Eminem may star in a movie

EMINACTOR Forget about the Grammy, Eminem may qualify for an Oscar next year. Mega producer Brian Grazer told ”Access Hollywood” that he’s cast Em in an upcoming movie. ”It’s a ‘Purple Rain’ kind of movie. It’s a hip movie, loosely based on Eminem’s life growing up in Detroit, an edgy story of his life,” Grazer said on Monday’s episode. Eminem’s publicist Dennis Dennehy told the Associated Press he couldn’t confirm that Eminem had signed on to the film but admitted the rapper has been discussing a movie role with Grazer.

‘FRIENDS’ LIKE THESE After being criticized for years by minority groups for its lack of diversity, NBC’s ”Friends” will finally feature an African American character. Actress Gabrielle Union (”Bring It On”) will appear in this Thursday’s episode of NBC’s top rated comedy, according to the New York Post. And of course, both Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Ross (David Schwimmer) fall for Union, who also stars in the upcoming comedy ”The Brothers.”

GIRL WEAKNESS Mel B (a.k.a. ”Scary Spice” from the Spice Girls) may be dropped from Virgin Records if her solo sales don’t increase soon. According to England’s Sun tabloid, Virgin has warned Mel that her next single must break the top 5 on U.K. charts or she’s history. ”If the next single does not do well, then her solo career will be over,” an anonymous Virgin source told the Sun. Mel B.’s first single, ”I Want You Back,” topped the British charts, but its follow up, ”Word-Up,” peaked at No. 14. Her album ”Hot,” released last October, reportedly never rose above No. 28. (Virgin, by the way, is also the label that reps the Spice Girls.) Well, at least she still has the Girls to fall back on. Oh, right. At least she has her health…?

BEST COVER The Sex Pistols‘ 1977 record cover featuring a defaced picture of Queen Elizabeth has been chosen as the best cover ever produced. Selected by a panel of judges for the British book ”100 Best Record Covers of All Time,” the ”God Save the Queen” cover stunned many conservatives in England and was banned from the BBC. The Beatles‘ most famous cover, for 1967’s ”Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was No. 10 on the list.

COSTUME CAPER Best selling children’s author J.K. Rowling has told fans she may go to the ”Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” film premiere in a disguise to keep a low profile. ”Look out for the person in the purple turban — that’ll be me,” she said in an online chat to promote her two charity books ”Quidditch Through the Ages” and ”Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them,” which went on sale Monday. Most of the proceeds from sales of the paperback stories will benefit the British nonprofit organization Comic Relief.

TUBE NEWS Jenny McCarthy is attached to star in a comedy pilot for Fox called ”Honey Vicarro,” a period show about a fictional ’60s private investigator. In an apparent homage to the ”Blair Witch Project,” the premise of ”Honey” is that the show was canceled in the ’60s, and now Fox is airing ”never before seen” episodes of the series.

”Austin Powers” vet Seth Green has agreed to star in a live action puppet comedy for another Fox show: ”Greg the Bunny.” Described by the Hollywood Reporter as ”The Larry Sanders Show” crossed with ”Sesame Street,” ”Bunny” also stars Eugene Levy (”American Pie”) as the producer of a children’s puppet show. Fox has already ordered 13 episodes of the half hour comedy.

TV BIOPICS Thanks to the success of recent TV biopics like ”Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows” and ”The Three Stooges,” ABC has greenlit two more movies about legendary actors. First in development is the story of Mae West, played by none other than Dolly Parton. The second telefilm is about the partnership of Bud Abbott andLou Costello. So far, no one has been cast to play the comic duo. Both movies should go into production this year, according to Variety.

OBITS Author Robert Ludlum, best selling suspense writer, died Monday in Naples, Florida, of a massive heart attack. He was 73. Ludlum’s books, including ”The Scarlatti Inheritance,” ”The Matlock Paper,” and ”The Apocalypse Watch,” sold more than 220 million copies worldwide. Before writing spy novels, Ludlum worked as an actor and theater producer for 20 years in New York. Ludlum’s latest book — his 22nd — ”The Prometheus Deception” was published last year and landed on the bestseller lists. Ludlum’s ’80s thriller ”The Bourne Identity” will hit the big screen starring Matt Damon.

Popular ’80s talk show host Morton Downey Jr. has died of lung cancer in California, CNN announced. He was 67. Downey, a chain smoker, will be best remembered for his controversial syndicated program ”The Morton Downey Jr. Show,” the grandfather of trash talk shows. Before that he was a singer, songwriter, and television actor during a long career in the public eye.