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The stunt experience Keanu Reeves picked up shooting The Matrix proved to be a negative factor when making the sequels — because he had to take on tougher tasks.

An Imdb.com report says that Reeves, who reprises his role as Neo in The Matrix Reloaded, admits that it was a mistake for him to speak out about the stunts he was able to take on, because fight choreographer Yuen Wo Ping and director brothers Andy and Larry Wachowski decided to work him even harder.

"Because of the experience of the first one, I had some body memory. I could pick up choreography quicker and I knew where I was with the wire work. But once I said, `Okay, I know how to do this', Wo Ping would go, `Well how about this?' and the brothers were like, `And how about this?' and so on. It was backflips and cartwheels."

The result was Reeves spent many, many evenings in ice baths. "You're basically tearing micro muscle tissue every day. So you get inflammation. And I'm 38 years old. I'm not 22 and bouncing around."

Disclosure in real life for Demi Moore

A man whom actress Demi Moore hired to manage her Idaho ranch claims that she tried to seduce him — and sacked him when he turned her down. Lawrence Bass claims that the film star came on to him like she did to Michael Douglas in Disclosure.

He has filed a complaint with the Idaho Human Rights Commission, accusing Moore of sexual harassment and discrimination. He is also seeking more than $180,000 in damages.

But the actress's lawyer, Martin Singer, is contemplating a counter-suit against Bass for talking to the media. "This guy signed a confidentiality agreement. He is a disgruntled ex-employee and his ridiculous lawsuit has no merit."

Bass told an American magazine: "She thinks she can turn on her sexual powers and get whatever she wants from any man. And, like her character in that movie, she seeks revenge when she's rejected."

With heavy heart, Cruise leaves NZ

Tom Cruise, who has finished filming The Last Samurai in New Zealand, is sad to leave the country because he is going to miss the local beach and fish and chips. The actor, accompanied by his two children, Conor and Isabella, flew on his private jet from the North Island town of New Plymouth.

The 40-year-old star spent nearly four months in the Taranaki province filming the movie about Japan's legendary warrior class adapting to Western influence in the mid-19th century.

Before he left, Cruise said, "I'm going to miss the fish and chips, we're going to miss our Friday night McDonald's you know, we are going to miss the beach at night."

Does everybody hate Raymond?

It seems as if everybody hates Raymond! Word on the set is that lots of crew, the cast and writers of Ray Romano's hit show are angry with the star after he held up contract negotiations to get himself a hefty raise, and then committed to only one more year with Everybody Loves Raymond.

According to the National Enquirer Web site, they are worried he's planning to walk away from the CBS sitcom as soon as his film career takes off, ending the popular series and leaving them without jobs. And they are fed up with standing by helplessly while he makes key decisions that affect their lives.

"People are fuming," a source told the magazine. "People feel like Ray's been toying with their futures, ignoring what's important for them while he takes care of No. 1.

"They have worked long and hard to make the show a hit and they're finally at a point where big money is rolling in. They're not happy to hear Ray talk about walking away from the windfall."

Ray has agreed to come back for another season for $1 million per episode, up from $800,000 last season, but refused to commit beyond that and that's made people unhappy.

Ray's got his first feature film Eulogy with Winona Ryder coming out and he wants to see how it does before he commits to returning to the show beyond next season. "It's a decision that will leave Ray with more millions either way — but could be the end of the gravy train for the cast and crew," the source said.

"Ray figures it's his show, and he can do what he wants with it — including ending it if it suits him. And it's that `I'm the boss' attitude that's rankling the cast. There was a lot of tension on the set before they broke for summer hiatus."

Steve Martin dying to get married

Steve Martin's a wild, crazy and lonely guy. He's desperately seeking the right woman to share his life, home and King Tut jokes. "If I could find the right lady, I would definitely get married again," says the comedian who divorced actress-wife Victoria Tennant in 1994.

"I love the idea of being married. The problem is finding the right person," he told Star Magazine. He wants to take his own walk down the aisle again, despite the painful ending to his eight-year marriage to Tennant.

"I've cried over ended relationships," confesses Martin, who also dated Anne Heche. "Breaking up with someone you love is as torturous for men as it is for women. We are all fragile. We all cry."

The zany Oscars host — most recently linked with Anne Stringfield, who works for The New Yorker magazine says his ideal woman is someone who likes to yuk it up. "As long as a woman can laugh with me, I don't care if she's a blonde, brunette or whatever."

Politics beckons Arnie

Arnold Schwarzenegger is threatening to give up his Hollywood career in favour of politics.

The action star has finished filming the much-awaited sequel, T-3: Rise Of The Machines, which features his android character battling a super robot played by Kristanna Loken.

But the action movie — which comes 12 years after the second in the sci-fi series — may be Arnie's last because of his political ambitions.

"If I run for office, obviously I will discontinue the films. I've been thinking about it and I've met with the President's people about doing an after-school program summit at the White House."

Meanwhile, Arnie hopes that T-3 will take him out on a high and admires his tough female co-star. "I think it's very entertaining because here you have a woman that is meant to be much more sophisticated than my model is, so that's an interesting concept."

Compiled by C. Ramesh

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