Q&A: Alexis Bledel
You might not approve of Alexis Bledel's latest squeeze on "Gilmore Girls." But in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," all her relatives hate her boyfriend. She spoke to NEWSWEEK's Ramin Setoodeh.
You shot the movie in Greece--and held a fish?
It was gross. I felt bad because they had somebody from the humane society but for fish--the fish society, of some sort--in Greece. We're scrambling to get the shot in time so the fish isn't out of water for too long.
Did you kill any?
No, but I was terrified.
You rode a donkey, too.
We had a couple of donkeys. There was the temperamental donkey and there was the donkey who acted like he was high.
Do you think the handler slipped him something?
That's probably against the donkey- protection program in Greece.
There's a swimming scene in "Sisterhood" exactly like "Tuck Everlasting."
I know, how weird is that? It's not my favorite thing to strip down. But it keeps happening.
Season three of the "Gilmore Girls" just came out on DVD. Do you like doing the commentaries?
They make us. I sometimes don't want to. I watch these other TV shows from our network and I've never seen one where the actress does commentary. I feel like I'm getting duped because I have to do a commentary every couple of weeks.
How do you talk so fast on the show?
It's really hard. You have to measure your breaths. I've found a good rhythm to it--once you get into it, it doesn't feel as fast as it is.
Could you get a Vespa on "Gilmore Girls," like the one in this movie?
I wish. It's the most wonderful thing when you're on the set and they clear the street. You can just tear down. But Rory would probably get a cute Vespa with a matching helmet.
A New Idol Is Born
The most surprising thing about the "American Idol" finale? Not that Carrie Underwood beat Bo Bice--Simon Cowell touted her from the beginning. And not that 2003 finalist Matt Rogers hit on the First Lady of Oklahoma--isn't this year's "Idol" all about inappropriate relationships? No, the real shocker is that the show received 500million votes this season. If only 1 percent of those folks buy Carrie's first single, she'll have enough money to buy Oklahoma.
--Marc Peyser
Spector in Court: It's Not The Heat, It's the Humidity
Like the white tiger, the white Afro is a rare and endangered beast. Fortunately, Phil Spector didn't let a murder trial stop him from showing off one of the finest examples of the form since Art Garfunkel. Whether or not Spector's look will figure into his Sept. 16 trial remains to be seen. Perhaps the 'fro will be part of an insanity defense. Or will Spector claim he can't go to jail because depriving him of his hair pick would be cruel and unusual punishment?
--Marc Peyser
Stop Him Before He Shares Again, and Again
Tom Cruise on Katie Holmes: I'm really, really, really happy, and I can't contain it. And I'm not going to pretend. I was looking at her (and thinking), "Man, you are so cool." We go scuba diving together. She likes all this stuff that I love to do. She's funny and smart. I love this woman. She's magnificent!
ON WHETHER HE'LL PROPOSE: I gotta discuss it with her.
ON WOMEN: They smell good. They look pretty. I love women. I do.
ON BROOKE SHIELDS'S POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION: You can use vitamins to help a woman through those things.