ROLL CALL: Felicity Loves Lindsay, & Liv Loves The Hulk

Your Daily Dispatch of Celebrity Shenanigans by Tommy Vergason

May 4, 2007

FELICITY LOVES LINDSAY: Felicity Huffman tells PARADE her thoughts on her “Georgia Rule” co-star Lindsay Lohan, whohas gotten lots of press over herpartying ways and infamous lateness to the set. “Lindsay was a complete and utter delight,” Huffman reportedly remarks. “The minute I met her I just loved her. She meets you with an open heart and wide-open eyes and gets right in there. She cares about the work. She throws herself in, 100 percent. I just adored her.” The film’s other star, Jane Fonda, told ACCESS earlier this week that she had offered Lindsay emotional support on the set, but Lindsay wasn’t in a place where she wanted it, so Jane didn’t push. Said Jane: “When a young person doesn’t have structure and a value-based foundation, and you overlay that with celebrity from 12-years-old, that’s hard.”

More Celebrity Scoop After the Video!

LOHAN’S LEASE ON LIFE: Another member of the Lohan clan makes news today, as THE NY POST’s CINDY ADAMS reports that Lindsay’s estranged father, Michael Lohan, is working as a minister on Long Island. Lohan, who was recently released from jail, reportedly tells Adams about this new direction in his life: “I took a correspondence course while I was away, and am now credentialed to be a minister. I’m not licensed or what you call officially ordained, but I am certified. I want to give back. I want to rescue young people. I want to help them. I want to show them the way. I’m a drug, alcohol and rehab counselor. It’s called Teen Challenges. And working here side by side with me is[actor] Stephen Baldwin.”

A REPRIEVE FOR ‘STUDIO 60’: A TV show that has been derided by some for being too “preachy” and “smart” is returning to the airwaves.Aaron Sorkin’s “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” debuted to much fanfare on NBC last fall, but quickly dropped in the ratings –and was eventually put on hiatus –but the final 5 filmed episodes are slated to start airing in May, once sweeps is over. One of the show’s stars, Amanda Peet, tells TV GUIDE about what went wrong with the show that seemed to have so much going for it. “It was definitely very ambitious,” she reportedly says, “but a part of me wonders if, had it been an unknown writer-creator instead of Aaron Sorkin (creator of “The West Wing”), we would have had more time to find our tone and focus. Because we were under a microscope from the moment we arrived, it was very difficult for the creators to feel free to follow the strengths of the show and see that through.”

LUDACRIS LECTURES: Rapper/actor Ludacris spoke at a “Tribeca Talks” panel this week at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC, where he reportedly spoke of his journey as an actor in Hollywood, reports ALLHIPHOP.COM. Ludacris reportedlysaid that a “whole new world” opened up to him when he made his acting debut in “2 Fast 2 Furious” four years ago, but admitted that there is a downside to working in the film industry. “[Studio executives]fear what they don’t know and they automatically stereotype people,”he reportedlysaid, adding that “being on someone else’s time [and] being in a controlled environment” were also drawbacks to working on film projects. Ludacris will next be seen reprising his role on “Law & Order:SVU,“along with an appearance inthe holiday movie “Fred Claus.”

HULK NEEDS LOVE TOO: In other movie news, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER announces thatLiv Tyler will star opposite Ed Norton in Marvel Studios’ “The Incredible Hulk,” signing on to play Betty Ross, the longtime love interest of Dr. Bruce Banner/the Hulk.The character of Ross, a staple in the “Hulk” comic book series, was last played on the big screen by Jennifer Connolly in the 2003 Ang Lee-directed “Hulk.” This new adaptation, directed by Louis Leterrier,has no relation to that film.

‘BURNING’ JOHN MALKOVICH: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER also reports that John Malkovich is in negotiations to star opposite George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand in the Coen brothers’ new film, “Burn After Reading.” The dark screwball comedy reportedly centers on Ozzie Cox (Malkovich), a former CIA agent who loses the disc of the memoir he is writing. McDormand will play Cox’s philandering wife, andClooney is set to play an assassin. Because the screenplay is being kept under wraps, it is unclear what Pitt’s character will be.