Celebrity Dish: Serving up the gossip you should know!
It’s not uncommon to hear the finest actors and actresses in Hollywood referred to as “royalty.” These kings and queens (or princes and princesses, in their supporting roles) reign over the celebrity world, sitting atop their box office thrones, ruling their kingdom and amassing a fortune in ticket and merchandising sales. They walk the red carpet, adorned in their own version of crown jewels, acknowledging their public with a prim wave.
For a handful select members of this clan, the term actually fits. Some Hollywood “royalty” have been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II – Sir Sean Connery, Sir Ben Kingsley and Sir Ian McKellan, to name a few. Two more names recently joined that list. You may now address them as Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Peter Jackson.
Patrick Stewart, who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, as well as other roles, was knighted as part of a group honored by Queen Elizabeth II. The ceremonies also included a knighthood for theater and film director Nicholas Hytner.
In a separate ceremony in New Zealand, director Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings, The Lovely Bones) was honored with a knighthood in his native country. But don’t worry. The queen is their head of state, and the knighthood has her approval. He’s currently in New Zealand working on the two-movie prequel The Hobbit, also based on a book by J.R.R. Tolkien, with Mexican director Guillermo del Toro.
Charlie Sheen might be considered Hollywood royalty – he and his father, Martin Sheen, and brother, Emilio Estevez, have all enjoyed success as actors – but he exhibited less than proper behavior over the holidays.
According to reports, Sheen was arrested on Christmas Day in Aspen, Col., where he was vacationing with his wife, Brooke. An arrest affidavit quoted Brooke as saying her husband pinned her on a bed and held a knife to her throat, threatening to kill her. Charlie told police the couple slapped each other and that he snapped two pairs of her eyeglasses in front of her, but he denied threatening her with a knife. He faces charges of felony menacing, domestic violence, second-degree assault and criminal mischief and is free on $8,500 bond. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 8 in Aspen.
Social services conducted several interviews concerning the couples’ 10-month-old twins, Bob and Max, but have decided to let them remain with their mother in Aspen.
But apparently, love really does conquer all. Despite this incident, the two claim to still love each other and want to continue their marriage. Charlie Sheen’s attorney, Richard Cummins, confirmed his client wants to reconcile and filed a court motion last Wednesday asking a judge to dismiss a restraining order that prevents the couple from having contact.
I can hear the strains of Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by your Man” in the background, but good for her for speaking up for what she wants.
Krista Richmond is a journalist and pop culture enthusiast. Have a question, suggestion or hot gossip tip? Send them to her at krista@killerfilm.com.
