U.S. actor Dustin Hoffman has agreed to star in a big-screen adaptation of the late Mordecai Richler's last book Barney's Version. Variety.com said Hoffman is to co-star with Paul Giamatti in the independent drama, which director Richard J. Lewis is expected to start shooting Aug. 17 in Rome.

The film studio, Samuel Goldwyn, now owns the U.S.

By Dean Goodman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Johnny Cash movie "Walk the Line" failed to secure an Oscar nomination for best picture on Tuesday, despite Golden Globe victories and widespread acclaim for a project that took a decade to get made.

By Arthur Spiegelman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - ABC'

By Bob Tourtellotte PARK CITY, Utah (Reuters) - Actor Paul Giamatti is smack in the middle of an Oscar race, has two movies at Sundance, another coming out this summer and a new film production company, but he considers himself one thing above all: lazy.