Natalie Portman’s latest movie co-star has been forced to walk away from his acting big break, because of a religious row.

Hasidic Jew Abe Karpen, 25, was cast alongside Portman in New York I Love You, currently being shot in Manhattan.

The pair were snapped together on set last week, prompting uproar from Karpen’s strict religious community in the city’s Brooklyn borough.

American idol judge Paula Abdul jokes that she has a secret crush on her fellow panelist Simon Cowell.

The Grammy-winning singer/choreographer admits she subconsciously fancies the British star - dubbed TV’s Mr Nasty - even though she finds his sharp-tongued comments hard to take.