Patrick Swayze insists his ongoing cancer battle is a "miracle". The ailing actor posed for photographers in Los Angeles over the weekend, looking healthy and fit, despite reports he's dying. The Ghost star was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April , prompting claims he had just months to live. But the 55 year old has responded well to treatment at California's Stanford University Medical Center, and he shared his good health with photographers, who caught up with him as he headed back to work at the weekend . As he prepared to board a flight to Chicago, Illinois, where he will begin shooting new TV series The Beast, Swayze told snappers, "I'm a miracle ... I don't know why." Last month the reclusive star revealed he was "winning" his battle with the deadly disease, thanks to a healthy diet. He said, "My treatments are working and I am winning the battle. "I am juicing (drinking fresh fruit juice) every day along with other treatments and all I can say is that it's working fine and really well."

Moviemaker Tim Burton will face his former girlfriend Lisa Marie in court next month in a battle over assets she alleges he promised her during their relationship. The actress claims the director, who has been dating Brit Helena Bonham Carter since 2001, cheated her out of cash she's due based on an oral agreement. Burton's lawyer, Joseph Mannis, had argued any such agreement between his client and his ex was not relevant, but Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Teresa Sanchez-Gordon disagreed on Friday and ruled a trial could go ahead. The former couple will now meet in court on 11 August .

Billy Bob Thornton received a little help recording his last solo album - from the musical ghost he shares his California mansion with. The actor/singer claims the talented spirit aided him through bouts of writer's block, while he was working on his 2006 release Hobo. Thornton, who bought the Beverly Hills mansion from rocker Slash, tells Maxim magazine, "We heard lots of things in the house that just didn't make any sense. "And on my last solo record, there were a couple of noises that didn't seem to come from any place we could identify. There's been a couple of times I've been writing a song, and I'll get stuck on a line, and all of a sudden I'll come up with something out of nowhere. Maybe the ghost is helping me out."

The cast and crew of hit TV comedy Scrubs swelled the population of a small Bahamian island recently when they filmed an episode on location there. Series creator Bill Lawrence jumped at the chance to film in the Bahamas - where the show is a big hit - when local officials offered to foot the bill for the shoot. He says, "There were no roads, and they had rolling blackouts every couple of hours but it was one of the best experiences I've had. "It's a fantastically funny episode, where (actor) Neil Flynn gets married in the Bahamas. He invites 700 people to the Bahamas on three days' notice because all he wanted was the gifts. He didn't want anybody to show up. "We were on a little island called Hope Town in the Bahamas. The population is 300, and we brought 84 people there, so we increased their population by about a third. "I hired myself as the preacher that marries Neil and his wife-to-be."

Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus has launched a new charity in honour of her late grandfather - and is auctioning off a date with her to kickstart the fundraising. The Pappy Cyrus Family Foundation is named after Cyrus' paternal grandfather Ron, who died in 2006, and aims to help deprived children across the U.S. by providing improved health care, education and community support. And Cyrus has taken the first step to raise money for the organisation by giving fans the chance to accompany her to the premiere of her forthcoming film Bolt. She is also auctioning off several items of clothing from her personal wardrobe. The sale will begin on internet site eBay on Tuesday night with bidding closing on 29 July , according to Foxnews.com.

American actor Scott Michael Foster has been arrested in Hollywood on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI). The 23-year-old star of U.S. comedy drama Greek was charged with the offence following his run-in with cops early on Monday morning. He was released a few hours later on his own recognisance and is due in court to face the charge on 11 August , reports website Tmz.com.

Angelina Jolie and her ex-husband Billy Bob Thornton are searching for a comedy movie to star in together. Nine years after they met on the set of 1999 movie Pushing Tin, and five years after their three-year marriage ended in divorce, the pair is planning to reunite on the big screen. Thornton insists he and Jolie have remained friends since their split, and are both keen to work together again - as long as they are not playing husband and wife. He tells Maxim magazine, "We've talked about it plenty of times. I'm sure we will." And their preference is a comedy. The Bad Santa star adds, "We want to be really careful that we pick the right one. Maybe a comedy. In other words, we wouldn't want to do another movie about a husband-wife relationship. That probably wouldn't be very good." Jolie gave birth to twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline last week - her fifth and six children with current partner Brad Pitt.

Former supermodel Christy Turlington is urging the U.S. government to do more for mothers who suffer side effects during childbirth. The one-time runway queen recently joined former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell on a trip to Washington D.C., where they asked politicians for legislation to promote maternal health around the world. Turlington - who has two children with actor husband Edward Burns - insists more needs to be done for mothers and expectant mums, noting that every minute one woman dies during labour. She tells Wenn, "I'm really involved in maternal health. I've been working in Washington to help raise awareness. I'm a mum, so maternal health is very important to me." Turlington, 39 - a ambassador for humanitarian organisation Care - adds, "I've had safe deliveries for both my children because I have had access to skilled medical care. Yet for too many women in the developing world, pregnancy and childbirth is a serious life-and-death issue."

Comedy star Will Ferrell suffered a terrifying attack of stage-fright on the set of new movie Step Brothers, when he was asked to sing opera in front of 500 extras. The Anchorman star has stripped nearly naked onscreen countless times, but singing on stage left him frozen to the spot. Ferrell explains, "That was one of the hardest things. I sang opera in front of 500 extras and I was so nervous that day. "I can do just about anything in front of a camera except try to legitimately sing an opera piece. "I would, actually (run past the extras naked). That would be so much easier."

Actor Ashton Kutcher is begging his wife Demi Moore to take to the stage on an upcoming U.S. TV game show he is producing. The new series, called Opportunity Knocks, quizzes family members on how well they know each other. And Kutcher, who is stepfather to Rumer, 19, Scout, 16, and Tallulah, 14 - Moore's daughters with action star Bruce Willis - is convinced his handsome Hollywood family would make the perfect team. He says, "She'd be a genius. I actually think that in general the moms on this show are going to do a lot better than everybody else in the family."

High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens is to front a new back-to-school campaign for U.S. clothing firm Sears. The actress, 19, was shot by acclaimed director Joseph Kahn for the company's new ads, which will appear on TV, online and in print. The 'Don't Just Go Back. Arrive.' promotion will launch later this month in a bid to encourage school kids to start the new school term in style with Sears' new line of products. Richard Gerstein, Sears Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President, says, "By partnering with Vanessa Hudgens we're generating excitement about our back-to-school offering and building our relationship with our young customers and their parents."

Jerry O'Connell and his wife Rebecca Romijn are refusing to give up trying for a baby - a year after they first decided to start a family together. The couple married in July last year and admit that having a child is their top priority. But a year after their wedding, O'Connell says they have still not succeeded in conceiving. He tells People.com, "We're trying to get pregnant. It would be amazing if it happened. I hope it does."

Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria Parker saved some money on her recent hair cut - she got husband Tony To lop off her long locks for her. The actress recently opted for a drastic new look by swapping her lengthy tresses for a short bob cut. And the star reveals her husband wielded the scissors and did the honours - but she warded off a hair disaster by keeping her regular stylist on hand to tidy up the cut. She says, "Tony cut my hair. Ken Paves, celebrity hairdresser) fixed it. He set it up for Tony and said, 'You do the first cut. I don't want her to be mad if she hates it.'"

The Office star Paul Lieberstein married his girlfriend Janine Poreba in New York on Saturday . The 41-year-old plays Dunder Mifflin employee Toby in the U.S. version of the hit British comedy, as well as writing and acting as an executive producer. Poreba, 35, is an English language teacher at Santa Monica College in California. The couple married at the Battery Gardens restaurant in Manhattan, in a ceremony officiated by a Presbyterian minister and a Jewish rabbi.

Maggie Gyllenhaal has banned her daughter from becoming an actress - because she's convinced Hollywood isn't healthy for children. The Secretary star gave birth to daughter Ramona with her boyfriend, actor Peter Sarsgaard in 2006. And the Brooklyn-based mum admits she's already apprehensive about her daughter's career path as she approaches her second birthday. Gyllenhaal says, "I kind of try to keep her out of this kind of (showbusiness) stuff. It's not really good for kids. I know it's like such a cliche... I really hope she does something else. I love what I do but I don't want to bring her around all of this stuff."

Actor Colin Firth is convinced his famous co-stars are a bunch of "drag queens" because they're secretly only interested in playing dress-up. The Mamma Mia star joins Hollywood legends Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan as the trio sing and dance on film for the summer Abba-inspired movie musical. And Firth says the experience has left him certain that his fellow actors' best inspiration came from their mother's closets. He muses, "Actors are basically drag queens. People will tell you they act because they want to heal mankind or, you know, explore the nature of the human psyche. Yes, maybe. But basically we just want to put on a frock and dance."

Ugly Betty star Ana Ortiz is delighted the show was moved to New York - because the city is "a great place to raise a family." The programme was originally based in Los Angeles but TV bosses relocated the set to the Big Apple to allow workers to take advantage of new tax incentives in the state. And Ortiz - who is about to start having children with her husband Noah Lebenzon - insists the move fits in perfectly with her plans. She says, "We found a perfect place in Brooklyn Heights. I love the neighbourhood. It's really mellow, gorgeous and a great place to raise a family. I couldn't resist. I'm looking forward to being a mom."

Socialite Kim Kardashian has been tapped as the latest celebrity to join the cast of hit U.S. TV show Dancing With The Stars. The former girlfriend of R&B singer Ray J is reportedly in talks with network executives to appear on the hit talent contest, where she would show off her assets in the hope of winning the crown as America's favourite novice ballroom dancer. According to the New York Daily News, Kardashian is set to join the cast - rumoured to include former 'N Sync star Lance Bass - for the show's upcoming season this autumn .

Brendan Fraser was reluctant to sign up for the third installment of the Mummy trilogy when he heard his co-star Rachel Weisz wasn't going to be reprising her role. The pair starred together in the first two movies in the action franchise but Weisz opted out of appearing in new movie The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor. The actress was eventually replaced by Maria Bello, who joined the cast to take on Weisz's character Evie. And Fraser insists he missed Weisz right from the very first read through. He says, "I felt Rachel's absence when I read the screenplay for the first time. We were partners, friends, colleagues, and I couldn't read the screenplay and not think about hearing her say it this way, or that way. We had the chemistry." But the star insists the movie hasn't suffered following the loss of Weisz, adding, "We didn't want to change the storyline where we start laying flowers at her grave. I don't want to give the joke away but I can promise you a brand new Evie."

Federal officials have dismissed an indecency fine TV bosses at CBS were charged after Janet Jackson flashed a breast during the 2004 SuperBowl half-time show. Just days after Jackson's fellow SuperBowl performer Justin Timberlake poked fun at the 'wardrobe malfunction' controversy while hosting the Espy Awards in Los Angeles, a three-judge panel has thrown out a $550,000 fine over the broadcast. The judges of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals have ruled that the Federal Communications Commission "acted arbitrarily and capriciously" in issuing the fine for the split-second image of nudity. During the live show, Timberlake ripped open Jackson's bodice, revealing a breast. A red-faced Jackson quickly covered up. More than 90 million people saw the live broadcast.

Britney Spears proved she has put her recent court battles behind her by stepping out for a charity event hosted by comedian Jim Carrey and his girlfriend Jenny McCarthy. The Toxic hitmaker saw permanent custody of her two children handed over to ex-husband Kevin Federline on Thursday , following 18-months of court hearings, mental trauma, and a breakdown. But she stunned onlookers on Saturday by arriving at the Los Angeles party in an elegant black evening dress, with perfect hair and make-up for her glamorous night out. And the singer appeared to be in good spirits. A source tells People.com, "She looked great and seemed really happy. She smiled and clapped during the video about autism." Other stars to attend the charity fundraiser, in aid of Carrey and McCarthy's Generation Rescue, a foundation for autistic children, included Rose McGowan and newlyweds Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller.