Eddie Murphy's wife Nicole has filed for divorce from the comedian, citing "irreconcilable differences". The British beauty filed the papers in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, and has recruited high-powered celebrity divorce lawyer Neil Hersch. The two have been married for 12 years, after exchanging nuptials on March 18, 1993. Nicole, 37, and Eddie, 44, have five children - Bella Zahra, Bria, Shayne Audra, Zola Ivy and Miles Mitchell. Daddy Day Care star Eddie also has another son, Christian, from a previous relationship. In a statement released to Us TV show Extra, the funnyman says, "The welfare of our children is our main concern and their best interests are our first priority."

Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson has been slapped with a breach of contract lawsuit for allegedly not making herself available for promotional events. United Licensing Group Incorporated, which is arranging for the manufacture of the blonde beauty's perfume, clothing and other merchandise, claims Anderson has not been sufficiently available at signings, shoots and trade shows, according to a Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit filed on Thursday. United Licensing claims it has a five year contract but that Anderson repeatedly decided against licensing proposals. The company also claims it was excluded in Anderson's agreement to have her image on slot machines at Las Vegas' Bally's casino and hotel.

Emmy-winning actress Sela Ward has become the latest star to claim she turned down the chance to take on Teri Hatcher's role in the hit TV show Desperate Housewives. At the start of the year, Pamela Anderson claimed that she rejected playing single mother Susan Mayer in the ratings juggernaut - but the show's creator Marc Cherry immediately shot down her allegations. And Ward has now stepped forward to declare that she was offered the role of the divorcee but couldn't accept. She says, "I was sent the script... it was the Teri Hatcher role. I just couldn't sign a six-year contract. I had just finished (TV show) Once And Again, and my mother had died. It was a very difficult time." Ward, 49, passed on the part but says that it wasn't a firm offer, adding, "It wasn't, 'Here's the money, here's the deal.' It was a feeler. I regret not being on a show that successful." Ward later landed a recurring part on Hugh Laurie's hit medical drama House.

The Da Vince Code author Dan Brown triumphed in a New York City court on Friday, when a judge ruled his best-selling novel had not plagiarized another writer's work. Lewis Perdue claimed Brown had used sections from two of his novels - 1983's The Da Vinci Legacy and 2000's Daughter Of God - in The Da Vinci Code, and sought $150 million in damages as well as an injunction blocking further distribution of Brown's book and the forthcoming movie adaptation. Judge George Daniels, presiding at New York District Court, ruled that any similarity between the works of fiction was based on "unprotectable ideas". Judge Daniels told the court, "A reasonable average lay observer would not conclude that The Da Vinci Code is substantially similar to Daughter of God. Any slightly similar elements are on the level of generalized or otherwise unprotectable ideas." Following the ruling, Perdue insisted he would appeal against the decision: "I have no doubt that we're going to see this overturned on appeal because there have been copyright infringement cases where the parties had less to go on than we have and they were able to have their cases overturned."

Tom Cruise's chair dancing antics on Oprah Winfrey's chat show have made such an impact on pop culture that "jumping the couch" has now become a well-used phrase. The Mission: Impossible star became the focus of relentless mockery in May, after jumping on Winfrey's couch and punching the air while yelling about his love for Katie Holmes. And the moment has now spawned a term, which was recently added to website UrbanDictionary.com. The definition of the term jump the couch reads: "The defining moment when you know someone has gone off the deep end. Inspired by Tom Cruise's behavior on Oprah. Sample usage: 'My new boyfriend Benny... jumped the couch and started rubbing spicy brown mustard on his body at my family reunion.'"

Jude Law will be shocked to learn Daisy Wright, the nanny he admitted to cheating on fiancee Sienna Miller with last month, will appear on American TV to talk about her former boss. Daisy Wright is set to tell three of America's top showbiz programs about the hurt she suffered at the hands of the Alfie star following their month-long fling earlier this year. Wright explains, "I want people to see what the real me is like. Jude is a huge star in America and I will be able to explain how I was left with no choice but to tell my story because I lost the nannying job I had been doing well for a year simply because he and I had been sexually involved."

Filming on the highly-anticipated Superman Returns has suffered a slight delay after thieves stole a batch of walkie talkies - and set about impersonating crew members. Last week, the mischievous jokers set about saying 'Cut!' and 'Action!' over the walkie talkies, forcing filming on the Bryan Singer-directed comic book adaptation, starring Brandon Routh, to be temporarily stopped. The pranksters' fake orders were proving dangerous as the movie crew were shooting an action sequence involving a Mustang hurtling down some steps and landing between a gaggle of extras. When the sports car stopped in a dangerous position a couple of times following the shout of 'Cut!', movie bosses decided to stop shooting rather than risk serious injury. Crew members on the Australian set then changed the radio frequency on their walkie talkies before recommencing the shoot. News of the robbery wasn't reported to police. A source says, "That film's got so much money, a couple of missing walkie talkies wouldn't worry them."

A bridal shower which Britney Spears is believed to have attended turned chaotic on Saturday night, when a photographer was shot in the leg with a BB gun outside the venue. It is unclear who fired the BB as photographer Brad Diaz was staking out the event at a home in Malibu, California, according to sheriff's Lieutenant Steve Smith. Smith says firefighters bandaged Diaz's leg before he was taken to a hospital. The policeman explains, "It could've been somebody driving by, walking by, we have no idea where it came from." Diaz was about 200 yards from the home when he was hit, according to Smith. He was one of about 10 photographers standing in the street. Smith originally said the home belonged to Spears, but said deputies later learned that it belonged to someone else and that Spears is a frequent guest. He did not identify the owner.

Jennifer Lopez believes her over-exposure in the media has prevented her from having a more diverse movie career. The 36-year-old Latina beauty found it easier to convince directors of her suitability for a role when she was an unknown - leading to parts in films including Out Of Sight and Oliver Stone's U Turn. However, in recent years stories of her diva-like demands and romances have made it harder for film-makers to distinguish between fact and fiction. Lopez says, "In the beginning, I was a blank slate. I got to work with all these great directors because I was just a girl who came in there and did well in the audition. Then when I became famous, I was being offered movies that I could star in but that's all I was being offered. When I think I should be seeing the big directors, they don't even consider me. They see me as a sexy singer and too much in the media."

Screen siren Marilyn Monroe dreamed of starring in a film based on a play by William Shakespeare and enlisted Laurence Olivier to help her achieve her dream. Monroe was determined to revamp her image and prove herself as a serious actress, according to tapes former Los Angeles prosecutor John W. Miner claims to have made for the late star's psychiatrist shortly before her death in 1962. According to the recordings, Monroe had already spoken to legendary method acting coach Lee Strasberg and Olivier about her plans. Miner's transcript reads: "I'll take a year of day and night study at Shakespeare with Lee Strasberg. I'll pay him to work only with me. He said I could do Shakespeare. I'll make him prove it. That will give me the basics Olivier wanted. Then I'll go to Olivier for the help he promised. Then I'll produce and act in the Marilyn Monroe Shakespeare Film Festival."