Model says Polanski never attempted to seduce her

London – The model at the center of Roman Polanski’s successful libel suit against Vanity Fair says the filmmaker never tried to seduce her.

Polanski on Friday won his suit over an article that accused him of propositioning the model in a New York restaurant on the way to the funeral of his wife, Sharon Tate, who was killed by followers of Charles Manson in 1969.

Norwegian model Beatte Telle, the woman Polanski was alleged to have propositioned, didn’t testify in the libel case.

The 2002 Vanity Fair article alleged that Polanski put his hand on the woman’s thigh and promised her: “I will make another Sharon Tate out of you.” But Telle refuted that in an interview with The Mail on Sunday from her home in an Oslo suburb.

“He never said that he would ‘make me another Sharon Tate’ or that he would make me a star. He never spoke to me at all,” Telle told the newspaper.

“Polanski just stood there. He just stared at me for ages. … Perhaps I reminded him of Sharon Tate.”

Conde Nast, which publishes Vanity Fair, accepted that the alleged incident did not happen before Tate’s funeral, but alleged that it happened about two weeks later.

Polanski’s lawyers denied that the incident ever occurred. The Academy Award-winning director was awarded 50,000 pounds, equal to about $87,000, in damages.

‘Desperate Housewives,’ ‘Lost’ win critics’ awards

Beverly Hills, Calif. – Hit newcomers “Desperate Housewives” and “Lost” won top honors from the Television Critics Assn. on Saturday.

The dark suburban satire “Desperate Housewives” was named program of the year, and “Lost,” about plane crash survivors marooned on a mysterious island, was honored as outstanding new program and for outstanding achievement in drama.

Both air on ABC, which also claimed an award for “Nightline.” The news program received the Heritage Award, which goes to a long-running show that’s had “a lasting cultural or social impact,” according to the association.

Comedian-actor Bob Newhart received the 2005 award for career achievement. Fox’s “Arrested Development” won its second consecutive award for achievement in comedy.

In the individual categories, Hugh Laurie of Fox’s “House” won for drama and Jon Stewart of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” won for comedy.

Singer joins ‘Chicago’ cast

New York – Huey Lewis is coming to Broadway, starring as rapscallion lawyer Billy Flynn in the long-running revival of “Chicago.”

Lewis, lead vocalist and founding member of Huey Lewis and the News, starts performances in the Kander-and-Ebb musical on Nov. 1.

The group is best known for such rock hits as “The Power of Love,” “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” “Stuck with You,” “I Want a New Drug” and “Workin’ for a Livin.'”

Lewis has appeared in such movies as “Sphere,” “Shadow of a Doubt” and “Duets,” and television series “Just Shoot Me” and “One Tree Hill.”

Brooke Shields joins “Chicago” as Roxie Hart on Sept. 9, appearing in the show through Oct. 30.

The current cast of “Chicago” includes Charlotte d’Amboise as Roxie, Luba Mason as Velma Kelly, Christopher McDonald as Billy Flynn and Carol Woods as Matron Mama Morton.

Veterans not happy stars wearing hearts on sleeves

Denver – Some military veterans and law enforcement officials are angry about a Web site promoting Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn’s comedy “Wedding Crashers.”

To win the affections of attractive bridesmaids in the movie, two fun-loving partiers pretend to be Purple Heart recipients.

New Line Cinema’s movie Web site includes a fake, paper Purple Heart to cut out, with the spoof: “Carrying a Purple Heart in your jacket guarantees you attention, admiration and plenty of free booze.”

“I challenge the producer of that movie to go to Walter Reed Hospital and walk through the ward and see if he still wants to print out a fake Purple Heart,” said Thomas Cottone, Jr., a special agent with the FBI who enforces a federal law that prohibits wearing, manufacturing, buying, selling or trading a Medal of Honor.

“Talk to some of these people who don’t have legs anymore and see how funny they think that movie is.”

New Line Cinema, which produced the movie, did not return a phone message.

Hong Kong fans plan statue of movie legend Bruce Lee

Hong Kong – Fans plan to have a new bronze statue of the late kung-fu movie legend Bruce Lee ready in time for what would have been his 65th birthday in November.

The Bruce Lee Club in Hong Kong has long wanted a Bruce Lee museum, but a shortage of funding and the lack of available venues have been obstacles.

The statue will please fans disappointed that Hong Kong does not have any permanent memorial devoted to Lee, said Wong Yiu-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong fan club.

“We should continue to remember him because he had not only contributed to our movie industry, but also raised outsiders’ awareness of Hong Kong in general,” Wong said.

Lee was born in the United States but moved to Hong Kong as a child. Most of his movies were filmed and produced in Hong Kong. He died in 1973 at 32.

The statue will be located at the city’s Avenue of Stars, a new harborfront tourist attraction that honors Hong Kong film stars including Jackie Chan and Chow Yun-Fat.