Claire Danes has joined the cast of Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines after newcomer Sophia Bush was deemed too young to play hero John Conner's love interest in the action movie. Director Jonathan Mostow was forced to dismiss Bush after dailies showed she was too young to play the girlfriend of In The Bedroom star Nick Stahl's character. Mostow says, "Sophia is a talented and charismatic performer but her appearance and manner play younger than what we wanted for the role." Danes started shooting on the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie yesterday.

Angelina Jolie has signed up for a sequel to Tomb Raider because she'll be able to try out the latest underwater technology and train with circus troupe Cirque Du Soleil. The actress played Lara Croft in the 2001 action adventure and had reservations about enhancements that made her seem more curvy, so she's stipulating that the sequel will be an underwater adventure that will see her character looking more athletic. She says, "I want to be much, much stronger. I would love to train with Cirque Du Soleil. Lara Croft should be more athletic and cut. "In the beginning of the first movie, we added padding to make me one cup size bigger. Also, I put on about 20 pounds for the role. And then, there were days when I was on my period that I was that much bigger. "I'd also like to go underwater in the next movie. I'm just curious about what gadgets can be used underwater - it's like James Bond.

Star Wars actor Hayden Christensen has lost himself a potentially devoted fanbase by laughing off suggestions that he's gay. A leading American gay magazine declared Christensen to be "definitely gay", and Hayden's more amused than annoyed at the speculation. He says, "It's hilarious. I'm not gay. It's amazing how much people will speculate if they haven't actual information to draw from, they just make up whatever they feel is appropriate. "That's cool. As long as the people I know and care about know the truth then everyone else's opinion doesn't really matter." Cast and crew on the set of the upcoming Attack Of The Clones film know where the 20-year-old's tastes lie - he often forced extra takes of his kissing scenes with stunning co-star Natalie Portman by turning to the camera grinning and flashing a thumbs-up. He laughs, "They would be like, 'You have to stop doing that Hayden! Now we have to do the whole scene again.' I'd be like, 'Fine'."

A Walk To Remember co-stars Mandy Moore and Shane West have been given the thumbs up by America's top movie magazine after picking up the leading awards at Saturday's fourth Young Hollywood Awards. The couple, who played teen lovers in the hit film, won the Superstar of Tomorrow awards for their performances. Among the other big winners at the weekend were American Beauty stars Kevin Spacey and Thora Birch, who picked up Role Model awards. The list of the leading winners is: Superstar of Tomorrow (Female): Mandy Moore - Superstar of Tomorrow (Male): Shane West - Hottest, Coolest Young Veteran Award: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Elijah Wood - Role Model Award: Kevin Spacey, Thora Birch - Something Extra Special Award: Christina Applegate - Next Generation Award: Selma Blair - Breakthrough Performance: Shannyn Sossamon - Standout Performance: Britney Murphy - Cultural Icon Award: Tony Hawk

The world famous Hollywood sign is at the center of a bitter ownership battle. The nine giant letters situated high up on the hills of Tinseltown are being fought over between the district of Hollywood and Los Angeles city. Residents of the movie-making area are claiming they own the large emblem, which was put on the hills in 1923, and are appalled with the poor condition it's in. Screen star Ben Affleck, Brad Pitt and Heather Graham are supporting Hollywood's fight to own the sign. Campaigner Gene La Pietra explains, "Getting that sign is very important in our independence bid. "It used to break your heart to see it almost falling down."

Gladiator star Russell Crowe has hired a real-life gladiator to help him slim down for his next film. The moody actor has asked martial arts expert Lourene Bevaart to compose a strict fitness plan to get him in shape for Far Side Of The World. Lourene was muscley, action-woman Glacier in the Australian version of hit TV game show Gladiators. The sporty blonde has enforced a plan of running, weight-lifting and power walking to help Russell fit the role of Navy captain Jack Aubrey in the war flick. One of Russell's friends says, "He has been told he needs to turn the flab into muscle for he film otherwise he will not look right. "He is not worried, he knows what he has to do. Lourene helped him out when he was training for Gladiator so he immediately contacted her again. "Russell has ballooned before and lost if quickly. He knows he had a deadline. Alcohol and fattening foods are off the menu and Lourene has got him started on a gruelling fitness regime."

A libel lawsuit filed against Erin Brockovich by her bitter ex- husband has been settled. Stockbroker Steven Michael Brockovich filed the lawsuit in March 2001, alleging his ex-wife, who was immortalized in a Hollywood film starring Julia Roberts, falsely claimed he failed to pay child support for their daughter. Brockovich claims the articles hurt his reputation in Reno, Nevada, causing his business to suffer. The lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, accused Erin Brockovich of libel, slander, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Halle Berry has defended the graphic sex scenes that adorn her film Monster's Ball - because there are so many worse things in Hollywood. Berry won a Best Actress Academy Award® for her role in the racial drama, but some of her love scenes with Billy Bob Thornton were so intense that American censors cut them. She says, "You know, it's such a contradiction. "In America, people are happy to watch a film in which someone blows someone else's head off, but these same people have a problem watching the most natural thing in the world - people making love." And although she feared she'd find filming the contentious scenes difficult, Halle actually grew as a performer from her experiences. She adds, "I was able to get to a place where I wasn't one bit concerned about what I looked like. I completely shed all those inhibitions, and it was really cathartic."

Samuel L. Jackson shocked George Lucas on the set of Star Wars Episode Ii: Attack Of The Clones by demanding a purple shaft for his lightsaber. In an extraordinary break from tradition, the Pulp Fiction actor demanded a color that would set his character Mace Windu apart from the normal 'red for bad' and 'blue for good' system. Jackson explains, "George was like, 'Let me think about it'. Every now and then I'd say to him, 'So did you think about it?' He'd be all, 'Hmmm, well...er...' "Then when we went back to do some shots in London he said, 'Hey, take a look at this.' He pulled up some footage and my lightsaber comes up purple. "I was like, 'Is this just for this or is it going to be like that in the movie?' He goes, 'No, you got it.'"

Drew Barrymore's actor half-brother John Blyth Barrymore has been attacked in his home by burglars. Six teenagers entered his home in Mountain View, California on Wednesday and attacked him with a metal trailer hook. Police say they were hoping to steal the actor's marijuana plants. Barrymore, 47, underwent brain surgery on Friday) and was expected to recover. Hybrid actor Barrymore is the grandson of the silent film star of the same name and the son of director John Barrymore Jr., superstar Drew's dad.