People: Dec. 11, 2006

BUT WHO WILL BE THE GODFATHER?

The slate for Sundance 2031 is looking promising. SOFIA COPPOLA, 35, the first American woman nominated for an Academy Award for directing and the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, just had her first child with boyfriend THOMAS MARS of the French rock band Phoenix. The couple named their daughter Romy, after Sofia’s brother Roman. Romy joins a Coppola clan that includes actors Nicolas Cage, Talia Shire and Jason Schwartzman. Expect some mighty slick birthday videos.

A SHOUT-OUT FOR UNDERSTANDING

While the entertainment world was snickering over Mel Gibson’s anti-Semitic outburst and mug shot, a couple of hip-hoppers took a stand against prejudice. This fall JAY-Z and RUSSELL SIMMONS filmed a public-service announcement calling anti-Semitism “a long word for racism.” The ad has been translated into four other languages, and will be broadcast in the U.S., Europe and South America in January. Simmons drafted his Def Jam pal to help out on the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding project because “Jay-Z’s got a bigger mouth than anybody,” says Simmons. “If he says it’s cool, it is.” Next is an ad about anti-Islamic bias. “What we have to focus on,” Simmons says, “is the sameness of us all.”

SCREEN

TEST

Face it, you’ll never be the one dancing with Mario Lopez. So take off your tap shoes and start doing this week’s pop-culture quiz.

1) Nicole Kidman just beat Julia Roberts and Reese Witherspoon to become:

A) Celebrity spokeswoman for the Ab Roller B) The romantic lead in a new Tim McGraw film about a down-on-his-luck bull rider C) The highest paid Hollywood actress in 2006, with a $17 million paycheck D) Philip Roth’s new fictional alter ego

2) Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson are divorcing after four months of marriage, as well as four:

A) Attempts to remove a Tommy Lee tattoo from Anderson’s lower back B) Weddings: in St. Tropez, Beverly Hills, Nashville and Detroit C) International adoptions of Baywatch fans D) Stolen sex tapes

3) After staying up all night drinking with George Clooney, Danny DeVito appeared on The View and:

A) Discussed his new Christmas comedy Deck the Halls B) Described himself and wife Rhea Perlman getting frisky in the Lincoln Bedroom during the Clinton era C) Did an impression of President Bush as one of the Three Stooges D) All of the above, but not much of A. And it looked like his fly was down

ANSWERS: 1) C; 2) B; 3) D

Q&A Julianne Moore

Four-time Academy Award nominee Julianne Moore made her Broadway debut last week in David Hare’s The Vertical Hour

Why Broadway now?

When I first came to New York I had every intention of being a theater actor. It just didn’t turn out that way. When [director] Sam [Mendes] sent the script, I was doing a film, but I kept thinking about the play. I mentioned it to Kate [Winslet, Mendes’ wife] at our kids’ nursery school, and the next day Sam showed up and said, “If you can commit right now, we’ll move it.” You’ve been directed by your husband [Bart Freundlich] three times, most recently in Trust the Man. How much of that film was autobiographical? What I’ve learned from Bart is that every character is the writer, just different aspects of them.

What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken professionally?

Just doing it, period, is a huge risk. [Laughs.] I love it, but it’s always terrifying. It’s incredibly difficult, and you always feel you’re just about to fail.

Do you think about the day when you’re no longer offered romantic leads?

I’m a character actor; I’m not particularly worried. Anjelica Huston said, “You’ll work. You’re just not going to be the prettiest kitty in the litter anymore.”

A director you’d like to work with?

[Martin] Scorsese. He’s got such dynamic vision. He makes an awful lot of movies with guys in them, that’s the only problem!

Do your kids know what you do?

My son ran lines with me. My daughter thinks I’m doing Little Red Riding Hood every night.