Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry and her husband Eric Benet have split, after less than three years of marriage. The pair, who walked down the aisle on January 24, 2001, have gone through a series of problems during their brief union, which eventually led to the meltdown of their marriage. Monster's Ball beauty Berry says in a statement, "Eric and I have had marital problems for some time now and have tried to work things out together. However, at the this point I feel we need time apart to reevaluate our union. We ask that you respect our privacy as we are going through this emotional time." Berry, 37, spoke about the struggle to make their marriage work in the October issue of Elle magazine. Berry said she supported Benet, 32, during his rehab for reported sexual addiction. She explained, "I've been through it with my husband, but it's not about alcohol. If everybody lived by the principles of 12 steps, there would be a lot more healthy people walking around. What you finally find out is that everybody has the same s**t in their closets."

Kill Bill star Uma Thurman is "holding up" in the wake of her devastating split from cheating spouse Ethan Hawke, and remains philosophical about the distressing situation. Hawke was revealed two months ago to have strayed with Canadian model Jen Perzow on the set of his latest movie Taking Lives, despite being married to the Pulp Fiction beauty, with whom he has two young children. And although Thurman is currently trying to work her way through her own heartache, she insists she wouldn't change the past. Uma says, "I'm holding up. I don't know what to say because it is a difficult time and I am not exactly sure what to make of everything myself. As it is, I'm just trying to figure things out. To be a successful person you have to be willing to grow and take your blessings and your knocks in your stride. You have to be brave. It's very difficult. But the pros of having a family have been amazing for me. I basically slipped into having a family five years ago and they've been some of the happiest years of my life. It has been an opportunity for me to rebuild myself and I almost feel I have been born again. The strength I get from that and the love that I feel for being a mother is pretty unlimited and I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Superstar actress Jennifer Lopez is desperately trying to convince fiance Ben Affleck she's a down to earth girl - in a bid to rescue their floundering romance. The Gigli co-stars stunned the showbiz world when they called off their lavish September wedding at the last minute amid claims Affleck had left the actress. And now the pair are reportedly holed up in Affleck's Georgia, America mansion in an effort to make a final decision on the future of their relationship - but pals close the Latina stunner fear the stress is taking its toll on her. One pal says, "Jennifer is trying to play the happy homemaker right now. She went to Georgia to try and prove to Ben that she's not high maintenance, that she can be happy without all the frills. But that can only last so long." Another tells New York website Page Six.Com, "J.Lo is miserable. Absolutely miserable. She is putting on a good show right now. But she doesn't know what to do. Ben doesn't really want to get married. Lopez is a stand by your man type of woman and won't leave Affleck unless he does something else or she finds another man. She can't be without a man."

Hollywood siren Demi Moore is reportedly making her presence felt on the set of lover Ashton Kutcher's television program That '70S Show - and workers are starting to tire of her watchful eye. The Striptease beauty, 40, has moved her family from their Idaho home to Los Angeles so she can be near the Just Married hunk and is now a constant fixture at his work as well. One disgruntled crewmember tells Britain's Heat magazine, "Demi has this overwhelming presence. She's been on the set for almost every minute that Ashton is filming. The actresses and female crew members are getting self-conscious and are afraid that one false move and Demi will think they're after her man. It's causing a lot of tension. It's hard to be yourself when glaring eyes are watching every move you make. Demi's demanding behavior is highly distracting."

Sharon Osbourne has further insulted Hollywood actor Ben Affleck - by offering him just $1,000 for Jennifer Lopez's engagement ring. Affleck spent in excess of $1 million on the pink diamond ring when they got engaged late last year. But, after their wedding was called off, outspoken Sharon approached Affleck on the streets of Hollywood on Monday to ask if she could have the ring at a discounted rate. And despite realizing that Affleck was far from amused at the proposal, the rock matriarch, married to Ozzy Osbourne, has now made the actor a minimal bid on her The Sharon Osbourne Show yesterday morning. As her audience giggled, she said in a public plea to Affleck, "Ben, I've been asking you to let me have the first bid on the ring and you haven't called. I keep going and saying to my husband, 'If Ben calls me and says that we can put a bid in the for the ring, how much will you give me?' He's going, 'Maybe a grand, that's it. It's not worth any more.' So Ben, there's a grand, maybe I can get him up to five, but please call me."

Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman and rocker Lenny Kravitz are keeping their burgeoning romance private to avoid upsetting their respective children, according to pals The Hours beauty Nicole - who is currently renting Kravitz's New York apartment - has been spotted in the company of the Are You Gonna Go My Way? singer on numerous occasions, but both have refused to confirm reports they are dating. However, pals of the duo, who attended a wine tasting in New York earlier this week, claim the pair are definitely an item, but wish to shield their children from any unwanted publicity. A source close to Tom Cruise's ex-wife confirms, "They are definitely going out." Kidman has two adopted children with Cruise - Isabella and Conor - and Kravitz has a daughter Zoe by former wife Lisa Bonet. The friend adds, "I think they are both trying to be sensitive to the kids."

Quentin Tarantino shocked late night TV viewers in America on Monday by appearing drunk on Jay Leno's The Tonight Show. The movie maker slurred his way through an interview with Leno, who eventually asked him, "Have you been drinking today?" after wafting his alcohol-soaked breath away when Tarantino got too close. The film-maker giggled, "I'm bringing a little bit of old Johnny Carson onto the show when Oliver Reed would be a little drunk. You have an open bar backstage, which I was not aware of. The bar's funny." Tarantino didn't stop there after. Leaving The Tonight Show, he turned up at the Hollywood premiere of new movie Kill Bill - still very merry - alongside actress Uma Thurman, in a flame-painted pick-up truck dubbed 'The Pussy Wagon'.

Director M. Night Shyamalan is donating $1.5 million to help revitalize the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, neighborhood that served as a backdrop to his hit film The Sixth Sense. The money will help rehabilitate 31 abandoned houses and vacant lots in a south- west section of downtown where parts of the 1999 film were shot, according to mayor John F Street. The second stage of the project involves fixing up 26 properties. The donation by Shyamalan will be supplemented by a planned contribution of about $1.2 million from the city's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative program. The Sixth Sense, which starred Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment and Toni Colette, earned six Academy Award nominations and was a huge summer blockbuster. Shyamalan, who settled in Philadelphia after leaving his native India as a child, says, "For some reason, I was meant to be here, and we were meant to do this."

Cruel Intentions beauty Selma Blair has got engaged to her rocker boyfriend Ahmet Zappa after a whirlwind romance. The raven-haired movie star - who previously dated Friends hunk Matthew Perry - was delighted when Zappa proposed to her after just three months of dating. The excited groom-to-be immediately posted a message on internet site Friendster.Com gushing, "I'm getting married - she said yes. I'm so happy. Love az." Blair's representative says, "Selma and Ahmet are very happy together and look forward to a future together."

Britney Spears' close friendship with dancer Columbus Short is once again under intense scrutiny - after his pregnant wife announced they have separated. The singer has been spotted in the company of hunky Short on numerous occasions and they've been snapped kissing. However, Britney's representatives claim the dancer was simply helping Spears rehearse her raunchy kiss with Madonna for the MTV Video Music Awards. But now Short's eight months pregnant wife Brandi has confirmed she and her husband have split - and friends close to the couple believe she will divorce her husband if he remains in Britney's company. A source says, "Brandi doesn't know what she's going to do. If he keeps it up, she's going to get a divorce."

Music guru Phil Spector will remain on bail until November 3 until prosecutors decide if they will charge him for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson. The Wall Of Sound producer had to pay out $1 million when he was arrested in February after Clarkson died of gun shot wounds to the head and neck at his Los Angeles mansion. Detectives have been working on the case for the last eight months and announced last week that Ms. Clarkson's death was homicide. However, no charges have been filed against Spector yet. Los Angeles District Attorney Sandi Gibbons says, "He is still free on bail and we have the case under review. I'm hoping we'll make a filing decision prior to the next scheduled bail review." Spector has always maintained his innocence and insists Clarkson shot herself in the head in front of him.