Jodie Foster, Gwyneth Paltrow and more are Elle's Women in Hollywood for 2010

With honoring the fairer sex all the rage lately, Elle magazine had quite a stable of talent at its annual Women in Hollywood honors on Monday -- saluting Jodie Foster, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson, Hilary Swank, Sofia Coppola, Diane Kruger, Kerry Washington, Diane Keaton and newcomer Jessica Chastain. 

 The femmes and their admirers gathered at Beverly Hills' Four Seasons Hotel for garden cocktails and dinner, with producer and director Adam Shankman, who served as master of ceremonies, not hiding his resentment in not being included on the list.

"I've shopped with you, tweeted you, and I've had sex with most of your boyfriends," he cracked, wondering aloud what it takes to make the cut.

Elle Editor in Chief Robbie Myers suggested, in her opening remarks, that the Women in Hollywood portfolio was about being dynamic and successful in a "free society" -- plus really famous actresses got to meet other really famous actresses.

Gyllenhaal, Cruise, Cage turn out for 'Prince of Persia' premiere, Bruckheimer footprint blowout

Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton and Ben Kingsley were among cast members on the red carpet for the "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" premiere Monday in Hollywood -- but thanks to a ceremony recognizing producer Jerry Bruckheimer, they had more than the usual crop of famous friends on scene.

Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, Billy Bob Thornton and Eddie Murphy showed to see Bruckheimer smush his hands and feet into cement outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre, to introduce screenings of Bruckheimer's  "National Treasure," "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," "Armageddon," "Top Gun" and "Beverly Hills Cop" -- or to do both. (Click on the picture at right to launch a photo gallery from the day's events.)

Fans paid $30 a pop to see their fave of those films at the Mann Chinese 6 or El Capitan theaters, popcorn and a soda included. The screenings were part of "A Cinematic Celebration of Jerry Bruckheimer," the purpose of which is pretty clear in the title -- though we must say, all day the Ministry has been fighting the urge to stage a car or jet chase or set off a major explosion right here on the blog. 

Following the Hollywood celebration, Cruise and bride Katie Holmes hit West Hollywood's ...

GQ coverboy Jake Gyllenhaal on his parents' divorce, Heath Ledger's death

With the fast-approaching release of "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," Jake Gyllenhaal could be in for a whole new level of fame, and a lucrative franchise.

Covering this month's GQ magazine, however, Jake seems more appreciative of his work and personal life, reflecting on the recent split of his parents and the death of his "Brokeback Mountain" costar Heath Ledger.

"I think it takes a lot of courage for my parents to make the decision that they made," said Gyllenhaal, whose folks ended a 32-year marriage in December (they're also mom and dad to Jake's actress sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal). 

It seems the actor has gained a lot of perspective since Ledger's January 2008 passing.

“Even when we did 'Brokeback' and stuff, it was like my work was the only thing that mattered to me. It was like I could only understand or define myself through doing that ... but after that happened … I think I recognized that it was work. And I recognized that this is for real," Gyllenhaal said. 

More so, Jake appreciated Ledger's authenticity in everyday life.

"I think he was just really sensitive. We often used to do a lot of things together, because people were very interested in him and I think we felt safe together.”

-- Matt Donnelly

Photo: Jake Gyllenhaal, sporting a Thom Brown half-tie bar (nice!), on the May cover of GQ. Credit: Peggy Sirota. 

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PREACH IT! How many times can you use the word 'dagger' in a single trailer? Now we know

The dagger is special. The dagger can help you see through time. The dagger gives you a British accent. The dagger drives the ladies wild and makes all the snakes on the planet go crazy. The dagger makes you ripped. The dagger bends Oscar winners to the occult will of Jerry Bruckheimer.

We know we’ve filed this “Prince of Persia” trailer under the new category of "There Are No Words." Originally, this trailer did indeed render us speechless.

Then we learned: The dagger does not need your petty categories.

-- Leslie Gornstein

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'Avatar' without Sam Worthington? Damon, Gyllenhaal said no to playing Jake Sully [poll]

 
 "The Jake Sully Identity"? "Brokeback Home Tree"?

James Cameron has put on his 3D-hindsight glasses for our friends at the Hero Complex for a look back at his woulda-coulda-shoulda stories regarding casting for the lead role in "Avatar."

Let's forget the "shoulda" part, because the film's done pretty well with Sam Worthington rocking the role. But, the director says, he "coulda" cast Jake Gyllenhaal or Matt Damon in the role of Sully, opposite new Avon ambassador (was it the blue skin?) Zoe Saldana. He talked to both, both turned him down, and first-choice Worthington got the gig. 

Why would Cameron go flirting with the box-office big boys, if Worthington had already won his bio-luminescent heart? Hero Complex has that answer.

Who'd be your "woulda" in the role of Jake Sully? Our department of Absolutely Accurate Online Statistics presents a nonscientific online poll ... click onward.

Jake Gyllenhaal indulges in a famous boys' night out

Jake Gyllenhaal is getting by with a little help from his friends -- the attractive, celebrity kind who can get him back in the game after his recent split from Reese Witherspoon.

Gyllenhaal was spotted in snowy New York City partying with Justin Theroux and Mark Ronson, hitting up a benefit for AIDS charity God's Love We Deliver.

Gyllenhaal was having a ball talking to actor Matt Dillon, according to onlookers at the Smyth Tribeca Hotel, while Ronson provided beats for guests like Mary-Louise Parker and Josh Hartnett. Also seen: Gina Gershon, Philip Seymour Hoffman and an affectionate Agyness Deyn.

We say kudos to Jake for being social -- a breakup during the holidays begs for lots of good cheer from random, attractive strangers.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon really have split

They're off. They're on. They're off. They're off and we really mean it.

They -- Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal -- are also extremely pretty, and that's just one of the many reasons we keep watching them to see what happens next.

Now, it seems, Jake and Reese really have called it quits, apparently early in enough in December that nobody will feel obligated go all out on Christmas shopping this year.

When it's done, it's done.

(And gosh we hope this one's really done.)

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photos: No, that's not Reese all happy waving goodbye, and Jake all happy seeing her do it! Breaking up is hard to do. Reese, left, was at an Avon Foundation event in New York on Oct. 27 and Jake showed up on Spike TV's Video Game Awards on Saturday in Los Angeles. Credits: Larry Busacca / Getty Images, left; Chris Pizzello / Associated Press, right.

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Breakup Watch: Jake, Reese and the case of the rolling luggage

If you're still digesting those last bits of holiday feast, here's something else hard to swallow -- the possible demise of star couple Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Over the weekend, People magazine posted that the pair was kaput despite denials from respective publicists. Gossip site X17 Online, however, spotted an assistant of Gyllenhaal's fetching two large suitcases from Witherspoon's Brentwood home on Sunday, then dropping them off at his own pad. 

 Are they or aren't they? Evidence after the jump!