News Brief

The Oregonian: It's been nine years since Mandy Bruno scored the role of Jesus in "Jesus Christ Superstar" at Jesuit High School and ignited a heated, religion-driven debate that flared nationwide. Bruno never walked on stage as Jesus. Leaders at the college-preparatory Catholic school required the part be recast with a boy in the lead. Bruno, instead, played Pontius Pilate. The 1999 flap didn't harm Bruno's career. Now 26, she recently starred as Eponine in Broadway's "Les Miserables." Two years ago, she earned an Emmy nomination for playing detective Marina Cooper on television's daytime drama "Guiding Light." Tonight, Bruno is back in Beaverton, with about 90 other Jesuit theater alumni, all set to perform in a 10-year anniversary celebration of the school's Alex L. Parks Performing Arts Center.

Hindustan Times: Life has come full circle for Kabir Bedi. Despite a year-long stint on the "The Bold and the Beautiful" and "Sandokan," his international career didn't taken off. "There are few roles being written for Indian actors in the west. The fact that I have been a voting member for the Oscars for the last 30 years, proves that I'm an international actor."

Digital Spy: Martine McCutcheon has admitted that she had doubts about her role in "Echo Beach" when she was offered the part. The actress was asked to play "repressed" millionaire housewife Susan in the new ITV1 soap, as well as a neurotic version of herself in its sister show "Moving Wallpaper," a comedy which follows the soap's fictional producer Jonathan Pope (Ben Miller) and his team. "I didn't understand the concept of the show very well," Martine told the Daily Record. "I also wondered why they wanted me to play this repressed, woman in her mid 40s - 10 years older than me."

Mirror: After their Christmas kiss under the mistletoe, it was only a matter of time before Jack and Ronnie became sleeping partners on "EastEnders."

Times Online: Is that it? Is that all it took? We’re prepared to let Jason Donovan back into our lives – no, more than that: we are warmed by his return – after one quick stint on "I’m a Celebrity"...? He eats a couple of kangaroo knackers and gets the lead role in "Echo Beach" – fully professionally rehabilitated, and the king of the big talking-point show of 2008.