Angelina Jolie, leading lady of Oliver Stone's Alexander and soon-to-be Billy Bob Thornton's (Bandits, Monster's Ball) ex-leading lady in real life, will star opposite Brad Pitt in Mr And Mrs Smith.

Earlier, Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman (The Hours) was to play the Hollywood heartthrob's wife. She (who, incidentally, is no longer wife of the other Hollywood heartthrob Tom Cruise) begged out, thanks to schedule conflicts.

Then, Catherine Zeta-Jones, wife of Michael Douglas, was considered a strong contender, says a report on go.movies.com. 

A racy adventure directed by Doug Liman, who impressed in the Matt Damon-starrer The Bourne Identity, Mr And Mrs Smith is about a regular couple who discover they are assasins hired to kill each other.

Hopkins may play daddy to Gwyneth

According to a report on ananova.com, Hollywood veteran Sir Anthony Hopkins is negotiating to play Gwyneth Paltrow's father in John Madden's Proof.

The poignant drama revolves around a dying mathematician who loses touch with reality. How he is forced to depend on his daughter forms the crux of the plot.

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Adapted from David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Proof also features Jake Gyllenhaal, star of Donnie Darko and The Good Girl, in a key role.

Sir Anthony will also appear in Oliver Stone's Alexander as Ptolemy; Irish hunk Colin Farrell plays the title role. Interestingly, Aussie director Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge) is also making a film on the legendary emperor with Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman in the lead.

Winslet dares to not-to-bare

A survey conducted by UK's The Daily Mirror revealed that Kate Winslet ranks tenth among actresses refusing to shed their clothes on screen.

A snippet in Guardian Unlimited added that British actress Helen Mirren (Gosford Park, The Madness Of King George) tops the list. And why not? The veteran has a 30-year lead over the star of Titanic, Quills and Iris.

Winslet, meanwhile, will feature in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind with Jim Carrey and J M Barries's Neverland with Johnny Depp.

Photo: Getty Images

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