THE Catholic Church has been accused of scaring Hollywood producers into shelving the remaining two films in Philip Pullman’s fantasy trilogy, His Dark Materials.

The American actor Sam Elliott says executives at New Line Cinema halted plans for The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, despite the ”incredible” commercial success of the first in the trilogy, The Golden Compass.

The film, starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig and Eva Green, grossed more than $US360 million ($400 million) worldwide after its Christmas 2007 release. But after a campaign by factions of the church in the US, it took a modest $US85 million there. Bill Donohoe, of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, led the attack, calling on parents to boycott the film, saying it would prompt children to buy Pullman’s novels, which he described as ”atheism for kids”.

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COUNTRY star Keith Urban has revealed what he thinks is his wife Nicole Kidman’s best film.

Speaking in Australia where he is on tour, Keith said he rates Nic’s creepy 2004 flick, Birth. The movie is about a woman who thinks her dead husband has returned to her in a child’s body.

Keith also said he liked 2001’s Birthday Girl in which Nicole plays a Russian mail-order bride.

Keith, speaking on the 2DayFM breakfast radio show in Sydney, said: “I like Birth. I like the weird ones.” He added: “I also like Birthday Girl, too. That’s another tricky one.”

Miss Nicole is currently attending the New York premiere of Nine! She looks stunning in a little black dress! Below are a few previews, and lots of photos will be added to the Gallery tomorrow

HOLLYWOOD star Nicole Kidman has lent her support to Australia’s bid for the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cups.

Kidman narrated a promotional film being used by Football Federation Australia as it showcases the nation’s credentials in Cape Town a year out from the decision on host countries for the two sporting extravaganzas.

Australia is detailing its offer to host a “no worries” World Cup in front of FIFA heavyweights as it goes head to head with nine rivals for the 2018 or 2022 tournaments.

One of the FFA’s major selling points is Australia’s ability to put on on a World Cup that will be “fun, relaxed, safe and secure”.

“One of the unique aspects of Australia’s bid is the fact that we offer those four factors in tandem,” said FFA chairman Frank Lowy.

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Thanks to Naomi N. from PR Consulting for emailing me about Nicole’s L’Wren Scott dress at the recent CMA’s. Nicole wore a fuchsia embroidered peony jacquarddress by L’Wren Scott and ruby earrings by Edith Weber Antiques to the CMA Awards. Click the thumbnail to your left to see the dress being modelled on the runway, as well as Nicole’s take on it on the red carpet.
- Photos from this appearance were added to our Gallery a couple of weeks ago.

The all-star cast of the upcoming film “Nine” — Dame Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Sophia Lauren, Marion Cotillard, Stacy Ferguson (Fergie), Daniel Day Lewis, Kate Hudson and director Rob Marshall — sat down with “Nightline” co-anchor Cynthia McFadden to discuss their new film, inspired by the Tony-award winning musical.

It’s some cast. Six have won Oscars. Everyone has been nominated except Fergie, who has won three Grammies. For the first and only time, “Nightline” got them all together at New York’s legendary Plaza Hotel for one a feisty and intimate conversation.

Watch Cynthia McFadden’s interview with the cast of “Nine” on “Nightline” Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009 at 11:35 p.m. ET.

“I have to say the joy of being together has been incredible, because it’s a very special, special group of people,” said Rob Marshall, director of “Nine.”

Nicole Kidman plays Guido Contini’s muse, the woman he wants to star in his new movie. “One of the lessons in life is learning to want what you have,” said Kidman. “And I think that’s probably what Guido has to get to, a place of going, ‘I want what I already have, instead of I want, I want, I want, what’s beyond.’”

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban might be Hollywood elite, but when it comes to Christmas they prefer to keep it simple – and pre-lit!

Access Hollywood caught up with the actress on Wednesday night at the LA premiere of “Nine,” where the actress explained a recent photo of her and Keith at Home Depot, a shot that ever piqued the interest of some of her closest friends.

“A friend of mine sent me a photo, saying, ‘Were you at Home Depot?’” Nicole told Access.

“We bought our Christmas tree there,” the actress explained. “And we bought all of our Christmas decorations and decorated our tree with our baby.”

Nicole said she loves how the giant home and garden store takes a little bit of work out of the holiday preparations.

“They have really good pre-lit trees!” she added

10 Best Movies of the Decade!
EW’s favorites from 2000-2009, featuring everything from a consumptive courtesan to a middle-aged virgin

6. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Baz Luhrmann’s trippy, pop-cultural pastiche is an aesthetically arresting ode to poetry, passion, and Elton John. In fact, it’s so good, we’ll forgive him for Australia.

Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman knows firsthand how devastating it can be when a family member suffers from cancer. Her mother, Janelle, was diagnosed with breast cancer when Kidman was 17. She was successfully treated and remains cancer-free today.

“I think that was the pivotal point in my life because I was about to lose — or thought I would lose — the most important person in my family, the heartbeat of my family,” Kidman told a crowd of 350 people Nov. 20 in Menlo Park, Calif. Kidman said she prayed for her mother’s survival, resolving then to commit to helping other women who faced the threat of cancer.

The actress and her husband, country music star Keith Urban, made a rare Bay Area appearance at a luncheon at the Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club to support the Women’s Cancer Program at Stanford. The program, part of the Stanford Cancer Center, encompasses the work of dozens of faculty in a comprehensive effort to improve survival and cure rates for breast and gynecologic cancers.

Kidman spoke passionately on the issue of women’s health, while Urban, a two-time Grammy Award-winner, treated the audience to three tunes from his catalogue. It was the first time the couple has done a double-act together and the first time Urban said he had been introduced by his wife.

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A 3rd trailer for Nine was released a few days ago, and you can view it below and/or you can watch it in a higher definition at apple.com. Screencaps are in the Gallery!

The Official Nine Site has also been updated with new content, including stunning new cast photos. Screencaps of that are in the Gallery too!

• Nine > Trailer #3 Screencaptures x40
• Nine > Screencaptures – Official Site x3 more