Britney Spears and her security staff are denying knowledge of photographer Brad Diaz's pellet-gun shooting. The paparazzi photographer said he was struck in the thigh by a pellet on Saturday outside the Malibu, California, mansion where the pregnant singer attended a baby shower thrown for her. While police are investigating his complaint of misdemeanor battery, Spears' camp insist knowing nothing of the attack. Her publicist, Nicole King, says, "Britney didn't know anything about it. She had nothing to do with it." Police say Diaz was treated with an adhesive bandage at the scene and describe his injury as insignificant. But they plan to reconstruct the incident and talk to everyone involved. Spears, 23, is due to give birth to her first child with husband Kevin Federline in October. Federline has two other children with former Moesha star Shar Jackson.

American socialite Paris Hilton is "concerned" after hearing a svelte blonde woman is impersonating her around the world. The unnamed Hilton lookalike is in her 20s, carries a teacup Chihuahua like the reality TV star's beloved pet Tinkerbell, and repeatedly uses her catchphrase, "That's hot." A source tells the New York Daily News, "Once, this woman tried to get VIP treatment at Disneyland. She was telling people she'd call (Disney chief) Michael Eisner. Another time, she tried to check into The Four Seasons in Maui, where the Hiltons have stayed before. She was asking for upgrades. The hotel management finally got suspicious and called (Paris' parents) Rick and Kathy, who told her Paris wasn't even in Hawaii. The Hiltons got really worried when they heard someone had applied for a credit card in Paris' name. They're starting to wonder if there's more than one person pretending to be their daughter." Hilton's publicist admitted the star was "concerned" to hear about her doppelganger.

Hollywood actress Keira Knightley has reportedly split up with her model boyfriend Jamie Dornan. The Pirates Of The Caribbean star and Dornan, who recently landed his first movie role in forthcoming film Marie Antoinette, first met in August 2003. An insider tells British newspaper the Daily Mirror, "Keira's gutted. She really thought what she and Jamie had was love but it just wasn't meant to be. They both wanted it to work but in the end it was just untenable. They were having crisis talks on an almost daily basis so the decision was reached to finally call it a day."

The Passion Of The Christ director Mel Gibson is considering recreating Jesus Christ's crucifixion in the streets of Sydney, Australia - if the city wins its bid to host a major Catholic gathering. Organizers are desperate to get the Mad Max star on board because they believe Gibson's role in the celebrations could secure victory for Sydney in the battle to be the venue for the Catholic Church's World Youth Day in 2008. Plans include holding the Last Supper at the famous Sydney Opera House ending with the crucifixion of Christ at St. Mary's Cathedral. The Archbishop of Sydney, George Pell, says, "He might well be attracted. I think his devotion to Christ is very real." The venue for the event, expected to attract an estimated 400,000 young Catholics from 160 countries, will be announced by Pope Benedict XVI on August 21.

Haunted Mansion star Eddie Murphy and his wife Nicole are divorcing because of the pressure of a showbiz marriage, according to her pal Kimora Lee Simmons. The pair stunned Hollywood on Friday when former model Nicole filed for divorce, ending their 12 year marriage. Simmons - whose husband is hip-hop boss Russell Simmons - is equally shocked, but can understand how the break-up happened. She says, "We never would have thought anything like that would have happened. To be a high profile couple in the limelight. It's a lot of stress."

Johnny Depp owes his blossoming career to The Pirates Of The Caribbean because it was a financial success, according to his Charlie And The Chocolate Factory director Tim Burton. The movie-maker loves working with Depp and fought hard to get him on board Edward Scissorhands, but insists studios were frightened of his unpredictability and reluctance to be a celebrity. Burton tells Empire magazine, "He's always been known as a good actor, but you know, Hollywood is a very safe community, and it's like their attitude towards me: they think he is a good actor but they are also a little bit worried because he likes to transform himself. He's more like Lon Chaney than he is a leading man. I hope and I think that they see an integrity to him and, except in my movies, they like the way he looks. Of course ever since the Pirate movie made money it's been different, because they see that as meaningful."

Elijah Wood fears he will always be remembered as Frodo the hobbit from The Lord Of The Rings, no matter how many great films he stars in. The youthful actor has played a mute psycho, a sinister pervert and a soccer hooligan since starring in the hit trilogy, but to fans he remains forever Frodo. Wood is thankful for the career boost he received from the blockbuster movies but has found their huge fanbase means he can never be anonymous again. He tells Empire magazine, "I can't go anywhere, the Czech Republic included, without people calling me Frodo in the street. Do I like it? I don't know. It's not exactly something I can like. I don't know how anybody can like that. But I understand where it comes from."

Producer John Singleton has hit out at criticism new black movie Hustle & Flow was written and directed by a white man, Craig Brewer - insisting they are missing the point of what is a 'black movie'. The film, which stars Terrence Howard as a pimp who tries to make it as a rapper, has earned vast critical acclaim since its release in the US last month - but Brewer's participation has raised eyebrows in the black community. But Singleton says, "That guy's got so much soul. More soul than a lot of brothers out here. What is a black film? Is an Eddie Murphy film a black film. People all over the planet are fascinated with black culture. Black culture is pop culture." And he is pleased he surprised some of his own critics: "People think I'm some militant guy, and my first protege wears a cowboy hat. I want to produce his first redneck movie."

Pregnant actress Jennifer Garner is being urged to slow down work on her hit TV series Alias - by her concerned ex-boyfriend Michael Vartan. Vartan, who is also Garner's co-star on the series, admits that while he's thrilled to learn his ex-lover and her husband Ben Affleck will be welcoming their first child later this year, he's unsure she should be putting in such grueling work hours. He says, "It's hard, it's 14 hours a day, you know? I hope she takes some time off. She needs to really take care of herself because she's such a workaholic. I can just see her working to the very last day saying, 'No, I really want to do this.'" Vartan, who's remained good friends with Garner, says he is "very excited" about her pregnancy, adding, "I think it's fantastic. Very cool." French actor Vartan will also play dad to Garner's child in a different way - his secret agent character Michael Vaughn is the onscreen father to Sydney Bristow's baby-to-be.

Jude Law's ex-wife Sadie Frost has split from her boyfriend of two years Jackson Scott. Fashion designer and sometime actress Frost last month received a $10.8 million divorce settlement from Law, with whom she has three children. She also has a child from her previous marriage to musician/actor Gary Kemp. Frost began dating flamenco guitarist Scott in the aftermath of her separation from Cold Mountain star Law. A spokesman says, "I can confirm that Sadie and Jackson have agreed to take some time out of their relationship. The split is amicable and they remain in close contact." An insider adds, "Sadie is 40 with four children and Jackson is 24 and they are at very different stages in their lives. The settlement means that Sadie can start life again and unfortunately she did not want Jackson to be part of her future. Although she loves him very much they want different things out of life."