STILLER AND NICHOLSON BATTLE TOM HANKS

Hollywood stars Ben Stiller and icon Jack Nicholson are taking on Tom Hanks as all the Hollywood stars pick sides in the battle between the two leading acting unions. Actors are threatening to have walkouts at the end of this month if talks between the unions and major film studios fail to resolve a dispute over pay and working conditions. Hanks recently signed an e-mail petition urging members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) to accept a "solid deal" offered by studio heads. But fellow Hollywood actors Stiller and Nicholson are encouraging AFTRA members to turn down the proposal after siding with rival union, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), whose members are negotiating a separate contract. Stiller and Nicholson are set to appear in print ads today that urge union members to reject the proposal - siding instead with SAG, which claims the contract would set a precedent that could potentially harm their negotiating power with movie studio bosses.The ad was signed by the pair and states: "We are not finished… We believe there are issues that are at the heart of every actor’s career that remain unresolved by AFTRA." The current contract for both unions will expire on Monday. Among negotiating points for both unions are daily minimum compensation for actors and DVD and Internet fees. AFTRA bosses have warned that turning down their proposed deal with the studios could spark a strike similar to the The Writers Guild of America strike, which brought Hollywood to a standstill from November (07) until February (08), and cost the California economy a projected 37,700 jobs and $2.1 billion in lost output, according to reports.

TOM HANKS ENDORSES BARACK OBAMA

Tom Hanks

Hollywood star Tom Hanks is the next to offer his support to U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama in the form of an endorsement video on his MySpace.com page.The actor joins celebrities like Jessica Alba, Will Smith and Oprah Winfrey in going public with his hopes of getting Obama in the White House. In his homemade video, double Oscar winner Hanks says, "I’m Tom Hanks and I want Barack Obama to be the next President of our country." He then jokes, "As an official celebrity, I know my endorsement has just made your mind up for you."

TOM HANKS LIVES UP TO NICE GUY IMAGE

Award winning Hollywood star Tom Hanks is happy with his "nice guy" persona because he’s very confident he lives up to the 'NICE' reputation.The Forrest Gump star even admits he will always be typecast into the role of the good guy, but it doesn’t worry him as he’s as charming off-screen as he is on. He says, "There’s no doubt a degree of my image is going to follow me into every gig. Look, I am a nice guy. That’s my image. I can’t erase it from people’s minds." And Hanks insists his reputation comes from his strict work ethic. He adds, "It comes from respecting people even when I don’t like them. I don’t give people less than my all and don’t expect less of other people."

TOM HANKS TO SHOOT ANOTHER DA VINCI

Tom Hanks will start shooting the prequel to 'The Da Vinci Code' next February.The Oscar-winning actor - who will reprise his role as code-cracking Harvard professor Robert Langdon - will travel to Europe to film the big screen adaptation of Dan Brown's hit novel 'Angels + Demons' next year.The story follows Langdon's efforts to uncover a plot by a secret society to blow up Vatican City and threaten the future of the Catholic Church.Ron Howard, who directed 2006's 'The Da Vinci Code', will helm the Sony Pictures project.Akiva Goldsman has also been asked back to write the screenplay following his successful adaptation of 'The Da Vinci Code'.Howard, Goldsman and producers Brian Grazer and John Calley, are desperate to finalise the script by next week, as a writer's strike is due to begin on November 1.The team will be working to a strict shooting schedule next year, as a potential strike by actors and directors is being touted for June.Sony Pictures are hoping to repeat the success of the first film, which took a staggering $758 million at the worldwide box office, when the movie hits cinemas in December 2008.