Keys lands another film role

Los Angeles – Alicia Keys is adding another note to her acting resume.

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has been cast in the big-screen adaptation of the best-selling book, “The Nanny Diaries,” Keys’ spokeswoman, Kelly Bush, said Thursday.

The film features Scarlett Johansson as a nanny for a wealthy Manhattan family. Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney and Chris Evans also star. Keys will play the nanny’s best friend, Bush said.

The character is a far cry from the assassin she plays in the upcoming action flick “Smokin’ Aces,” which features Ben Affleck, Andy Garcia, Jeremy Piven and Ray Liotta.

Keys, 25, and manager Jeff Robinson formed a production company, Big Pita, Lil’ Pita, in January.

Blaine to live in aquarium

New York – David Blaine intends to sleep with the fish – but only for a week, and in full public view.

The 33-year-old magician will perform his latest stunt by living underwater for seven days and nights in a “human aquarium” in front of New York’s Lincoln Center.

He will conclude by attempting to hold his breath underwater longer than the record of 8 minutes, 58 seconds. The finale of his latest stunt will air live in a two-hour ABC special at 7 p.m. May 8.

The “human aquarium” in which Blaine will float is a specially built 8-foot acrylic sphere. He will receive liquid nutrition through a tube, and the water will be kept at a balanced temperature to help keep his core temperature close to 98.6 degrees.

To prepare for the challenge, Blaine trained with U.S. Navy SEALS and a world class free-diving team. An inside look at his training will be shown on the ABC special, which is titled, “David Blaine: Drowned Alive.”

Jackson restructures finances

Los Angeles – Michael Jackson restructured his finances with the help of Sony Corp., which co-owns a valuable music catalogue with the pop star, Jackson attorneys said Thursday in a statement.

No terms of the deal or the state of Jackson’s finances, long believed to be troubled, were disclosed in a brief news release issued from Bahrain, where the pop star has been living since being acquitted of child molestation last year.

Earlier published reports said Jackson was negotiating a $325 million debt refinancing plan that would save him from bankruptcy but deprive him of part of his share of the catalog.

Jackson “has restructured his finances with the assistance of Sony Corporation of America,” said the statement issued by Grahame Nelson, of Qays H. Zubi Attorneys & Legal Consultants, who said he was speaking for Jackson.