After Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter announced their split late Monday, it took less than 48 hours for a steady stream of rumors to swirl that Michael C. Hall had been carrying on with his leading lady in this past season of Dexter, Julia Stiles. LaineyGossip had a “blind” about it, claiming that after their story lines had been filmed, they had fallen in love. To make things more complicated, our source told us that while yes, Michael and Jennifer were separated months ago, Jennifer was also carrying on with other men. Anyway, Julia must have thought the “homewrecker” allegation would probably damage her career and her reputation, because she issued a statement (through her rep) to E! News:

As soon as Dexter costars Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter announced their real-life marriage was over, the rumors began.

The internet was flooded with claims that Hall has been romancing Julia Stiles, who plays his love interest on the hit Showtime series.

So, what’s the real deal? Stiles insists she and Hall are not seeing each other.

“I have absolutely nothing to do with the split between Michael and Jennifer,” Stiles says in a statement released by her rep. “We are good friends and enjoyed working together. This is a personal matter between them, and we should respect their privacy. Although I too prefer to keep my private life, private—I felt compelled to dispel the rumors I was somehow the cause for this matter.”

Hall and Carpenter told Entertainment Weekly early this week that they were divorcing after almost two years of marriage, explaining that they have “been separated for some time.”

[From E! News]

Hm… on the face of it, I will believe her, I guess. Even though I think the wording is interesting. I’m nit-picking, I know. But it’s interesting that she says that she “had absolutely nothing to do with the split between Michael and Jennifer” BUT she doesn’t specifically deny that she and Michael are in a relationship now, or were in a relationship before he and Carpenter announced their split. She’s denying that she was the cause of the split, not that she and Michael are boning. Fascinating. Splitting Hairs: America’s Past-time.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Quite honestly, I find Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter’s split much more shocking and interesting than any of the other celebrity splits this week. Probably because I always bought Hall and Carpenter as a couple who made sense, who had a lot of genuine love for each other. But I was wrong – and if our tipster a few days ago was right, Hall and Carpenter have been on the outs for a while. Now Lainey at LaineyGossip is suggesting – in a somewhat obvious blind item kind of way – that Michael was all up on costar Julia Stiles’ grill when they were filming this past season of Dexter:

I mentioned yesterday that there are a few more details about one of the recent splits announced in Hollywood this week. Turns out there was someone else: his love interest this season on his tv show. Their chemistry was so crazy and so evident to everyone that writer and producers, seeing it play out on set, actually cranked up their sex scenes to capture it for show. Her career has seen a resurgence since.

Eventually the two fell in love. They were together, very close, at a Halloween party in New York this fall hosted by a famously controversial writer (this isn’t a super important detail) and those who observed them that night are not surprised now that he’s ended it with his wife.

[From LaineyGossip]

Eh. Michael and Julia didn’t really have cranked-up love scenes. But they did have a lot of chemistry. Also, Showbiz Spy (not reliable in the least) has a source who claimed that Julia and Michael were hanging out earlier this week and that, “Michael was checking out Julia’s butt. He was fixated. He seemed fine though. You would never tell his marriage had just collapsed.” And I just want to point out something else – if we’re judging Michael’s “type” as Jennifer Carpenter, then Julia definitely fits into that “type”. Both are very slender, tomboy-ish, athletic women who are… let’s say… lacking in the kind of stereotypical “feminine” vibe. So… sure, I’ll buy Michael and Julia as a couple. I’ll buy that he was attracted to her, and I’ll buy that maybe his vows didn’t mean much to him.

If Lainey is right, I end up having a lot of sympathy for Jennifer Carpenter. Our tipster claimed that Carpenter has spent the last few months partying her ass off and hooking up with guys too, though. And TMZ just threw up some photos of Jennifer having lunch with a mystery man. Perhaps she called the paparazzi for a little revenge “f-ck you” photo op with Mr. Beefcake. Michael already did the photo op think without his ring yesterday (photos below), just after the news about his split broke. Is anyone else getting the feeling that there is some bad stuff about to break? Ugh.

PR image from Dexter. Additional pics courtesy of Entertainment Weekly.

Last week we covered a really hilarious parody Julia Stiles did in the name of fashion, the environment, and good-humored people everywhere. Julia launched her parody eco-clothing line on her parody site, “Julia Stiles Styles”. The fake fashion included: a shirt called “Save the Last Shants” (“Ever been wearing a shirt and thought ‘I sure wish I could also wear these as pants.’ Now you can with this trendy one-piece that can cover either your top or bottoms halves. Save time and money, for when your shirt is dirty you can wear it as pants! $470”) and “10 Shirts I love about you” (“How much do I love this shirt? Let me count the ways. Comprised from the fabrics of 10 other vintage shirts, this piece is sure to make passersby say “wow.” Perfect for pool parties, dance parties, or any kind of party. Be the envy of all those around you whose shirts come from only one source. $340”). To make the whole thing even better, when anyone tried to “buy” one of the fashions (I was tempted by the shants), you were directed to a donation page for the Lunchbox Fund, an organization that feeds impoverished school kids in South Africa.

It was all done in good fun, and Julia didn’t call out any particular “eco-celebrity”. But that hasn’t stopped self-proclaimed eco-celebrity Julia Roberts from getting mad, according to the Enquirer. According to a source, Roberts was mildly miffed, because Julia Roberts takes the whole environmental thing seriously now! Look, she buys flushable diapers and appears on the cover of Vanity Fair’s bloated “Green Issue”! Roberts thinks Stiles should get serious:

Julia Roberts – a famously eco-conscious mother of three who uses flushable diapers, drove a Toyota Prius and even helped invent a “green” household cleaner – isn’t laughing at her former Mona Lisa Smile’s co-star’s joke.

“While Julia thinks Julia Stiles’ heart is in the right place, she shouldn’t make fun of others who are trying to help the environment,” said the source.

“Julia thinks her former co-star would be better off directing her humor at people who are trying to destroy the planet… not those helping it!”

[From the National Enquirer, print edition, September 14 2009]

Eh… it’s like Julia Roberts didn’t get the joke. It wasn’t even like Stiles was only mocking the eco trend – she was mocking the faux-earnestness that so many celebrities bring to their cause du jour, as well as mocking fashion in general, specifically celebrity fashion lines. And if Julia Roberts was so miffed by the whole thing, why doesn’t she get off her high horse and make a parody video about SUVs or the oil industry or whatever?

Here’s Julia Roberts in Rome shooting ”Eat, Pray, Love” yesterday. Images thanks to Fame Pictures .

Julia Stiles is done with all of the Gwyneth Paltrows, the Bonos, the Katie Holmeses and the Leonardo DiCaprios of the world. So she’s mocking them and their eco-efforts in a hilarious new website, video, and faux-fashion line of eco-friendly clothes. Julia has launched her parody site “Julia Stiles Styles” (video above) with the tagline: “Helping the environment. You’re welcome.” Her fashion line includes the pieces she’s named “Save the Last Shants” (“Ever been wearing a shirt and thought ‘I sure wish I could also wear these as pants.’ Now you can with this trendy one-piece that can cover either your top or bottoms halves. Save time and money, for when your shirt is dirty you can wear it as pants! $470”) and “10 Shirts I love about you” (“How much do I love this shirt? Let me count the ways. Comprised from the fabrics of 10 other vintage shirts, this piece is sure to make passersby say “wow.” Perfect for pool parties, dance parties, or any kind of party. Be the envy of all those around you whose shirts come from only one source. $340”). Gatecrasher has more:

Julia Stiles has been re-”Bourne” as a comedian. In an inspired turn, the sometime-sourpuss has taken to online video to poke fun at greener-than-thou celebs trying to force-feed us vegan-wear.

In the now-viral parody at juliastilesstyles.com, the Columbia graduate faux-hawks a fabulously sarcastic line of ecowear. She serves up seriously funny whoop-ass to know-it-all stars and the earnest celebrity causes they expect us to wear on their backs.

Yes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman and Alicia Silverstone – that could mean you. You too, Bono. Aw, hell, even Katie Holmes is trying to design clothes, for crying out loud.

In the vid, Stiles chats with deadpan earnestness about some ridiculous Earth-friendly fashions. They include a men’s top called “Ten Shirts I Love About You” made from 10 old shirts. A Swiffer necktie that doubles as an eyeglass cleaner is the haute hybrid accessory.

Stiles also pulls a funky fashion innovation with “shants.” That’s a shirt that becomes pants when legs are slipped into the armholes.

Stiles, who lives in New York and starts rehearsals for Broadway’s “Oleanna” in two weeks, filmed the video with the comedy group The Vacationeers. She met the four-man act while co-starring with Bill Pullman in David Mamet’s sexual-harassment drama on the West Coast. The show starts next month on the Great White Way.

“I was impressed,” says Stiles, “so we talked about making some comedy shorts.”

It’s easy to imagine the gang getting inspiration from Paltrow’s line of organic tees. Or perhaps Portman’s vegan shoes. Or maybe Silverstone’s eco-friendly eye makeup and cosmetics bags.

“We were just having a laugh, honestly,” says Stiles. And a bit of revenge, too.

“Julia’s got a good sense of humor,” says Vacationeer Jeff Grace, adding that the video was a way “to poke fun at celebrities and their causes.”

Such as? “The Bonos and Tim Robbinses,” he says. “We even like these people. They’ve done good things. But it can be cringeworthy.”

To give a silver lining to the lampoon, Stiles added a donation link on the site for the Lunchbox Fund, which feeds impoverished kids.

[From Gatecrasher]

It is funny, and I give Julia a lot of credit for her originality. I’m sure there will be a few celebrities who don’t get the joke. Like, say, Gwyneth Paltrow. I’m sure she looks at the recycled newspaper suit and thinks “Why, I should recommend that on Goop!” What’s going unmentioned is the joke prices of these fake pieces – they’re just in line with the real prices of many of the “eco-designs” many designers are offering, from Stella McCartney to Natalie Portman. It’s as if they think just because something is labeled “eco” we’ll pay an extra $200.

Matt Damon was flanked by the two women in his life, his mother and his wife, at the premiere of The Bourne Ultimatum in Hollywood last night. It will be the third installment in the excellent Bourne series, and will be the last starring Damon. He has ruled out appearing in another sequel:

Amidst telling the press that he feels “a bit like a prostitute for putting out two number threes in one year” (to which George Clooney added, “That’s better than three number twos”), Damon said (regarding the Bourne franchise): “I’m definitely done with that. I think we’ve ridden that horse as far as we can. The character lives on in the books and if someone else wanted to play it, I guess they could.”

[Cinematical.com]

To me the Bourne series is so excellent that I don’t think it would hurt Damon’s career to continue playing the character. You can see why he’d want to move on, though.

Damon credits the first Bourne movie, The Bourne Identity, with saving his career. He says he was working in theater, hadn’t done a film in six months before it came out and that his last two movies had tanked. After the film came out to box office and critical acclaim he started getting offers again.

He also says it was harder to play action hero this time around. He said when the first movie came out he was 29, and that at 36 he “felt his age” when working on some of the fight scenes for Ultimatum.

He said: “There was a huge difference in the fighting stuff. The first movie, ‘The Bourne Identity’, came out when I was 29. For the third one I was 36 and I definitely felt my age.

“In one big fight scene in Tangiers, Joey Ansah, the guy I’m fighting, is only 23. He would have been in high school when the first film came out!”

[From Monsters and Critics]

The Bourne Ultimatum is out in theaters on August 3.

Here are pictures from the premiere including Julia Stiles, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck. Thanks to Splash News and PRPhotos.

Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, and Joan Allen star in the latest installment of the excellent Bourne series, The Bourne Ultimatum. Everyone still wants assassin Bourne dead and it looks like he travels all over the world to figure out what happened to him while escaping government agents and hatching a plot to kick their sorry asses.

Here’s the full length trailer:

I love these movies and I can’t wait to see Ultimatum. It’s out in theaters on August 3rd. It doesn’t hurt that Damon stars. Ever since Good Will Hunting I’ve had the biggest crush on that guy.

In a recent interview with Esquire, Damon is quoted as saying that he cultivates a boring personality to keep the media interest in him at bay. He said he would have difficulty coping with the level of fame that his co-star Brad Pitt and his girlfriend Angelina Jolie deal with. He also compared the paparazzi that hound Pitt and Jolie to hungry lions.

Thanks to Allmoviephoto and RottenTomatoes for the movie stills.