Juror No. 1 Is a 10

Relationship, kids with Jolie 'a natural direction'

(NEWSER) - Now 45 and the father of six, Brad Pitt appears ready to shed the image of clowning heartbreaker to tackle weightier matters in life and work, writes Reed Johnson in the Los Angeles Times. Pitt’s role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, in which his character ages backward, challenged him to assess his own life, he says. “Once you hit 40, you start reexamining the math of it all. I’ll trade wisdom for youth any day.” More»

Brood will use new luxe digs for vacay getaway

(NEWSER) - Another day, another mansion. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have scooped up new luxury digs, this time a $40 million villa in the Valpolicella Hills of northern Italy, the Daily Mail reports. The Villa Costanza features 15 bedrooms, seven bathrooms, several Jacuzzis, two swimming pools, a gym, stable, vineyard, and a movie theater. Jolie fell in love with the region while filming The Tourist there earlier this year, and the family intends to use the spread as a vacation getaway, sources say. More»

Brad and Angelina make the list, but only at No. 3

(NEWSER) - Jay-Z and Beyoncé are Hollywood's top-earning couple. In the annual Forbes rankings, they finished No. 1 for the second year in a row by pulling in a combined $122 million between June 2008 and June 2009. The others in the top five:

• No. 2: Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart, $69 million.
• No. 3: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie: $55 million.
• No. 4: Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, $48 million.
• No. 5: David and Victoria Beckham, $46 million.

Roger Corman, Gordon Willis, John Calley share the spotlight

(NEWSER) - A mere 65 years after her unforgettable screen debut, Lauren Bacall has won an Academy Award. The honorary Oscar was a high point of a ceremony last night in Los Angeles that also celebrated the careers of filmmaker Roger Corman, cinematographer Gordon Willis, and producer John Calley. "I can't believe it, a man at last!" the 85-year-old Bacall joked as she hoisted her new hardware. More»

Citizens point to recession, unemployment in bid for dismissal

(NEWSER) - Jury duty has always been a pain, but the tough economy is prompting more and more Americans to ditch their civic responsibility, the New York Times reports. While exact figures aren’t available, officials report that jurors increasingly cite financial worries in bids to get out of duty. “I cannot even afford the gas to have to come down there,” an Idaho resident says. More»