Actress Nicole Kidman has been subpoenaed to testify against a photographer in Sydney, Australia, after a judge insisted she appear in court in person to give evidence in the defamation case. Paparazzo Jamie Fawcett, 41, is suing John Fairfax Publications, the publishers behind local newspaper the Sun-Herald, after they ran a January 2005 article accusing Fawcett of allegedly planting a listening device outside Kidman's Sydney home. The article was found by a jury to be defamatory last year and the current hearing aims to determine whether John Fairfax Publications are liable for damages. Fawcett was charged with possession and use of a listening device in early 2005, but the charges were dropped in June after the New South Wales state Supreme Court ruled there was no evidence to suggest he had violated any law. Kidman, who is currently filming Baz Lurhmann's Australia, was due to give evidence for the defenze about her at-times controversial dealings with Fawcett, in the publishing house's effort to avoid a payout. Kidman had requested to testify via video link or at a weekend hearing because of her busy shooting schedule, but the appeal was rejected by Sydney's Supreme Court's Justice Carolyn Simpson on Monday, reports Fox News. She told the courtroom: "I think we should make enquiries about a time that will occasion the least disruption and it seems there is going to be co-operation on the part of all the parties involved to accommodate Ms Kidman." The hearing continues.

Actress Kate Hudson has laughed off reports of a romance with Heath Ledger, branding the rumors "absolutely false." Hudson and Ledger were alleged to have enjoyed a romantic night out on Thursday at the famous Beatrice Inn in New York, where they were reportedly seen "kissing and making out." But a representative for Hudson, who recently split from comedian Dax Shepherd, insists the reports have been wildly exaggerated. Her spokesperson tells the New York Post's gossip column PageSix, "This is absolutely untrue. They ran into each other and chatted briefly, but that was the extent of it." Hudson ended her relationship with Shepherd last month and has since been linked to Elizabethtown star Orlando Bloom, after they enjoyed a steamy kiss at a Halloween party. The Almost Famous star has also just finalied her divorce from The Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson. Ledger ended his engagement to his Brokeback Mountain co-star Michelle Williams in September.

Tom Cruise fears his new movie Lions For Lambs will be an expensive flop after it failed to break into the top three at the U.S. box office in its opening weekend. The star was hoping that the film - which cost an estimated $35 million to make - would be an international hit, but the Robert Redford-directed movie debuted at number four in the box office chart with takings of only $6.7 million. The movie is the first release from Cruise's United Artists studio, which he set up after he was sensationally dropped by Paramount last year. A source tells MSNBC.com, "Tom wanted to really hit a home run with his first United Artists movie. It was more about how the industry was going to view him than the movie going public that Tom was worried about." However, a statement from United Artists has backed Lions For Lambs insisting they are happy with the box office numbers: "Given the modest production and marketing budgets we do not need to be a blockbuster hit. Everyone at United Artists are very proud of the film and could not have had a more perfect filmmaker to have made our first film."

Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence refused to write an emergency finale to the hit TV show amid writers' strikes in Hollywood - because he insists the show will go on. Lawrence declined a pre-strike request to create a back-up ending for the show which would allow Abc Studios to finish filming the series early if the strikes continue into next year. Instead, Lawrence will carry on writing the show as usual and is refusing to let the dispute disrupt the making of the show. He tells Moviehole.net, "I will use all my leverage to end this show properly, even if it means I have to do all the voices myself and call people up to read it over the phone." Members of the Writers Guild Of America have been striking since last week after talks between the union and studio representatives failed to resolve a dispute over royalties. The hospital sitcom is one of several shows - including Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives - that may be forced to halt production if the writers' walkout continues.

Actress Farrah Fawcett is on the road to recovery after her devastating battle with cancer. The Charlie's Angels star, 60, was diagnosed with the disease last year and was declared "cancer-free" on her last birthday in February, but doctors found new cancer cells just three months later. Fawcett has since been receiving controversial stem-cell treatments in Germany, because the practice is illegal in her native U.S. She says, "You just have to continue and wait for the good stuff, for the fun stuff. I'm actually quite strong. I've been working out. I've been doing pilates. Everybody says they're praying for me, so I have to get well, with that many people praying."

Rosanna Arquette, Keri Russell and Edie Falco are among the stars auctioning lunch with themselves in an online fundraiser for the charity set up to honor murdered Waitress filmmaker Adrienne Shelly. Prizes on the eBay auction include lunches with Arquette, Russell, Falco and Cheryl Hines and memorabilia signed by Matt Dillon and the late Richard Pryor. All proceeds will go to The Adrienne Shelly Foundation (ASF), a non-profit organization that awards film school scholarships and grants to women filmmakers. The Asf is also holding its inaugural fundraising gala in New York City on Monday night, where singer Alanis Morissette will perform and stars including Dillon, Falco, Mary-Louise Parker and Ally Sheedy are expected to attend. Shelly was murdered in New York in November 2006. Construction worker Diego Pillco was arrested days later and claims he killed the actress/director after she complained from noise coming from his apartment downstairs. He is currently awaiting trial for the slaying.

Actress Jane Seymour will face her British neighbors in court this week after locals complained about the "raucous" late-night parties held at her mansion in Bath, England. The former Bond girl, 56, holds a 24-hour entertainment license for the country home - but residents claim the round-the-clock gatherings are disturbing the peace of the area. Earlier this year, the British star branded her neighbors' accusations "a storm in a teacup," and maintains the last party held at her home was in 2004. The actress is currently living in Malibu, California, but rents the British property for $28,000-a-week to wealthy guests like pop star Robbie Williams and rock band Radiohead. The hearing will take place at the Bath and Wansdyke Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Kanye West's late mother ignored the advice of a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon in the weeks before her death - and that decision may have cost her her life. Scholar Donda West died as the result of possible complications from a cosmetic surgical procedure in a Marina Del Rey, California hospital on Saturday. But her death could have been avoided - if she'd heeded cosmetic surgeon Dr. Andre Aboolian's advice. He claims West met with him to discuss breast reduction and a tummy tuck, and he refused to undertake the procedure, citing a medical condition. He tells TV news show Access Hollywood, "She needed what's called a medical clearance which just about anybody over the age of 40 is required to have. Because of Donda's age, she was required to get some cardiac clearance to make sure her heart is in good shape to go through for the surgery... She had a condition that was of concern. I spoke to her about two weeks ago and she was supposed to see the internist for the medical clearance... but she never followed through, as far as I know. Stuff like this does happen here and there and surgery is not to be taken lightly. You have to take the right precautions and you have to prepare for it."

Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is to wed his designer girlfriend Georgina Chapman. Weinstein recently proposed to his lover of two years and the couple is planning a civil ceremony in Westport, Connecticut next month, according to the New York Post's gossip column, PageSix. Chapman, 29 - who runs the Marchesa fashion label - will design her own wedding dress for the winter nuptials. A close pal says, "It's set to be quite a creation. They have kept the wedding top secret, but invitations have gone out. They are both very excited but they want to keep it low-key. There will be about 200 guests, including famous friends."

Vacancy movie star Kate Beckinsale was hospitalized in Memphis, Tennessee over the weekend after complaining of numbness in her left arm and leg. The actress was shooting drama Nothing But The Truth with Matt Dillon and David Schwimmer when she took her assistant to the hospital after she sprained her ankle. While there, Beckinsale sought her own check-up and was told she was suffering from exhaustion.