People in the news

The latest news on today's hottest celebrities ...

ASHLEY JUDD: Actress Ashley Judd announced on Twitter Wednesday she won't campaign for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky next year.

There had been speculation Judd would run for the Democratic nomination for the seat currently held by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, and several party professionals have been urging her to get into the race.

"Dear Friends," Judd tweeted Wednesday. "Thank you for these months of remarkable support & encouragement, for your voices, exhortations & prayers...Regretfully, I am currently unable to consider a campaign for the Senate.

"I have spoken to many Kentuckians over these last few months who expressed their desire for a fighter for the people & new leader," she wrote.

"While that won't be me at this time, I will continue to work as hard as I can to ensure the needs of Kentucky families are met by returning this Senate seat to whom it rightfully belongs: the people & their needs, dreams, and great potential.

"After serious and thorough contemplation, I realize that my responsibilities & energy at this time need to be focused on my family," Judd tweeted.

The actress in the midst of a divorce from race-car driver Dario Franchitti, her husband of 11 years. She also has been seen cheering on her sister Wynonna on "Dancing with the Stars."

CBS: America's CBS network announced Wednesday it has renewed 18 series for the 2013-4 broadcast season.

Renewed were the sitcoms "The Big Bang Theory," "Mike & Molly," "How I Met Your Mother" and "2 Broke Girls;" dramas "NCIS," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "NCIS: Los Angeles," "Person of Interest," "Elementary," "Hawaii Five-0," "The Mentalist," "Blue Bloods" and "The Good Wife;" the reality series "The Amazing Race," "Survivor" and "Undercover Boss;" and the news magazines "60 Minutes" and "48 Hours."

CBS said it is also in discussions with Warner Bros. Television regarding another season of "Two and a Half Men."

Missing from next season's lineup are "Vegas," "Criminal Minds," "CSI: New York," "Rules of Engagement" and "Golden Boy."

WILL SMITH: Director Roland Emmerich says he doesn't want Will Smith to headline his two "Independence Day" film sequels because Smith is "too big a star" now.

Smith helped save the world from aliens in the original 1996 picture. The movie co-starred Bill Pullman, Randy Quaid and Jeff Goldblum.

"I don't want to have Will. He's too big for a movie like this. It would be a Will Smith movie," Emmerich told EW.com about the upcoming follow-ups. "It's 'Independence Day.' And 'Independence Day' was always not about one person. It was always a group thing. And [Will] is too big a star."

EW.com said Smith's publicist declined to comment on its story.

"ID Forever Part 1" and "ID Forever Part 2" will take place 20 years after the alien invasion in the original film, the entertainment news website said.

ANNA CHLUMSKY: U.S. actress Anna Chlumsky confirmed Wednesday she is pregnant and expects her first child to be born this summer.

The "Veep" actress and former "My Girl" co-star married Shaun So in 2008.

"I'm feeling pretty good so far," the 32-year-old actress told People.com about her pregnancy. "I was really lucky -- I did not have any morning sickness which was great because I was working."

Chlumsky did not say exactly when she is due or what the baby's gender is.