Actress Dana Reeve, who came to prominence as a fervent advocate for spinal-cord paralysis research in the wake of her husband Christopher Reeve's paralysis more than ten years ago, died late Monday of lung cancer; she was 44. Reeve, a singer and actress who worked on such TV series as Law & Order and Oz as well as onstage, met her husband at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts, and the two were married in 1992. She became most famous as her husband's constant caregiver in the wake of his horse-riding accident in 1995, which left him almost totally paralyzed, and as he worked towards recovery, she tirelessly helped him in his efforts to pioneer research into cures for spinal-cord paralysis, taking over as chair of the Christopher Reeve Foundation after his death in 2004. In August of last year, she announced that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer, even though she had never been a smoker. Reeve had most recently appeared at a fundraiser four months ago, where she cited her late husband as her role model. She is survived by her 13-year-old son, Will, two grown step-children, her father, and two sisters. --Prepared by IMDb staff

Walk the Line Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon croaked her way through a TV interview with Oprah Winfrey yesterday because she was all partied out following her Academy Awards success. The Best Actress winner was the first guest on Winfrey's annual post-Oscars show and confessed she hadn't thought to take care of her voice as she celebrated her victory. She told Winfrey, "I just kind of floated through. I didn't get home until three o'clock in the morning." Witherspoon told Oprah that her Oscar night was completed by a call she received as she was preparing to leave for the ceremony from pal and previous Academy Award winner Renee Zellweger. He explained, "She was so lovely and so beautiful and gave me so much. She told me to keep my shoulders back, stand up straight and if I have to go up there, to give it my all and 'just be the queen that you are, honey.' She's just a wonderful Southern love. It really means so much to be embraced by other artists."

Hilary Swank felt qualified to comfort Philip Seymour Hoffman after he forgot to thank his girlfriend in his acceptance speech at Sunday's Academy Awards - because she mirrored his actions in 2000. Swank presented the Capote star with the Best Actor trophy at the glitzy Oscar ceremony and as the two were walking offstage, Hoffman realized he had forgotten to thank his girlfriend, Mimi O'Donnell. The actress empathized with Hoffman saying, "Oh, I know. No one forgot like I forgot. But people will understand, they really will. You can't kick yourself over it." Swank forgot to thank her husband Chad Lowe, when she won her first Oscar for Boys Don't Cry, but made a point of thanking him last year, when she won her second Best Actress honor for Million Dollar Baby.

Movie mogul George Lucas predicts Hollywood will soon start shifting away from mega-budget blockbusters in favor of making more independent films for less money. Alongside Steven Spielberg, Star Wars creator Lucas is cited as being chiefly responsible for the blockbuster phenomenon that has gripped the movie industry for the last three decades. But he now believes big-budget films can no longer be profitable and are going out of fashion, as evidenced by this year's Academy Award nominees, including independent movies Crash and Good Night, And Good Luck. Lucas tells the New York Daily News, "The market forces that exist today make it unrealistic to spend $200 million on a movie. Those movies can't make their money back anymore. Look at what happened with King Kong. I think it's great that the major Oscar nominations have gone to independent films. Is that good for the business? No - it's bad for the business. But movie-making isn't about business. It's about art. In the future, almost everything that gets shown in theaters will be indie movies. I predict that by 2025 the average movie will cost only $15 million."

Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin fears a backlash over his forthcoming semi-autobiographical novel - because readers might think he's mad. The former child actor is urging fans not to read too much into new book Junior - because he worries it could spark rumors about his mental health. He says, "I hope people don't think I'm crazy, because I'm not." Culkin decided to write the book when he found himself struggling to find acting jobs, but writing it turned him into somewhat of a recluse. He adds, "I've led a very isolated existence since I was six years old. It's kind of been me and my mind."

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon director Ang Lee was devastated Brokeback Mountain lost out on the Best Picture Oscar to Crash, but insists he is still proud of the movie The director was disappointed that his film didn't take home the top honor and is baffled as to why it didn't win. He explains, "I would do exactly the same. I'm so proud of the movie. They (the Academy) didn't vote for it, I don't know (why)...I'm just glad the audience embraced it. It was a surprise (not winning), quite frankly." In addition to Lee's Oscar, the film also won awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Score.

Veteran film-maker Robert Altman shocked Hollywood Sunday night when he dramatically announced, onstage at the Oscars, that he owes his life to a heart transplant operation he had 11 years ago. The Short Cuts director jokingly insisted he is therefore technically only in his thirties, and not eligible for the Lifetime Achievement Award he picked up at the Academy Awards. The 81-year-old said, "I'm here, I think, under false pretences. I think I have to become straight with you. Eleven years ago I had a heart transplant, a total heart transplant. I got the heart of, I think, a young woman who was in about in her late thirties. By that kind of calculation you may be giving this award too early because I think I've got about 40 years left."

Dame Judi Dench has leaped to the defense of her Casino Royale co-star Daniel Craig, after the actor came under a barrage of criticism from James Bond fans. The 71-year-old actress insists Craig has got what it takes to pull off the coveted role, and has condemned those who have demanded the return of former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan. Dench, who again plays British secret service boss M in the upcoming movie, says, "I hate how people have been attacking Daniel Craig. It's despicable and it disgusts me. I have filmed with him in Prague and the Bahamas and he is a fine actor. He brings something new and edgy to the role. His critics will be proved wrong."

Country queen Dolly Parton has offered movie boss Harvey Weinstein the job of campaign manager should she ever run for US president. The busty icon performed her Oscar-nominated track "Travelin' Thru" from movie Transamerica at Harvey and Bob Weinstein's pre-Oscar party on Saturday. But Parton was amazed how hard Harvey made her work at the bash, and she insists his determined manner could even get her into the White House, PageSix.com reports. She told guests, "Harvey Weinstein has worked my country butt off. Harvey, I'm not going to run for president, but if I did, I would want you for my campaign manager." She then quipped, "I think we've had enough boobs in the White House."

Actor/director George Clooney's role as "pudgy" CIA agent Bob Baer in Syriana inspired the real-life character to get in shape. Ocean's Eleven star Clooney, who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Baer, packed on the weight for his performance in the film. He explains, "The gentleman that I was playing in the movie, Bob Baer, was sort of pudgy and out of shape. I thought that was a pretty good thing. Then he found out a Hollywood guy was playing him, and he got in shape. It sort of screwed everything up for me."

Guests who took home gift-packed bags from Sunday's 78th Annual Academy Awards ceremony may have to pay $30,000 in taxes on their new acquisitions. The bags, which included a $7,000 Victoria's Secret underwear set and a coupon for Lasik surgery, are worth approximately $100,000 each. And unfortunately for the celebrities present, the Unites States Inland Revenue Service has declared that the bags given to Oscar attendees count as taxable income. IRS commissioner Mark Everson quips, "We want to make sure the stars 'walk the line' when it comes to these goody bags."