Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

When Miley Cyrus's "Hannah Montana: the Movie" gets released in April, fans of the 16-year-old superstar will be seeing their girl changing things up from the sitcom schtick and slapstick to which they're accustomed — and playing her character much closer to reality.

That's the word from Miley's costar and pal, Emily Osment. She tells us that Miley's alter-ego, Miley Stewart, is seen dealing with such real downsides of fame as being hounded by paparazzi — and getting carried away with her own stardom.

"That's why her father takes her back to Tennessee," says Osment, speaking of Billy Ray Cyrus's character, "so she can get back to herself." And, she predicts, audiences will be impressed by Miley's performance.

Osment, a major up-and-comer in her own right, is busy getting her debut album ready for release this year. She's had success with teen pop singles including a cover of "Once Upon a Dream" and the tune "I Don't Think About It," but the actress-singer — whose own tastes lean toward Radiohead and John Lennon — says she's going for a different, edgier sound on the album with songs she's written herself.

She'll also be seen as a character very different from Lilly on "Hannah Montana" in the February-debuting "Dadnapped" Disney Channel Original Movie. The cable picture has her as the daughter of a best-selling author who gets kidnapped by overzealous fans — and costars a gang of Disney Channel stars playing characters unlike their regular series parts.

LOOKING BACK: Cybill Shepherd, who stars on Showtime's "The L Word," tells us that joining the cast of the show two years ago was one of the best decisions she's ever made in her career.

"There was no reluctance at all," she says of being on the lesbian drama. "I had a meeting when it was originally created because I wanted to be in the pilot, but they went in a different direction with Pam Grier."

Fortunately for Cybill, the show found a place for her as a newly discovered lesbian.

"It was really such a fulfilling, fabulous thing to have been on the show. It really has given me another comeback in my career. It's challenged me and brought me an incredible new fan base. Everywhere I go people come up to me and thank me for being on 'The L Word.' I have women say, 'You know my husband watches 'The L Word' now because you're on it.' Or I'll have women say, 'Oh, I love you on 'The L Word,' but I'm not a lesbian."

Now that the show — returning for its final season Sunday (1/18) — is coming to an end, Shepherd admits the process of moving on has been bittersweet. "I was just on the last two years, but it's been on for six seasons, so everybody is kind of worn out. But we feel like we've accomplished so much. It was a really historical show — so important. Hopefully it's the beginning of many more wonderful shows that feature women and all our glory."

THE SETBACK WAS MOMENTARY: Former "Daily Show" correspondent Nate Corddry didn't have much time to sulk after the cancellation of his first major TV show, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." Not only is the actor anticipating the Sunday (1/18) premiere of his newest role on Showtime's "The United States of Tara," but he's also got three movies on the way. "I have a movie called 'Shelter' with Julianne Moore coming out in August, I believe. I've got 'The Ugly Truth,' which is a Katherine Heigl movie, and a Ricky Gervais movie called 'The Side of the Truth.' I also may do a play with my brother Rob, so we'll see," says Corddry, who also collaborated with his older brother Rob on the Internet series "Children's Hospital." "I hope to stay busy. Come on, '09!"

FUNNY BUSINESS: Tommy Smothers reports that when he and brother Dick and producer Paul Brownstein were going through the Smothers Brothers archival material at UCLA — part of their prep for DVD release of the vintage CBS "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" — they came across some gems. He tells us, "One letter was from 1969, and it said, 'Dear Mr. Smothers: Thank you for inquiring as to why there is no Department of Peace in the cabinet. We'll look into it.' Sincerely, Donald Rumsfeld."

With reports by 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 2008 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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