rush. ''She's created some of the most memorable, classically sculpted performances of her generation. And she's also a movie star. I heard that she'd do it if I did it, and I was honored and flattered by that notion. I responded by saying I'd do it if she did it, and four months later Kate and I and Joaquin Phoenix were shooting in England.''

March 7:

I was able to buy the March 9 edition of OK! Magazine today, and scanned the photos of Kate at the Baftas. (Christina Ricci is pictured with Kate.)  There is also a brief article; here's the portion about Kate (nice!):

''The Baftas - OK! Joins The Stars At The Awards Ceremony''

…There was a particularly warm greeting on a chilly evening for lovely Kate Winslet, looking radiant after the birth of her daughter, Mia. Kate, who provoked gasps of admiration, was the most stunning figure in the all-star fashion parade. Dressed in a low-cut gown and lacy shawl that showed off her gorgeous figure, Kate was at the BAFTAs to give director Ang Lee his prize for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Tying her hair back in a simple ponytail only made her look even more fabulous.

While I certainly agree with their assessment, somehow I think they're trying to score a few points with Kate and her 'people'.

The UK Glamour Magazine site is up - and has the premiere cover photo of Kate posted on the home page. While I was snooping around the site, I found a poll you may enjoy taking - 'The Glamour Awards 2001':

OK, we've heard the jokes, we know 'glamour' has meant shoulder pads and Page-3 girls. But all that's changed with our arrival. To celebrate, we ask you to tell us what you think is the definition of glamour.

The categories are: Man, Woman, Couple, Model, Actor, Actress, TV Personality, Entrepreneur, Political Figure, Royal, Film, TV Show, Female Singer, Male Singer, Band, Video, City, Nation, Holiday Spot, Cocktail, Designer, Era, Hairstyle, Lips, Bum, Legs, Breasts, Voice, Eyes, Nose. Winners will be announced the end of March.

I received this email promo for the SAG award ceremony:

Win an all-expense paid trip to the 2002 SAG Awards in L.A.! Go to http://tnt.turner.com/specials/sagawards/ to predict this year's SAG Awards winners, enter for a chance to see next year's winners in person and get backstage with our enhanced TV presentation! TNT presents exclusive coverage of the 7th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, March 11 at 8 p.m.

From the TNT (cable TV channel) site:

Get your TV and PC in the same room to maximize the experience. Watch the show on TNT and and at the same time interact with the show online. • Watch streaming video of award winners as they go back stage, and ask the winners questions in the online chat session. • Predict the winners of all the awards with your SAG Scorecard and win prizes. • Voice your opinion in our SAG polls - Results will be aired on TNT. • Chat with other viewers from around the world. [''Rotor Player'' plug-in required.]

I heard through the 'grapevine' that Kate is planning on attending the SAG ceremony this Sunday. I hope the plans work out!

My goodness, the Vanity Fair 'Hollywood' cover has generated press - good and bad. (I wish I got paid to analyze magazine spreads, LOL.)

Just say cheesy: Vanity Fair's annual line-up of the 10 brightest actresses has a twist to it this year - a few mature faces get a look in. But, says Julie Burchill, the effect is the same: Miss World without the irony

…Interestingly, only two of them aren't dressed or posed like prostitutes; Cate Blanchett, wearing a smoking jacket and a stern gaze, and Kate Winslet, in head-to-toe Boho chic and noli me tangere air. Elsewhere, Paltrow pouts, Sevigny sprawls and Nicole Kidman displays what Tom Cruise left on the side of his plate like two jellies on a tray so far, so familiar. But the really unpleasant aftertaste is that left by the actresses of mature years.

Catherine Deneuve sprawls inelegantly on a beanbag with a beseeching 'I've still got it, me!' look on her face; Meryl Streep goes for a sexy schoolmarmish slashed neckline, black nylons and no make-up; Vanessa Redgrave shows her booted gams to a distinctly unimpressed world; while Sophia Loren 63! obviously gave up believing that less is more years ago, to judge from the cleavage she displays.

Looking at it, I couldn't help recalling an old Vanity Fair photo in which the young Loren in all her splendour gazed with serene contempt at poor, desperate Jayne Mansfield, ni****s practically hanging from her dress. But even poor, dead Jayne Mansfield would probably have put her t**s away by the age of 63.

We're obviously meant, as women, to swoon with joy and thanks because Vanity Fair in all its sheer molten big-heartedness has decided that, hey, old broads can be sexy too! But in presenting famous and/or older actresses in exactly the same passive, pleading attitudes that usually only unknown ingenues are expected to adopt, insult is added to injury.

The Sydney Morning Herald has also published commentary on the Vanity Fair cover, concentrating on Aussie actresses Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett:

...The 10 are Kidman, Blanchett, Catherine Deneuve, Meryl Streep, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Vanessa Redgrave, Chloe Sevigny, Sophia Loren and Penelope Cruz. Critics immediately noted the absence of legends like Taylor and Roberts at the expense of younger actresses. "It doesn't take an historian to work out that Chloe Sevigny and Penelope Cruz are about as legendary as yesterday's breakfast," The Times in London sniffed.

"Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Winslet are too green. Between them they have a light sprinkling of awards but their mantelpieces are hardly groaning. They aren't toasted by the limelight as Julia Roberts is.

The Mirror said Roberts was a glaring omission "and what about Meg Ryan, Jodie Foster, or Demi Moore?"

Between them, the 10 featured actresses have made 339 films and collected 27 Oscars or Academy Award nominations.

I'm biting my tongue (again). Ouch, ouch…

OK - Here are some nice comments about Kate being chosen for a magazine cover. The pre-launch party for UK Glamour was held last night at the Red Cube.

Glamour contains three elements: fashion, beauty and celebrity. "We're very much a lifestyle magazine of which celebrities are a component, but it's not 100 to 300 pages of celebrities. We've got lifestyle, advice on careers, money, relationships, news and real life stories," says [editor Jo] Elvin.

A taster of "real life" is apparent on the first cover with "Why did a nice girl help her boyfriend commit murder?" The story comes from the American edition because "it was just a really interesting read". Elvin says most editorial for the British edition will be generated here. Hence Kate Winslet on the cover with "Why my man is one in a million" and Victoria Beckham's "exclusive" celebrity column on "My 10 unbreakable style rules". There's a four-page interview with another thespian, Joseph Fiennes, and plenty of advice: "His 121 secret sex thoughts: the details racing through his mind right now" or "Oscar-worthy hair: Hollywood styles to inspire your new look".

How does Elvin counter suggestions that Glamour's size may be revolutionary but not the content? Kate Winslet. Again. "We know our readers love Kate. She was number one for the cover from day one. Not just because she's British, but she embodies the magazine. She's beautiful, she's glamorous. She's A-list. She's also seen by our readers as someone who's really down to earth. She's in love with her husband, she's got a baby. She has an idyllic domestic life, grounded in reality."

Sounds like fairytale stuff. The sort of material that adds a touch of glamour to the reader's everyday life. Elvin knows her readers.

'This Is London' also has an article today about Glamour:

The first issue of Glamour has Kate Winslet on the cover, Victoria Beckham's style rules inside and 839 "luxury fashion and beauty looks". ("The deputy-chief sub counted them," says Elvin.) It is witty, with a slightly breathless paciness, a sense of a generous serving of bite-sized goodies and a quirky not-too-serious brightness.

Link to entire article

The Daily Record has published a few quotes today from the Glamour Magazine article:

''Kate's Titanic Goal is Domestic Bliss''

Screen goddess Kate Winslet says she prefers caring for her husband and new baby to attending glitzy showbiz parties. The Titanic and Quills star has only gone out once since the birth of her daughter Mia last October. [Once? Let's see... Quills London premiere, Christmas carol charity event, Golden Camera awards, Quills Berlin screening, Baftas…]

The actress fell in love with Jim at first sight and says she knew she would marry him, which she did in November 1998. She said: "Jim is the only time I've thought, 'Oh, this is forever'. I really fancy him. I look at him and say, 'You're damn sexy'. How come I ended up with such a fantastically sexy boy?'" And the star, ridiculed in the past for her curvy figure, added: "He can't stand plastic surgery. To him there's nothing more beautiful than a woman growing old naturally."

Talking exclusively in the debut issue of Glamour magazine, Kate spoke for the first time of the cancer death of her ex-boyfriend. She said: "Stephen Tredre and I had been apart for a year when I met Jim but we remained incredibly close. I was still a big part of his battle. Jim was fantastically supportive."

Boy, the anticipated SAG strike is big news in the UK. Here's another report in a UK paper today:

''US strike threat to British films,'' by Joanna Bale

British film production faces being heavily disrupted by this summer’s planned strike by the United States Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG). Many British actors, including stars such as Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Ewan McGregor, are members of the SAG and will be told by the union not to work on any film with US backing. As most British films, especially those with budgets over £10 million, are partly financed by Hollywood, this rules out all but a few low-budget movies. All US films being shot in Britain, including those which have tried to avoid the strike by shooting overseas, will also be brought to a standstill if the strike goes ahead on June 30.

The action may affect the jobs of hundreds of actors in Britain, said Equity, the British actors’ union. Nevertheless, it is backing the strike, which aims to win actors a bigger slice of film profits. Ian McGarry, Equity’s general secretary, said: "Actors on both sides of the Atlantic are united in feeling that the time is right for a breakthrough in the way actors share in the success of a film." He added: "If, however, the dispute in the US does go ahead, then it is bound to have an impact in the UK. American productions that might otherwise have come to the UK to use studio facilities are dependent on American star participation and if that is not available those productions, which normally provide a significant amount of work for British-based talent, will not take place."

Some British television productions with US backing would also be affected, said Equity, which is advising members not to work on US films trying to escape the strike by moving to Britain.

The March issue of Celebrity Spy magazine contains three mentions of Kate:

''Gissa Look In Your Bag, Madge'' - Which beauty products do our favourite Hollywood lovelies always have in their handbags? We had a root under the baby wipes to find out…

Kate Winslet - In tests, 9 out of 10 famous faces said they preferred it. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat, 20 pounds, is famous in its own right as the number-one celebrity concealer. The lovely Kate swears by it (allegedly).

They may not be experts on marriage or modesty, but when it comes to looking gorgeous, celebs are the only people to ask. Check out the diet tips we arm-wrestled out of them…

Kate Winslet -

The Tip: ''I'm healthy. I swim a mile a day, but I'll never be a stick insect and I wouldn't want to be. I like having a good pair of tits and a good ass.'' It wasn't always this way! At school, Kate weighed 13 stone and was called 'Blubber' - then she became anorexic. Now she's gorgeously curvy.

How does it work then? Jane Wake, fitness expert and owner of Body A-Wake Personal Training, says: ''Swimming is excellent exercise. The number of calories you'll burn will depend on how energetic you are. But a good approximation is about 250 calories for 30 minutes' continuous swimming at a moderate pace - an excellent way to burn fat.''

Good idea? Jane explains: ''To make swimming better for you, vary your stroke and your speed (swim two lanes quickly, two lanes slowly). This will not only improve your fitness, but will also ensure your training is more balanced. Swimming is a non weight-bearing activity, so it's great if you have injury problems. It won't help with bone strength or prevention of osteoporosis, though. Obviously you need to know how to swim, and being a strong swimmer is essential if you want to swim in the sea or do water-sport activities.''

Can we all have a go? Jane Wake: ''You may not have your own pool but there are excellent public facilities around the country. Most are great early in the morning as it's quiet - ideal for lane swimming. The only downside is the effect chlorine might have on your hair and the possible risk of infection (such as verucas!) from swimming in a public pool. Best advice is to combine swimming with other activities for better all-round results.''

Well, we know that Kate is also keen on walking.

March 6:

Layla has the great UK Glamour magazine article up - Go here to read! Then, use your browser's 'back' button to return here. (As soon as the magazine is available here, I'll get the article and color versions of photos up on this site. This thumbnail is from an ebay seller.)

Yesterday's issue of Daily Variety had two photos of Kate in an article about director Ang Lee. I scanned them today. (Click on thumbnail to enlarge.)

Reports on Quills from around the world:

Thanks to Moritz for translating this German news item for us:

"Quills - Power of Obsession": Costume drama with Kate Winslet
"Titanic" star Kate Winslet is now starring in a film, which has been conceptualized in a less crowd-pleasing way.
The director Philip Kaufman ("The Unbearable Lightness of Being") tells the dark story of the notorious Marquis de Sade (Geoffrey Rush), who fights for the freedom of speech and thinking from inside a madhouse. The main focus is on de Sades' character, who inconsiderately manipulates the housemaid Madeleine (Winslet) to be able to publish his manuscripts. Michael Caine stars as de Sades' opponent.

Quills, USA 2000, 123 Min., by Philip Kaufman, with Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Sir Michael Caine.

Irene has sent me a couple of items to give us an idea of how Quills is being covered by the Spanish media (I'm working on getting the articles translated):

Celine reports that reviewers ''here in Switzerland have written that the film is pretty good (LIVE magazine) and very good (Le Temps), the four actors are fantastic.''

Lorissa has emailed me a review of the film from the Sydney Morning Herald:

Variety has an article today about foreign box office:

More on the Vanity Fair 'Hollywood' issue in today's UK Times:

Screen Legends Outshine Rising Stars,'' By Grace Bradberry in Los Angeles

With an actors’ strike looming this summer, the future looks bleak for Hollywood’s young talent. The action by the Screen Actors Guild in support of better contracts is expected to be long and bring the Hollywood film industry to a standstill. In an indication of the tough times ahead, Vanity Fair has relegated its annual list of "The Stars of Tomorrow" from the cover to an inside spread.

Since 1995, the magazine has featured up to 14 young actors on the cover of its Hollywood issue - timed to coincide with the Oscars - and has been remarkably prescient in identifying marquee names. Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett and Julianne Moore are among those included in past lists. This year, however, only seven have been chosen as having a chance to make it. Taking their place on the cover, in picture by Annie Leibovitz, are ten actresses dubbed "screen legends". Five of them - Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett, and Penélope Cruz - once featured on the list of young hopefuls.

This year’s list of the "stars of tomorrow" appear in an uncharacteristically "grunge" photograph. There is a simple explanation - by and large the actors wore their own clothes. In Hollywood no one goes out in public in their own clothes anymore. That’s what stylists are for. Sceptics point out that the list - which is said to be worth $1 million on a star’s fee - tends to include actors with films due for release: the class of 2001 includes Shannyn Sossamon, who has two films out this year.

Vanity Fair makes its selection from about 100 actors, observed over nine months. The editorial team, including Graydon Carter, the Editor, look at film clips and try to assess the aspirants’ long-term potential. The list is always American-dominated.

The full list of this year’s "Stars of Tomorrow" is Kip Pardue, Sanaa Lathan, Shannyn Sossamon, Monet Mazur, Desmond Harrington, Johnny Knoxville and Amy Smart.

The Legends of Hollywood are Nicole Kidman, Catherine Deneuve, Meryl Streep, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, Vanessa Redgrave, Chloë Sevigny, Penélope Cruz and Sophia Loren.

Names of the past, and the future:

2000: Penélope Cruz, Wes Bentley, Mena Suvari, Marley Shelton, Chris Klein, Selma Blair, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster and Sarah Wynter

1999: Andrien Brody, Monica Potter, Thandi Newton, Julia Stiles, Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Polley, Norman Reedus, Leelee Sobieski, Giovanni Ribisi, Anna Friel, Omar Epps, Kate Hudson, Barry Pepper and Vinessa Shaw

1998: Joaquin Phoenix, Vince Vaughn, Natalie Portman, Djimon Hounsou, Cate Blanchett, Tobey Maguire, Claire Forlani, Gretchen Mol, Christina Ricci, Edward Furlong, Rufus Sewell

1997: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Claire Danes, Renée Zellweger, Minnie Driver, Alison Elliot, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez, Charlize Theron, Fairuza Balk

1996: Tim Roth, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Rapaport, Stephen Dorff, Johnathon Schaech, David Arquette, Will Smith, Skeet Ulrich

1995: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Uma Thurman, Nicole Kidman, Patricia Arquette, Linda Fiorentino, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julianne Moore, Angela Bassett, Sandra Bullock

Megan Turner of The NY Post questions the line-up of 'legends' for the Vanity Fair cover:

''Insanity Fair''

If Chloe Sevigny is a legend, then I'm a cheese-and-tomato sandwich. Vanity Fair's decision to include one of the most over-exposed cynosures of our time on the same page as an actress like Vanessa Redgrave as a Hollywood legend is more than misguided - it's deranged.

The glossy's seventh annual Hollywood Issue, out tomorrow, has broken with its annual tradition of identifying actors on the verge of super-stardom in favor of rounding up 10 actresses who are supposed to personify the term "legend." From prophecy to lunacy. How else to describe the inclusion of Penelope Cruz alongside immortal screen sirens such as Catherine Deneuve, Sophia Loren and Meryl Streep? Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Kate Winslet are all fine actresses, with noteworthy turns in "Shakespeare In Love," "To Die For," "Elizabeth" and "Titanic," respectively. But legends? Lauren Bacall, Katharine Hepburn, Anjelica Huston and Jane Fonda - even Julia Roberts - must have been washing their hair on each of the three days photographer Annie Leibovitz shot the cover.

Webster's dictionary defines a legend as "a notable person whose deeds or exploits are much talked about in his or her own time." Sevigny's, Cruz's, Paltrow's and Kidman's deeds and exploits are, indeed, well-documented - but do bold-faced appearances in People really count?

Admittedly, deciding what constitutes a legend is as arbitrary as defining an "It Girl." But surely assembling an impressive roster of quality films counts for more than showing up at the right parties, wearing eye-catching outfits and having high-profile relationships. (Ironically, the Hollywood issue features a letter from a reader calling the magazine to task for overusing the word "legendary.")

And what a difference a year has made for Penelope Cruz: last year the magazine considered her a rising young talent; this year, she's a legend. You may remember Cruz (or not) from Spanish-language films such as "Belle Epoque" and Pedro Almodovar's "All About My Mother." Her first American star vehicle "Women on Top" flew under most people's radar and the less said about last year's "All the Pretty Horses" the better.

Vanity Fair's features editor Jane Sarkin, who has produced the Hollywood issue's cover since its inception, yesterday defended her picks. "There's certainly a huge list of people we could have included," she said. "Obviously, we couldn't do them all, but these are the ones we wanted and the ones we ended up getting."

But Chloe Sevigny a legend? "I'm not calling Chloe a legend - I'm saying she has what it takes to become a legend. Some of these women are legends, some are on their way to becoming legends and some may or may not become legends, we'll have to see."

Glad that's cleared up, then.

Actually, editor Jane Sarkin did make the point (on 'Entertainment Tonight') that some of the younger actresses could become legends.

I have reported here previously the SAG waiver for foreign actors (if there is a strike). Here's more, from a British perspective, in two articles today --

From 'This is London':

''Hollywood Strike Threatens Chaos,'' by Ed Harris

The Screen Actors' Guild, which wants pay increases for its members, has published guidelines designed to embrace comrades in the film world outside the United States and increase pressure on the studios and producers to meet its demands. It is not the only Hollywood strike in pre-production. Another screen union, the Writers' Guild of America, called a strike of its own for May. Soaps and quiz shows are expected to be halted within weeks and globally successful series such as ER, Friends, Frasier and even cartoon shows such as The Simpsons may follow.

Almost every actor who has worked in Hollywood is a member of the powerful Screen Actors' Guild, and any action would receive enthusiastic support from British stars such as Ewan McGregor, Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant, who would be more than willing to show solidarity with their colleagues across the Atlantic. If they decided to work to rule, as it were, they would only be able to work on small-scale British movies with no US involvement.

In an effort to prevent US studios wriggling out of the dispute by using foreign actors and shooting overseas, SAG has issued highly-contentious guidelines which require that, in the event of a strike, non-American members of the union should work on a film only if it is shot entirely outside the US, is entirely financed with non-US money and if no distribution rights are pre-sold to a US company.

This means British film production would be seriously disrupted - even films shot in Britain with British casts could be hit. "The strike will affect UK productions very badly," John Drinnan of trade publication Screen Finance told the Financial Times. "The majority of British films with a budget of £10 million - the ones that have potential to be box office hits - have American money and have rights pre-sold to a US company." Industry bosses fear high-profile British actors will not work on major British films during any strike action, and are furious about the prospect.

"I'm outraged by the whole thing," said one senior executive. "As I understand it, the whole thing is illegal. This could have serious consequences for the UK film industry and represents an unacceptable export of US trade disputes."

Equity, the British actors' union, will today advise its members to support SAG in the event of a strike by refusing to work on US productions trying to escape the dispute by shooting in Britain. However, the union is thought to be pressing SAG to reconsider its controversial guidelines.

Relatively few actors and actresses will cross picket lines to report for work if the SAG strike goes ahead. Prepare for incongruous scenes such as Charlton Heston joining Jim Carrey - who earns in excess of £14 million per film and last year demanded a chef for his pet lizard - on the barricades. The sight of prominent Hollywood actors on the picket-lines may revive unhappy memories for some. In December, Liz Hurley was fined £71,000 by the SAG for working during its two-month pay strike. Miss Hurley fell foul of the guild in July by shooting an Estée Lauder advertisement in Manhattan when the union was protesting about low pay for such work for many of its members.

The SAG dispute has seen US filmmakers coming to British studios such as Pinewood and Shepperton to rush their movies through production in time to beat the SAG deadline. However, action by the SAG would lead to an eventual dearth of US movies being released in Britain.

A strike by highly-paid film stars was perhaps not quite what Marx and Engels had in mind when they urged the workers of the world to unite, but they are now being taken at their word.

From BBC News:

British actors who are not SAG members will also find it difficult to work on US productions in the UK. A spokesman for Equity told BBC News Online: "Equity members who are also members of SAG will not be able to work on productions in the UK that have any American involvement, such as financing and pre-sales for the American market. The strike will have an impact on Britain," he added.

UK support -- The union is also advising its members, even if they are not SAG members, not to accept work on so-called runaway productions. A runaway production is a film shot in the the UK for the sole purpose of undermining the SAG action. "We are looking to SAG to advise us on what is a runaway production," said the Equity spokesman. He added: "So far we have not been advised that there are any runaway productions." He said the British union supported SAG's attempts to get a new contract. He added: "We believe that is it is achievable without a dispute."

March 5:

'Entertainment Tonight' aired another segment on the Vanity Fair 'Hollywood' issue tonight, and they stated that the issue will be on newsstands March 13. [Another reports states it will be available March 7.]

[Host Bob Goen] ''Our Leonard Maltin reports on the secrets of the photo shoot that features some of Hollywood's biggest stars.''

[Maltin] ''The first ladies of film - past, present and future - adorn the cover of this year's Hollywood issue. Nicole Kidman shot the picture last December, before her split with Cruise. ET has learned that Tom and the couple's two children were present at the New York shoot, where Nicole posed with Catherine Deneuve, Meryl Streep and Gwyneth Paltrow. Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet and Vanessa Redgrave all posed together in London. Chloe Sevigny, Sophia Loren and Penelope Cruz also posed for the all-star photo that was shot in three different cities, but then composited together.''

[Vanity Fair Features Editor Jane Sarkin] ''We could not get all the women there at the same time, it was absolutely impossible.''

[Maltin] ''The three panel cover photo was taken over a four month period and its glamour girls formed a mutual admiration society.''

[Sarkin] ''They were playful with each other, they were excited to meet each other, they hung out.''

[Maltin] ''But the issue, which hits newsstands March 13, boasts more than leading ladies. Inside, you'll find a gallery of stars…''

[Sarkin] ''I think everyone that picks up this magazine will get something out of it that they'll absolutely love and they'll never forget.''

[Goen] ''Thanks a lot, Leonard. That magazine is so full of star pictures, it features 430 pages, and weighs nearly three pounds.''

'Synona Skies' has sent me a very entertaining account of her experiences at this year's BAFTAs. I've posted it - and pics - on a separate page. Thanks, Synona!

Thank goodness Mia is OK now!! I found this item in today's 'newsroom' on peoplenews.com:

''Kate 'distraught' over baby'' -- Whooping cough ordeal for Mia
Kate Winslet had to race her baby to hospital after she was diagnosed with potentially fatal whooping cough. The 25-year-old was advised to take five-month-old Mia in for treatment and observation. Mia is now healthy and back at home with Winslet and her director husband Jim Threapleton. Friends of the Titanic actress said she had been 'distraught' with worry when she discovered that what she thought was a cold could be far more serious. The incubation period for whooping cough is usually about a fortnight - it starts in the same way as a cold with a runny nose, weeping eyes and a cough. Later the patient suffers coughing fits and vomiting. Mia caught whooping cough despite being immunised against it at the age of two months. A friend of the couple said: 'Kate and Jim made sure she had the injections but Mia still appeared to pick it up.' Winslet had taken time off since Mia was born, but next month she starts work on her next film, which is being shot at Shepperton. The film, a version of Zola's novel Therese Raquin, is a story of murder and illicit passion.

Ananova Entertainment News has an item today about the Vanity Fair 'Hollywood' issue:

''Magazine's Oscar cover breaks with tradition'' -- Ten of Hollywood's most glamorous women are pictured together to celebrate this year's Oscars ceremony. With nearly 400 film credits and 27 Oscars between them the actresses' pictures are on the front page of April's Vanity Fair magazine. The magazine usually profiles up and coming actresses on its cover in the run up to the Oscar's, but this year it has decided to break from tradition. Featured on the cover are: Nicole Kidman, Catherine Deneuve, Meryl Streep, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, Vanessa Redgrave, Chloe Sevigny, Sophia Loren and Penelope Cruz. Unable to get all 10 women in one place, the photo shoot was set up in three different cities - London, New York and Los Angeles.

Here's the preview of the 'Entertainment Tonight' program that will air this evening:

A Message From Mary Hart:
'Three Generations of Leading Ladies' -- The first ladies of Hollywood will grace the cover of Vanity Fair's seventh annual Hollywood issue. The women had such full schedules that the photo shoot actually had to be shot in three locations: Los Angeles, New York and London. And it wasn't because the women were being difficult; on the contrary, Catherine Deneuve made a special trip to New York just for this shoot, and arrived only with a cup of espresso and a newspaper. Gwyneth Paltrow arrived with no entourage, and then proceeded to play DJ for the group. Meryl Streep, Sophia Loren and Nicole Kidman are also among the 10 actresses who, between them, have nearly 400 film credits and 27 Oscar® statuettes.

While Kate isn't mentioned in this 'teaser', she was mentioned during the preview aired on Friday night (and, of course, her photo was shown).

I hadn't checked the 'This is London' site for a few days, and found this item from a couple of days ago:

''Celebrities Get Shirty to Help Homeless Children,''by Tom Sykes

Jennifer Saunders is an exhibitionist, Kate Winslet is a flower child, Angel of the North sculptor Anthony Gormley is going fuzzy at the edges and England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, football fans will be pleased to learn, is keeping his mind on the job.

That, at least, is what you might conclude if you log on for an internet auction of celebrity T-shirts that organisers hope will raise thousands of pounds for Alone in London, a charity which helps youngsters avoid becoming homeless or find permanent places to live if they already are.

Patron Emma Thompson sent out hundreds of T-shirts to famous names, along with pens and a request to get doodling. So far she has received more than 50 shirts back, and is hoping to get at least 100. Those who have already contributed include David and Victoria Beckham, George Clooney, Ali G, Damien Hirst, Zoe Ball, John Travolta, Bob Hoskins, Ralph Fiennes and Graham Norton.

The finished products range from Winslet's simple affair, bedecked with flowers and hearts, and Tony Blair's plain signed shirt to Saunders's more garish effort, brightly coloured, making a central feature of a pair of breasts and signed Edina Monsoon.

The full range of T-shirts is available to view on the Alone in London website at www.als.org.uk. Bids can be made from now until 7pm on 2 April.

Here's the link to the other celebrity shirts -- ALS Org

The March issue of Film Review magazine (UK) features a review of the Jude DVD, which was released in January. The critic loved the film (and is obviously a fan of Rachel Griffiths), but is disappointed in the DVD:

The Movie: Michael Winterbottom's version of Tomas Hardy's fascinating novel is as good a transfer to the screen as the story will ever get. The actors are outstanding, especially Rachel Griffiths as Jude's lawful wife Arabella, who oozes an animalistic, earthy sexuality every time she's on screen. The last half hour is utterly traumatic, so be prepared. (4 stars)

The Rest: Maddeningly, the trailer is shown in 1:85:1, the credits of the film in the proper 2:35:1 ratio, but everything else is pan-and-scan, and very bad pan-and-scan too. It's a sin to take such a beautifully, carefully shot film and cut half of it away. No extras apart form the trailer. (1 star) - - GW

The Australian Sun-Herald has a review of Quills in today's issue, containing great words for Kate's performance:

For many viewers, though, the softer emotional heart of the film is Kate Winslet. The Titanic star is the perfect wide-eyed conduit, the guide for modern viewers to this twisted world. When Winslet is off the screen for any length of time, it's noticeable that the film becomes a colder, more distant thing.

Read the entire review by following the link.

Quills is one of four films that will be featured on Germany's 'Kinomagazin' today, according to Yahoo! News:

"CinemaxX TV" - das Kinomagazin am Sonntag, 4. März 2001, um 11.05 Uhr; Moderation: Andrea Kempter Themen

* Quills -- Director: Philip Kaufman; Starring: Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Joaquin Phoenix, Sir Michael Caine.

I asked Moritz about this show, and he informs me that it is a weekly movie review program. It includes several clips of films, along with a synopsis and critique. The program will be repeated on Monday. It airs on the ''Pro7'' channel. Quills opens in Germany March 8.