People: Oct. 31, 2005

HOLLYWOOD'S MONEYMEN Blockbuster filmmakers know money buys action. Some are dipping into their deep pockets for other worthy projects.

MEL GIBSON Cash $1 million Cause While in Mexico filming his Maya movie, Apocalypto, the bearded Passion of the Christ director gave President Vicente Fox funds for Hurricane Stan relief. Apparently that was not a big deal for Gibson, who turned up at Fox's place with a check but no socks.

GEORGE LUCAS Cash $1 million Cause Skywalker Ranch is big enough. The Star Wars dreamer handed over a check to help build a memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. on the Mall in Washington. Although the memorial's goal of $100 million is far, far away, groundbreaking is set for next year.

STEVEN SPIELBERG Cash $1.5 million Cause Amazing what a little help from extraterrestrials can do. Spielberg split his donation between the Red Cross and the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund. Among entertainers, only Oprah spent more on hurricane victims this year.

HE'S NOT SAVING HIMSELF FOR OWEN? In the season of Tom and Katie's pregnancy and Ashton and Demi's vows, only true A listers can stir a fuss by sharing the paper and a peck. JENNIFER ANISTON and VINCE VAUGHN, who made The Break Up together this summer, have denied they're an item, but their public snuggling, lunch with Vaughn's parents and trip to Target confirmed either a romance or a shared sense of thrift. Aniston recently split from Brad Pitt, who may or may not be dating his former co-star Angelina Jolie. Vaughn and Pitt were co-stars too. No word yet on whether they will not be dating next.

Q&A MIRA SORVINO New mom Mira Sorvino plays a customs agent in Human Trafficking, a mini-series on the global sex trade, which airs on Lifetime this week.

Has motherhood changed the roles that appeal to you? I felt this was a good use of my time because I'd be talking about an issue that would potentially save women and girls. The idea that there are people who own other human beings and it happens in the U.S. was just shocking to me. But ironically since I gave birth I've worked more than I worked the two years previous, and I kind of hate it.

Should prostitution be legal? It's a complicated situation because many prostitutes are working of their own free will and many of them have been trafficked.

In this film you play a Russian-American woman. You've been cast as a virtual U.N. of ethnicities. I'm not a person who plays the same character in project after project. I mean no disrespect to those people--they are the biggest movie stars. I love Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe. They all had a basic personality that infused their roles.

Do you ever use your fluency in Mandarin? I communicated with Chow Yun-Fat for Replacement Killers. I'd love to star in a movie by one of the great Chinese directors and do the whole thing in Mandarin. That would be mind blowing.

Blond or brunet? Blond. I'm naturally a brunet. People assume a brown-haired woman is more serious. The intelligent blond is unexpected.

You're the godmother of a cruise ship? I will be forever associated with the Carnival Liberty. Its maiden voyage was around the coast of the Mediterranean.

Did you buy your daughter an "Italian Princess" T shirt? No.