Aniston, photographer settle lawsuit over topless photos

Los Angeles – Jennifer Aniston and a photographer have settled a lawsuit regarding topless photos shot of the actress late last year.

“It’s a confidential settlement,” Aniston’s attorney, Jay Lavely, said Friday. “The matter was amicably resolved.”

The 37-year-old actress sued Peter Brandt in December, claiming he invaded her privacy by using a telephoto lens to photograph her inside her home when she was topless or partly dressed.

She alleged that Brandt used “invasive, intrusive and unlawful measures” to capture the images. Brandt said he took the photos while standing on a public street about 300 yards away.

Martin Sheen becomes student at Irish university

Dublin, Ireland – Martin Sheen, star of TV’s “The West Wing” and numerous Hollywood films, has started his new career – as a college student.

Sheen, who played President Josiah Bartlet on NBC’s “The West Wing,” registered at National University Galway in western Ireland on Friday, where he plans to study philosophy, English literature and oceanography as part of a bachelor of arts degree.

“I always had a fantasy about going to college because I left school after high school, and for the courses I want to do, NUI Galway is the best,” Sheen said as he strolled through the largely empty campus. Most of the school’s 15,000 undergraduates, among them about 750 fellow Americans, will arrive next week.

University President Iognaid O Muircheartaigh, who greeted Sheen as he signed up for his courses, said he expected students to give the 66-year-old actor enough space to enjoy his new life of learning.

Sheen has said he considered studying in Galway after meeting O Muircheartaigh at a university fundraiser in Los Angeles last year, and decided to do it after receiving an honorary doctorate from NUI Galway in April.

He said he was particularly interested in attending classes in the Marine Institute to learn more about global warming and other environmental issues.

Sheen said he didn’t think he could attend classes at a U.S. university because his presence would be too distracting for other students. Sheen has a network of relatives in Ireland because of his mother, Mary Anne Phelan, who immigrated to the United States from County Tipperary.

Brook Shields: Tom Cruise apologizes for criticism

Burbank, Calif. – Brooke Shields says Tom Cruise has apologized for publicly criticizing her use of antidepressants after her first daughter’s birth.

The two had a public beef last year after the “Mission: Impossible III” star, echoing the position of Scientology, said in an appearance on NBC’s “Today” show that depression can be treated with exercise and vitamins rather than drugs.

The 41-year-old actress says Cruise apologized in person at her house Thursday, she said Friday during an appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

“And through it all, I was so impressed with how heartfelt it was,” she said. “And I didn’t feel at any time that I had to defend myself, nor did I feel that he was trying to convince me of anything other than the fact that he was deeply sorry. And I accepted it.”

Cruise’s spokesman confirmed the celebrities made up.

“It is true that his friendship with Ms. Shields has been mended,” spokesman Arnold Robinson said in a statement. “He has not changed his position about antidepressants, which as evidenced by the black label warnings issued by the FDA on these types of drugs, are unhealthy.”