|
Downey thanks his anti-drug friends
November 3, 1997
Web posted at: 3:45 p.m. EST (2045 GMT)From Correspondent Ron Tank
Robert Downey Jr. is giving his friends some credit. Downey says in the latest issue of Playboy magazine that more than a dozen of his celebrity friends tried to get him to stop using drugs. He singled out Sean Penn for forcing him to go to a treatment center. Downey is due in court in December to explain why he failed a recent drug test.
Ron Howard has decided on his next film project. The Hollywood Reporter says Howard will direct "Ed TV," a story about a video store worker who agrees to let a cable channel tape his life 24 hours a day. Matthew McConaughey will play Ed. Filming is set to begin next spring.
Nicholas Turturro may play a cop on "NYPD Blue," but he'll be on the other side of the law for a new TV movie. Turturro will portray mob hit man Sammy "the Bull" Gravano for NBC. The two-night mini-series will air in May. Gravano, whose testimony helped convict Mafia boss John Gotti, probably won't be helping out. He's in the witness protection program.
"Addicted to Love" hit video rental counters over the weekend. Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick star in the romantic comedy. Also new on the shelves: the futuristic Bruce Willis film, "The Fifth Element," and Arnold Schwarzenegger's search for a toy in "Jingle All the Way."
"Frasier's" Jane Leeves, who plays Daphne on the NBC sitcom, got an early star on the holiday gift-giving season. Leeves dropped off more than 300 games at the Los Angeles Mission. The gifts were from Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers, companies for which Leeves is a spokesperson.
The producers of the new "Knight Rider" TV series put out the word that they were looking for the "World's Most Personal Truck." Those that showed up at Universal Studios for the contest were judged on their paint jobs, custom add-ons and the sound of their engines. The winner gets a role in the new series.
R.E.M. may soon be putting up a "help wanted" sign. Bill Berry, the group's drummer since the band was formed in 1980, has left, saying he has other priorities in life. Remaining members Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe will continue as R.E.M., hiring freelance drummers for tours and albums.
A movie about a truck is being filmed in Atlanta. Patrick Swayze leads the cast of "Black Dog," about an ex-con who drives a truckload of stolen merchandise cross country. Co-stars Randy Travis and Meatloaf joined Swayze at a news conference to promote the film, which is due next spring.
It's a good thing Brook Lee already has won this year's Miss Universe title. This is the 26-year-old at Universal Studios, Florida getting made up for the park's Halloween Horror Nights attraction. As the bride of Frankenstein's monster, Lee mingled with the folks of the theme park tour, most of whom didn't know one of their favorite ghouls was Miss Universe.
|
Sound off on our message boards You said it... |
|
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.