Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

DEAR STACY: What's happened to Edward Herrmann, who gave such a great performance as Franklin Roosevelt in "Eleanor and Franklin" back in the '70s? I don't think I've seen him since "Gilmore Girls." — Claire T., Spokane, Wash.

DEAR CLAIRE: Lately he's been making "Born to be a Star," an indie film with Christina Ricci, and Nick Swardson playing a 27-year-old slacker who works as a bag boy and lives with his parents — and one day discovers that Dad (Herrmann) and Mom (Miriam Flynn) were legendary porn stars 30 years ago and becomes convinced adult film is his destiny as well. He's also in "The Skeptic," a forthcoming horror thriller with Tim Daly, for release this year. Recent credits include "Law & Order" and "Grey's Anatomy." Herrmann also does voice work for Dodge and The History Channel.

DEAR STACY: Tristan Wilds is the best thing about "90210," hands down. Where have we seen him before? — Tracey W., Brooklyn, N.Y.

DEAR TRACEY: The 19-year-old native of Staten Island was previously on HBO's "The Wire." He was also featured in the big-screen "Half Nelson" and "The Secret Life of Bees" — and in Alicia Keys, Lil' Flip and Jay-Z videos. Perhaps you've seen him modeling for Rocawear. The star-on-the-rise is also in "Red Tails," George Lucas' upcoming movie about World War II's Tuskegee Airmen, with Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding, Jr.

DEAR STACY: I've become a fan of Rachel Maddow of MSNBC and would like to know more about her. Please give some information. — Kelsey C., Carmel, N.Y.

DEAR KELSEY: The 36-year-old talk radio personality and host of her eponymously named MSNBC program, hails from Castro Valley, California. Her brilliant academic career includes graduating from Stanford with a degree in public policy in 1994, attaining a John Gardner Fellowship and a Rhodes Scholarship (the first openly gay American to win one), and completing her Doctor of Philosophy degree in political science from the University of Oxford. Post-Stanford, Maddow was an activist with ACT UP and the AIDS Legal Referral Panel, then focused her efforts on prison reform for AIDS patients. She was living in western Massachusetts, finishing her dissertation on the subject, when on a whim, she tried out for a job as a morning radio sidekick and landed the job. Success followed on-air success. When Air America launched in 2004, Maddow lobbied the network to bring her aboard.

DEAR STACY: Is there going to be a sequel to "Beverly Hills Chihuahua"? — Casey M., New Port Richey, Fla.

DEAR CASEY: "It's a maybe," said George Lopez, when I asked the star recently about a follow-up to the Disney hit. He also said he would be willing to reprise his voice role as leading dog Papi. However, he pointed out, "Unfortunately, it costs a lot to make a Chihuahua talk and cry. That tear at the end? That cost $150,000."

DEAR STACY: Please give an update on Danielle Fishel, who used to play Topanga on "Boy Meets World." — Sandy D., Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

DEAR SANDY: Fishel has recently been balancing her cable TV gigs — hosting the weekly "The Dish" program on the Style network, a counterpart to "The Soup" on its sister E! Entertainment network, as well as Fuse TV's "The Fuse 20" — with studying psychology. She envisions having a marriage and family therapy practice one day, specializing in helping children of divorce. "I really wanted to get my degree," says Danielle, now 27 and enrolled in college classes in Orange County, Calif. She admits that returning to school "was scary for me … I was afraid I'd be the oldest student in all my classes."

DEAR STACY: What's become of the beautiful Olivia Hussey? — Alan P., Brooklyn, N.Y.

DEAR ALAN: Now 58, Hussey lives in Los Angeles and continues to work, albeit in lower-profile fare than during her heyday following 1968's "Romeo and Juliet." She played the title role in 2003's Italian-made "Mother Teresa of Calcutta" TV film and had roles in the 2008 movies "Three Priests" and "Chinaman's Chance." In 2005, she was in the movie "Headspace" with her daughter, India Eisley, 15, who now plays Ashley Juergens on "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." Hussey, who has battled agoraphobia for many years via meditation, has been wed to musician-actor David Glen Eisley since 1991. She also has sons Alexander and Max from her first two marriages, to the late Dean Paul Martin and to Japanese pop star Akira Fuse.

DEAR STACY: I know that Anthony LaPaglia and Jonathan LaPaglia are brothers. Any other actor siblings in this talented family? — Just Wondering, La Habra, Calif.

DEAR WONDERING: The LaPaglias have another brother, Michael, but he is not in show biz; he's a car wholesaler.

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 2009 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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