Spanish lovely Penélope Cruz has confirmed for the first time that she is going out with Tom Cruise. The actress' manager Katrina Bayonas says the two have been a couple since Tom's birthday earlier this month. Cruise's spokeswoman Pat Kingsley earlier said the pair, who star in new movie Vanilla Sky together, have started seeing each other.

Sylvester Stallone is oiling up and reaching for his Bowie knife again - as Rambo IV lumbers into production. Stallone, 55, became a major league Hollywood star after the first blood-soaked Rambo movie, First Blood, destroyed box-offices in 1982. Two others followed in 1985 and 1988 between Rocky movies, and caused a generation of kids to buy toy knives with compasses on the end of them. Rambo III raked in nearly $200 million at the box office - indicating that massive profits could be reaped from another instalment. When first asked about returning to the franchise, Sly said, "I don't know if I'd look good in a thong anymore." But now, Miramax chairman Bob Weinstein says Rambo IV is in the stages for a re-script this summer - with at least a $50 million budget. Weinstein says, "We'd love nothing more than for Stallone to be involved. We think it's a billion-dollar property." The new script involves Rambo tackling drug dealers in an American government building.

James Gandolfini of hit American show The Sopranos missed The Television Critics Association dinner - after his family threatened him. Gandolfini, who plays mob boss on television, was cited for Individual Achievement In A Drama for the second year in a row at the dinner in Pasadena, America. The star explained his absence in a videotaped acceptance speech. He says, "I'm sorry I can't be there. It's my sister's 50th birthday party, and my family would truly kill me if I didn't go." Gandolfini was unaware that the gathering was actually for him - an early surprise 40th birthday party. Some 250 revellers, including Alec Baldwin and Sopranos cast members Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Tony Sirico, Steve Van Zandt, Vincent Pastore and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, gathered in a West Village, Manhattan, New York loft. The Sopranos grabbed three awards in total at the ceremony held on Saturday.

Gorgeous Jennifer Lopez was left stunned by a cheeky request from a fan - who asked her to autograph his bare bottom. Jen, who was dining with friends in a Hollywood cafe, eventually agreed to sign the guy's exposed backside with a marker pen. A friend of the star, famous for her own shapely backside, explains, "This guy reckoned his butt would be the talk of his neighborhood after Jennifer signed it. He said it he was going to show it to everyone. Jennifer was pretty embarrassed, but the guy pleaded with her to sign. So she quickly did it - and he walked off a very happy guy."

British actresses Emma Thompson and Julie Walters are backing the Baby Milk Action campaign against food giant Nestle. Julie has joined new-mother Emma, who has a 19-month-old daughter Gaia, in boycotting the firm. Nestle has been providing powdered baby formula to mothers in the third world and discouraging breast feeding, despite breast milk being shown to have more nutrients, essential for baby's health. Nestle is sponsoring the Perrier Awards at the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, which demonstrates the best comedy talent from the British isles. Now a host of comedians are refusing to attend or perform until Nestle is disassociated from the event.

Actor Richard Gere ran into trouble while filming Unfaithful - because he doesn't eat meat and can't stand to have it near him. The thriller directed by Adrian Lyne is being filmed in New York and co-stars Diane Lane and a terrier dog. But because Gere is a Buddhist, he stays as far away from meat as possible, and balked at the request for him to keep a piece of meat in his pocket during a scene in the film. It was explained to Gere that dogs react better in front of the camera and do not stray when they smell meat close by. But Gere wouldn't go along with it, and held up the scene until a meat substitute could be found - Gere's pockets were eventually filled with cookies.

Director Tim Burton claims reporters have over-reacted about his last-minute fiddling with Planet Of The Apes - because all good films are worked on until the last second. The big-budget remake of the classic 1960 sci-fi film, which stars Mark Wahlberg and Helena Bonham Carter, had the media panicked after reports of Batman helmer Burton's frantic alterations ahead of Friday's release date. But the director fumes, "I mean, how is this news? What person who's working on a film isn't, like, going crazy or working on it right to the end? Those last two weeks you're wanting to kill yourself. They have to grab the film can from your clenched fist. "What would be a lot more interesting would be if you found a filmmaker who says, 'Great, I finished my movie and handed it to the studio two weeks before release. I'm going on vacation now.'" Apparently the tinkering is over, studio publicists had prints available for press screenings earlier this week.

A shocking film about Hollywood's indiscretions is one step closer to being made - after James Gandolfini, Sigourney Weaver and Melanie Griffith threw their star power behind it. On Sunday in Manhattan, a script reading took place of Indecent Exposure, the David McLintock book about the late David Begelman, an agent-producer who fleeced studios and clients of a fortune. Sopranos star Gandolfini gave a stunning performance as Begelman - one viewer comments, "It was almost type-casting. All Jim has to do to play a Hollywood crook is to swap the leather jacket for an Armani suit." At the reading, James Woods played New York financier Alan Hirschfield, Weaver flew in from Texas to read the part of Sandi Bennett, Melanie Griffith was secretary Connie Danielson and Stanley Tucci played Wall Street legend Herb Allen. Julianna Margulies, Steve Buscemi and Giovanni Ribisi also played parts in the reading. The producers have owned the rights to the book for 14 years, but the film, which would portray Hollywood in a bad light, has still not been made.

Aussie star Paul Hogan has defended his decision to bring Crocodile Dundee back to the big screen after 13 years. Crocodile Dundee In Los Angeles sank without trace in America, but the actor says he has high hopes when the movie - the third in the series - is released in Britain next month. The $40 million film focuses on Hogan's character Mick Dundee, taking on the mob in Beverly Hills. The 60-year-old says of the new film, "The thing about Mick is that nothing has changed for him. He's a mythical Australian that we hope is still out there somewhere and you want to run into him in the Bush. I know I said I wouldn't make another but I began to miss him. I wondered what he was doing with himself." Crocodile Dundee took over $286 million worldwide in 1986, and the sequel two years later netted $221 million.

Despite his lack of love for California, Woody Allen's three jazz concerts sold out in less than 10 minutes Monday, as fans snatched up tickets for his first West Coast tour. Tickets for a Seattle, Washington, show sold out in just four minutes, while a second show has been added to Los Angeles' Jazz Bakery. New Yorker Allen plays the clarinet with Eddy Davis & His New Orleans Jazz Band, which performs regularly at his home city's Carlyle Hotel.