Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
Hollywood`s Teflon Kings; Marie Osmond Unplugged; Fabulous Over 40; Hollywood`s Top Five A-Listers; The Remarkable Transformation of Katie Holmes
Aired November 27, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: Now, on a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - Hollywood`s A-List, including the Teflon scandal kings. They take a licking and keep on ticking. From Charlie Sheen to Alec Baldwin, the remarkable story behind how these stars manage to stay on top after major scandals.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN WIDDICOMBE, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "STAR" MAGAZINE: It`s much easier for men to have second acts in their career.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the A-List of Hollywood`s Teflon scandal kings.
Plus, fabulous over 40. Tonight, the amazing women on TV who make over 40 look fabulous. They`re gorgeous. They`re an inspiration and they`re kicking butts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKE SHIELDS, ACTRESS: I feel like I`m finally, believe it or not, coming into my own physically and emotionally and it`s taken a while.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with at amazing A-List of women over 40 and fantastic.
And we name the top five stars on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Hollywood A-List. Who made the cut and why did we choose them?
A special edition of TV`s most provocative entertainment news show, Hollywood`s A-List, starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you tonight from Hollywood.
HAMMER: And this is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Hollywood`s A- List. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you a rare look at Hollywood`s biggest and brightest stars, the stars who dominate the A-List.
ANDERSON: And we begin with Hollywood`s biggest Teflon king, the stars who have managed to survive big scandals and come back bigger and better than ever. But how have they managed to hit the lowest of lows and still bounce back? Tonight it`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the amazing Teflon kings of Hollywood.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): They seem invincible. After scandal, embarrassment or just plain being a jerk, it seems some men in Hollywood not only overcome the scandal, but come back bigger than ever.
From Alec Baldwin to Charlie Sheen to Robert Downey, Jr., scandal bounces off these guys like Teflon. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT wants to know, why?
Take Alec Baldwin for example. He scooped up a coveted Emmy for best comedy actor for his role on "30 Rock."
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: It was a total shock to me. I`m really glad the show won and me winning it was a total miracle.
ANDERSON: Yes. You can say that again. A miracle because not long ago, Baldwin`s name was dragged through the mud in the heat of a bitter divorce with actress Kim Basinger. A shocking, incriminating voice mail surfaced where Baldwin called his young daughter a, quote, "thought less little pig."
SERAFIN: People knew there was so much nastiness and anger in this divorce that it came out unfortunately in a voicemail that he left his daughter.
ANDERSON: But "Star" magazine`s Ben Widdicombe tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT it goes much deeper than the nasty divorce.
WIDDICOMBE: That voicemail was leaked on the Internet, but it did not destroy his career. People don`t judge fathers the same way they judge mothers.
ANDERSON: But somehow, some way, Baldwin`s heard it all around.
BALDWIN: Well, as you know, I`ve been studying comedy. I`m watching "Friends" right now.
ANDERSON: But how? Was it his charm, his verve, his sheer nerve? Explain it to me, Kim.
SERAFIN: I think because he has such ties in the Hollywood community, people know at the end of the day, he is a good person and was kind of just pushed to the limit.
ANDERSON: Yes, that`s one theory. Or -
WIDDICOMBE: The reality is that in the entertainment industry, money talks. Alec Baldwin is still a very bankable star. So as long as he is raking in the bucks, they`re happy to have him.
ANDERSON: Baldwin is not the only Teflon, tough bankable star. Bring in Charlie Sheen.
WIDDICOMBE: One of the most bitter Hollywood divorces in recent history has been the Denise Richards-Charlie Sheen divorce. The allegations that flew back and forth in that whole (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was phenomenal.
ANDERSON: Man, oh, man, did it get ugly.
SERAFIN: The divorce got really, really nasty and there were lots of exchanges and charges between the two of them. Denise saying that Charlie was looking at porn, Charlie saying things about Denise`s mother.
ANDERSON: Denise Richards didn`t mince words when she told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT what she thought of her ex.
DENISE RICHARDS, ACTRESS: The fact of the matter is, my ex-husband has chosen to do anything he can to discredit me. Anytime he can take me down, he tries to.
ANDERSON: Despite his rep as a raging ex, he`s also a raging success. Sheen was nominated for his role on ABC`s "Two and a Half Men" which has consistently been one of the top-rated comedy shows on television.
SERAFIN: It`s interesting because Charlie has seemed to come out of this, emerged from this horrible divorce without any bruises at all. Yet, Denise who even did a reality show trying to repair her image, seems to really still be trying to repair her image.
WIDDICOMBE: It`s much easier for men to have second acts in their career. Alec Baldwin and Charlie Sheen both have enjoyed this public forgiveness which I don`t think people are prepared to extend to women.
ANDERSON: If Baldwin and Sheen are the Teflon twins, then Robert Downey, Jr. is pure iron. "Iron Man," that is.
SERAFIN: I think Robert Downey, Jr. is the ultimate comeback story.
ANDERSON: From the lows of drug abuse to the amazing heights of success with his most recent blockbuster, "Iron Man," Robert Downey, Jr. has probably experienced the biggest comeback of them all. Heck, he was even successful while he was in the thick of it.
SERAFIN: Even while he was going through all of this, he was appearing on "Ally McBeal."
ANDERSON: He even won a Golden Globe. There`s now way to slice it. Bad boy Robert Downey, Jr. must have the magic touch.
WIDDICOMBE: And he`s come back a more seasoned and mature actor. And now, he`s getting all Hollywood`s top plaudits because of his comeback.
ANDERSON: And that is why SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is about to make a very important proclamation - cue the music.
(MUSIC)
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT now crowns Robert Downey, Jr. the toughest Teflon King of them all.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Now, those guys may be the Hollywood Teflon drama kings but I`m here to tell you there are fabulous over 40 queens, Hollywood women punching through the glass ceiling in record numbers. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine have joined forces to celebrate the female stars who are over 40 and fabulous. I`m talking about Felicity Huffman, Sally Field and Brooke Shields, all making those stereotypes about aging disappear into thin air. Here`s look at top 10 women over 40 who have made a mark on TV looking just fabulous.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): In Hollywood, the women of TV are really proving that age is just a number.
SALLY FIELD, ACTRESS: Holly, you being here at my husband`s graveside - that`s an imposition.
ANDERSON: It`s true. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you women over 40 are now dominating TV. From 61-year-old Sally Field on ABC`s "Brothers and Sisters" -
FIELD: You sharing a taco with your daughter I can live with.
ANDERSON: To 43-year-old "Lipstick Jungle" star Brooke Shields.
SHIELDS: I don`t know. I`m just so exhausted. Today, I dropped Taylor off in his kindergarten class.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: And?
SHIELDS: He`s in first grade.
ANDERSON: These women are proving you certainly can have it all even if they are over 40. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is teaming up with "More" magazine to name the top 10 women on TV who make over 40 look fabulous.
LESLEY JANE SEYMOUR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "MORE" MAGAZINE: If you`re over 40, you`re having shows actually crafted for you.
ANDERSON: Lesley Jane Seymour, who`s editor-in-chief of "More" magazine tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT her readers are cheering over the fabulous over 40 set.
SEYMOUR: Let`s face it. You know, at a certain point in your life, you`re not going to be able to get to the movies all the time. We`re all incredibly busy. TV is a lot easier to deal with. And it`s wonderful to check in on a weekly basis and not have to wait, you know, six months or a year to see people you really relate to.
ANDERSON: And women are relating to one of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and "More" magazine`s top 10 picks, Brooke Shields. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT broke the news to Brooke at the season premiere party for "Lipstick Jungle" and Brooke tells us she is ecstatic.
SHIELDS: I`m just honored to even still be around. I feel like I`m finally, believe it or not, coming into my own physically and emotionally. And it`s taken a while but I`m thankful for the honor.
ANDERSON: Shields, who`s been in the business since she was just a baby, is now juggling two babies and a successful TV career. And her "Lipstick Jungle" co-star Kim Raver, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Brooke is just fabulous.
KIM RAVER, ACTRESS: She`s incredibly intelligent. She`s so funny. She`s one of the most generous women I know.
ANDERSON: Seventy-year-old, legendary actress Mary Tyler Moore tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she`s been a fan of Brooke`s for years.
MARY TYLER MOORE, ACTRESS: She`s so good. She makes her comedy so real. It`s down to earth.
SEYMOUR: She`s balancing everything in her home life and doing the exact same thing on TV. So it really hits home.
ANDERSON: And Brooke has plenty of company. Also smashing right through the ridiculous aging stereotype in Hollywood is Emmy Award winning actress Sally Field who is 61 and also on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT-"More" magazine top ten list of women on TV making over 40 look fabulous.
SEYMOUR: I would say that Sally Field definitely must have some painting that`s aging somewhere in her house because it is not showing up on her face.
ANDERSON: And another face proving older is better, 43-year-old Kyra Sedgwick who plays Deputy Police Chief Brenda Johnson in "The Closer."
KYRA SEDGWICK, ACTRESS: You listen to that crap and you`re more (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
ANDERSON: Kyra knows a thing or two about staying power.
JESSICA WEINER, SELF ESTEEM EXPERT: She turns in practically an Oscar- winning performance every single time. And more so than that, she`s just bad ass.
JULIA CAMPBELL, ACTRESS (AS MURIEL): Lynette -
FELICITY HUFFMAN, ACTRESS (AS LYNETTE SCAVO): Muriel, how are you doing?
ANDERSON: Forty-five-year-old Felicity Huffman is doing just fine, thank you. And also makes the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT-"More" magazine top 19 list, playing the harried housewife Lynette Scavo on "Desperate Housewives".
HUFFMAN: What`s up?
CAMPBELL: You look good.
SEYMOUR: Felicity Huffman is amazing because, you know, she`s the typical frazzled housewife.
ANDERSON: And Huffman who was featured on the cover of "More" September issue is honest about her real-life juggles as a mom with two kids.
SEYMOUR: In her real life, she will tell you that, you know, children aren`t everything for her. She needs to have a job and a career.
ANDERSON: A running theme for this fabulous over 40 set. Even Oscar- winning 50-year-old star Holly Hunter who became a first-time mom to twins when she was 47, is proof that women over 40 can be that fabulous. Hunter plays a smoking, binge-drinking, sexually-charged Oklahoma City police detective on her hit show "Saving Grace." And did we mention she can throw quite a punch?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Yes, she can. And the ladies who made rest of the list are: Gloria Reuben from the TNT show "Raising the Bar," Vanessa Williams of ABC`s "Ugly Betty," Dana Delaney from "Desperate Housewives," Jean Smart from "Samantha Who," and Glenn Close from "Damages."
HAMMER: Brooke, those women are amazing. I`ve got to say they are A- Listers who are truly inspirational.
ANDERSON: They certainly are, A.J. I could not agree more. And coming up, we`ve got A-List of the A-List, the most powerful, the most influential. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is picking the top five stars on the Hollywood A-List.
We`ve also got this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIE OSMOND, ACTRESS AND SINGER: I was a ticking time bomb. I was showing all of the effects of it. So I said, that`s it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: How do you not love Marie Osmond? She is an A-Lister who opens up about her painful battle with postpartum depression, weight issues, divorce, and even her son`s trip to rehab. You have never heard Marie like this before. We`ve got Marie Osmond unplugged, coming up next.
ANDERSON: And the amazing A-List transformation of Katie Holmes. I think it`s remarkable how this small-town girl has become a tremendous star. And oh yes, she happens to be married to Tom Cruise. This special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Hollywood`s A-List is back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEN GOODMAN, JUDGE, "DANCING WITH THE STARS": You`ve got to show the gaiety and the fun of the samba.
(MARIE OSMOND PASSES OUT)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That was one of the scariest moments ever on live TV. Marie Osmond right there, passing out after performing the samba on "Dancing With The Stars." Fortunately, Marie was OK.
Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood`s A-List. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And tonight, it`s Marie Osmond unplugged. Marie has been an American icon for years, but was when she shimmied her way back into our living room during season five of "Dancing With The Stars," it was a welcome return for many of her biggest fans. And soon, we`re going to be seeing a whole lot more of Marie. She just announced a new talk show. It is scheduled to make its debut in 2009.
But what is life on Hollywood`s A-List really been like for Marie? She`s dealt with the ups and downs of depression. She`s had weight issues, divorce, and her son`s trip to rehab to deal with.
Well, I spoke with Marie about all of that, plus she told me why she decided dive into the talk show world again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OSMOND: You know, I never had a sister and I just - I don`t know - I was one of the first women that wrote about post partum. I`ve been doing my dolls for 17 years. I have this Web site that just gets thousands and thousands of comments from women. When I did "Dancing With The Stars", it was amazing - the response that way. And I don`t know - there`s a chick power. And things that I would love to do and things that we love to talk about. It`s going to be a blast.
HAMMER: We`ve all reveled in your highs this year and we`ve been right there with you for your lows.
OSMOND: What, when I hit the floor?
HAMMER: Well, the hitting of the floor thing -
OSMOND: Yes.
HAMMER: We are worried about you. "Dancing With The Stars," though, was a great thing to see you on. We all had our collective hands on your shoulders when your father passed away.
OSMOND: I designed a doll in that outfit. It doesn`t come with a stand.
HAMMER: Does it lie down?
OSMOND: It`s to be displayed on the floor. Yes. No.
HAMMER: But in all seriousness, Marie, with all you had to deal with in the past year, you know, including your son going into rehab and everything else, how do you manage? And how difficult is it to deal with these real life issues so publicly but with such grace and dignity as I believe you have?
OSMOND: You`re sweet. You know what? We all deal with it. It`s something that any woman out there right now, maybe not everything, but everybody has things they have to deal with. You know? God is not a respecter of persons. Everybody has their stuff.
I don`t have a bazillion nannies. I am a single mom. I love taking care of my kids, you know? I choose to be alone - I want to be there for my kids. I don`t want that side of my life - I mean it would have been nice to have that kind of relationship. But my son needs me and my kids need me and that`s where I need to be is for them.
I`m so proud of him. This is something that affects every single family now. It`s like 25 percent of the kids end up having these problems nowadays. And so, you know, the way he`s dealing with it with the things that he`s been through, I`m just proud of him. If you choose to learn from it, then you arise and awake out of it, and that`s the key, you know. You do something about it.
HAMMER: Well, you certainly are doing positive work for the American Heart Association.
OSMOND: Well, I don`t know. I try.
HAMMER: You`re the national spokesperson for their "Go Red" campaign for heart disease awareness. I know this is something that is very personal for you and really strikes close to home.
OSMOND: Well, when I started with them a year ago, my oldest boy, Steven(ph) - I was doing some rehearsals backstage and I was kind of panting and out of breath. And he said, "Mom, you know, it would really be nice for you to be here for my kids." And it just kind of wow, hit you right in the face but still, women.
My gosh. I don`t know what it is about us. We don`t want to look at us. We want to help everybody else. And I took a hard look and said, he is right because I lost my grandmother from heart disease. I lost my mother prematurely from heart disease. I lost my dad from it. And I was a ticking time bomb. I was showing all the effects of it.
And so, I said, that`s it. So I - over the eight years I was taking care of my parents, I put on probably five pounds a year and found myself 40 pounds overweight. So I took off the weight and I feel better than I did when I was 30. And, so, that`s amazing since I`m 29.
HAMMER: How do you do that?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: How do you not love her? As I mentioned, Marie`s new talk show is scheduled to debut in the fall of 2009.
ANDERSON: Well, A.J., there are countless people on the Hollywood A-List. But tonight, we`re going to narrow it down to the top five.
HAMMER: Yes, Brooke. And if I may, I`d like to borrow some Frank Sinatra lines here. We`re talking the kings and queens of the hill, the top of the list, A-number one.
All right, coming up on this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, we are naming the top five Hollywood A-Listers. This is not to be missed. We`ve also got this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: From the sweet, young, innocent-looking, very naive even, young girl to a very sophisticated young woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Can you believe it? My oh my, look how far Katie Holmes has come. A big movie star, married to Tom Cruise, a mom, as well. The amazing transformation of A-Lister Katie Holmes, coming up.
ANDERSON: And next, Hollywood A-Lister who is being very open about her story of survival. I`m talking about "Three`s Company" star Suzanne Somers. She sharing some very personal cancer secrets and that`s coming up next.
HAMMER: Now, you should be sure to check out the free SHOWBIZ TONIGHT podcast. We are changing them up all the time. Just surf on over to our Web site, that`s where you`ll find it - CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can also download the podcast on iTunes by doing a search for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to the special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood`s A-List. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And now, Suzanne Somers, a real survivor from her heyday on the `70s sitcom "Three`s Company" to her rise as a fitness icon and outspoken cancer survivor. Suzanne Somers has used her A-List fame to help fans everywhere.
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Somers took a controversial approach to cancer treatment. She skipped traditional medicine and instead, she chose an uncommon approach using bio-identical hormone therapy. Well, Suzanne has been cancer-free for eight years now. I spoke with her about her road to wellness. And while she wants everyone to know her secrets, she does know cancer treatment is a very personal choice.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE SOMERS, ACTRESS: It`s very lonely. You can`t ask your loved one. You can`t ask anyone around you, "What should I do" because it`s too heavy. You have to do it yourself.
HAMMER: And hormone replacement is what helped you beat cancer eight years ago, isn`t it?
SOMERS: Well, that`s what - and I was told - one of my doctors said, "Well, you`re going to die." And I said honestly - honestly, this is not arrogant. I`ve done my homework and I found a doctor, an oncologist who agrees with me. I believe that if I keep my hormones in optimal youthful levels because young people don`t get cancer unless it`s genetic or environmental. And if I really think about nutrition, that I only eat real food, if you can pick it or pluck it or milk it or shoot it, I`ll eat it.
So I eat great food. I eat butter and cream and sour cream, full fat cream cheese. I just don`t eat anything with chemicals if I can avoid it. But if I`m in a restaurant, I`m going to get chemicals, I know.
HAMMER: Yes. Sometimes, it`s unavoidable.
SOMERS: So then, I take the anti-oxidants. Imagine the possibility that you will live to 120, which is very likely now, with your brain intact, your bones intact, your vitality - your sexuality intact and healthy and happy and all that, rather than ending up in a nursing home the way it happens -
HAMMER: That would be kind of nice.
SOMERS: That`s what I`m going for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, it`s a good goal to have. Suzanne Somers is just one of the many Hollywood A-Listers with an amazing story.
ANDERSON: You`re right about that, A.J. And tonight, we`re going to be picking the top five Hollywood A-Listers, the most powerful, the most influential. You do not want to miss SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s top five A-Listers, next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KURIANSKY: From the sweet, young, innocent-looking, very naive even, young girl to a very sophisticated young woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The amazing A-List transformation of Katie Holmes. I think it is remarkable how this small-town girl has become a huge star. And yes, she happens to be married to Tom Cruise. We`ve got that coming up.
And if you thought having twins would slow down A-Lister Jennifer Lopez, you would be wrong. I mean, she even just competed in a triathlon. And now, J. Lo is helping other kids with some amazing charity work. That`s still to come. You`re watching a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood`s A-List.
HAMMER: You can always stay on top of the most provocative entertainment news by being a subscriber to our daily SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsletter. Head on over to CNN.com/ShowbizTonight, click on the "sign up for newsletter" link at the bottom of the page. We are coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, on this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood`s A- List. Who are the cream of the crop, the best of the best, the biggest stars on the A-List? The top five stars - who made the list and why? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT counts down the top five stars.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KURIANSKY: From the sweet, young, innocent-looking, very naive even, young girl to a very sophisticated young woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: From her humble beginnings on "Dawson`s Creek" to Hollywood`s A- List, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT takes a look at how Katie Holmes made the remarkable transformation.
A special he edition of TV`s most provocative entertainment news show, Hollywood`s A-List, continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood`s A-List. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson, coming to you from Hollywood.
HAMMER: Well, tonight, we have got the top Hollywood A-Listers. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing the names of the five stars we say are the biggest, the most powerful and downright classiest in Hollywood. It`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s top five Hollywood A-List. So, who did we choose? Let`s get right to it.
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, it`s Tanika Ray who`s a correspondent for "Extra." And tonight, in New York, is Carolina Bermudez who`s a senior editor for "In Touch Weekly." I hope you`re ready, guys. Charles, may I have a drum roll, please. Let`s get right to it. It is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s top five Hollywood A-Listers in no particular order.
And let us now begin with Will Smith. Who doesn`t love Will Smith? He`s an Academy Award-nominated superstar. He`s a music star and of course he`s a super-dad. Tanika, starting with you, please fill us in. What is Will`s secret? How has he been able to be so successful, so beloved, for so long?
TANIKA RAY, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": You know what? It`s really simple. If you love Will Smith, you get street cred but you also have your parents who approve of him. So it`s a perfect combination of A guy who is urban but also wears a sweater like Mr. Rogers and we love him for that. You know, I actually worked with Will - it`s a little-known fact. I was a dancer for "Wow, Wow, West," one of Will Smith`s videos.
HAMMER: Oh, really?
RAY: Oh my god. He`s seriously my favorite employer of all time. He treats everybody with respect. He knows what you bring to the table. He knew his dancers were bringing just as much to the table as craft service, as the director, et cetera. And he makes everybody part of his family.
And I think that totally adds to his longevity, that he`s respectful to everybody in this business, from the cameraman on the red carpet to anybody serving drinks at his table. He`s such a class act. I don`t think he`s going away any time soon. And he really understands the business of show. He has it down pat.
HAMMER: Well, he certainly understood the business of show business way back when. Let me take you back in time for a moment if I may, to Will Smith during his years "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air." You`ve got to see him. I mean, take a look at that. Do the fashions get any better? No doubt, obviously, Will Smith has grown up since then.
But Carolina, he`s still that same great guy with that the same great sense of humor. He never gets into trouble. How phenomenal a feat do you think it is for a mega-star Will Smith to keep it so real after all of these years?
CAROLINA BERMUDEZ, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": I think it has to be very difficult. You have all these people in Hollywood telling you, "You`re the man. You`re making $80 million this year. You`re the highest grosser," and it never gets to his head.
So the inflated ego that sometimes hits other celebrities, it doesn`t seem to faze Will Smith. And you can see that he is going to continue that tradition with his own children. They`re ones to watch as well now.
HAMMER: Very, very well-deserved, a place on our list. All right. Let`s move on to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s next pick for the top five Hollywood`s A- Listers. Can I hear it for Oprah Winfrey?
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Well, everybody decided she is one powerful woman, continues to make great television and she gives back, donating millions and millions of bucks every year through her Angel Network. Another example of an A-Lister who has really stayed at top of her game for so many years now. Tanika, how the heck does she do it?
RAY: Well, as I said on your show before, I`m a full-fledged Oprah-ite, so I`m all in her corner. This is the thing that people love about her. When nobody was talking about spirituality, nobody was telling women do what your passion tells you to do, Oprah was telling us. And it was all about us becoming better women, better people, making our communities better.
And I think nobody else is giving us that message. So we love her. And she`s dear in our hearts for the rest of time. So go, Oprah. And whatever Oprah says, people listen, that`s for sure.
HAMMER: And she`s a real part of history. Who can forget election night, hello, Oprah right there, front and center at Barack Obama`s acceptance speech, crying on the shoulder of some stranger. She knew she was taking this big professional risk by endorsing a political candidate. She did it anyway. And you`ve got to listen to what Oprah told CNN`s Alina Cho.
RAY: OK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": This was the moment for me to stand up, regardless of, you know, whatever kind of, you know, heat I had to take or what people`s responses would be. I knew this was the moment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: No matter what your political point of view, you have to admit, election night was historic. And Oprah invariably had an impact on the outcome. Carolina, proof of the power of Oprah does not get bigger than that, does it?
BERMUDEZ: It does not get any bigger. Oprah could possibly be the most influential woman in the world.
RAY: Absolutely.
BERMUDEZ: We`ve seen what she`s done for books, she`s done for movies, for everything under the sun. And here`s the bottom line, when Oprah uses a port-a-potty, you know you mean something to her. So she definitely helps out Barack Obama. And it was good to see her be one of us, a normal person.
HAMMER: You know it would be the best port-a-potty made. All right. Let`s move on to the next celebrity in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT top five A- Lister of the year.
Oh, yes, we`ve got to include Brad Pitt and of course, Angelina Jolie. Now, Brad has got the major box office mojo, so does Angelina. They`re the proud parents of six, also avid activists traveling to places like Africa, raising awareness for AIDS, donating lots and lots of their money because of causes they believe in. Tanika, is there anything that this power couple cannot do?
RAY: Apparently, get married.
HAMMER: Yes, well, there`s that.
RAY: I think that`s what it comes down to. They`ve accomplished everything else. But I think the marriage thing is something they`re not interested in or they haven`t decided to tell us about, but they really role models. And I think regardless of where you stand on the marriage issue and whether or not people have to get married to have kids, I think that overall, you should look at them and be like they`re doing things that are amazing. They`re giving back. They`re not only talking the walk, but they`re walking the walk, and I love that about them.
HAMMER: Well, we need to move to who`s next in our top five Hollywood A- Listers. Let`s talk about Robert Downey, Jr. Whatever you may call him, "Iron Man," "The King of Reinvention," here`s a guy who has risen and fallen in the public eye so many times throughout his career and he still rises. "Iron Man" this year, a huge box office success. What do you think, Carolina? How does this guy continue to reinvent himself?
BERMUDEZ: I have no idea. I mean I have seen this guy go from rock bottom to the top again, get kind of in the middle, go back to the top. I mean, nobody has done this ever before. So 40 is fabulous for Robert Downey, Jr.
And you know what? It`s a good thing because he`s a talented actor. He`s shown us he can be responsible now. And he`s not the insurance liability that he once was before. So Robert Downey, Jr., definitely one of the most influential this year.
HAMMER: Man, I have to tell you - one of my favorite actors. If he`s in it, I`ll go see it.
All right. Let us move on our final big celebrity in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s top five Hollywood A-Listers of the year, George Clooney.
RAY: Yes!
HAMMER: How do you have a list without, George.
RAY: Georgie!
HAMMER: Always dapper. We`ve all spent time with the guy.
BERMUDEZ: You can`t have a list without George.
HAMMER: He`s one of the nicest guys in Hollywood, an Oscar Award-winning actor. He does it all from comedy to drama. George Clooney is the whole package, isn`t he?
RAY: 100 percent the whole package. And I actually asked him marry me and he said he`d think about it. So I`m really excited about that.
Here`s the thing about George. He gets this business. Even though it`s annoying to answer the same questions over and over on red carpets and in junkets, he knows how to spin it and have fun with it. He doesn`t take himself too seriously. He doesn`t like get all stressed out. He knows how to play the game, and that`s what we love about him even more. He`s going to give you a good sound bite and make you laugh, and that`s what it`s all about. George can do no wrong. I love you, George!
HAMMER: Doesn`t get any more down to earth or real than George Clooney. It is not an act, except when he`s acting. Tanika Ray, Carolina Bermudez, thank you so much for being here. Appreciate it.
RAY: Thank you.
HAMMER: All right, Brooke. Moving on, some stars can just burst on to the A-List seemingly overnight.
ANDERSON: It is true, A.J. Case in point, Katie Holmes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KURIANSKY: From the sweet, young, innocent-looking, very naive even, young girl, to a very sophisticated young woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It`s the big, huge, unbelievable transformation of Katie Holmes. Remember when she was that sweet, fresh-faced teen on "Dawson`s Creek?" Oh, how far she has come. We take you through her transformation, next.
HAMMER: Plus, Olivia Newton John speaks about her brave battle with breast cancer 16 years ago. And what she`s doing now to help other people. What Olivia told me is coming up.
ANDERSON: And motherhood on the A-List. Jennifer Lopez speaks out about how having children changed her life completely in ways she didn`t even anticipate. A special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood A-List, continues in just a moment. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Hey, welcome back to the special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood`s A-List. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Tonight, Katie`s road to fame. I`ve got a question for you. How exactly did Katie Holmes go from a starry-eyed girl from Toledo, Ohio to TV star to movie star and wife of Hollywood icon Tom Cruise?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is about to show you that even though Katie may have started out small, she always dreamed very, very big. And it was all her big dreams along the way that helped propel her into a high-flying romance with Tom Cruise.
And that`s not all. Those dreams, those goals made her a style and Hollywood icon in her own right.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): Katie Holmes scored the first movie role in Ang Lee`s "The Ice Storm."
KATIE HOLMES, ACTRESS: To be a Christian is to choose, because you have to choose of your own choice.
MIKE FLEEMAN, WEST COAST EDITOR, "PEOPLE.COM": Katie Holmes was plucked out of nowhere basically for the "The Ice Storm," and she was a very, very young person at the time. And she pulled it off brilliantly.
ANDERSON: From that role, Katie was cast in the iconic TV teen series "Dawson`s Creek" playing tomboy Joey Potter, her character quickly adored by her millions of fans.
HOLMES: Look around you, Pacey. I mean look at what my life is.
ANDERSON: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has uncovered this 1997 interview Katie did with CNN. Listen to how hard she worked in the basement of her childhood home in Toledo, Ohio, to land the part of Joey.
HOLMES: I`ve been auditioning on videotape from my basement video.
ANDERSON: Katie may have started out small but she always dreamed big. Very, very big. Even back in 1997, she talked of how she could make the journey from small town girl to big Hollywood star.
HOLMES: Yes. I always, you know, was intrigued by acting and everything. But, again, I`m from a small town so I thought I don`t want to be one of those people. I`m going to be an actress. You know? It just kind of happened and I`m really excited.
ANDERSON: And Katie was having fun dating other teen heart throbs. First, her "Dawson`s Creek" costar Joshua Jackson and then, "American Pie" star, Chris Klein.
FLEEMAN: This looked like it might be headed to marriage.
ANDERSON: But wedding bells would have to wait because Katie`s movie career was taking off in a big way. First, with the teenage drama "Teaching Mrs. Tingle."
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: What`s wrong with you?
ANDERSON: There were other breakthrough roles in "Disturbing Behavior," "Wonder Boy," "Abandoned," "Pieces of April."
HOLMES: I don`t know how to ask this.
FLEEMAN: She played a family dark sheep and very much went against that wholesome tomboy image that she had in "Dawson`s Creek."
ANDERSON: Katie had now transformed from TV star to movie star. And when she landed a role in the blockbuster film, "Batman Begins," playing Batman`s love interest, she was suddenly getting all the movie star attention she once dreamed of back in Ohio.
FLEEMAN: She did have what is usually the thankless girlfriend role. But this was a big movie, huge Hollywood blockbuster level movie.
ANDERSON: A superhero`s girlfriend onscreen and off-screen, Katie a superstar`s girlfriend. His name - Tom Cruise.
FLEEMAN: It came out of nowhere. It happened so fast and Tom was so exuberant and enthusiastic about it. People were saying, "What is going on here?"
ANDERSON: We`ll tell you. The instant relationship that had everyone talking was another big step towards Katie`s transformation into a Hollywood icon. She was now dating the biggest star in the world. And Tom romanced Katie like only Tom Cruise could, in a very big and very, very public way.
There was the couch jumping incident on "Oprah." And who would have thought, Katie, the star from TV`s "Dawson`s Creek," that once shy and star-struck girl from Toledo, Ohio would be sought out by the biggest star in Hollywood? What did Tom Cruise see in Katie Holmes that he liked so much?
KURIANSKY: Tom Cruise picked very attractive women. He picked Nicole Kidman, and Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes have similar kinds of personalities. They can be sweet and darling in one way. But they are powerful and strong inside.
ANDERSON: You can say that again. Katie may have appeared naive and quite shy when she first stepped out with Tom on all those red carpets. But Tom`s close friend, Jada Pinkett-Smith saw a different side to Katie, a stronger one.
In an interview with "People" magazine, Smith said, quote, "Tom don`t run nothing in that house. It is Katie`s house. It`s her world."
And even more proof, Dr. Judy Kuriansky tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT there`s no way Katie could transform into Mrs. Tom Cruise without being a strong woman on the inside.
KURIANSKY: You can`t make that strong a transition, that drastic a transition unless it`s inside you. She had the guts inside her in order to make this transition.
ANDERSON: Guts that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Katie had from the word "go." Just listen to her in this interview with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT for the movie "Batman Begins." It was still early in their relationship but it seemed Katie was ready to take on even the toughest questions about their sudden courtship.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: Are you surprised, though, at the scrutiny you have experienced?
HOLMES: I don`t really care. I mean, I feel like the luckiest woman in the world. I`m happy.
ANDERSON: Katie was happy to be Tom`s girlfriend, but she was also happy to learn about Tom`s religion, Scientology. Critics persisted, saying that while Katie`s smile is endless, it masked a relationship that was suspect and too sudden.
FLEEMAN: There were fear that this giant entity that is Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology was just going to swallow her up. But there is a strength there with Katie Holmes.
ANDERSON: Strength that turned in to confidence. A confidence that grew after giving birth to their daughter Suri. And when that continued to build when the two married in a fairytale wedding in an Italian castle.
KURIANSKY: There`s definitely been a transformation from the sweet, young, innocent-looking, very naive even, young girl from "Dawson`s Creek" to a very sophisticated young woman who wears designer clothes and carries huge bags and sets style, haircuts even.
ANDERSON: And behind that new haircut and underneath all those designer clothes, Katie has remained steadfast in her devotion to her new life and family. That devotion was put to the test when Katie was forced to publicize a movie role in "Mad Money" just as a scathing, unauthorized biography on Tom was released. Katie never wavered. Just listen to her tell me how she deals with all the scrutiny.
HOLMES: You focus on creating and you focus on, you know - Tom and I both love making movies. We love our family, and that`s when`s important to us. And any time that is taken away from that is not OK. So, you know, I`m here to make movies and to make the best of life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Katie seems to be keeping her promise to live the best of life with Tom Cruise. The family`s often spotted enjoying one of Suri`s favorite treats, ice cream or enjoying play dates in the park.
HAMMER: The great Olivia Newton John is speaking out about her about her battle with breast cancer and how she is helping other people. Olivia was diagnosed 16 years ago. She`s teamed up with Curves to develop the kit called Live Aid that helps women do self-exams. That`s something she credits with saving her own life since she was able to catch her cancer early. Well, I asked Olivia Newton John how getting and beating breast cancer affects her now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN, SINGER: I`m just very grateful every day that I am here. And I just love my life and I`m so happy to be here. So I am really thrilled that now I can give back in some way and try and help other women who are going through the experience because it is a very difficult thing to go through alone. And if you know someone that has been there and they got through it, it`s kind of helpful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She is one of the most charming A-List celebrities you could expect to meet. Olivia Newton John also has a cancer and wellness center which is located in Australia.
ANDERSON: Next on this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, marriage on the A-List. Warren Beatty and Annette Bening are the quintessential Hollywood super couple. So how do they balance marriage and massive stardom? Wait until you hear what Annette told us, next.
Plus, A-List moms. Jennifer Lopez says having children changed her life completely and in some ways she didn`t anticipate. Next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We are glad you are spending some time with us for this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Hollywood`s A-List. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Tonight, Annette Bening and Warren Beatty are the definition of a Hollywood power couple. The two met on the set of "Bugsy" in 1991 and got married a year later.
Now, more than 16 years and four kids later, Bening and Beatty are standing firm on Hollywood`s A-List. But how do they balance family and life in the spotlight? Here is what Annette told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNETTE BENING, ACTRESS: Well, I don`t think we have any particular secrets. I feel really lucky because in my work, I can stop and start a lot. And that allows me to be with my children in a way that maybe some other people in their professions can`t do. So I just feel so lucky that I can do - work once in a while and then really I am able to spend the majority of my time chasing my children around like a lot of people have to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She definitely doesn`t take it for granted. Well, Jennifer Lopez is another A-List star opening up about motherhood. Lopez and her husband, singer Marc Anthony are proud parents of twins named Max and Emmy.
Well, since becoming a new mom, Lopez has not slowed down one bit. She competed in a triathlon just six months after giving birth. She has her sights set on helping children through her own foundation. She`s told us she is taking notes from Children`s Defense Fund pioneer, Marian Wright Edelman. And with Wright-Edelman at her side, Lopez opened up to us about how having children of her own has affected her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER LOPEZ, ACTRESS AND SINGER: My whole world changed when I became a mother. You know, it`s almost like you become a mother to every child in the world. That`s how you feel because you know what it is to have a baby in your arms, to care for that baby and to want it to have all of the best things in life. And that`s what it comes down to.
You want them to have the best health care. You want them to have a great world to grow up in. You want them to have every opportunity that they can possibly have. And when you start looking at the world and saying, "Wait a minute, there`s holes here. There`s things that they can really use improvement. How can I do that? What can I do?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And I am betting that Jennifer Lopez`s celebrity is going to go a long way to helping her accomplish anything that she wants to do.
Well, that is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We thank you for watching Hollywood`s A-List. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Don`t forget you can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, and in the morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest from "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" is next.
END
