Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

"ER" star Mekhi Phifer reports all he had to do was go through his Rolodex to round up such stellar talent as Delroy Lindo, Chris Brown, Idris Elba and Regina King for "This Christmas," premiering on the big screen Nov. 21.

"I personally contacted all the people before we even hired a casting director," says Phifer, who exec produced the film. "I made sure that I got Delroy locked down, Idris Elba and everybody else in the cast." Phifer says he only has "a small cameo in it because my schedule's been so tight on 'ER,' it wouldn't allow me to do anything else on the film. But the movie's so good I just wanted to be a part of it."

He says he's not even sure where he found the time to exec-produce the project. "There's still not enough time in the day, but it's about working hard and not getting a lot of sleep. … Just being out there, putting together deals, meeting with agents and managers and casting — it was fun. I love that aspect of it."

He adds, "I'm really happy we were able to produce the thing, cast it and get everybody in there. I think there are certain aspects to everybody's family in this. You know when the family gets together at Christmastime, there are the little regular family dramas and things like that, but love is always at the forefront, and love conquers all. We wanted to capture that spirit and make it real, not corny or cheesy, but still have a little bit of an edge."

SUPERNATURAL: Not that anyone would want the kind of work break that's gripping Hollywood due to the writers' strike, but there is a benefit for "Heroes'" latest hot up-and-comer Dana Davis. She'll get to rest her muscles. Davis reports she's been having to come up with superhuman reserves to play Monica Dawson, who has the power to replicate any physical motion she witnesses.

"I had no idea the job would be so physical and have all these stunts," says Davis, who joined the cast of the NBC hit this season. "They've been trying to get me to do as much as I can, and, oh gosh, we had to do a scene with me on the ceiling like a spider. I thought, 'This is going to be fun.' I wasn't expecting it to be scary, but once they got me up there, I was in so much physical pain, I was like, 'Oh my God, this hurts. … Can you guys bring me down?' I had to come down and try it again." She adds that just to get "one minute" of her on the ceiling "took six hours. I got used to it, but I was glad when it was over."

Davis adds, "I've really been getting into shape, so it's good." In fact, she jokes, "I have the new Hollywood workout.

I remember when we had to do a double-dutch jump-roping scene, and I thought, 'Oh, double-dutching, it's easy.' I double-dutched the whole day, and literally, the next day I couldn't move. I called my manager and said, 'You have no idea how bad I feel right now.' That was probably the worst I've ever felt in my life! Double-dutching works every muscle in your body."

HOLIDAY SPIRIT: Kimberley Locke admits she recorded her new "Christmas" album "in the dead of summer. I'd be in my car singing Christmas songs when it was 90 degrees outside in L.A.," laughs the songstress, who rose to fame on "American Idol" and who scored No. 1 hits with "Up on the Housetop" and "Jingle Bells" in '05 and '06 respectively. She adds, "It's interesting — even in the summer, the music has the same effect on you. It really was like Christmas in July for me."

Locke sets out with sax-man extraordinaire Dave Koz next week on a rigorous holiday tour. They're doing 20 dates in different cities between Nov. 23 and Dec. 22, so "I guess I'll be like Beyonce, doing my Christmas shopping on line. My manager said, 'You're not going to have time to go out shopping or any of that.'"

She's happy to be hitting the road with Koz and says they'll be duetting on some numbers on stage. She notes that "it's a different audience for me. I have always said I don't want to be pigeonholed into a particular genre. So pairing with a jazz artist like Dave at this time is exactly what I want to do."

FROM THE INSIDE LOOKING OUT: David Blue has been getting the kind of feedback Hollywood up-and-comers dream of, from both fans and critics, for his portrayal of nice guy Cliff St. Paul, the love interest of Michael Urie's Marc St. James character on "Ugly Betty." He tells us, "I've gotten the gamut of comments, from 'Hey, you're attractive' to notes thanking me for representing what the real world is like — real people in real relationships. I don't know if 'Ugly Betty' gets as much credit as it deserves for the way the show portrays gay and transgender people. At the same time, because of the show's humor, you watch with a smile on your face."

His newfound notice makes his sudden loss of momentum due to the Hollywood writers' strike that much more frustrating. Blue says his roommate, a screenwriter, "is also having a great year. Both of us are thinking, 'This is it! Our careers are really beginning now!' And bam! The strike. Maybe I'm a dreamer, but I hope people can realize the cost and come to a resolution soon."

With reports by Stephanie DuBois and Emily Fortune 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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