People

Roberts filming new flick

New Haven, Conn. The stately halls of Yale University got a shot of Hollywood glamour this weekend with Julia Roberts in town to shoot scenes for her new movie, “Mona Lisa Smile.”

Yale stands in for the Massachusetts campus of Wellesley College in 1953 for the movie about an art history professor, played by Roberts, who helps young female students find themselves.

Giant tents have been set up on the New Haven Green to accommodate the film crew. Shooting will take place in a Yale classroom, library and art museum.

The movie also stars Kirsten Dunst and Julia Stiles.

Mandela honors Princess Di

London Former South African President Nelson Mandela, an admirer of Princess Diana’s humanitarian work, paid respect to the late royal by laying a wreath at her family’s country home, Althorp House.

Mandela had lunch Friday with Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, and local dignitaries before laying a wreath of white lilies and pale blue flowers on her grave, which is on an island in a lake on the family estate in Northamptonshire, north of London.

Diana met Mandela during a visit to South Africa in 1997.

After her death in a car crash that year, he paid tribute to her as one of the “best ambassadors for Great Britain.”

Robbins gives to charity

Boston Tim Robbins is doing his part to help buy Christmas presents for children in state care.

The actor and director handed a $11,000 check Friday to the Children’s Holiday Gift Fund, run by the Social Services Department, on behalf of nonprofit organizations that helped raise the money.

The fund buys gifts for children with disabilities who are in state care and don’t have families.

Robbins, director of “Dead Man Walking” and star of “The Shawshank Redemption,” was in the Boston area shooting the movie “Mystic River.”

‘Urban Cowboy’ revived

Los Angeles Is there another “Urban Cowboy” craze in the making?

Twenty-two years after its release, the John Travolta movie that sparked an ’80s cowboy craze is being distributed on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment. And previews begin Tuesday at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami for “Urban Cowboy: A New Musical.”

The large-scale stage production, which will play through Dec. 1, includes the mechanical bull made famous by Gilley’s, Mickey Gilley’s former nightclub in Pasadena, Texas, which served as the film’s backdrop.

“Today when you see these young country acts wearing cowboy hats, that came from the ‘Urban Cowboy’ craze,” the country singer said.

Gilley said he’s grateful for his involvement in the movie.

“I thank John Travolta every night before bed for keeping my career alive,” he said.