Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Ralph Fiennes is sure that distributors of his recently wrapped "The Duchess" film with Keira Knightley will push the sexual aspects of the story of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire — though in his view "it was her spirit that was remarkable. She was probably a normal woman with normal desires. She ended up in a menage-a-trios after her husband, in fact, had a love affair with her best friend. She also had a love affair with another man," says Fiennes, who plays the Duke of Devonshire the forthcoming film.

Referring to the true-life 18th century ancestor of the late Princess Diana, he adds, "She was a young woman who was quite open about her feelings, and romantic, and a vital, extroverted woman. She was a fashion setter of the day, engaged in liberal politics, and a compulsive gambler — while her husband was very much a contained man. He doesn't make life easy for her, with his repressed emotions. I suppose it's meant to be how we Brits are, as the cliche," he adds with a slight laugh.

Right now, Fiennes is juggling his schedule — simultaneously making the big-screen "The Reader" in Germany, beginning rehearsals for his London stage stint in "God of Carnage" that starts previews March 7, and promoting his "In Bruges" hit-man movie with Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as it expands its release.

Critics have raised the question of whether the Focus Features movie, with its offbeat comedy and witty lines by Irish playwright/director Martin McDonagh, might be too sophisticated for mainstream action movie devotees, while being too bloody for the art house crowd. However, Fiennes, who plays against type as a brutal crime boss in the flick, is confident: "There's an audience for the film." He allows, "It's not a date movie. It probably has more appeal for men."

SAUCY LADY: Even though the writers' strike took its toll on Julia Louis-Dreyfus's "New Adventures of Old Christine" series, the funny lady seems to have found an upside in her role as a front line picketer. She even reveled in the awkwardness of heading a crew that called out Eva Longoria Parker for crossing a line to finish a "Desperate Housewives" scene, as she tells Entertainment Weekly, "That was really fun. I'll picket anybody at any time."

With the sitcom newly back on the air after a nine month absence, she laments, in a story in the EW issue due out tomorrow (Feb. 22), "We were completely on a roll. It felt as if we were hitting our stride" — when production was halted in the midst of what would have been episode nine for this season due to the strike.

Now she's awaiting word on the show's future, keeping busy watching TV — "I'm a primary junkie … MSNBC, Keith Olbermann and all that" — and musing on such questions as whether Christine and her former character, Elaine Benes of "Seinfeld," would be friends.

"Christine and Elaine would hit it off for a couple of days, then there would be a huge falling out, and Elaine would start stalking Christine," she says. "That friendship would not last."

GREEN SCENE: Vanessa Carlton's new video for her latest single, "Hands on Me," has the pop songstress's hands traveling over her own garter and stocking clad thighs, among other views, catching some viewers by surprise. "It's a simple video," she notes. "It really just reflects the simplicity and purity of what the song is saying."

Carlton expects to be touring in support of her acclaimed "Heroes & Thieves" through most of the year, including "hotel cafe gigs, which I enjoy. I'm so proud of this record, I want to be performing it as long as possible."

Meanwhile, Carlton says she didn't have to think twice about offering her services to perform at Live Earth's environmental advocates event earlier this week at the model green home known as "the smart house" in Venice, Calif. "I'm a pretty green person, and I'm actively trying to become greener by the day," she says. "I use recyclables. I rarely use paper towels. I always bring nylon bags to the store with me. Little things you can do." Asked if she'd drive one of the new "smart fortwo" cars, Carlton laughs. "I do the other alternate transportation. I walk. I'm a pretty bad — I would say horrific — driver. My experience of driving is taxi cabs in New York City."

OSCAR NIGHT DELIGHT: Whatever else transpires at Elton John's annual AIDS foundation gala Sunday night (Feb. 24), appetites will be served. Chef Wayne Elias of Mark's Restaurant and Crumble Catering is again providing the edibles, with hors d'oeuvres including Napoli chicken Milanese with caper-lemon aioli, Chicken apple sausages wrapped in puff pastry with spicy brown mustard, and Colorado lamb medallions with horseradish cauliflower tapenade. The main entree features either steamed fillet of sole filled with a lobster mousse and asparagus tips with herbs sauce or beef tenderloin in an herb crust with red wine sauce and almond duchesse potatoes. The desserts include a bitter chocolate mousse with raspberry ragout, mini macadamia heart cookies dipped in dark chocolate, and mini tiramisu espresso cups.

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 2008 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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