LONDON (AP) – The suspense is almost over.

The name of the actor who will take over from Pierce Brosnan in the next James Bond film will be revealed Friday at a press conference, Sony Pictures said Thursday.

British tabloid reports this week said the role in “Casino Royale” will go to Daniel Craig, a blue-eyed British actor who would be the first blond Bond.

Craig, 37, co-starred with Tom Hanks and Paul Newman in “Road to Perdition,” played poet Ted Hughes opposite Gwyneth Paltrow’s Sylvia Plath in “Sylvia,” and appeared in this year’s thriller “The Jacket” with Adrien Brody.

He is also the tabloids’ dream Bond. He once dated headline-grabbing supermodel Kate Moss and has been linked to Sienna Miller, the on-off fiancee of Jude Law and Craig’s “Layer Cake” co-star.

“Casino Royale,” the 21st Bond film, will be directed by Martin Campbell, who also directed Brosnan’s first Bond outing, 1995’s “GoldenEye.”

Other actors named as possible 007 contenders include Clive Owen, Ioan Gruffudd, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Gerard Butler, Ewan McGregor, Colin Farrell, Hugh Jackman, Heath Ledger and Eric Bana.

Producers announced last year that they were seeking a replacement for Brosnan. The 52-year-old actor played the suave British spy in the last four Bond films, including 2002’s “Die Another Day.”

“Casino Royale” is expected to be released next year.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) – Tommy Lee was burned Wednesday when a pyrotechnics stunt went wrong at a Motley Crue concert in Casper, Wyo.

Lee was taken to a hospital for treatment, but wasn’t badly hurt, said Sgt. Doug Beran of the Casper Police Department. Beran declined to discuss details of Lee’s injuries, citing privacy considerations.

The 43-year-old drummer, who was injured toward the end of the band’s set, played one more song before the concert was cut short, Beran said.

Tom Morton, a reporter for the Casper Star-Tribune, said Lee appeared to be injured when sparks began flying as he swung above the stage, suspended from a wire, back and forth among several drum sets.

Another witness, Del Kinswoman, described the pyrotechnics as Roman candles.

A spokeswoman for the Wyoming Medical Center said she had no information on Lee. The rocker’s Los Angeles-based publicist didn’t immediately return a phone message left Thursday morning.

Motley Crue had performances scheduled Friday in Bismarck, N.D.; Saturday in Rapid City, S.D.; and Sunday in Sioux City, Iowa, according to their Web site.

One hundred people died in February 2003 when pyrotechnics sparked a blaze at a West Warwick, R.I., club where rock band Great White was performing.

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On the Net:

http://www.motley.com/index.php

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HONOLULU (AP) – Josh Holloway and his wife reportedly were robbed at gunpoint in their home.

There was no indication the robber recognized the 36-year-old actor, who plays hunky con man Sawyer on the ABC castaway drama “Lost,” television station KHON reported.

Holloway’s agent didn’t immediately return a call to her Los Angeles office.

The robber rousted the couple from bed early Wednesday, took cash and credit cards and drove off in Holloway’s Mercedes-Benz, which was found abandoned a short time later, the station said.

Honolulu police would not release any information on the robbery.

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NEW YORK (AP) – Marty Casey didn’t win the televised competition to become the new lead singer for INXS, but he’s still going on the rock band’s upcoming tour.

Casey was the runner-up to J.D. Fortune on CBS’ “Rock Star: INXS.” The band held the reality show competition to find a replacement for their former lead singer, Michael Hutchence, who committed suicide in 1997.

INXS announced Tuesday that Casey and his band, the Lovehammers, will open their “Switched On” tour, which is set to begin Jan. 18 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

“Being the opening act is really the best possible scenario for me,” Casey said in a statement. “I’ve been with my band for 15 years and now I get the best of both worlds.”

Other stops on the INXS tour include Denver, Chicago, Toronto, New York, Detroit, Washington and Philadelphia.

Casey says he respects the band’s choice of Fortune, “and I have more admiration for INXS by giving Marty Casey and the Lovehammers a chance. People are going to be blown away.”

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On the Net:

http://www.INXS.com

http://www.lovehammers.com

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/rock-star

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NEW YORK (AP) – NBC’s daytime soap opera “Days of Our Lives” will celebrate its 40th anniversary by airing the world premiere of the Rolling Stones video “Streets of Love.”

“I can’t imagine a more exciting way to celebrate the 40th landmark year of “Days of Our Lives’ than with the Rolling Stones,” Sheraton Kalouria, senior vice president, NBC Daytime Programs, said in a statement.

The “Streets of Love” video will air Tuesday. “Days of Our Lives” will then use the song as a soundtrack to some scenes for the next four weeks.

“Days of Our Lives” premiered on Nov. 8, 1965.

The Rolling Stones, who have been touring for 40 years, have a new album, “A Bigger Bang.”

“With “Days of Our Lives’ also celebrating its 40th anniversary … the show was the perfect vehicle for promoting the Rolling Stones and their latest single,” said Randy Miller, Virgin Records’ executive vice president, marketing.

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On the Net:

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Days-of-our-Lives

http://www.rollingstones.com/home.php

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NEW YORK (AP) – Charlize Theron says marriage doesn’t suit her, but she’s not ruling out the possibility of becoming a mother someday.

In an interview on “Access Hollywood” that aired Tuesday, the 30-year-old actress said she was “happy for people who want to get married.”

But, she said, “it’s not my thing.”

Theron’s mother, Gerda, was married this past weekend.

“I’m extremely happy in my relationship,” said Theron, who has dated Stuart Townsend for several years. “I would love to have kids.”

Townsend and Theron, who won an Oscar for her role in 2003’s “Monster,” appeared in the films “Trapped” and “Head in the Clouds.”

Theron’s new movie, “North Country,” is due in theaters Oct. 21.

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On the Net:

http://www.charlizetheron.com

http://www.accesshollywood.com/index.html

AP-ES-10-13-05 1358EDT