People: Nov. 6, 2006

SCREEN

TEST

Assess your celebrity intelligence quotient with this week's roundup of supermodel shenanigans, TV-actor announcements and pop-diva cancellations:

1) Naomi Campbell spent 12 hours in a police cell in London after allegedly: A) Scratching her drug counselor's face B) Encouraging other models to eat carbohydrates C) Recommending her 1996 novel, Swan, to her book group D) Threatening Underground riders at stiletto point, shouting "Now who's the Top Model?"

2) Grey's Anatomy's T.R. Knight recently said he was gay but:

A) He hoped that wasn't the most interesting part of him B) He hadn't mentioned it because of ABC's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy C) His parents didn't know, so could everyone keep it quiet? D) He has never received a text message from Mark Foley

3) Promoters in Hong Kong said they canceled Mariah Carey's upcoming concert there because:

A) She insisted on giving tickets to Kim Jong Il B) Their eyes are still bleeding from watching Glitter C) Tickets sold poorly and Carey made crazy demands (her rep says promoters didn't pay) D) They're holding out for Ashlee Simpson

ANSWERS: 1) A; 2) A; 3) C

FIRST LOOK

HARRY POTTER FOR THE BARBIE SET

With the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films and the upcoming Eragon, boys have had more than their share of fantasy-lit icons on the big screen. Now in production: The Golden Compass, in which a young heroine played by newcomer DAKOTA BLUE RICHARDS (yes, another little blond named Dakota) journeys to a universe of flying witches, armored bears and humans living alongside their animal-shaped souls. "It's a character-driven effects movie, if there is such a thing," director Chris Weitz says of the tale from Philip Pullman's series His Dark Materials. And what plays NICOLE KIDMAN'S soul? "A very evil, vicious monkey." But, you know, an elegant, Australian species.

THE COURTNEY CHRONICLES

In Dirty Blonde, her newly published diaries, COURTNEY LOVE exhibits a heretofore unappreciated level of self-knowledge, vocabulary and scrapbooking skill. The bricolage of old photos, handwritten lyrics and musings include Love's teen aspirations-- "I have a rage for success"--and juvenile group- home reports. The rocker-widow- provocateur writes to her dead spouse about their daughter's teacher and describes an Easter-egg hunt at Liz Taylor's house. "I love being famous," Love says. "Because no one else has it. Because it's psychicly [sic] charging. Because I get off on it."

Q&A CHRISTIAN BALE

Christian Bale is a loose-cannon ex--Army Ranger in Harsh Times and a magician in The Prestige

You're known for putting your body through a lot for roles. Was it a relief that Harsh Times just required a crew cut?

Yes. But emotionally this was a character a number of people around me were happy to say goodbye to. This is a man who has found a sense of worth in his skill as a soldier, and he's returning to the streets of L.A. He's a prick, [yet] I enjoyed his company.

What's behind the box office of magician movies like The Prestige?

The Prestige is a movie about the rivalry between two magicians. But it ain't a movie about magic tricks. What's the point? With editing, you can make the Statue of Liberty disappear.