FEBRUARY 4th

'Last Tango in Paris' star Maria Schneider dies

Maria Schneider, the French actress who was Marlon Brando's young co-star in the steamy 1972 film "Last Tango in Paris," has died at age 58. Schneider died in Paris on Thursday "following a long illness," a representative of the Act 1 talent agency said, but declined to provide details. Schneider was 19 when she starred opposite Brando in Bernardo Bertolucci's racy "Last Tango in Paris." In it, she played Jeanne, a young Parisian woman who takes up with a middle-aged American businessman, played by Brando. Full of explicit sex scenes, "Last Tango" was banned in Italy for obscenity for nearly two decades, returning to cinemas there only in 1989. In the United States, the movie still has an NC-17 rating for its sexual content, meaning it can't be seen by children under 17 years of age. Though Schneider appeared in more than two dozen films throughout her career, none would bring her even a fraction of the success of "Last Tango." In 1975, Schneider featured in Michelangelo Antonioni's "The Passenger," a wandering existential drama starring Jack Nicholson as a frustrated and erratic war correspondent. Her last movie, "The Key," by director Guillaume Nicloux, came out in 2007.

Terrence Howard's wife Michelle files for divorce after one year of marriage

Just one year after his secret wedding, Terrence Howard is getting divorced. Howard's wife, Michelle, filed a divorce petition with a Los Angeles court on Jan. 27, the same day they separated. In her petition, Michelle said she's splitting from the "Law & Order: Los Angeles" star due to "irreconcilable differences."  Michelle noted in her petition that "there are community and quasi-community assets" that they have yet to divide, though she wants "miscellaneous jewelry and other effects" to be declared separate property.  She is also seeking spousal support and attorneys' fees. This was, technically, Howard's third marriage. He married and divorced Lori McCommas, the mother of his three children, before remarrying her in 2005 and splitting again shortly after.

Steven Soderbergh Named in Paternity Suit

An Australian woman says Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh fathered her baby daughter, and she's suing in New York for child support. Frances Lawrencina Anderson's paternity lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Manhattan. It says the "Traffic" and "Ocean's Eleven" director helped pay medical expenses during Anderson's pregnancy, and a DNA test showed he was the father of the girl she had in August.

Halle Berry 'upset' over Gabriel Aubry's relationship with Kim Kardashian

In late November, the reality starlet and Canadian model Gabriel Aubry caught a Lakers game and stepped out to watch the movie Burlesque. They then quietly went their separate ways, and by early December, Kardashian was dating pro basketball player Kris Humphries. But sources say that one person took the brief episode seriously: Aubry's ex, Halle Berry. "Halle was very upset," says a source close to the actress. "She was upset at the idea of someone like that being in her daughter's life. She did not want a reality star in Nahla's life. She was very aggravated." Another source close to Berry, 44, says the Oscar winner's reaction had nothing to do with jealousy.  "Halle couldn't care less who Gabriel dates," says this source. "She just didn't want Nahla exposed to the cameras that are undoubtedly around a reality star."  A source close to Gabriel says Nahla was never near Kardashian. "Gabriel wanted to make sure he dated someone for six months before he introduced them to his daughter," says the source. "There was never for a second a thought by Kim or Gabriel that Nahla would ever go near cameras."

 

Usher, Slash slated for Super Bowl halftime

Usher and Slash are heading to the Super Bowl. A person familiar with the plans for Sunday's halftime show said that R&B star Usher and former Guns 'N Roses guitarist Slash are slated to make surprise appearances.

Usher and Slash are supposed to join the Black Eyed Peas, who are the main halftime act for Sunday's NFL championship game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers at Cowboys Stadium.

The Obama's Hanging with the Anthony's

President Obama has invited Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony to watch the Super Bowl with him and Michelle at the White House. Lopez and Anthony share a close relationship with Obamas. The president was on hand at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institutes annual awards gala, where he sang "Happy Birthday" to honoree Anthony. Marc had previously performed at the president's inaugural ball.

Zsa Zsa Gabor's Husband Collapses

Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband, Frderic Prinz von Anhalt, 67, has been hospitalized along with the 93-year-old actress after he collapsed in an elevator at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Frederick plans to recuperate for a day or so while Gabor remains in the hospital indefinitely. Doctors are trying to clear an infection that developed after Gabor's recent leg amputation. The two are not staying in the same hospital room.

Buffy's James Marsters Weds Longtime Girlfriend

James Marsters has appeared on many TV shows that involve special powers, but now the actor has discovered a real-life power of his own – love. The former Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor, 48, tied the knot with longtime girlfriend Patricia Rahman Marsters, 25, in a private L.A. civil ceremony.

TV NEWS

NBC has pulled its low-performing freshman drama "Chase" from the schedule. The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced show is on "a hiatus," but there are no plans at the moment to air the remaining episodes.

USA has set the premiere date for the 10th and final season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent for May 1. As previously announced, Vincent D’Onofrio (Detective Goren) and Katherine Erbe (Detective Eames) will reprise their roles as the show's top detectives. They left the show after the ninth season while Jeff Goldblum became the series star. In Plain Sight will premiere the same day. It has a 13-episode season.

MTV bringing back 'Beavis and Butt-Head.' MTV said its popular animated show about channel-surfing, metalhead high school losers would return. The half-hour comedy ran from 1993 to 1997 and was highly controversial for its time. Early episodes showed the boys' obsession with fire, which was quickly toned down by the censors. The show also is known for offering running commentary on music videos between animated shorts. The series, created by "Office Space" director Mike Judge (who voiced both animated idiots), spawned the 1996 film "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America," which featured the voices of Bruce Willis, David Letterman and Demi Moore, and it spawned a spin-off called "Daria."

USA has confirmed the Burn Notice prequel — focusing on Sam Axe (played by Bruce Campbell) — will air sometime in Spring 2011. The two-hour movie will center on Sam’s final 2005 mission with the Navy SEALs, which involved a group of Colombian rebels.

Jennifer Aniston turned down a comedy career as a "Saturday Night Live" regular to star in "Friends."

The actress' longtime pal, Adam Sandler, revealed that Aniston was once approached to become an "SNL" castmember, during a TV chat with Oprah Winfrey on Wednesday as the two movie stars were promoting their new film "Just Go With It."  "I was like, 'I'm gonna be working with Aniston,' and then she said no: 'She's gonna do that 'Friends'; what the hell is 'Friends'?'" Aniston recalled, "They thought I was making a huge mistake."

Just hours after "NCIS" set a new series record in total viewers on Tuesday night, its star, Mark Harmon, signed a new two-year deal to continue on the show. Now, NCIS has been renewed for a ninth season. The deal is said to pay the star more than $500,000 an episode.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Cee-Lo Green will be singing together at the Grammys...and the two of them will be joined by the Jim Henson Company Puppets. The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards will air on February 13th on CBS.

A new special will take you on a behind the scenes tour of "Saturday Night Live" on February 20th. The program, called "Saturday Night Live Backstage," follows the show's long history highlighting previously untold stories of auditions, censorship, Weekend Update, and more.

Kathy Griffin will appear on CBS's "The Defenders" later this season. Griffin guest-stars as Sally, a second-rate nightclub comic who gets sued for insulting audience members. The Defenders, stars Jim Belushi and Jerry O’Connell. Griffin’s episode is tentatively set to air in early March.

Craig Ferguson Welcomes Son

Megam Ferguson, wife of Late Late Show host, Craig Ferguson, has given birth to the couple's first child together. Son, Liam James Ferguson was born Monday, January 31st in Los Angeles. Ferguson, 48, and his wife, an art dealer, tied the knot in December 2008. Craig has a son from his previous marriage, nine year old Milo Hamish.