George Clooney's dirty awards season

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George Clooney feels “unclean” after awards season.

The 50-year-old actor began humanitarian work in Sudan in 2005 after feeling the need to do something more beneficial to the world after tiring of “campaigning” to be recognised for his movie achievements.

He explained: “I had just come out of Oscar season and you really do campaign, like kissing babies.

“By the time it’s over, you sort of feel unclean.

“You want to do something that makes you feel better.”

Following his first trip to the war-torn country with his father, George donated money to build a well and huts, but soon learned to use other ways than his wealth to help the African territory because of what happened to his gifts.

He explained: “A year later, the next-door villagers – who wanted water and needed shelter – killed some people to get to that well and shelter.

“It’s devastating. We have to be very careful – sometimes helping is not throwing money at a problem.”

George believes other celebrities should follow his lead and use their positions to help the world.

He added to Marie Claire magazine: “There is ever more attention on celebrity than ever – and there is a use for that besides selling products.

“We can’t make policy but we can ‘encourage’ politicians more than ever before.”

Emma Stone's 'girl crush' on Christina Hendricks

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Emma Stone has a girl crush on Christina Hendricks.

The ‘Friends With Benefits’ actress – who is believed to be dating her ‘Spider-Man’ co-star Andrew Garfield – explained she finds “everything” about the ‘Mad Men’ star attractive.

Asked who is her celebrity crush, she said: “Christina Hendricks. It’s a no-brainer. Everything about her does it for me. That’s my kind of woman.”

Meanwhile, Emma admitted she is “flattered” to have been cast in so many strong roles as women who are secure within themselves.

She added to The Advocate: “I’m so flattered. The tomboy quality is probably coincidental just due to the fact that my voice hits male octaves most of the time. I must be subconsciously drawn to women who, even if they don’t necessarily have their stuff together, are secure within themselves and don’t need a man to fix them.

“My ultimate goal is to continue doing movies with some sort of message that can make a change, like ‘Easy A’ or ‘The Help.’ Because that’s what good movies do for me, they teach me and bring injustices to my attention.”

Emma Watson wants to explore self

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Emma Watson is ready to “figure out” who she really is.

The 21-year-old actress – who was cast as brainbox Hermione Granger in the ‘Harry Potter’ film series when she was just 11 years old – admits working on the franchise has ruled her life over the last decade and she is now looking forward to making her own decisions.

She said: “Not a single second of the day was in my power. I was told what time I’d get picked up, what time I could eat and when I could go to the bathroom.

“I have spent more of my life being someone else than I have being myself.

“I’ve always had a strong sense of who I am and what I want, but I do need to spend more time figuring that out.”

Among the ways the movies have affected her life was Emma’s decision to put her studies on hold last year.

The British beauty was two years into a liberal arts degree at America’s prestigious Brown University but left because it was too much of a struggle combining her school work with promoting the final two films in the series, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2’.

Emma – who will return to her degree at Oxford University in October – explained in an interview with the Daily Mirror newspaper: “I was commuting back and forth between the US and the UK trying to fulfil my commitment to this enormous ‘Harry Potter’ franchise and it just wasn’t feasible. I’m only human.

“I wasn’t getting the best out of either my studies or the filming, so I decided to give a proper goodbye to 10 years of work and resume my studies later.”

Ryan O'Neal sued over Farrah painting

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Ryan O’Neal is being sued over a painting of Farrah Fawcett.

A civil suit was filed in Los Angeles yesterday by the UT System Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Texas in a bid to obtain the Andy Warhol work after the late ‘Charlie’s Angels’ actress – who lost her battle with cancer two years ago – bequeathed her entire art collection to her former college, including two matching pictures by the famous pop artist.

However, the university has so far just received one of the portraits.

Barry Burgdorf, vice chancellor and general counsel for the UT System told The Statesman: “Obviously, the Warhol is the big-ticket item.

“Ryan has made it clear in public comments that he considers it his and intends to keep it,”

The actor – who was famously left nothing in his on/off lover’s will – insists the painting belongs to him and blasted the “ridiculous” lawsuit.

His spokesperson Arnold Robinson told America’s Star magazine: “This is a completely ridiculous lawsuit. Ryan’s friendship with Andy Warhol began 10 years prior to his meeting Farrah Fawcett.

“When Ryan introduced Farrah to Andy Warhol, he chose to complete two portraits of her, one for Miss Fawcett and one for Mr. O’Neal. Mr. O’Neal looks forward to being completely vindicated in the courts.”

The University of Texas had hired private investigators in an effort to track down the portrait, which is worth an estimated $30 million.

However, its whereabouts were soon made clear when Ryan’s new reality TV series, ‘Ryan & Tatum: The O’Neals’, revealed it to be hanging above his bed in his Malibu mansion.

Betty Ford dies

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Betty Ford has died.

The former US First Lady – the wife of President Gerald Ford, who sat in office from 1974 to 1977 – passed away at home last night at the age of 93, though further details of her passing have not yet been disclosed.

Betty was most famous for co-founding the world-renowned Betty Ford rehabilitation clinic in California, which opened in 1982, four years after was admitted to Long Beach Naval Hospital for prescription drug and alcohol abuse treatment.

A long line of celebrities have sought treatment from the facility, including Lindsay Lohan, Robert Downey Jr., Kelsey Grammer, Elizabeth Taylor, Ozzy Osbourne, Drew Barrymore, Johnny Cash, Liza Minnelli, Billy Joel, and David Hasselhoff.

Speaking about the clinic, Betty previously said: “People who get well often say, ‘You saved my life,’ and ‘You’ve turned my life around’.

“They don’t realise we merely provided the means for them to do it themselves and that’s all.

“That’s a God-given gift as far as I’m concerned. I don’t take any credit for providing anything that wasn’t provided to me.”

Betty – whose husband passed away in 2006 – underwent surgery for an undisclosed ailment in 2007 and has previously battled breast cancer and severe arthritis.

Eric Dane to be a dad again

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Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart are expecting their second child.

The 38-year-old actor and former ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ star – who already have 16-month-old daughter Billie Beatrice – are thrilled with the news that they will welcome another child into their family later this year.

A source told Life & Style magazine: “She’s glowing — and so happy. They wanted to add another child to their family, and now they’ve got that! They’re in a real good place.”

A spokesperson for the couple confirmed they are expecting another baby, but did not say when the new arrival is due.

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star Eric – who married Rebecca in 2004 – recently admitted he finds his wife even more attractive since she gave birth to Billie.

He said: “I don’t know if there’s any change more significant that a human being can make than that of a woman becoming a mother. There’s no change more dramatic.

“You know, I’m a hundred times more attracted to her now and I love her exponentially more than I did before. It’s just great to see her be a mother.”

Eric also spoke of how much he enjoys taking his daughter to the park and seeing how much she enjoys the experience.

He said: “I like watching her laugh. Seeing this kid laugh when you put her on the swing, or slide down the slide with her, it’s just. She owns me.”

William and Kate Wow in Los Angeles

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Prince William’s wishes for Beckhams

Prince William has wished David and Victoria Beckham “luck” with their new baby.

The soccer star was without his fashion designer wife- who is due to give birth to the couple’s fourth child this week – at an intimate reception held for the prince and wife Duchess Catherine at British Consul-General Barbara Hay’s Los Angeles residence on Friday, but the royal couple told him not to worry about her absence.

David – who along with Victoria was a guest at William and Catherine’s wedding in April – told them: “Victoria really wanted to come but she is just so tired at the moment. She sent you both lots of love.”

William replied: “Don’t be silly. Please send her all out love and tell her good luck with it all.”

The royal couple have already met with several celebrities since arriving in Los Angeles on Friday for their brief tour.

Yesterday, Billy Zane, Rob Lowe, Joe Jonas, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Zoe Saldana were in attendance when William and Catherine arrived by helicopter to the

Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, where the prince admitted he is “not a good loser” ahead of showcasing his skills on the polo field.

He said in a brief speech: “Catherine and I have had a busy few days so the prospect of being able to let loose this afternoon is wonderful for me.

“That depends on the result out there today – I’m not a good loser.”

Guests at the $4,000-a-ticket event watched the prince score four goals as his team won 5-2, before tucking into lunch cooked by celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis.

Last night, the pair walked the red carpet at the BAFTA Brits to Watch event, to which Catherine wore a lilac Alexander McQueen gown and earrings borrowed from William’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.

On arrival at the Belasco theatre, the couple met a small group of well-wishers before being introduced to the 14 table hosts at the event.

Meanwhile, in the ballroom, Duncan Kenworthy, vice chairman of British Academy of Film and Television Arts, reassured the star-studded crowd – which included Jennifer Lopez, Barbra Streisand, Jack Black, and Tom Hanks – on their interactions with the royals.

He said: “They want to meet all of you. They will try and chat to all of you this evening. When you meet them, you don’t have to bow and curtsy. You can call them whatever you feel, ‘Your Royal Highness,’ ‘Sir,’ ‘Ma’am,’ ‘William’ and ‘Kate’ – just as the mood takes you.”

Speaking on the red carpet ahead of the evening, Nicole Kidman said: “I think they are lovely, they just make you smile.”

Patrick Dempsey's juggling past

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Patrick Dempsey used to be a champion juggler.

The ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ actor won prizes for his ball control when he was a teenager and insists his skills are a “big thing” because he can handle complex moves.

He said: “I started out as a juggler. I came second in the international juggler’s competition and the junior division in 1982 or 1983.

“I can juggle five balls at once. It’s a pretty big thing most people can do three, but when you get into five then you’re in a different league.”

While he was previously a juggler, the 45-year-old star insists he wouldn’t give up acting now because he has learned to deal with the tough parts of his profession – and doesn’t know what else he could do.

Asked if he ever considered giving up acting, he told Britain’s ELLE magazine: “It’s a very difficult profession – you have to deal with rejection constantly.

“You have to learn not to take things personally and to keep improving yourself, but you need constructive criticism to grow.

“Also, I never qualified in anything else. At this point, I just don’t know what I would do.”