X-FILES star Gillian Anderson is ready for a new man in her life - and her daughter is begging her for a sibling. She split from PIPER's father Clyde Klotz, when their child was two and Anderson has several failed relationships since. Anderson says, "Over the past few years, I confess there were times when I thought my heart was just going to stop and I'd keel over." But she adds, "I would like to be in a relationship again. I'm starting to have a bit of a desire for longevity of a relationship and to experience that." And she says, "Piper has been begging me for a baby brother or sister and I just hope I'll be able to provide one before she goes into that age where she doesn't want one."

Veteran actor Gene Hackman is taking a break from the big screen - to become a "respected man of letters". The Superman (1978) star has finished his debut novel Wake of the Perido - but says that he is unlikely to take up an offer of writing a sequel and giving up acting for good. The book co-written with underwater archaeologist Dan Lenihan, is a adventure story cast on the high seas. Hackman says, "I said what the heck, why don't we write a novel about pirates, which fascinated me as a kid." But the Hollywood hardman reveals that there was room for improvement in the book - it needed more tension. He explains, "The premise of the novel sounds like a recipe for losing a friend, but we got along great. Maybe it would have been a better book if we'd fought more!"

Canadian-born Michael J. Fox has followed in the footsteps of Welsh-born actor Anthony Hopkins by swearing an oath and becomingan American citizen The actor who recently left his hit TV show Spin City to campaign for Parkinson's Disease, which he suffers from, has found it very difficult and has been "greatly bothered" by living in America but not being able to vote. Fox, who has lived in Atlanta, America for 20 years and whose wife and children are all American citizens, secretly swore the oath of allegiance earlier this year and is now reportedly looking forward to voting in the next general election.

Mission: Impossible II (2000) star Thandie Newton has challenged Hollywood's reluctance to cast actors from different ethnic backgrounds. The 27-year-old British actress - daughter of a Zimbabwean Shona princess and a British father - says Hollywood has to broaden its range of casting to eradicate the racism she has personal experience of. She says, "Casting directors have to take risks, and soon they'll find out they're not risks at all. But there is still a stigma attached and it's all to do with consumerism and money and whether people want to see someone who's not blonde." Thandie, who was raised in Lusaka, Zambia, before moving with her family to Cornwall, England, at the age of 11, says she lived a life where her ethnicity provoked interest not animosity, so was shocked when she came across racism for the first time - on a film set. She says, "I experienced it for the first time on the set of Flirting (1991). I did a scene where all the kids in the dance had to move away from my character. I remember asking what the logic of the scene was and being told it was because I was black. That was the first time I'd ever encountered it." The actress's comments mirror those of X-Men (2000) star Halle Berry, who last weekend criticized racism in Hollywood.

Actress Halle Berry is longing to marry fiance Eric Benet - because the 33-year-old actress wants to have a baby. Berry has been "like a mother" to her lover's eight-year-old daughter India - whose own mother died in a tragic car crash when she was a toddler. But the actress is desperate to have her own child and plans to elope secretly with Benet in "the very near future." The X-Men (2000) star says, "I am so ready to be a mother. I can't wait. I notice every little baby dress, every little baby toy, every little baby thing." And the star has bonded with her stepdaughter. She adds, "India sees me as unstoppable and when I'm with her, I feel that. It is such an incredible wonderful feeling."

American actor James Marsden is defending his pal Mena Suvari from criticism over her decision to marry a man 16 years her senior. The American Beauty (1999) star eloped with cinematographer Robert Brinkmann earlier this year when the actress was just 21. Suvari recently defended herself by saying, "what is age, " and pointing out that her father is 25 years older than her mother. And the young star's pal Marsden claims the couple are a perfect match - despite their age difference. Marsden says, "It was a bit obvious. They actually are really good for each other. Mena is 21 going on 40. She has an old soul."

Ellen DeGeneres may be a campaigner for lesbian rights but the Hollywood actress insists she is sick of being labelled "gay". DeGeneres, who lives with actress girlfriend Anne Heche, starts a stand up comedy tour of America later this month. She says, "I needed to express myself again because my sexuality had overshadowed so much of my life. "I'm not trying to make you forget, but I want my audience to come see me because I'm going to do a comedy show. "It's not a rally. Perhaps I should become the Artist Formerly Known as Lesbian."

Keanu Reeves' co-star Ernie Hudson had serious doubts over the star's ability to play a serial killer in chilling flick Driven (2000) - because he is so "nice". Reeves plays the chilling part of a serial killer in the flick while James Spader and Marisa Tomei play FBI agents intent on tracking him down. But Hudson was concerned during shooting on the first day because he felt sure Matrix, The (1999) star Reeves would be unable to play a brutal murderer. Hudson says, "At first I thought that I didn't know if Keanu could do it. "But after some time on set I realised he would be just fine. He is very convincing because he is like all those guys on the news. People think they are really nice and people trust him and they have no idea how deadly this guy is until it is too late. It is a really tense movie."

Movie star Jason Biggs insists he hasn't always had it easy - he had to struggle to launch his acting career. Yhe star of American Pie (1999) appreciates his fame so much because of all the years he spent in auditions, until he got his big break on Broadway at age 13. Jason says, "Just when I think I've had the big break I would see it disappear and I'd be back to square one pounding the pavement in New York City going for Atlantic Bell voice-over auditions after coming off of a Broadway play that ran for a year. "It has been definitely a whirlwind since American Pie (1999) came out. But because I started so young at five I've seen the ups and downs of this business."

Movie director Roman Polanski has been accused of "brazenly" pocketing over $960, 000 in production money from his latest film. The CHINATOWN film-maker is being sued for fraud and breach of contract in Los Angeles over Ninth Gate, The (1999), which starred Johnny Depp and Emmanuelle Seigner. Polanski has been wanted as a fugitive for two decades in America on charges of statutory rape.