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Hollywood Digest

By PAT NASON, UPI Hollywood Reporter
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THAT'S ONE WAY TO HANDLE IT

Colin Firth -- who starred with Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant in "Bridget Jones's Diary" -- is actually a character in novelist Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones sequel, "The Edge of Reason," prompting the question: Who will play Firth in the movie version?

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First things first, though. Firth isn't sure there will be an "Edge of Reason" movie.

"I can't really answer that question informatively," he told United Press International. "I don't know. As far as I'm concerned it's all rumor."

Firth said there had been talk of a movie, but it has quieted down.

"I just think it's probably a very difficult thing to mount," he said, "three actors who have to be available at the same time and a script that would have to be good enough."

But if there were a movie, who would play the character of Colin Firth?

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"He won't be there," said Firth. "He'll become George Clooney or something."

Bridget becomes a journalist in "The Edge of Reason" and interviews Firth. Director Sharon Maguire -- who had been talked about as a possible director for the project -- reportedly said Firth would play himself, as well as reprise his role as Mark Darcy from "Bridget Jones's Diary."


HONORS FOR CAROLE KING

Hal David, chairman/chief executive officer of the National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame, has announced that Carole King will be this year's recipient of the organization's Johnny Mercer Award.

King will pick up the award at ceremonies on June 13 in New York, when the academy will also induct Barry Manilow, Michael Jackson, Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, Randy Newman and Sting into its hall of fame.

The academy will also present its Hitmaker Award to Garth Brooks and its Lifetime Achievement Award to Stevie Wonder. George M. Cohan's "You're a Grand Old Flag" will be honored with the academy's Towering Song Award.

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"Carole King has been a tour de force in our industry ever since I can remember," said David. "She is a gifted songwriter and performer, who epitomized a wonderful era of music."

King was still a teenager in the late '50s when she began her songwriting career in the cubicles of the legendary Brill Building in New York. She was 17 when she and Gerry Goffin collaborated on "Will You (Still) Love Me Tomorrow," which became a Top 10 hit for the Shirelles.

King's "Tapestry" album is still a best-seller 31 years after it was released. It won four Grammys -- record of the year ("It's Too Late"), album of the year, song of the year ("You've Got a Friend") and pop vocal performance, female -- the first "grand slam" for a female artist.

King has acted in the TV drama "Gilmore Girls," for which she also wrote and performed the theme song. She was nominated for an Emmy in 2000 for "Song of Freedom," which she wrote for the TNT original movie "Freedom Song."


BOOK 'EM AGAIN, DANNO

DreamWorks has acquired exclusive negotiating rights to make a movie version of the classic TV series "Hawaii Five-O."

Roger Towne ("The Natural," "In the Company of Spies") has worked up a screenplay that reportedly brings the original concept up to date, but retains the characters if Steve McGarrett, played by Jack Lord, and Danny Williams, played by James MacArthur.

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CAVAZIEL'S NEXT

Jim Caviezel ("High Crimes," "Angel Eyes") will play Revolutionary war hero Ethan Allen in "Rebels" -- described as an account of the exploits of Allen and his Green Mountain Boys.

Before Allen took on the King of England, he got involved in a struggle between New York and New Hampshire for control of the New Hampshire Land Grants, which is now Vermont. After the governor of New York raised taxes and sold land grants already owned by the original settlers, the locals organized a vigilante group called the Green Mountain Boys.

Allen and the Boys won their first major Revolutionary War battle was in May 1775 when they captured Fort Ticonderoga in New York from the British. They went on to capture the British fort Crown Point.

"Rebel" is being produced by Walden Media -- a company run by billionaire Philip Anschutz that specializes in entertainment with an educational component. The company is also producing James Cameron's large-format, 3-D movie "Ghosts of the Abyss," and "Holes," based on the children's book by Louis Sachar.


ROSIE WILL SUB FOR GUMBEL

Producers of the "Survivor: Marquesas" reunion special have announced that Rosie O'Donnell host the show, replacing Bryant Gumbel who has hosted previous "Survivor" reunion specials.

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Gumbel is leaving as host of "The Early Show" on CBS.

"Survivor" executive producer mark Burnett said O'Donnell was a good choice for the chore, since she is a fan of the show.

"She knows all the players," said Burnett, "and her infectious enthusiasm will add an unbelievable amount of excitement to the event."


LINDA 'LOVELACE' DEAD AT 53

Linda Boreman -- who caused a sensation as porn star Linda Lovelace in the 1972 movie "Deep Throat," then became a crusader against pornography -- died Monday from injuries she sustained in a car crash on April 3. She was 53.

Officials at Denver Health Medical Center said Boreman was brought there with massive trauma and internal injuries after the collision. She was taken off life support Monday.

Boreman accused her first husband of forcing her to perform for the camera at gunpoint. According to her 1980 autobiography, "Ordeal," and her testimony during a congressional investigation of pornography, Boreman said she was never paid for "Deep Throat" -- a movie that reportedly has grossed $600 million worldwide in box-office and home video revenues.

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