Vincent Gallo has been accused of pulling a three-page essay he penned for a publication at the last minute - due to the magazine's refusal to place a self- portrait on the cover. The Village Voice's editor-in-chief Don Furst refused to run the actor's full-page photo self-portrait on the front page - which led to Gallo's withdrawal of his written editorial. Voice publicity director Jessica Bellucci tells gossip site Pagesix.Com, "We all thought it was a terrific piece, and we're sorry we're not running it. When he got wind that we wanted to use another image for the cover, he got all bent out of shape and pulled the whole thing." Gallo fumes the "egocentric and out-of-control" Furst sabotaged the project. He says, "I don't regret writing the essay or taking the pictures. But for the Voice to call a gossip column and cry victim is outrageous. They owe me a long apology and flowers. The Voice f***** me, plain and simple."

Robert Blake's murder trial will see a former private investigator testifying months ahead of time due to his age. William Jordan's testimony will still be admitted at the trial - although the 'conditional examination' was taken Friday under the request of prosecutors who said that his age of 70 may make him unavailable when the case comes to court. The trial of Blake over the murder of his 44-year-old wife Bonny Lee Bakley, who he married just months before she died, is now scheduled to start on November 1. According to a police affidavit, Blake hired Jordan in September 2000 - in anticipation of child custody proceedings over his daughter Rose. Evidence shows Blake spoke with Jordan often up to the time of Bakley's murder - and that he was later hired to join the actor's defense team. Blake is free on $1.5 million bail but he remains under house arrest.

South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker have made a shocking Thunderbirds spoof movie - featuring graphic scenes of puppets having sex. The controversial duo hope to spark controversy with the big-budget Paramount movie, Team America: World Police which mocks President George W. Bush's pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and has already been given an adult rating by US film censors. Stone explains, "Watching puppets discuss life and death issues is just funny." Parker adds, "See it before passing judgement." The British Board Of Film Classification says, "Terrorism is not funny. We need to see this film before making any decision as to what certificate it is given." The controversial movie will hit cinemas worldwide this autumn.

Charlize Theron's Oscar win has given the actress the power to veto naked scenes she films - if she doesn't like them. The South African actress insists she doesn't mind baring all in movies but she does have a clause in contracts that allows her to cut out titillating scenes - if she doesn't think they're necessary. The Monster star says, "I always have it in my clause that if I see the film and I don't think it's appropriate or I do feel like somebody is trying to take advantage of me I can pull it. I like having that trust with the director, where you don't have to shoot it in these barriers of, 'You can only shoot this, or shoot that,' because then there's really no room for anything good to happen. I don't think I could ever do those scenes unless I have complete trust in the director. It's not like, 'You can only show my left nipple and not my right nipple.' I'm more like, 'Shoot it the way you really feel it needs to be shot and let me see it.'"

Star Wars creator George Lucas could be poised to make three sequels to the original space opera trilogy, according to insiders at Lucasfilm. According to fan site Theforce.Net, employees at Lucas's company Industrial Light And Magic (ILM) have all been made to sign non-disclosure agreements to promise not to talk about the possibility of episode's seven, eight and nine being made. Now industry insiders are predicting the American Graffiti director will make the follow-ups, which pick up where 1983's Return Of The Jedi left off, despite insisting he would never be lured into filming them. A posting on the site says, "You didn't hear this from me, but you might be curious as to why everyone at ILM just signed NDA's saying that they will not discuss Star Wars episodes 7, 8, or 9. Since they're not being made, why the NDA's? Of course, since when has Lucas been consistent?"

British actress Samantha Morton has hit out at countryman Gary Oldman - for refusing to read a low-budget film script. The In America star, 27, has blasted big-budget actors for being swayed only by cash when choosing their next film role. And is furious her own reputation has suffered simply because she's eager to make honest and credible films. Morton says, "I used to be, and still am, considered very difficult. I think, 'What is difficult?' If I'm put in an uncomfortable environment, I become defensive. We really want Gary Oldman for a part in my next film, River Queen, but we cannot even get him a script because he won't read anything we send him unless we offer him a million. I mean, how sad is that? These actors get people to do everything for them and five years down the line they don't know how to pay their bills or even cook their own food."

Cast and filmmakers of Goodfellas have reunited for an Italian meal 15 years after they shot Martin Scorsese's classic gangster movie. Warner Home Video arranged last Monday's dinner party at Matteo's restaurant, Los Angeles, to promote the special- edition DVD release of Goodfellas and were thrilled actors Ray Liotta, Paul Sorvino and real-life mob informant Henry Hill - who inspired the story - accepted the invitation to "break bread not legs." The movie's director, Scorsese was unable to attend because he's working on new film The Aviator, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci - who won a supporting actor Oscar for his Tommy DeVito character - were also absent. Liotta admits he eats at Matteo's so often they named a dish after him, "It's called on the menu 'The Ray Liotta' Actually my ex is the one who ate it all the time. I always had this. But I guess somebody else already had the chicken parm." Sorvino, who played mob boss Paulie Cicero, recalls, "I wanted the role so bad! I think Marty had me in mind for it early on. So I said, 'I don't think the money is quite right.' He said, 'I'll take care of that!' And after I walked out I thought, 'I've just hoodwinked the greatest director in the world.'" Hill, now 62, was removed from the Witness Protection Program for illegal acts, but says, "I'm not afraid for my life anymore. Most of the people I informed on have died in prison. And a lot of gangsters, myself included, are Goodfellas fans."

The release of U2's new album is going ahead as planned - despite the theft of a CD containing new tracks last month. The band, who panicked when a copy of their new songs went missing during a photo session in Nice, France, will release the still-as-yet-untitled LP as scheduled on November 23 - while their single "Vertigo" will be played on the radio from September. U2 were prepared to rush through the release of the album after the CD disappeared. Frontman Bono said at the time, "If it is on the internet this week, we will release it immediately as a legal download on iTunes, and get hard copies into the shops by the end of the month. It would be a real pity. It would screw up years of work and months of planning, not to mention f***ing up our holidays. But once it's out, it's out."

Newly single Ethan Hawke stunned onlookers at Manhattan's Trailer Bar last Sunday by spending most of the night "downing drinks" alone. The Before Sunset hunk - who separated from wife Uma Thurman last year - caused raised eyebrows as he consumed beverage after beverage at the bar in the city's trendy Chelsea district. And onlookers were even more stunned when, later that night, he phoned a mystery woman and begged her to join him. The lady obliged and, according to Page Six.com, the couple put on a lusty display and drank solidly until the bar closed.

Acclaimed animated movie Finding Nemo is taking to the ice this winter for a new show. The Disney-pixar film about a fish's adventure is getting a live-action makeover with elaborate costumes and choreographed routines inspired by the popular animated film. Finding Nemo begins its 13-city tour in Lakeland, Florida, on September 3, with its final stop being in Raleigh, North Carolina, on December 8-12.

Former child star Corey Feldman is a first-time dad, after his wife gave birth to a boy earlier this month. The Lost Boys star Feldman, 32, and 21-year-old Susie Sprague Feldman welcomed Zen Scott into the world on 7 August in Los Angeles. The couple's wedding ceremony aired on the final episode of reality show The Surreal Life early last year.