Sunday, July 13, 2003		Hollywood Hues

Sundance no longer a kid!

TIME spares no one. Not even the seemingly immortal stars of the silver screen. Take swashbuckling Robert Redford, for example. Millions of his fans the world over would be upset to know that age has finally caught up with him but worse still, he is suffering from an array of physical disorders.

The 63-year-old star of superhits like Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Indecent Proposal has been cancelling all his public appearances because of an ailment know as the Epstein-Barr virus which leaves its victims in a permanent state of exhaustion. Even simple actions require a superhuman effort and the patient has to be on vigil as the ailment can be fatal.

Meanwhile, two of Redford’s films A President Elopes and Worthless Pennies, have been put on hold. Doctors have warned him to slow down once he recovers. But, says the stubborn star, he’d rather go down than slow down.

Remember Brooke Shields? Despite being out in the cold as far as films go, the Pretty Baby has been making news on the personal front. Married to TV producer Chris Henchy she recently became a first-time mom at the age of 38.

The former wife of Andre Agassi, Brooke had been through — what the doctors are calling — a miracle pregnancy. In the early nineties even as magazines were counting her among the 50 most beautiful people in the world, the actress was reportedly fighting a hush-hush battle with cervical cancer that virtually ruled out any chances of a baby.

Brooke was desperate for a baby. So, when her sitcom Suddenly Susan ended in 2000, she announced she was quitting showbiz to start a family. After a few in -vitro attempts failed she virtually gave up hope. But in August 2002 when doctors confirmed the pregnancy the entire family was thrilled. The baby arrived on May 15, 2003 to the ecstatic parents.

But the star is stubbornly refusing to let shutterbugs take pictures. No one faults her logic when she says, "I don’t want to parade my baby in front of the press the way I was!"

It was perhaps the most topsy-turfy premiere ever. There was an all-star cast at the sneak preview of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator 3 which is likely to set the box-office ablaze. Madonna who was late decided she’s use the fire escape. She sneaked in through the emergency exit in dark glasses and a scarf hoping not to be noticed. Well, she wasn’t.

But when she tiptoed to the seat earmarked for her, the security guys took her for a crackpot in the darkened hall and pulled her away. Madonna’s bodyguards were quick to intervene and the matter was sorted out in minutes.

But there was more drama to follow. Even as the audience settled down and the reels started rolling, the movie was abruptly switched off. The reason? Arnold Schwarzenegger was caught up in a traffic jam on the way to the theatre. And he phoned in from his limo asking them to hold the show until he arrived.

The MGM publicists obviously couldn’t say no to the Terminator. And so the gallery of celebs sat twiddling their thumbs for a good 15 minutes till Arnie made his grand entry. Some clout that!

What’s up with Charlie Sheen these days? The fast-rising superstar of Oscar-winning films like Wall Street wear a hang-doggish look and stays away from all the major Hollywood do’s.

It looks like the wild days of drinking and gambling are over. According to a family insider, the man behind the dramatic change is none other than dad and yesteryears superstar, Martin Sheen.

Sick of his reckless lifestyle, Martin has stacked up his son’s room with $60,000 worth of pinball machines to keep him straight and sober. His drinking too has been rationed and only those pals who are straight are allowed entry into his pad.

What is surprising is why Charlie acquiesces to his dad’s weird regimentation. "It’s probably hero worship," says a source, "and Charlie has not got over the fact that his father was his biggest childhood idol."

— Newsmen Features