Hollywood beauty Scarlett Johansson is reportedly in talks to star in a New York City production of South Pacific.

The Match Point star is one of the actresses being considered for the role of US Navy nurse Nellie Forbush in a revival of the musical at the Lincoln Center, which is scheduled to open in January 2008.

Director Bartlett Sher is currently arranging auditions for the musical to take place next month, reports the New York Post.

High School Musical and Hairspray star Zac Efron is in talks to star in the title role of Speed Race.

Efron was granted permission by Disney to leave the High School Musical 2 set for a day so that he could attend a Speed Racer callback audition.

The live-action adaptation of the Japanese cartoon series is being made by The Matrix Andy and Larry Wachowski.

Jews across Britain look set to go to synagogue for Friday night and Saturday morning services by donning a tomato coloured puffy on their hooter as they take part in Red Nose Day.

Following involvement in the bi-annual charity event by Jewish celebrities including Sacha Baron Cohen, Matt Lucas, Sir Alan Sugar and Maureen Lipman, a number of Jews have decided they will attempt to bring a bit of Red Nose Day fun to Shabbat services over this weekend.

Former Friends star Lisa Kudrow has been offered the chance to return to a surefire TV hit after failing to make waves as a struggling actress.

The beloved star, who played Phoebe in the hit sitcom, has been slated to star alongside Kate Walsh in the new Grey’s Anatomy spin-off.

Kudrow, whose first post-Friends show, The Comeback, was a flop, lasting only a season, will play a quirky doctor on the new TV drama, according to US sources.