CELEBRITY WATCH
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From staff and wire reports

Patrick Stewart to begin 'King' trek

NEW YORK -- Patrick Stewart will headline a cast in a new TNT movie based on "King Lear," Variety reports.

The $11 million movie will transport the Shakespeare play to the early days of the Wild West. It will be re-titled "King of Texas," and shooting starts in Mexico on April 19.

Stewart, the Shakespearean actor who has played "Star Trek" Captain Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and three movies, says he got the idea for this version of "Lear" two years ago, while he was working on an adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" for TNT.

Marcia Gay Harden (Oscar-nominated for "Pollock"), Lauren Holly, Julie Cox, Roy Scheider and David Alan Grier have signed on, as well.

Martin art headed for Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Steve Martin is putting on display his collection of fine art, including works by Georges Seurat, Roy Lichtenstein, Pablo Picasso, David Hockney, and Edward Hopper.

The 28-piece collection will be open to the public April 7 at the Bellagio hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

Why did he choose a Las Vegas casino for such an occasion?

"The real reason," Martin says in a catalog to be sold at his first-ever show, is "it sounds like fun."

Martin gained fame as a comedian and "Saturday Night Live" guest host in the 1970s. He has since gone on to enjoy a career as a comic actor and writer. Later this month, he'll host the Academy Awards.

Priestley signs on with ABC Sports

NEW YORK -- The Dennis Miller of the racing world?

Jason Priestley has signed on to be the third man in ABC Sports' broadcasting booth for its Indy Racing League season coverage, which starts Sunday in Phoenix and includes the Indianapolis 500 in May.

Priestley, the actor who starred in the TV show "Beverly Hills, 90210," has previously dabbled in race car driving.

He'll join anchor Bob Jenkins and new analyst Larry Rice.

Last year, seeking to jumpstart ratings, ABC hired comic Dennis Miller to the "Monday Night Football" announcing team.

'Sopranos' star: 'I would never do that'

NEW YORK -- Aida Turturro enjoys playing Janice, the sister of Tony Soprano, on the HBO drama "The Sopranos." But she tells People magazine there's one thing she wouldn't do for the role: lose weight.

"I would never do that for Hollywood," Turturro, 38, told People magazine in its March 19 issue. "If anybody said anything to me, I don't care who it is, I wouldn't stand for it.

"That's not how our show works," the full-figured actress said. "It's not about how you look. Look at the guys!"