Issue Date: September 20, 2009
No one on TV can heat up my blood like Australian actor Alex O'Loughlin, who starred in "Moonlight."
Carole Summers, Sylmar, Calif.
You will be happy to know that CBS, which canceled that short-lived vampire series, has O'Loughlin, 34, in the fall drama "Three Rivers" as a transplant surgeon. He's the best thing about the show, which premieres Oct. 4. Much of the pilot is cliché, but with sharper writing and some imaginative character development, it might have a chance.
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What has Emile Hirsch been doing since he was in last fall's film "Milk?"
Morgan Loewith, St. Louis
"You can quote me"
"I just hope I don't throw up or cry from nerves."
-- Melissa Joan Hart, one of 16 "Dancing With the Stars" competitors
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After he made "Taking Woodstock," which came out last month, Hirsch, 24, went to Zimbabwe as an Oxfam ambassador. He got involved with that charity, which fights poverty and injustice, after "Into the Wild," in which his character donated his life savings to Oxfam. In October, he'll begin working on a contemporary version of "Hamlet."
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Melissa Joan Hart will be on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" this season, but does she plan to ever return to acting?
Jared Scott Tesler, Rochester, N.Y.
Someday, Jared. But for now, Hart, who is one of the 16 celebrity contestants on "DWTS," premiering Monday, is focused on balancing the rehearsal of her high kicks with worrying about how her two sons, Mason, 3, and Braydon, 18 months, are faring without her. Husband Mark Wilkerson and the boys will be in L.A. with Hart during only part of the show's fall run; the rest of the time they'll be at home in Connecticut, where the family recently moved. "I'm so afraid I'll miss them so much that I'm not going to be able to concentrate on dancing," Hart tells us. Still, she hopes her own childhood experience with ballet has prepared her to beat -- at the very least -- fellow contestant (and former congressman) Tom DeLay.
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Who is the adorable young actor who plays M.J. Delfino on ABC's "Desperate Housewives?"
Diane Hampton, Armstrong, Iowa
Mason Vale Cotton, 7, is M.J., who almost died during "Housewives'" fifth-season finale. But he'll be back when the sixth season begins on Sept. 27.
His older brother, Maxwell Perry Cotton, 9, plays Sally Field's grandson Cooper Whedon on ABC's "Brothers & Sisters," which follows "Housewives" on Sunday nights.
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I'm still wondering what happened to James Woods after his series, "Shark," was canceled.
Bonnie Keeton, Redfield, Iowa
He's a hard man to track down, but here is what we found: Woods, 62, has begun shooting a new version of the controversial 1971 film "Straw Dogs." And he'll play himself again on Fox's "Family Guy" for three more episodes this season. In this animated Fox comedy series, Woods plays himself. "He's from Rhode Island, and the show is based in Rhode Island," casting director Linda Lamontagne says. "I think we knew he was a fan of the show. He's very funny."
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Who's hot in Hollywood
The Emmys air this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Shohreh Aghdashloo, 57, says her first nod (supporting actress in a TV movie) is an honor. She played Saddam Hussein's wife in "House of Saddam." "[A well-known Iraqi] called me a couple of months ago and said, 'She likes it.' I asked, 'Why?' And he said, 'Because you played her with class.' " ... Jack McBrayer, aka Kenneth the Page on NBC's "30 Rock," will walk the red carpet as a nominee (supporting actor in a comedy). "I don't like when strangers are yelling at me," McBrayer, 36, tells us. "I'm a sweaty mess, wearing a loaner tuxedo and being asked questions I don't necessarily know the answers to. It's like a math quiz." ... "24"'s Cherry Jones, up for supporting actress in a drama, probably won't be in a free designer dress: "When you're 28 and a size 0, that's one thing. But I'm 52 and a size 12."
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Birthday buzz
September 20: Sophia Loren, 75
September 21: Nicole Richie, 28; Faith Hill, 42; Stephen King, 62
September 22: Joan Jett, 51
September 23: Bruce Springsteen, 60
September 24: Kevin Sorbo, 51
September 25: Catherine Zeta-Jones, 40; Will Smith, 41; Michael Douglas, 65
September 26: Serena Williams, 28
Contributing: Gayle Jo Carter, Lauren Cohen, Nancy Mills, Vi-An Nguyen, Jon Tollestrup
 Ask Lorrie Lynch a question about a celeb!
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