Sarah Paulson arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of 'The Spirit.' (photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic.com)

Career Shift

Sam Trammel doesn't have anywhere near the upheaval in his past that his character Sam Merlotte does on 'True Blood,' but the actor has definitely changed his game plan a few times. "I loved the idea of quantum physics and cosmologies," he says. "I liked dealing with the smallest things in the universe — particle physics — but then I got to college and realized it was just too hard." So his version of taking the easy way out was to focus on semiotics (the study of communication) and take classes in psychoanalysis and linguistic theory. But when it was all said and done — and he was returning from studying in Paris and about to head to grad school — a play audition changed everything. "It was a real lightning bolt for me," he said. "It was intense and fulfilling and inspiring. I was hooked." (photo: Jesse Grant/WireImage.com)

[WVGazette.com]

Christian Hoff, Vincent Pastore and Donnie Kehr attend The Who's 'Tommy' 15th Anniversary Concert in New York. (photo: Mike Coppola/WireImage.com)

Getting Whacked

Jamie Lynn Sigler has decamped Jersey to show up as Turtle's new girl on 'Entourage,' but she still hasn't traded in her standard-issue East Coast rage for the bliss of LaLa Land. The actress has, however, found a coping mechanism. "I'm very competitive by nature," she says. "But recently, I've started going to the driving range and hitting golf balls for an hour or so. I'm not playing against anybody and I don't care too much about my swing, which makes it therapeutic and relaxing." (photo: Chris Weeks/WireImage.com)

[TheBosh.com]

Kenneth Branagh attends the premiere of 'Valkyrie' in New York City. (photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com)

Bye-Bye Bush

Normally when George W. Bush comes to town, New Yorkers kibitz and complain as much about the disruption of traffic as the outgoing president's foreign policy. But when 43 takes the stage on the Great White Way later this winter, expect a little more revelry in the crowd: Will Ferrell plans to bring his famous impression of the world leader to 'You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush.' The one-man show will be directed by the comedian's longtime partner Adam McKay, who also produces the new HBO comedy 'Eastbound and Down' with Ferrell. Tickets go on sale Dec. 21. (photo: Phillip Massey/FilmMagic.com)

[Red Eye]

Timothy Olyphant attends 'Damages' second season premiere in New York. (photo: Charles Eshelman/FilmMagic.com)

No Handicap

Lisa Lampanelli must have pulled a lot of pigtails in her day. She claims her insult style of humor is borne of affection and that those with self-love aren't insulted by her barbs. To wit: "I remember having this wheelchair guy get mad at me once during a show in Manhattan. I didn't see that he had the wheels over there. I thought he was just a normal, good-looking guy. Whenever I see a normal, good-looking white guy, I'll just call him gay, because most great-looking guys are gay. So I made the gay jokes, and he came up to me afterward and said he thought it was weird that I didn't insult him for being in the wheelchair. Was I afraid to hurt his feelings? And I said no, 'I just didn't see your wheels. They weren't that shiny.'" (photo: Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic.com)

[Newsday.com]

Keepin' It Real

'Rome' alum Ray Stevenson wants his new movie to be as violent as possible. That's not as crazy as it sounds; he's the new Punisher. "If you go into the books themselves, there's so much there and you have to commit fully the violence and the cost of that violence," he says. "You have the commit to the psychological impact of that — otherwise you end with a halfway house." Lucky for Stevenson, the studio footing the bill for all this ultraviolence has a strong stomach. "Their commitment is amazing, especially the fact that they're not pounding something through and soft soaping it up for a bigger audience. They didn't make 'PUNISHER' a PG-rated movie, they committed to the R-rating. It's great to see." (photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com)

[ifmagazine.com]

Lily McDowell and her mother Mary Steenburgen arrive at the Young Storytellers Foundation's 2nd Annual Benefit 'The Biggest Show' held at the Crossroads Elementary School in Santa Monica, California. (photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Images)

But Was She Homecoming Queen?

HBO late-night star Katie Morgan may have retired from her more hard-core gigs, but it's never-say-never regarding a return to adult films. Morgan claims she's just your average industrious girl who figured a way to get paid for doing what comes naturally. "I had only fooled around with a couple girls before I got into the industry, and that was the same as everybody," she told HBO.com. "Well, maybe not everybody, but slutty girls, anyway. You get drunk at a party, and you make out with your friend to turn on the guys, right? That's what everybody does. So, high school was good times." (photo: Mark Sullivan/WireImage.com)."

[HBO.com]

'Tis the Season

This time of year - the Golden Globe nominations - always seems to inspire actors' grateful sides. In the case of Melissa George, who's nominated for 'In Treatment,' it's all about the work. "It's the dialogue," she said. "It brings it back to what acting is all about. It's just so raw. You're high from it." Whereas Tom Wilkinson, whose two films ('Recount' and 'John Adams') received a total of nine nominations, expressed his support for HBO: "We've done very well together, haven't we," Wilkinson said. "I shall certainly be banging the drum for them." (photo: Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com)."

[HBO.com]