Here is an amazing fairy story from modern Manhattan, a version of beauty and the beast (but which is which?). Diane Arbus is married and the mother of two. She helps her husband’s photography business and the family fur company. And she is a nervous wreck—because she isn’t expressing herself. Then a stranger moves into the upstairs apartment—call him Lionel, and step carefully. He is rare and alarming, but he is a tender soul who will introduce Diane to the lives of the other-than-ordinary. He will give us the Arbus we know. This is an astonishingly bold fable by Steven Shainberg (SECRETARY) that relies to a great extent on the courage, the beauty and the sheer adventurousness of its two central players: Robert Downey Jr. as Lionel and Nicole Kidman going for broke again and suggesting that it’s about time someone wrote a book about her. –DT

Telluride ’06: Fur

Discussion after late-night movies happens on the gondola ride from the Chuck Jones Theater in the mountains to the town of Telluride, in the valley between them. It’s pitch black inside the car; outside are only stars and the golden lights below; inside are eight (usually random) cinephiles thrown together in a dark moving box for 15 minutes.

Tonight the discussion was about Fur, the Diane Arbus biopic starring Nicole Kidman in another daring career choice. As one of the voices in the darkness said on the gondola ride, Kidman has “guts.” This is not your conventional biopic (thank Jesus). Its world premiere ended a short while ago, and it redeemed the genre for me. It’s not a great film, but it is a good one, and certainly better than the rash of music biopics that stumbled into our field of vision in the past couple years. Fur is by the director of Secretary, Steven Shainberg, who was in the audience. Both his films exist beyond weirdness.

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Are Nicole and Keith traveling a “bumpy” road to the delivery room?

Pics of Nicole Kidman in Nashville with brand new country crooner husband, Keith Urban, had many fans confused about the cute little tummy the willowy actress seemed to be sporting.

The question, egged on by the tabloids, became: “Is Nicole with child?”

Nope. Nicole Kidman is not expecting a baby.

But with the heat on, Kidman’s publicist, who usually avoids such rumors, was forced to respond, saying: “Nicole is not pregnant” and adding:

“This story began with the tabloids and truly is no one’s business, but I am compelled to respond, just to try and put the rumors to rest.”

Fresh off their whirlwind Australian wedding and honeymoon, the 39-year-old actress and 38-year-old singer were in Nashville where Keith records — and the couple now lives — for a little Fourth of July frivolity.

AUSTRALIAN’S megastar couple Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are said to have set a date for a winter wedding Down Under.

The couple are expected to tie the knot in a Catholic church in north Sydney on June 25, the New York Post reports.

The private couple have been silent on their approaching nuptials. They had earlier been tipped to marry on March 11.

Oscar-winning Kidman and country music singer Urban have been dating for about a year, but declined to confirm their relationship until they publicly held hands at last month’s Grammy Awards.

The pair are yet to announce their engagement formally, although Kidman has been flashing a huge diamond on her ring finger for months.

“They seem great together. Real love just happens. You don’t plan it,” friends close to the couple said.

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NICOLE KIDMAN’s publicist is rushing to deny reports the Aussie actress has sent her ex-husband, TOM CRUISE, her best wishes on the birth of his new daughter. British tabloid the Daily Mail reported that the Oscar winner had issued a statement after hearing the baby news, saying, “I hope both mother and baby are doing well,” but her press aide CATHERINE OLIN insists no such statement exists. Olin says, “I’ve been deluged with press queries on the back of this and I’m completely taken aback. “Ms Kidman never issues statements about her personal life. I’m her publicist and I never released this statement.”

Catherine Zeta-Jones could quit her day job and live like a queen on her take from commercials. Adweek magazine says she makes more money on commercials and ads than any other celebrity.

She’s into her second two year, $20 million dollar contract with T-Mobile.
Adweek says Angelina Jolie’s print ads for St. John clothing give her at least twelve million dollars over three years.

[b]The magazine puts Nicole Kidman third with twelve million for Chanel Number Five perfume. [/b]

Other A-listers making millions on commercials: Jessica Simpson for Proactiv acne cream, Gwyneth Paltrow for Estee Lauder, Charlize Theron for Dior, Julia Roberts for Gianfranco Ferre, Brad Pitt for his one time only Heineken Super Bowl ad and Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz for L’Oreal.

Nicole Kidman has congratulated Katie Holmes after she gave birth to daughter Suri on Tuesday but made no mention of her ex-husband Tom Cruise, who is the baby’s father. Kidman reportedly had a heated argument with Cruise after he expressed his desire to have their adopted children Isabella, 13, and Connor, 11, present in the delivery room.

Kidman allegedly refused to allow it, fearing the experience could traumatise the youngsters. In a statement released through her publicist, Kidman says, “I hope both mother and baby are doing well.”

Kidman and Cruise married in 1990 but divorced in 2001 after the actor ended the relationship.

John Turturro has signed on to join Jack Black, Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Jason Leigh in an untitled comedy-drama from Noah Baumbach, the writer-director of “The Squid and the Whale.”

Turturro will play the husband of Kidman’s character. The story is being kept under wraps, but it is described as a multigenerational story in the same vein as “Squid,” which yielded a screenplay Oscar nomination for Baumbach this year.

Newcomer Zane Pais, Flora Cross (“Bee Season”) and Halley Feiffer (“Squid and the Whale”) also have joined the ensemble cast. The project is set up at Paramount Pictures’ new specialty division.

Kidman plays a woman who brings her pre-teen son with her to visit the upstate home of her sister (Leigh). Pais, the son of stage actress Lisa Emery, plays the son. Cross (Bee Season) plays the daughter of Leigh and her husband (Black). Feiffer plays a neighbor.

The film is shooting in Long Island.

Turturro, who recently wrapped Robert De Niro’s “The Good Shepherd,” directed the musical “Romance & Cigarettes,” which is awaiting release in the U.S. His recent acting credits include Spike Lee’s “She Hate Me,” the Johnny Depp suspense film “Secret Window” and the Adam Sandler comedy “Anger Management.” Turturro won an Emmy in 2004 for a guest stint on USA Network’s “Monk.”

The top 50 highest-earning Australian entertainers.

THE love between glamour couple Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban isn’t the only thing that’s skyrocketing.

The pair are riding high on the list of Australia’s 50 richest entertainers for 2005.

Kidman, one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors, came in at No. 3 on the BRW list of top 50 Australian entertainers, with gross earnings of $22.3 million.

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Nicole Kidman’s production company Blossom Films has signed a deal with movie giant 20th Century Fox.

The Hollywood Reporter says that the deal is a three-year, ‘first-look’ feature film production deal.

The deal will see the offices of Kidman’s company housed on the 20th Century Fox lot and Blossom Films will develop movies for Kidman to star in and/or produce.

Blossom Films is currently developing an untitled spy adventure for Kidman to star in.