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FILM/TV BITS: Naomi, Ja-Rule join 'Cooking Showdown'; Law, Weisz join Norah film; Blige ready for Simone; 'Shrek-3'; Reyes in 'Girl(s).'
*Supermodel Naomi Campbell and rapper Ja Rule are among the famous faces booked to compete in Diddy’s upcoming NBC reality show “Celebrity Cooking Showdown.” Also taking part are "Days of Our Lives" star Alison Sweeney, country music performer Big Kenny, actor Tom Arnold, Tony Gonzales of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, volleyball star Gabrielle Reese, struggling singer Ashley Parker Angel and Miss USA 2005 Chelsea Cooley. Alan Thicke and Sandra Lee ("Semi-Homemade Cooking With Sandra Lee") will host the series, which airs five consecutive nights beginning April 17. Colin Cowie will serve as one of the two judges; the other has yet to be chosen. Diddy is executive producing the show along with Ben Silverman ("The Office") and David A. Hurwitz ("Fear Factor").
*Norah Jones will be joined by Jude Law and Oscar-winner Rachel Weisz in the untitled film from Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai. Wong said his first English-language movie tells a love story that takes place on the roads from New York to California.
*Mary J. Blige is anxious to get started on her big-screen debut as Nina Simone in the as-yet-untitled biopic of the legendary singer, but, "They're still writing the script," Blige told MTV recently. "That's the last news I've gotten." In the meantime, Blige has kept herself busy brushin up on Simone’s career. "She was just incredible," Blige noted. "The things we have in common is that we both move people, we're about truth, we stand up for what we believe in and we have morals at the end of the day. Her husband was managing her, and my husband manages me, and we're people that are not afraid to walk through the fire. Nina Simone was vocally incredible; she just gave you those goose bumps."
*Eddie Murphy will return as Donkey in “Shrek the Third,” the latest film of DreamWorks Animation’s “Shrek” franchise, due in theaters May 18, 2007. In this installment, Shrek and Fiona reluctantly reign over Far, Far Away. But if they can find the heir to the throne and bring him back, they can return to their swamp. While Shrek, Donkey and Puss in Boots are in search of the heir, Fiona holds off a coup d'etat by Prince Charming.
*“Scrubs” star Judy Reyes has been cast in the MCC Theater production of Neil LaBute's “Some Girl(s),” which will begin performances at New York’s Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street) on May 17. She joins Eric McCormack, Fran Drescher, Brooke Smith and Maura Tierney in the play about a soon-to-be-married man as he pays a last visit to four ex-girlfriends before taking the plunge. Reyes will play the role of Chicago artist Tyler. Some Girl(s), directed by Jo Bonney, is scheduled to officially open on June 8 and run through June 24.
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