Gossip/Celebrity News

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Brooke Shields: Tom Cruise Apologized

Tom Cruise apologized to Brooke Shields for criticizing her antidepressant use, the actress said Friday on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.


On Thursday, Cruise "came over to my house and he gave me a heartfelt apology," Shields, 41, told Leno. "And he apologized for bringing me into the whole thing and for everything that happened.

"And through it all, I was so impressed with how heartfelt it was. And I didn't feel at any time that I had to defend myself, nor did I feel that he was trying to convince me of anything other than the fact that he was deeply sorry. And I accepted it."

Cruise's rep, Arnold Robinson, told the Associated Press in a statement, "It is true that his friendship with Ms. Shields has been mended. He has not changed his position about antidepressants, which, as evidenced by the black label warnings issued by the FDA on these types of drugs, are unhealthy."

Last summer, Cruise for told Matt Lauer on the Today show that Shields should not have taken medication to combat postpartum depression after the birth of her first child, daughter Rowan. Cruise insisted depression could be treated by "vitamins and exercise."

Shields responded with an op-ed piece in the New York Times in which she wrote, "I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Mr. Cruise has never suffered from postpartum depression."

A week ago, Kathleen Kennedy, who co-produced Cruise's War of the Worlds, told CNN's Showbiz Tonight that Cruise probably "feels bad" about criticizing Shields, although she had no first-hand knowledge of his feelings.

Cruise has been under fire since Viacom chief Sumner Redstone said Paramount Studios had severed ties with the actor because his recent conduct "has not been acceptable."

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Rodney Actress Jennifer Aspen Weds

Jennifer Aspen, star of the ABC sitcom Rodney, married actor David O'Donnell Saturday at the Los Angeles home of actress Anne Archer.

In the Scientologist ceremony, Aspen, 32, wore an ivory gown by Junko Yoshioka for Bonaparte-NY dress, Cynthia Rowley shoes and jewelry by Matthew's in Studio City.

The 55 guests included actors Jenna Elfman, Catherine Bell and Giovanni Ribisi. A reception featuring taquitos from Tony's Mexican Grill and a Mani's Bakery wedding cake was held in Archer's garden.

From 1998-2000, Aspen played Daphne Jablonsky, who had a daughter with Charlie Salinger (Matthew Fox), on FOX's Party of Five. She and O'Donnell will both appear in the comedy Guy in Row Five, due in theaters in late fall.

The couple, who have been together for nine years, will honeymoon at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Beach. This is the first marriage for both.

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Ellen, Portia Hit by Alleged Drunk Driver

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi were involved in a car accident in Los Angeles Friday afternoon, but suffered only minor injuries, PEOPLE has confirmed.

The three-vehicle collision occurred when DeGeneres, driving a 2006 Porsche Carrera, stopped at a light on Sunset Blvd. A 2002 Buick Le Sabre, driven by two men in their 20s, stopped behind her.

Then a woman identified as Jeanne Werber, 52, slammed her 2002 Porsche Carrera into the back of the Buick, which in turn collided with DeGeneres's car, a rep for the LAPD tells PEOPLE. Werber, who had minor cuts on her leg, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.

No one required medical attention. DeGeneres "had a little neck and back pain, but it doesn't look like it was anything serious," LAPD Sgt. Ken Buscarino told the Associated Press. De Rossi complained of back pain; the men in the Buick suffered scratches.

DeGeneres's car sustained some small damage.

On Monday, the fourth season of DeGeneres's eponymous talk show kicks off with guest Justin Timberlake, who performs in New York City's Central Park.

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Justin on Cameron: 'We're Not Engaged'

Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz might get married – in a decade and a half, the singer told Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show Monday.

The "SexyBack" singer helped kick off the fourth season of The Ellen DeGeneres Show by performing his hit single in New York City's Central Park.

After the performance, DeGeneres brought up "the rumor that you and Cameron are engaged."

Sinking into his chair, Timberlake asked how she could put him on the spot in front of the 10,000 people in the crowd. "The only reason I need to know," DeGeneres said, "(is) I need to know, should I get a bridesmaid dress now or not?"

"Know what?" Timberlake said. "Go ahead and reserve one."

As the crowd burst into cheers, DeGeneres asked when she'd get to wear it. "I've got a busy schedule," she said.

"The only thing is," Timberlake said, "you'll have to stay the same size for the next 15 years."

The crowd could not mask its disappointment. Pressed as to where things stand between him and Diaz, Timberlake said of recent press reports, "Funny thing, one week we're getting married, one week we've broken up. I can't keep up with it."

Assuring him he could keep up with it, DeGeneres asked whether, in fact, he and Diaz are engaged. "We're not engaged," he replied, before joking, "She hasn't given me a ring. I've waited for her to get down on one knee and ask."

Timberlake also spoke about his 'N Sync bandmate Lance Bass, who recently came out. "That must've been a huge thing for him," said DeGeneres, noting that Bass kept his being gay a secret for fear of jeopardizing the group's success.

Said Timberlake, "Let's all be honest. I don't think we didn't know. Lance is one of my greatest friends. I'm more happy for him than I've ever been. … He gets to live his life the way he wants to live his life."

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Japan's Princess Kiko gives birth to boy

Japan's Princess Kiko gives birth to boy

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Marcia Cross Is Pregnant

Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross is expecting her first child with husband Tom Mahoney, PEOPLE has learned exclusively and the actress's rep confirms. The baby is due in April.

Cross, 44, and Mahoney, 48, a stockbroker, got married in June after dating for more than a year.

They became engaged in August 2005. "She's over the moon," Cross's Housewives costar Eva Longoria told PEOPLE at the time. "I'm so excited for her. It's so beautiful to see her this happy and so in love."

Cross, recently nominated for a best actress in a comedy Emmy, plays uptight Bree Van de Kamp on the ABC series, which begins its third season on Sept. 24.

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Alias's Amy Acker, Husband Have a Girl

Amy Acker and her husband, James Carpinello, have welcomed a daughter named Ava Grace, PEOPLE has learned exclusively.

The baby, who weighed in at 7 lbs. 4 oz., was born on Friday in Los Angeles. Ava joins older brother Jackson James, who is 19 months old.

"Amy, James and Jackson are enjoying the new addition to their family," Acker's rep tells PEOPLE.

Acker, 29, played Winifred "Fred" Burkle on the WB's Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff Angel from 2001-2004. She also starred as Jennifer Garner's nemesis, Kelly Peyton, on Alias, and appeared on How I Met Your Mother and Supernatural.

Carpinello, also an actor, was most recently seen on the Tori Spelling show So NoTORIous.

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Ellen Called to Oscar Duty

She's been an Emmy winner and an Emmy host, but now TV talk-show queen Ellen DeGeneres is taking on the movies. DeGeneres will host the Oscars next February, her first time ever emceeing the telecast, the Motion Picture Academy has announced.

"When (Oscars producer) Laura Ziskin called, I was thrilled," DeGeneres said in a statement. "There's two things I've always wanted to do in my life. One is to host the Oscars. The second is to get a call from Laura Ziskin. You can imagine that day's diary entry."

The 79th annual Academy Awards air live on ABC Feb. 25, 2007, from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

This will also mark Ellen's first-ever Oscar appearance, despite the fact that she's racked up a handful of movie credits, including Finding Nemo (as the voice of Dory) and EdTV. But her ability to handle an awards-show audience is already well-established, thanks to her delicate balance of comedy and heart while hosting the Emmy Awards in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001.

"Ellen DeGeneres was born to host the Academy Awards," Ziskin said in a press release. "There is no more challenging hosting job in show business. It requires someone who can keep the show alive and fresh and moving, as well as someone who is a flat-out great entertainer. Ellen completely fits the bill."

DeGeneres follows in the footsteps of such previous Oscar hosts as Billy Crystal, Bob Hope, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock and this year's emcee, Jon Stewart.