Troubled pop star Britney Spears checked herself into an in-patient rehab facility in Los Angeles yesterday. The decision comes just days after the 25-year-old made worldwide headlines by shaving off all her hair at a salon in Tarzana, California. The star's manager, Larry Rudolph, confirmed to American publication Us Weekly she is seeking professional help, saying, "Britney Spears has voluntarily checked herself into an undisclosed rehab facility. We ask that the media respect her privacy as well as those of her family and friends at this time." The star was spotted having dinner with her father, Jamie Spears, on Sunday, who reportedly pleaded with his daughter to get her life back on track. A source says, "Jamie just told Britney how much he loves her and that he wants her to get help. He told her that he's afraid for her safety and that she needs to take a look at her life and make some major changes." Spears' father, who has also been through rehab, was reportedly with her when she checked into the Promises Treatment Center in Malibu, California. Other stars who have been treated at the clinic include Diana Ross, Tim Allen, Christian Slater, Jason Priestley, Matthew Perry and Ben Affleck. On February 15, the 25-year-old mother of two checked into Antigua's Crossroads Center, a rehab facility founded by musician Eric Clapton, but checked out less than 24 hours later.

Sylvester Stallone may be in trouble with Australia authorities over what is reported to be banned bodybuilding substances. The actor was in Sydney for the Australian opening of Rocky Balboa on Friday night, when he was stopped by customs officials after a routine X-ray detected something suspicious. The actor and his entourage were detained for several hours, causing them to miss the film's premiere, for packing what was believed to be a type of human growth hormone. On Monday officials searched his hotel room and private jet for illegal substances, just three days after seizing the banned substances at the airport. Richard Janeczko, the national investigations manager for the Australian Customs Service, told Sydney's Daily Telegraph, contraband items were seized, but refused to reveal any details. Stallone, 60, initially told the newspaper the incident was a "misunderstanding" and that reports of him transporting steroids were "totally hot air." When Australian officials arrived at the Park Hyatt hotel to issue the actor with a summons to answer charges on the prohibited substances, Stallone and his entourage were allegedly seen throwing things out the windows of their hotel room. According to the Telegraph, a search of the room allegedly resulted in additional evidence being seized. The actor was cleared to leave the country on Monday, but an investigation will continue. A spokesperson for the Customs Service adds, "There is a range of options we can pursue in these circumstances. The investigation is ongoing, and we are aware of Mr. Stallone's travel movements. The material has to be identified, and we have to look at all the options and the evidence before deciding what action to take." Penalties for possession of such items in Australia can range from fines up to $110,000 or up to five years in jail.

Thank You For Smoking star Aaron Eckhart will play Harvey Dent/Two-Face in The Dark Knight, a sequel to Batman Begins. Dent is Gotham City's district attorney and a Batman ally who goes insane after half of his face is disfigured by acid. Known as Two-Face, he chooses to do good or evil by flipping a coin. Tommy Lee Jones played the character in 1995's Batman Forever. Ray Oscar winner Jamie Foxx recently rubbished reports he would play Dent alongside Christian Bale's Batman. The sequel, directed by Christopher Nolan, is set to be released next summer. The actor is next set to be seen in drama No Reservations opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones and recent Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin.

US football player Tom Brady was shocked by ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan's public announcement she was expecting his child. The 36-year-old actress announced she is more than three months pregnant with the New England Patriot star's child through Liz Smith's gossip column in the New York Post. Moynahan reportedly didn't inform Brady, who is now dating supermodel Gisele Bundchen, that she was announcing the pregnancy until the very last minute. A friend of Brady's tells American publication Us Weekly he was blind-sided by Moynahan's press blitz saying, "He's disappointed this is how she's decided to play it. She announced it to make him look like a jerk." Sources say the couple didn't know Moynahan was pregnant when they broke up in November, but Brady "has known about it for a while." The birth announcement reportedly put a damper on Brady's romantic Paris getaway with Bundchen. The couple were on holiday at The Ritz hotel when news of the pregnancy broke.

Actor Daniel Baldwin pleaded not guilty in an Orange County, California courtroom yesterday to charges of unlawfully taking a car and receiving stolen property. A $25,000 bench warrant was issued earlier this month for his arrest after he failed to appear for arraignment in the case. The 46-year-old has been free on bail since he was arrested in Santa Monica, California in November for driving a sports utility vehicle that was reported stolen in Orange County. Baldwin maintains he is innocent of all charges and claims he borrowed the vehicle from a friend. The vehicle's owner, Kenneth Smith, backs up Baldwin's claims, telling entertainment website Tmz.com, "I've been best of friends with Daniel for 20 years and he had permission to borrow my car anytime he wanted it. This is just a big mistake. I've been trying for months to communicate this to the court."

Nicole Richie pleaded not guilty yesterday to a misdemeanor drunk-driving charge stemming from her December arrest in Los Angeles. Richie's lawyer, Shawn Chapman, entered the plea on the star's behalf, who did not appear in court. Because of a prior Driving Under the Influence (DUI) conviction in 2003, by California law she faces mandatory jail time of 90 days and up to one year in prison if convicted of a second DUI. The 25-year-old was spotted driving the wrong way down a Los Angeles freeway on December 11. Authorities found her stopped in a carpool lane and she subsequently failed a field sobriety test. According to police, Richie admitted to officers at the time she had smoked marijuana and taken the painkiller Vicodin. She was booked and released the next morning after posting $15,000 bail. A pretrial hearing has been set for April 2.

The mystery surrounding the paternity of Anna Nicole Smith's baby daughter Dannielynn is still far from resolution, despite frenzied legal activity yesterday. In a Los Angeles courtroom Howard K. Stern's lawyers argued with attorneys for Smith's ex-boyfriend Larry Birkhead over the five-month-old in a closed hearing. Stern's lawyer, James Neavitt, said Superior Court Judge Robert A. Schnider declined to relinquish control over the paternity suit, insisting there were still questions pending as to which state has jurisdiction over the baby's case. Birkhead's attorney, Debra Opri, reportedly asked the judge to take emergency jurisdiction and have the baby brought to California. According to Neavitt, the judge denied the request. In another development, Frederic Von Anhalt, the husband of actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, filed a separate paternity challenge, claiming he is the father of the baby. Smith died at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida on February 8 at the age of 39. The cause of her death is still under investigation.

Rocker Dave Navarro and actress Carmen Electra's divorce was officially finalized yesterday. Navarro, 39, and Electra, 34, announced in July they were amicably separating after less than three years of marriage. The couple wed on November 22, 2003 and have no children. According to American publication People, their marital status was terminated on Tuesday and all of their personal belongings have been divided as previously stipulated in a prenuptial agreement. Electra also requested, as specified in their pre-nup, that the court not award spousal support to either party. Legal papers filed by Electra in Los Angeles Superior Court last August cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. This was the second marriage for Electra, who wed US National Basketball League star Dennis Rodman in Las Vegas in 1998 and divorced five months later.

Tony Award-nominee and TV actor Daniel McDonald died of brain cancer on Thursday in New York City. He was 46. McDonald received a 1997 Tony Award-nomination for his performance in Steel Pier and also appeared on Broadway in Mamma Mia! as Sam Carmichael and High Society as CK Dexter Haven. He was also seen in the US tour of Contact, the music and dance show, in 2002. McDonald often worked in television, appearing in such popular series as Sex And The City, Law & Order, CSI: Miami, Law & Order SVU: Special Victims Unit and Murder, She Wrote. He also appeared in the feature films The Ice Storm and What's Love Got To Do With It.

Dreamgirls star Jennifer Hudson has shunned pre-Oscar parties - opting instead for an evening at her family's church to prepare for Sunday night's Academy Awards. The nominated actress headlined gospel concert "An Evening Of Praise With Jennifer Hudson" on Monday night, entertaining over 3,000 revellers at the Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. Hudson says, "I don't do clubs. I don't drink. I don't smoke. I'm not having no club party - I better have a praise party." Audience member Brenda Morgan adds, "It's an exciting time because the city is so rich in the gospel tradition. It's a great night. We're so proud of Ms. Hudson."