Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

DEAR STACY: I like Ana Ortiz of "Ugly Betty." Can you tell me a little about her background? — Claudia G., Cleveland, Ohio

DEAR CLAUDIA: Born in Manhattan and raised in Philadelphia, the 36-year-old is the daughter of Angel L. Ortiz, the first Puerto Rican city councilman in the Philadelphia City Council. Her mother is altruistically inclined, with activities including running a soup kitchen in New York City and working with autistic children.

Ana learned her craft at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York — immortalized in "Fame" — and Philadelphia's University of the Arts before beginning her career on stage in regional and touring productions of "Dangerous Liaisons" and "Hair." She appeared in a number of episodic shows, including "NYPD Blue" and "ER," before landing her first series regular role, as Kristin in "Everybody Loves Raymond." This past June, she married musician Noah Lebenzon. Ana says she didn't have to look far to find inspiration for Hilda, by the way. "My cousins will watch the show and they'll call me up and be like, 'You were totally imitating me! I know you were.' I'm like, 'Well, maybe I was a little,'" she admits. "But they love it and couldn't be more supportive."

DEAR STACY: I saw on the Internet that Jason Earles is 30 years old! I can't believe it. True? — D.J., Springfield, Mass.

DEAR D.J.: Multiple reports have April 26, 1977, as the birth date for the actor, who plays Miley Cyrus's teenage big brother on "Hannah Montana." However, Disney Channel reps insist: "He's in his 20s." Where in his 20s? They're not saying. He's cute, though.

DEAR STACY: I loved Chris Pratt on "Everwood." What's he been up to lately? —Lizzie D., Holbrook, N.Y.

DEAR LIZZIE: The 28-year-old actor, who also played Che on "The O.C.," in its fourth season, has four movies in the can. He'll be seen in the March release action thriller "Wanted," starring Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman. He also has the comedies "Deep in the Valley," which deals with an adult film alternate universe and features Denise Richards and Kimberly Kardashian; "Kids in America," with Topher Grace and Anna Faris; and "Wieners," with Kenan Thompson and Jenny McCarthy.

DEAR STACY: I saw at the end of an old "JAG" episode the words: "In memory of Trevor Goddard." I know he died in 2003.

Was it in a car accident, as I heard? I also heard he had to jump off a building while filming a movie and landed in a bad way. Please set the record straight. — Jaime S., N.Y.

DEAR JAIME: According to the L.A. County coroner's office, the one-time professional boxer, who played Mic Brumby on "JAG," died from an overdose of heroin, cocaine, Valium and Vicodin in June 2003. He hailed from Croydon, Surrey, England, though he passed himself off as Australian. He was 37.

DEAR STACY: Does anyone hear from Kelly McGillis of "Top Gun" and "Witness" fame anymore? She used to be so big. — Ted H., Bloomfield, N.J.

DEAR TED: McGillis has a role in the upcoming fifth season of Showtime's "The L Word" playing a military attorney involved in a don't-ask-don't-tell case. She toured in a production of "The Graduate" in 2004 and did a Lifetime movie after that. McGillis' career came to a standstill when she took several years away from the screen to focus on family life (she has two daughters) and occasional plays. She also battled a weight problem. She never recaptured the momentum of her early success, but she insisted she has no regrets: "The time I took enriched my life greatly. I've been able to step away and age and not feel compelled to run off to a plastic surgeon to compete with 25-year-olds."

DEAR STACY: Do Mike Nichols and Diane Sawyer have any children? — Nancy G., Yonkers, NY

DEAR NANCY: Nichols has three grown children from two of his past three marriages. He and Sawyer do not have children together.

DEAR STACY: There was a TV movie on a while ago with Reba McEntire, where she played a woman who'd been in a coma for 20 years, while her best friend and her husband fell in love. I'd like to see it again. Can you tell me the name? - Jane K., Torrance, Calif.

DEAR JAN: You're thinking of the 1998 telepic "Forever Love," with Reba, Tim Matheson and Bess Armstrong. It was released on video, but not DVD.

With reports by Stephanie DuBois and Emily Feimster.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2007 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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