• Alan Cumming apparently bribed Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin Kline to star in his film-directing debut for the price of a pint. Peoplenews reports that the charming Scot managed to sweet talk his pals into appearing in The Anniversary Party with Jennifer Jason Leigh for the smallest of fees. "Who could possibly believe that you could get a line-up like that for the price of a pint? That's what friends are for," he said. "They even did their own make-up!" The film, which is set against the backdrop of a couple's sixth wedding anniversary party, was made over 19 days in the house of an architect friend of Cumming's.

• US comedian Jimmy Fallon, soon to be seen in Steven Spielberg's mini-series Band of Brothers, is to be exposed as Eric Idle's love child in the sequel to spoof Beatles rockumentary The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash. Idle has spent years updating the 1978 cult classic, which he narrated and starred in as Dirk McQuickley, Sir Paul McCartney's alter ego. The sequel, Can't Buy Me Lunch, features unseen outttakes from the first movie and spoof interviews with David Bowie, Robin Williams, Tom Hanks and Steve Martin on how The Rutles changed their lives.

• Pop queen Madonna has snubbed spoof-rapper Ali G, by refusing to appear in his debut movie. Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, the rapper's creator, is hoping to make his name in America and had thought that a cameo from the pop star would secure the film an audience across the Atlantic. The comedian, 30, who won two BAFTA awards on Sunday starred as a limousine driver in Madonna's video for her smash Music and later hailed her as "my main b**** Maradonna (sic)". Baron Cohen moaned: "She's got too much stuff on the go and her schedule can't accommodate it."