Day-Lewis pays tribute to Ledger on ‘Oprah’

New York – Daniel Day-Lewis paid an emotional tribute to Heath Ledger during a taped appearance on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show.

The actor, who was on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to discuss his Oscar nomination for “There Will Be Blood,” said he couldn’t get his mind off Ledger’s sudden death.

Day-Lewis taped his appearance by satellite from Europe on Wednesday, a day after the 28-year-old actor was found dead in his Manhattan apartment.

“It seems somehow strange to be talking about anything else. Not that there’s anything to say really except to express one’s regret and to say from the bottom of one’s heart to his family and to his friends that I’m sorry for their trouble,” he said.

The cause of death will not be answered for at least a week, after medical examiners complete toxicology tests.

“I didn’t know him,” Day-Lewis said. “I have an impression, a strong impression, I would have liked him very much as a man if I had. I’d already marveled at some of his work, and had looked forward so much to seeing the work that he would do in the future.”

Critic Roger Ebert recovering after surgery

New York – Roger Ebert, who has undergone a series of cancer surgeries, was recovering Friday after having yet another operation.

The 65-year-old film critic had successful surgery Thursday in Houston to address complications from previous operations, his lawyer said in a statement.

“Chaz and Roger Ebert are grateful to everyone for the continued prayers and concern,” lawyer Eliot Ephraim said Friday. “The surgery went well, and the Eberts look forward to giving you more good news about Roger’s recovery in the days to come.”

Ebert has been a film critic at the Chicago Sun-Times for more than 40 years.

He has undergone a series of operations, including the removal of a growth on his salivary gland and a tracheostomy, a procedure that opens an airway through an incision in the windpipe, that left him unable to speak.

Lil Wayne faces felony drug, weapons charges

Yuma, Ariz. – The Yuma County Attorney’s Office filed felony drug and weapons charges Friday against Lil Wayne.

The 25-year-old rapper, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., was charged in justice court in Wellton, Ariz., with one count each of possession of a narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

He is scheduled to appear Feb. 12 at a preliminary hearing.

Johansson discusses ‘love’ for Obama

New York – Scarlett Johansson returned from the Persian Gulf with a whole lot of soldiers’ trinkets and a delusion of her own engagement – to Barack Obama.

“I am engaged … to Barack Obama,” Johansson joked in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday. “My heart belongs to Barack, and that is who I am currently, finally, engaged to. Yes.”

Johansson, who showed her support for the Democratic presidential candidate at the Iowa caucus earlier this month, was really just deflecting a question about rumors she might be engaged (to actor-beau Ryan Reynolds).

The 23-year-old actress talked about the warm welcome she received while visiting troops stationed in the Persian Gulf last week. Johansson dropped by U.S. bases in Kuwait on Jan. 17 and Jan. 18 as part of a USO tour in which she met about 3,500 men and women in uniform.

“Everybody that I met there was so incredibly friendly and polite and genuine and generous,” she said. “They were so, so sweet. I mean, I was just amazed.”

Johansson said some people ripped patches off their jackets as gifts and handed her challenge coins from their military units. One Marine offered up his St. Christopher medal. Another starstruck guy gushed: “You made my whole deployment!”

Campbell quits UB40 after nearly 30 years

London – Ali Campbell has quit UB40 after almost 30 years, citing management problems.

His bandmates, however, said the 48-year-old singer left to pursue solo projects.

In a statement on his Web site, Campbell said Friday that “management difficulties, which have been ongoing for almost five years, had become intolerable.”

“No words can express how upset I feel today that I have been forced to make this decision,” he wrote.

UB40 was founded in Birmingham, central England. The band fused reggae and pop to popular effect, notably on hit versions of “Red Red Wine,” “I Got You Babe” and “(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You.”

Stallone used HGH to get buff for ‘Rambo’

New York – Sylvester Stallone says he used human growth hormone to get buff for the new “Rambo” movie, and defends its use.

“HGH (human growth hormone) is nothing,” the 61-year-old actor tells Time magazine in its Feb. 4 issue. “Anyone who calls it a steroid is grossly misinformed.”

Because it is nearly undetectable, HGH has become a substance of great concern in major league baseball and other sports battling allegations of rampant doping.

“Testosterone to me is so important for a sense of well-being when you get older,” he says. “Everyone over 40 years old would be wise to investigate it because it increases the quality of your life. Mark my words. In 10 years it will be over the counter.”