‘Malcolm in the Middle’ star Muniz sells house for $8 million
Imagine being just 18 years old and already selling a manse worth $8 million. Frankie Muniz doesn’t have to imagine it — he’s doing it. And when he sells that one, the star of “Malcolm in the Middle” has his sights set on a $4 million pad, a wee bit smaller than the one he owns now. The smaller digs has only four bedrooms and four baths, the larger, five bedrooms and five baths. Scaling down, eh whut?
•Tom Cruise starring; Steven Spielberg directing. Quite a parlay, wouldn’t you say? It will be a pic for Paramount, “War of the Worlds,” a modern-day adaptation of the H.G. Wells classic about a Martian invasion of the Earth. No start date as yet, no casting, but stay tuned.
As for Tom C.’s private life, I don’t know any more about that, either. However, I do know that Nicole recently rented a Pacific Palisades manse, and that Tom is welcome to see the kids at any time.
•Ewan McGregor’s next seems exciting. Titled “The Island,” it’s about a harvested being who makes a bid to escape the facility where he is being kept. In real life, McGregor is married to Eve Mavrakis, and they have two daughters, Clare Mathilde and Esther Rose. McGregor was born in Crieff, Scotland, and left home at 16 to work backstage at Scotland’s Perth Theater. His breakout film was “Star Wars: Episode I” back in 1999.
•Aside to Rosabelle J. of Princeton, N.J. I do indeed love Julie Andrews. I also love her work, and the way she has handled her private life. And yes, I do believe she had some face-lifting and doesn’t exactly look the same, but wasn’t she great in “The Princess Diaries”?
•And I’m fed up to my kazoo with pics and inane items about Paris Hilton. Enuf already!
•No word as yet as to when production starts on Dan Brown’s “The DaVinci Code,” which, incidentally, was on the L.A. Times best-seller list for more than 80 weeks! Knocked off recently by Sue Grafton’s “R Is for Ricochet.”
Hollywood Is Reading: “The Winds of Change” by Martha Grimes (Viking). More Richard Jury and Melrose Plant and all her other fun characters in a well-plotted mystery about a missing 4-year-old girl.
“On Thin Ice” by Cherry Adair (Ballantine). A romp through Alaska to keep you cool on a hot summer’s day or night.
***
Bits ‘N’ Pieces: Have you noticed? Ashton has cut his hair short, short. Demi likes it that way.
•Jack Nicholson went on record saying “Marlon Brando was the consummate actor.” The two eccentrics were neighbors in their mountaintop homes, and interestingly got along very well.
•Mary-Kate Olsen spotted at a restaurant with her boyfriend. And she was EATING! So, all must be well.
•Please! Madonna now wishes to be referred to as Esther/Madonna.
•Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias are carrying their smooching a bit too far, and they are doing it in places where it is definitely NOT appreciated.
•Aside to Joe R. of Fort Myers, Fla. As far as I know, Charlize Theron likes it the way it is with her live-in love, Stuart Townsend. As to future marriage plans, we’ll just have to wait and see.
•I didn’t know till now that Jack Nicholson has a teenage daughter named Lorraine. Where have I been?!
•And was that Michael Caine browsing the men’s swimsuit department of a swank Beverly Hills store? It was.