Publicists for Australian actress Abbie Cornish are refuting US reports that their client is the secret reason behind Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe's shock split. Articles running in this week's US tabloids claim Witherspoon decided to end her marriage to the Crash star, 32, after learning he had romanced Cornish on the set of their new movie Stop Loss in Texas. The reports go so far as to suggest that the Legally Blonde star, 30, found out about her husband's alleged romance with Cornish after reading a saucy note on his BlackBerry communication device. But Cornish, 24, insists the reports are all false. In a statement, released yesterday, her publicist writes, "It's not true. They are co-stars and that is it."

Reality TV star Anna Nicole Smith has been hospitalized with pneumonia at the same Bahamas medical centre where her 20-year-old son died under mysterious circumstances in September. Daniel Smith died while visiting his mother in hospital three days after she gave birth to daughter Dannielynn Hope Marshall Stern. Smith's attorney, Wayne Munroe, confirms the star is being treated at Doctors Hospital in Nassau. He says, "She has a slight case of pneumonia. We've had a sudden change of weather here due to a cold snap." Munroe said the hospitalization was most likely just a precaution since Smith had recently given birth adding, "I didn't gather it was anything serious." He also said Smith, who moved to the Bahamas during her pregnancy, has filed a lawsuit as part of a dispute with a South Carolina developer over the ownership of a waterfront mansion where she has been secluded since her son's death. Smith's ownership of the home, which her lawyer says she bought in July for $900,000, is the basis of her claim to residency in the Bahamas. In her lawsuit, she asks that the court recognize her purchase and reject a claim by developer G. Ben Thompson.

Brad Pitt is furious that a photograph of him taken by artist Robert Wilson last year has wound up on the cover of an issue of Vanity Fair. The Troy star's lawyers are currently considering legal action against the magazine, insisting the actor had no idea he was going to appear on the December cover. Pitt is seen posing in a blue colored photo in nothing but white boxer shorts, socks and holding a gun while appearing to be drenched with water. According to entertainment website Tmz.com, Pitt had agreed to be in Wilson's avant-garde video art project in September and signed a legal release at the time for the still and video images taken in the shoot, but had no idea they would ever be used for a magazine cover. Pitt's representative says, "We are very disappointed that Vanity Fair has chosen to put an unauthorized cover on their magazine. It seriously makes me question their integrity and motives." Representatives for Vanity Fair have hit back at the allegations saying, "In a letter dated October 5, 2006, and sent to Pitt care of Brillstein-Grey (Pitt's managers), Wilson informed Pitt that a still image from this portrait was going to be featured in the December art issue of Vanity Fair." A source claims the star never saw the letter. The Vanity Fair representative adds, "Brad Pitt posed for a Robert Wilson video portrait, and in the photo release (signed by Pitt), agreed to allow Wilson to use the portrait or any images from that sitting in connection with any publicity on Wilson's video project. Vanity Fair decided to do a story on Wilson's video portraits and obtained rights to the entire collection of photographs from those sittings, which included Pitt's."

Ocean's Eleven director Steven Soderbergh is set to shoot two back-to-back films about Latin American revolutionary Ernesto 'Che' Guevara. Soderbergh and Benicio Del Toro, who will play Guevara, have been working on the movies since they made Traffic together in 2000. The films will also likely star Javier Bardem, Franka Potente and Benjamin Bratt, who are currently in talks for key roles. Both films pick up after the formative Guevara years captured in Walter Salles' film The Motorcycle Diaries. The first movie, The Argentine, begins as Guevara and a band of Cuban exiles - led by Fidel Castro - reach the Cuban shore from Mexico in 1956. The second film, Guerilla, begins with Guevara's trip to New York City, where he spoke at the United Nations in 1964 and was celebrated in society circles. He then disappeared into the jungles of South America. When he tired to use Bolivia as the catalyst for more revolution, he was captured and executed. The movies will be shot back-to-back beginning next May in Mexico and South America.

Cameron Diaz is reportedly close to agreeing a settlement in her $30 million lawsuit against an American magazine that accused her of cheating on Justin Timberlake. The National Enquirer last year claimed Diaz was having an affair with Shane Nickerson, the married producer of her MTV show Trippin'. It printed pictures of the pair leave a recording studio and hugging. Diaz immediately sued for slander and libel, accusing the tabloid of turning "an innocent, insignificant and non-memorable occurrence involving two co-workers and friends (into) a sensationalistic, scandalous and accusatory story which was completely false." Nickerson's wife and mother-in-law joined Diaz as co-plaintiffs alleging Enquirer reporters caused them emotional distress. According to court documents revealed by E! Online the parties are close to settlement. A summary of proceedings reads, "Counsel report that settlement discussions have been productive and that parties are close to a settlement."

Barbra Streisand was shocked when a concertgoer disagreed with her political views and pelted her with ice while she was performing in south Florida on Monday night. The music legend was on stage at the BankAtlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale and brought out a George W. Bush impersonator during one part of her show. The phony US president jokingly asked her if they could sing a song together, to which Streisand replied, "How about 'Enough Is Enough'?", referring to her 1970s disco duet with Donna Summer. At that point a disgruntled fan threw ice at the 64-year-old star, according to website Tmz.com. Streisand managed to stay calm and reassured the audience, "It's OK, it's OK." When fans asked the staunch Democrat to sing a song for the Republicans, she suggested "Send In The Clowns," which reportedly upset another fan, who started to loudly boo the singer. Both the heckler and the ice thrower were escorted out of the venue, which caused Streisand to quip, "If you want to hear my songs, buy my albums and stay at home," which caused the remaining fans to applaud enthusiastically. This isn't the first time the star's political views have caused problems at her concerts - a similar scenario unfolded during Streisand's show earlier this month at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where she told a fan to "f**k off."

Superstar Madonna plans to raise her new adopted son David as a follower of the Kabbalah, but insists he is free to be a Christian like his biological father when he's older. The Catholic-raised singer began studying the mystical offshoot of Judaism in 1996 and has raised her two biological children Lourdes and Rocco as Kabbalists. Madonna was photographed bringing 13-month-old Malawian tot David to New York City on Sunday, wearing a red string bracelet, which is said to protect the wearer from "the evil eye." On a NBC News interview to be screened in the US later today, Madonna says, "I believe in Jesus and I study Kabbalah. So, I don't see why he can't too. The essence of the Kabbalah is the teachings of Jesus. You know, love your neighbor as yourself. If David decides he wants to be a Christian, then so be it. Studying Kabbalah doesn't mean you can't be a Christian or a Buddhist or a Muslim or a Jew or whatever." When Madonna was granted an interim adoption order for the young boy last month, his natural father Yohane Banda said he was glad his son was being adopted by a "nice Christian lady."

The Rolling Stones have disappointed fans after canceling their second gig in five days - despite performing for former US President Bill Clinton's birthday on Sunday. The rock veterans postponed their Atlantic City, New Jersey concert on Friday after frontman Sir Mick Jagger was struck down with a sore throat. Jagger recovered in time to perform at Clinton's 60th birthday celebration at New York City's Beacon Theater on Sunday, which raised money for the Clinton Foundation. However, it seemed Jagger was too ill again to sing at the band's second gig at the Beacon Theater last night. The Stones hope to play the Beacon Theater again today. This is the second time Jagger's throat has affected the tour - in August the band cancelled two dates in Spain after the singer contracted laryngitis.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has been hit with a fine after failing to submit his company's accounts to British government authorities on time. The Hell's Kitchen star's company Gordon Ramsay Holdings Limited was supposed to file its 2005 accounts with Companies House by the end of June - but the financial body has yet to receive any documents despite sending out two reminder letters. The company has been hit with a $450 fine and could face a court appearance and a $9,000 fine if accounts are not filed immediately. A spokesperson for Ramsay says, "We are well aware of this. In fact, we have already submitted accounts for all eight of his restaurants and it is only the holding company accounts that need to be sent in. I'm sure the delay is merely a housekeeping issue. It's nonsense to say Gordon is spreading himself too thin."

Emmy award winner Eddie Izzard is no longer part of the hit TV drama 24 - after completing only one day of filming. The cross-dressing comedian quietly parted with the show and is currently working on his upcoming TV series The Riches with fellow Brit Minnie Driver, which was picked up by the FX network in September. Izzard has been replaced by British actor David Hunt, husband of former Everybody Loves Raymond star Patricia Heaton. Hunt will take over the role and play a villainous accomplice on the show named McCarthy.