Michael Madsen is attached to over 20 film projects, according to Internet sources. Well, not quite. Some of the most-used, best-known movie sites are "pretty notorious for giving out false information," declares the actor, who tells us he's focused on just a few films.

"I was hoping to be involved in 'Inglorious Bastards,' but I'm not really sure what's going on with that," he says about pal Quentin Tarantino's next project. "I think the entire screenplay has been rewritten to accommodate Brad Pitt, so that kind of changes everything for me." Madsen admits it isn't good news on his end, "but that's a question for Quentin, not me," he adds.

The actor has also been linked to "Sin City 2," but no official word has been given. "I just called Robert Rodriguez yesterday and asked him to call me back to see what the status is. I've always been on the radar for that, so I hope it comes together."

For now, Madsen's got plenty of other films — including the current "Hell Ride," Larry Bishop's modern day take on those 1960s motorcycle flicks he used to turn out for B-movie masters American International Pictures, in which Dennis Hopper also stars. Madsen is most excited about "Strength and Honour." The actor says he quit smoking and got in great physical shape to play the prize-fighting boxer in the movie currently appearing at film festivals in hopes of getting distribution. The project proved to be a nice change for Madsen, who says he's been growing tired of playing the villain.

"I don't want to be the guy that everybody calls up when they want to throw somebody out of the window. It's very, very hard to break the mold once people have a set opinion about you. Nobody wants to remember 'Free Willy' or 'Wyatt Earp' for some reason," he notes. "Even when 'Strength and Honour' came along, they asked me to play the villain and I said no. It took a couple of months for the director to convince the finance department to let me play the other part, but I held out for it and I think it paid off."

THE VIDEOLAND VIEW: "Ugly Betty's" Mark Indelicato, who plays the fashion-loving Justin, says the New York-set show is already benefiting from moving its production from West to East Coast. "I think that it's definitely changed the whole look of the show as far as the set, costumes, hair — everything is completely different, in a positive way. New York has a character of its own so it's kind of hard to copy that in Los Angeles. It's going to be better for the show being in New York."

According to Indelicato, we'll also be seeing some more familiar themes. "It's going back to the way it was in season one where Betty was just being Betty. There's no drama with everything. It's just that heartfelt show that it was before."

Indelicato is branching out this year by trying to break into the music business. Despite his success in the acting world, he admits the music industry is a whole different ball game. "I'm working on a demo right now and I'm co-writing a lot of the songs. It's going to be like a pop/techno/electronic feel," he says of the project. "When I started acting, I started singing so this isn't a newfound passion. I've just never gotten to pursue it very professionally so this is going to be my chance. It's just been quite a new experience for me."

FEELING THE ELECTRICITY: Filmmaker Arnaud Durieux is flying to London to document the first AC/DC video that has been shot in years. The reclusive band is planning a tour.

BLESS THE BEASTS: Photographer Steven Klein's recent Mane Event benefit — with star attraction Gwyneth Paltrow as co-host — for the Amaryllis Equine Foundation raised more than $200,000 for the organization dedicated to stopping the slaughter of horses, ponies, donkeys and mules for dog meat. Held at Klein's Bridgehampton, N.Y. estate, the gala also boasted Madonna as honorary chair, but it turned out she was too tied up in tour rehearsals to attend.

Famed painter Hunt Slonem and animal advocate Frances Hayward have donated a bunny painting titled "Hutch" to be auctioned at www.humanesocietyny.org. The auction goes through Sept. 1. Russell Simmons and his flame — or should we say one of his flames — model Paige Butcher, Howard Stern's fiance Beth Ostosky, and CBS' Wendy Diamond were the first to see it when it was unveiled at New York's Grey Gardens "Art For Animals" dinner party.

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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