Evening News

Hollywood Braces For SAG Labor Talks
In a Century Plaza Hotel ballroom earlier this week, 600 people gathered to hear Hollywood heavyweights tally the fallout from the writers strike. Meanwhile, in another corner of the hotel, union officials representing movie and TV actors huddled to finalize a battle plan for their upcoming contract talks. Hollywood is hoping their story has a different ending. Or better yet, a complete rewrite of the plot _ one without a strike.

"It seems completely out of the question that there would be," said Ashley Jones, a star on CBS' daytime drama THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL. "But, you never know."

Actor Steve Blackwood, a former regular on NBC's DAYS OF OUR LIVES, said a cut of future digital-media money is worth a fight. "In five to 10 years, everybody's going to be watching TV shows on the Internet," Blackwood said. "If we settle too quickly because no one wants to strike again, then actors will really beef later if they find out the union settled for less than they should get."

Blackwood wants to see union leaders fight hard at the bargaining table but conceded most actors who went unemployed during the writers strike would like to see a quick contract deal. The boards of the two unions plan to meet Saturday to finalize their bargaining plan and possibly set a start date for the talks.

Blogging With Carolyn Hinsey
"I was so happy to get a call from my old pal Cady McClain last week to tell me that she was on her way back to ALL MY CHILDREN as the late, lamented Dixie. I asked her if she had filed a wrongful death lawsuit to get her job back but she said, no, Julie Carruthers had just called her and asked her to be part of a happier ending to one of AMC's most venerable heroines. I like that she's back, but I don't like that she's a ghost. There is NO WAY that Zach would have saved Babe (who he hardly knew) and not Dixie from the Satin Slayer. Mark my words, people: Dixie's return will goose ratings, give fans a reason to tune in again, and the story will be rewritten that Dixie didn't really die. And we will suspend our disbelief just like we did for Jesse after Darnell Williams appeared to Tad as a ghost like a million times and is now alive and well and remarrying Angie. Cause that's what we do — we're soap fans."

Former PASSIONS hunk Hartley lands new pilot
HOUR, from CBS Par and 19 Entertainment, is a real-time medical drama about a team of young emergency room surgeons and emergency medical technicians. Ex-Passions star Justin Hartley will play one of them in a casting stemming from his talent deal with CW. Hartley next will be seen in the feature Spring Breakdown.

Justin Chambers Opens Up About Sleep Disorder
GREY'S ANATOMY star Justin Chambers (ex-Nick, ANOTEHR WORLD) tells PEOPLE that a longtime sleep disorder led him to check in to UCLA's psych ward. "It's an issue that I've had for a while," the Grey's Anatomy star tells PEOPLE exclusively in his first interview since the incident. "It's a biological sleep disorder. Your mind keeps racing, and your body is tired. It wants to go to sleep, but it can't."

Former RH actor and soap writer Trent Jones pens ABC pilot
ABC has given the green light to four new pilots. FINNEGAN focuses on the female head of a vice and organized crime unit in Los Angeles. Trent Jones (former writer for ATWT, Y&R, GL, SFT and RH) is the writer.

Mayor says plans to rename soccer team after fictional soap team 'bizarre'
Mansfield mayor Tony Egginton has hit out at would-be Stags' owner John Batchelor's plan to rename Mansfield Town Harchester United from the fictional Sky soap opera DREAM TEAM. Mr. Egginton also tried to calm fans' fears that Mr Batchelor's 'wacky ideas' could end in Field Mill being bulldozed for a housing development - one of his plans during his ill-fated time as York City boss.

Trailer for SORDID LIVES (the series)
The new trailer for SORDID LIVES: The Series, based on Del Shores 1996 play and 2000 film, has hit the web. The show stars Beth Grant, Rue McClanahan, Caroline Rhea, Jason Dottley, Bonnie Bedelia, Leslie Jordan, and Olivia Newton-John. Tammy Wynette is played by Wynette's daughter Georgette Jones. The show will begin airing on Logo later this year.