Isaiah Washington is on the verge of being fired from hit TV show Grey's Anatomy, according to media reports in the US. Washington sparked a public backlash last week when he denied calling co-star TR Knight "a f****t" during a press conference at the Golden Globe Awards. And now, according to E! Online reporter Kristin Veitch, executives at ABC are looking for ways to sack the troubled star, who plays Dr. Preston Burke on the show. She writes on her blog, "(I) just received word from a highly placed source within the Touchstone/ABC family that ABC and Disney executives are currently considering the option of firing Isaiah Washington from Grey's Anatomy, effective immediately, without having him appear in any kind of farewell episode. According to this reliable source, if the network does follow through with this option, the producers are likely to run a full-screen announcement at the beginning of the first Burke-less episode that announces Isaiah Washington is no longer part of the show. I'm also told by various sources that the loss of Preston Burke is not an easy task for Grey's writing staff to deal with, given that he has a major storyline (including a life-changing event) coming in the next few episodes that air during February sweeps. Those episodes have already been shot." ABC issued a statement last week calling Washington's behavior "unacceptable" and he has since issued an apology and met with gay leaders.

Penelope Cruz celebrated her Oscar nomination last night by hitting Hollywood with best pal Salma Hayek, who was upset she wasn't allowed to read the Cruz's name out. Hayek joined Sid Ganis, the President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, at the nominations announcement yesterday morning, and when she spotted her friend's name on the card, she begged to be able to read it out. After yelping, "Yes," when Ganis read out her friend's name, the Frida star told reporters, "I wanted to say her name. I fought for it, but they wouldn't let me." As soon as an emotional Cruz saw the video footage of her friend at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, where the nominations were read out, she excused herself in the middle of an interview with TV show Extra to call Hayek. As cameras rolled yesterday, Cruz could be heard saying, "You're coming out with me tonight. To dinner. To celebrate."

Helen Mirren's portrayal of The Queen has turned the British actress into the hottest Oscar favorite ever. Hours after her name was mentioned among this year's Best Actress nominees, Mirren is the clear favorite to claim gold, according to international odds makers. A spokesman for British bookmakers William Hill says, "Mirren is the hottest favorite at odds of 12-1 on. That is the shortest price we have ever had for the nominations." The actress has already won a string of accolades and prizes for her starring role in The Queen. She recently claimed the Golden Globes Best Actress - Drama award for the portrayal. She'll compete for an Oscar with fellow Brits Judi Dench and Kate Winslet, Spaniard Penelope Cruz and Meryl Streep at the Academy Awards next month.

Sideways and Election writer-director Alexander Payne has filed a response to ex-wife Sandra Oh's divorce claim and is asking the court to deny the star any spousal support. Golden Globe and SAG award winner Oh, who plays Dr. Cristina Yang on hit TV series Grey's Anatomy, had requested spousal support when she initially filed for divorce in April 2005. Their status as a married couple was officially terminated in December 2006, but they have yet to settle their finances. The pair were married in January 2003 and announced their separation in March 2005. Both parties cited irreconcilable differences as the cause for the split.

Best friends Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston may share an on-screen kiss in new US drama series Dirt. Earlier this month Cox confirmed her former Friends co-star would appear as a magazine editor in an upcoming episode, and it seems the pair will be closer than ever. Website TVguide.com reports, "Aniston's character is a lesbian. What's more, she won't just mouth off to Cox's tightly wound counterpart, she's going to share a lip lock with her." Cox plays ruthless tabloid boss Lucy Spiller in the hit show, which debuted on US cable at the beginning of the month. Aniston will play Spiller's rival Tina Harrod on the show's season finale.

Oscar winner Angelina Jolie and her five-year-old son Maddox spent more than $700 on Friday just to take a shower at a posh hotel. Jolie and her son made a stop at Shutters On The Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, California so they could shower and freshen up. A source tells American publication Star, "Angelina said they only wanted the room for two hours - time enough for them both to take a shower. She was very sweet and seemed like a concerned mom. It was just very bizarre, when she and Brad Pitt own two house here in Los Angeles, that she would need to spend that kind of money on a hotel room just so she and Maddox could shower." Jolie and Pitt recently moved their family to New Orleans, Louisiana, where he is currently filming The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button.

Naomi Campbell has quashed reports she has signed up to a witchcraft-like religion - insisting she was only linked to the faith by association. Last weekend, news reports claimed the supermodel was joining Brazil's African-based Candomble faith, but Campbell is adamant she has no interest in switching her religious allegiances. She tells the New York Daily News, "I'm Church Of England. Protestant. I was christened that. I went to a party for a guy whose birthday it was (Candomble priest Tuca Franchini). I don't discriminate against what religion people have. That's what he (Franchini) does, but it doesn't mean I have to be involved in it."

Pop star Jewel has defended the American Idol judges for poking fun at wannabe pop stars - because so many terrible talents really think they're good. The singer, who was a guest judge for auditions in Minnesota, admits she was stunned by how many awful hopefuls really thought they were pop star material - and applauds judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson for their harsh comments. Jewel says, "I was shocked at the seriousness of them (wannabes). They really, really believed they were going to win." While Jewel felt awful about "shattering somebody's perception of themselves," she felt some hopefuls needed a dressing down and she left the audition process feeling sorry for the judges and the long hours they have to put in listening to terrible singers. Cowell, Jackson and Abdul came under fire last week for picking on auditioning contestants in Seattle, Washington.

Country star Keith Urban credits wife Nicole Kidman and their "strong marriage" with helping him get through treatment for alcohol abuse. Urban recently completed a 90-days stint in rehab and says his wife helped him handle the ordeal. He explains, "We've gone through a lot in the last three months and I think it's been the strength of our marriage (that) has carried both of us through." Urban slams claims that surfaced while he was in treatment that he'd had an affair with a lingerie model while he and Kidman were dating. He adds, "I know and God knows where my heart is at. I waited 39 years before I got married. It means everything to me to be married. Like everybody, I really want to do it only once. I'm very loyal in that respect, and committing to somebody means once that ring is on, I'm gonna stay."

Nicolas Cage has been confirmed as the favorite to play camp showman Liberace in a new movie musical. The actor has been linked to the role for years, but now screenwriters Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer have confirmed Cage is in talks to show off his musical skills as the late pianist. Speaking at the Sundance Film Festival, where the writers are promoting their new comedy Epic Movie, Seltzer says, "We met with Nicolas Cage last year and he really wanted to star in it; he wanted to direct himself in it too."