Audiences still flocking to Gibson’s ‘Passion’

Los Angeles — “The Passion of the Christ” was the top film for a third straight weekend, taking in $31.7 million and pushing its total beyond a quarter of a billion dollars.

Mel Gibson’s dramatization of Christ’s final hours climbed to $264 million in the United States and Canada after 19 days in theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Johnny Depp’s psychological horror tale “Secret Window” came in second place with $19 million.

Other estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.:

3. “Starsky & Hutch,” $16 million.

4. “Hidalgo,” $11.7 million.

5. “Agent Cody Banks: Destination London,” $8 million.

6. “50 First Dates,” $5.3 million.

7. “Twisted,” $3.1 million.

8. “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen,” $2.4 million.

9. “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” $2.05 million.

10. “Spartan,” $2 million.

Lisa Marie Presley discusses marriage with King of Pop

Sydney, Australia — Lisa Marie Presley said she “saw things she could do nothing about” during her brief marriage to Michael Jackson, but she refused to elaborate.

In an interview with Australian Broadcasting Corp.’s respected “Enough Rope” talk show, Presley said she felt powerless during her marriage to the self-styled King of Pop. Excerpts of the interview were released Sunday.

Presley said she felt “powerless in a lot of ways, in terms of … realizing that I was part of a machine, and seeing things going on that I couldn’t do anything about.”

Jackson and Presley, who is in Australia promoting her own singing career, were married from 1994 to 1996.

New ‘Apprentice’ applicants eager for shot with the Donald

Burbank, Calif. — The line to audition for the second season of the hit reality show “The Apprentice” stretched the length of four football fields outside NBC’s Burbank studios as more than 1,000 people sought a spot on the program featuring billionaire Donald Trump.

Trump was not present Saturday because “Apprentice” producers didn’t want to overshadow his appearance at Thursday’s auditions in New York. More than a dozen casting calls will take place in cities including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Miami and San Francisco.

Anti-apartheid advocate to speak in Oklahoma

Tulsa, Okla.– Archbishop Desmond Tutu, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his work against apartheid in South Africa, will speak next week in Oklahoma City.

His March 23 speech at Oklahoma City University is open to the public, but seating will be limited to the first 3,000 people.

Tutu, who was the first black African to serve as general secretary of the South African Council of Churches, used the position to conduct a campaign against apartheid. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

Tutu plans to speak at the University of Tulsa on March 27.