Last year, stories about the marriage trouble of Annette Bening and Warren Beatty began appearing in The National Enquirer. I tended to believe what little I read about the situation, thinking that The Enquirer was likely paying some well-placed sources for their information. The stories were less about Annette and Warren’s marriage and more about how their oldest daughter, Kathlyn, was planning on becoming (or perhaps already became, I don‘t know) a man. Kathlyn even asked to be called Stephen Ira. The sources had Annette being a supportive mother, while Warren seemed to be having real difficulties with the situation. The situation put a strain on their marriage… to the point that when Annette was promoting The Kids Are All Right, her publicist informed all journalists that Annette would not be answering any personal questions. I think this is also why Annette has been keeping a low-profile during the awards season too – she simply does not want to talk about what’s going on in her family. Anyway, The Enquirer has a story in this week’s issue, all about how Julianne Moore has helped bring Warren and Annette back together:

The battling Beattys began drifting apart under the pressure of 73-year-old Warren’s fading career and their daughter Kathlyn’s shocking announcement that she wanted a sex change, sources say. When Annette confided her problems to Julianne Moore, Julianne stepped up.

“Julianne became Annette and Warren’s unlikely family therapist,” an inside source told The Enquirer. “She reminded Annette that she could weather any storm with Warren because of their love and commitment. Julianne spent time with the entire Beatty family before the premiere of The Kids are All Right, and when she got Warren alone, she worked on him too.”

At that point, Annette and Warren were fighting so much over Kathlyn and Annette‘s career successes, they were even sleeping in separate bedrooms. But “Julianne bluntly told Warren that he needed to rein in his ego over Annette’s success… as for Kathlyn, she told Warren ‘God doesn’t make mistakes.’ Now thanks to Julianne’s counseling, Warren has realized that he needs to gracefully let Annette have her moment in the sun.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition]

Eh. While I don’t doubt that Julianne probably offered advice and acting as a sounding board to Annette, I doubt Julianne would push her nose up into Warren’s bidness. I even doubt how truly damaged Warren and Annette’s marriage really was – I bet there were fights, sure, but do I think that it was anything earth-shattering? Probably not.

But I do buy that Annette and Julianne and tight. I want them to be tight. I want them to be older, wiser, hipster girlfriends, you know?

Photos courtesy of WENN.

This seems kind of like the gossip world is making a mountain out of a molehill, but there could totally be something there. According to Page Six, when Annette Bening was at the Deauville Film Festival to promote The Kids Are All Right, she imposed a “media blackout” on any questions about her husband Warren Beatty or their marriage. Now – lots of celebrities do this. When you get to a certain status in Hollywood, most media outlets will let you get away with it too, for fear that you’ll rip away their access. It’s not always about “conspiracy!” or divorce. But it could be!

What does Annette Bening have to hide? Reporters at the Deauville Film Festival in France — where Bening was promoting “The Kids Are All Right,” the movie in which she plays a lesbian mother — were shocked when organizers warned them not to ask the actress any questions about her family, and specifically about her husband, Warren Beatty.

“The blackout immediately amped up speculation by the press corps of an impending split,” said one journalist.

Beatty has been notably absent as Bening has traveled the world promoting her latest film, which features a steamy Sapphic sex scene with Julianne Moore. The couple has barely been seen together except for a sighting at the Ago restaurant in LA on Aug. 7.

The National Enquirer reported last month that Bening and Beatty are fighting and finger-pointing over their daughter, Kathlyn, 18, and her plans to have gender-reassignment surgery. Kathlyn, the eldest of four kids, allegedly has been living as a man for two years under the name Stephen Ira, and is now in college awaiting sex-change operations. The Enquirer reports Bening has agreed to pay for the surgery.

“Annette accepts that Kathlyn wants to surgically become a man, while Warren is still trying to come to terms with it,” a source allegedly told the weekly.

Bening’s publicist Simon Halls told Page Six: “Ridiculous. She was there to promote two films and that’s what she did.” Reps for Beatty didn’t return calls for comment. Stephen Ira couldn’t be reached.

Meanwhile, the Deauville Film Festival, in its 36th year, appears to be a victim of tighter budgets. “Where are the stars? The studios have opted to go to closer-to-home Toronto instead,” said one source. “If the festival goes on like this, it won’t go on much longer.”

[From Page Six]

Yes, that National Enquirer story is one I haven’t really been following – Warren and Annette’s oldest, Kathryn, is probably trying to get a sex change operation to become a man (stories here and here). I think the Enquirer’s reporting is probably right on the money, and they probably paid some source for details. I’ll also buy that Warren is probably not handling it very well, where Annette is more “live and let live.” But would this be the way their marriage ends? Eh. I think Warren is kind of dotty at this point, and honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that he was sick or dealing with some senility issues. I think he needs Annette now more than ever.

header: Warren and Annette in June, 2010. Credit: WENN.

Lindsay Lohan was talking the other day about how she’s lost all that weight because she’s been under a lot of stress. And then when she was asked about what’s so stressful in her life, she said she’s been going to a lot of meetings for possible movie parts. We all laughed and rolled our eyes, but it turns out Lindsay may not have been bluffing – at least about the possible jobs.

Warren Beatty is considering putting her in one of his films – but there’s a major caveat. She has to agree to live in his home or guest house during filming so he can keep an eye on her.

What does Warren Beatty have in mind for Lindsay Lohan? He has something, because Beatty is apparently dangling a new movie role in front of the irrepressible Lindsay. But it has some strings attached to it. What I’m told is that Warren, the smartest guy in Hollywood, bar none, wants Ms. Lohan to come live under his roof — at least one of his guest roofs — while he shoots this movie.

And wait, you’re wondering, what movie is this? Beatty is said to have a script he wants to direct and star in, with La Lohan possibly playing his daughter. (If it’s his love interest, well, I’m not going there and I’m sure Warren isn’t either.)

Lindsay is said to know this is a chance of a lifetime and a way to re-start her languishing career. Recent efforts, like that horrid John Lennon murder movie Chapter 27, haven’t left her in the greatest shape. On the plus side, she’s clean, sober, happy and looking great.

But Lohan is a gifted actress with a lot of baggage and reputation for not making it to the set always on time and in one piece. So Beatty’s proviso sounds like a smart idea. And how bad it can be [sic] to live up on Mulholland Drive under the aegis of Annette Bening? I can hear a lot of young actresses heading to the phone now to try and get that gig.

Lindsay, pack your bags!

[From Fox News]

Obviously, the article was wrong on the whole, “she’s clean, sober, happy and looking great” bit. I guess we can’t know for sure about the clean/sober/happy part, but in terms of looking great, most people don’t think unhealthy weight loss and looking scary skinny is “great.”

Considering Lindsay doesn’t own a home and hops from rental to rental, living with Warren Beatty might even be a good financial move. I could see how it would be a little embarrassing to acquiesce to this demand when you’re a legal adult, but getting a decent role is essential for Lohan right now. As Fox pointed out, it’s been a long time since she’s been in anything good, and it’s long been rumored that she has money problems. She certainly has a shopping problem. And frankly, it would be good for Lohan to have some sort of parental figure looking out for her, even if it is a little late in life. Being in a Warren Beatty film can only be good for her, and it sounds like a fair enough deal to me.

Here’s Lindsay – not “looking great” – leaving the Genghis Cohen Restaurant in West Hollywood with Samantha Ronson last night. Images thanks to WENN.com.

Warren Beatty was presented with a lifetime achievement award by the American Film Institute last night. Beatty’s former co-stars Halle Berry, Jane Fonda, and Diane Keaton were among the speakers at the event. Each told stories of their experiences working with the 71 year-old Hollywood legend:

Several generations of actors – from Robert Downey Jr. to Angela Lansbury – turned out at the Kodak Theatre for the 71-year-old, who’s been a movie star since his 1961 vehicle opposite Natalie Wood, Splendor in the Grass and a Tinsel Town force since his groundbreaking Bonnie and Clyde – which he starred in and produced in 1967.

But other distinctions were singled out, too. Halle Berry, Beatty’s 1998 Bulworth costar, referred to him as “the greatest white rapper of the past 15 years.”

She further revealed that, when it came to their working together, “there was the usual discussion with the studio if there should be a scene to spice up the movie – if somebody should go topless. But I have to say, to Warren’s credit, he put his foot down and he insisted on keeping his shirt on for the entire movie.”

The evening also touched upon Beatty’s two other great passions: politics and the ladies – though, as one guest speaker, Jane Fonda, told the crowd, when she long ago met (and screen-tested) with Beatty in the 1950s, “I thought he was gay. He was so cute, and all his men friends were gay, and brilliant. He had a way of collecting really brilliant gay men friends. And he liked to play piano in a piano bar – I mean, what were the odds he was straight? Shows you how dumb I was.”

Recollecting the memorable scene in 1981′s Reds when her character is reunited with Beatty’s after a long and potentially tragic period of time, Beatty’s former real-life romance Diane Keaton recalled how Beatty the director pushed her in take after take to find the real emotion of the moment, despite her resistance.

“Finally,” said a now very emotional Keaton at the Kodak, “there was this sweet anguish of love when I saw your face, in a moment shared in time together. Thank you, Warren, and congratulations.”

[From People.com]

Beatty credited acting with introducing him to his wife of over 15 years, Annette Benning, 50. He said “I love my profession, because it’s introduced me to the person who’s given me the most important thing of all, which is her love and the love of our four children … Annette.”

Here are pictures from the red carpet including Molly Ringwald, Chevy Chase, MC Hammer, Robert Evans, Warren Beatty and Annette Benning, Diane Ladd, Jane Fonda, Art Garfunkel, Faye Dunaway, Eva Mendes, Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt, and Kendra Wilkinson, Robert Downey Jr., Lainie Kazan and Kelly Lynch.