Madonna has confirmed reports she’s in Malawi to adopt another child.

The Holiday hitmaker, 50, arrived in the country on Sunday with her adopted son David Banda, 3, and daughter Lourdes, 12, in tow.

“I can officially confirm that Madonna has filed an application to adopt Mercy James, a three-year-old girl she met at an orphanage she visited two years ago on a previous trip to Malawi,” said Madonna’s rep Liz Rosenberg.

The statement add also debunked claims that Madonna is using her fame to speed the adoption process – insisting she is “following all required procedures and is waiting for the judge to hopefully grant adoption by Friday.”

Madonna reportedly appeared at a court house Monday in Malawi for adoption proceedings but was told to return to court on Friday.

Robert Pattinson will be joined by fellow British actor Jamie Campbell Bower for Twilight sequel New Moon.

Bower, 20, will be taking over the role of Volutri leader Caius. He joins Dakota Fanning, who will portray the Volturi’s angel-faced minion Jane.

“I doubt I’ll get the same sort of adulation as Robert,” Jamie told BBC News Monday. “But it’s always nice when people recognize you for your work.”

Bower’s credits include RocknRolla and Sweeney Todd.

As well as Pattinson, Fanning and Bower, New Moon also sees Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner reprise their roles.

New Moon, which began filming this month and is set to open on Nov. 20, 2009. The third film in the series, Eclipse, will hit theaters on June 30, 2010.

Jennifer Hudson is planning to design her own wedding dress.

The Spotlight singer is set to marry boyfriend David Otunga, after he proposed on the star’s 27th birthday.

And Hudson is adamant she will be in complete control when it comes to what she wears when walking down the aisle.

She says, “I’m gonna design my own dress. I want to design it… Definitely classic, more traditional than anything.

“I want it to be nice and traditional, but very classy, very classy.”

Chace Crawford is reportedly set to replace Zac Efron in Footloose.

The Gossip Girl star tested this weekend for the role originated by Kevin Bacon after the High School Musical star dropped out of the remake.

“He did really well,” a source told E! News.

Reps for Crawford and the movie did not immediately comment.

Efron, 21, recently revealed he decided not to star in the movie because he wants to start distancing himself from musicals. “It doesn’t mean no more musicals forever, but right now I had so much fun doing 17 Again that I think that’s the direction I want to head in,” he said.

Britney Spears gave into temptation while her dad Jamie was away on business – she reportedly got “cozy” with one of her dancers.

According to the New York Daily News, Spears, 27, hooked up with back-up dancer Gio, 21, as soon as her father – who is also her co-conservator – flew out to LA.

A source says, “Britney was a bad girl.

“Literally as soon as her dad left, she started getting cozy with a dancer named Gio. It wasn’t serious. They had a few romantic interludes, and she bought him a few things – a pair of shoes and some clothes – even though she’s on an allowance.

“Britney was definitely getting jiggy there for a hot minute, but they’ve slowed down since Jamie got back in the picture. It’s basically over now.”

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Spears consulted a lawyer to try and get her conservatorship lifted.

In a tape obtained by JFXOnline, Spears revealed she was concerned Jamie may stop her seeing her sons Sean Preston, three, and Jayden James, two.

In the message, Britney says, “Hi my name’s Britney Spears. I called you earlier. I’m calling again because I just wanted to make sure that during the process of the eliminating the conservatorship that my father has threatened me several times, that you know, he’ll take my children away.

“I just want to be guaranteed that everything will be fine with the process and that you guys are taking care of everything, that things will stay the same as far as my custodial time. That’s it, bye.”

It has been claimed the person leaving the message is definitely Britney, with a source telling America’s OK! magazine, “It’s the real deal. This is what convinced Jamie to go back to court to have the restraining orders reinstated against Sam Lutfi and Adnan Ghalib.”

Jennifer Aniston has been accused of behaving like a diva onset of her new movie The Baster.

The former Friends actress – who is still reeling following her recent split from beau John Mayer – reportedly blanks her colleagues when the cameras stop rolling.

A source tells OK! magazine, “Jen kept mostly to herself.

“She didn’t talk to anyone during the breaks.

“In the morning, the cast and crew had to wait to start filming without Jen because she asked for extra time to finishing blow-drying her hair.

“Jen refused to walk even a step outside the restaurant during the break for lunch.

“She had her car pull up right next to the restaurant so she could be driven less than a block to her trailer to avoid photographers.”

Andy Hallet – who played demon Lorne in the smash hit TV show Angel – has died.

The singer/actor, 33, passed away at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles after a five-year battle with heart disease, with his father Dave Hallett by his side.

Hallet appeared on more than 70 episodes of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff between 2000 and 2004.

He landed his first break after he was dragged on stage at a concert to sing with Patti LaBelle – the performance kickstarted his career as a singer-songwriter.

Hallett was spotted during a revue at a Los Angeles nightclub by Buffy The Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon, who created the character of Lorne in Angel just for him.

A private funeral service will be held for family and close friends in Cape Cod, most likely over this weekend.

Nicole Kidman was left “very touched” when her country music star husband Keith Urban wrote her a touching love song.

Urban co-wrote Thank You, a tune on his forthcoming album Defying Gravity, for his superstar wife. 

And the Moulin Rouge! star was overwhelmed when Keith performed the tune.

Urban says, “It became quite a confessional – much more intimate than I might have written had I intended to write about her.

“It was very instinctual and very much from the heart. We did a quick recording of it, and I took it home and played it for her that night. I think she was very touched.”

Russell Crowe is looking to star in a musical.

The Gladiator star – who once fronted Aussie rock act Thirty Odd Foot of Grunt – is keen to follow in the footsteps of his fellow Aussies Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman by hitting the high notes on the big screen – and is currently eying up suitable scripts.

He reveals, “There is a film that I’m looking at next year based on a book from an Australian writer which has a character within the book that plays in a band, so that’s something I’m looking at the moment.”

Ben Affleck feels “blessed” to have a family and a job.

The actor – who has two daughters with wife Jennifer Garner – says he is grateful for what he has.

He tells People magazine, “I am very lucky. I feel blessed to look around and see that I’ve got a healthy family and a job. Especially nowadays, you really feel very good.

“I’m in a pretty good zone right now. I say that, and I’ll go home to find everything exploded, [but] so far, so good.

“I really am happy with what I’m doing now. In fact, I’ve never been at a place where I’ve felt better about going to work every day. I’m more engaged and very, very happy … I’ve really gotten comfortable with the things that are important to me.”

Talking about his friendship with Matt Damon, Affleck added, “It’s cool.

“We went on vacation last summer.

“It’s nice. It always has been. He’s got his family ballooning, and we’re doing okay – it’s nice.

“I think it would be the same for anybody. You’re friends when you are young, you have a certain life. Then in your 20s you have a different life. In your 30s you get married and have families.”