Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Fans of Jodi Picoult's "My Sister's Keeper" have been peppering Internet message boards with negative comments over the Cameron Diaz big-screen adaptation opening tomorrow (6/26) — due to the fact that filmmaker Nick Cassavetes changed the ending from the book, and due to Cameron's casting. Cameron's costar — and Cassavetes' wife — Heather Wahlquist is irritated by all that advance naysaying.

"I know that all [Picoult's] fans were not happy about it, that there's been this big uproar … Sometimes books don't translate into film … I know he tried to be completely true to everything in the book, but after being a director so long, he was seeing in his head what would work and what wouldn't."

As far as Diaz and those who've complained she's wrong for the part: "Those irked me. Everyone forgets that Tom Hanks was once known as a comedic actor. To say she can only make somebody laugh — well, they'll see."

Making the story of a family in turmoil as one daughter fights a cancer battle and the other sues to stop having to help her sister medically, "My Sister's Keeper" was a huge emotional journey for the movie team, three members of which lost their fathers during production, including Diaz. Yet working in the real-life environs of L.A.'s City of Hope Hospital turned out to be uplifting, Wahlquist says. "The kids you'll see in the hospital scenes are real kids from City of Hope … We got to share their stories, get acquainted with them … When Nick cast real kids, the kids and parents were ecstatic. They got to hang out on a movie set. They were running around and giggling."

She gives kudos to the movie's young stars, Abigail Breslin and Sofia Vassilieva, who were "shockingly professional. Sofia walked in with the longest, perfect thick blond hair, almost to her waist, and when she had to shave her head, she was like, 'Nope, this is what I've got to do' — a real actress." Dakota Fanning, you may recall, dropped out of the movie (and sister Elle followed) because of that head-shaving requirement. "That's what stopped her," says Wahlquist. "It was the only reason — vanity. And I don't mind you writing that."

NEW GUY IN TOWN: The cast of "Dexter" has returned to shoot season four of the popular Showtime series, and we caught up with star Julie Benz, who tells us, "We have an amazing addition to our cast with John Lithgow.

There's nothing like having him come up to you and tell you he's a fan of your work. I'm like, 'OK, I can die now.' We're so lucky to attract such high-caliber people to our show," says Benz, whose character, Rita, married Dexter during last season's finale. "I think it was inevitable. He did knock her up," she notes of their marriage. "This season definitely deals with his ability to juggle family life with his killing passion."

In the meantime, Benz can be seen starring in the equally intense TV movie "Held Hostage," premiering July 19 on the Lifetime Movie Network. "There's always a certain added level of intensity to a project when you're actually playing a real person," she says of playing Michelle Renee, who in real life was kidnapped and forced to rob a bank in order to save her only child's life while they were both wired with explosives. "It feels like you have an added responsibility to really be true to the story and to that person." The actress admits it was a difficult experience to shake off. "It had a huge amount of emotion every single day. It was definitely hard to drop at the end of the day, but I was fortunate to have my dogs with me at the hotel. I travel with my dogs a lot. They are my stress reliever."

MEANWHILE: Benz is proud to be a part of the highly anticipated sequel "Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day," set to be released this year. "The first one came out eight years ago, and I think this is an even better product than the original."

THEY'RE PLAYING HER SONG: Angie Dickinson is set to be guest conductor for the Boston Pops' Pops by the Sea concert Aug. 2 — an assignment that delights her on several levels. The actress, who did a little conducting back in high school, admits, "I just think this is so amusing." She phoned up her ex-husband and still friend, the legendary composer-conductor-pianist-arranger Burt Bacharach, and said, "'Have you ever conducted the Boston Pops?' 'No,' he said, 'I never have done that.' I said, 'Well, you know every year they have a celebrity guest conductor. Do you know who is going to do it this year?' And he said, 'No.' And I said, 'Me!" She laughs. "It's an honor, and I'm really looking forward to it. Ted Kennedy did it one year. When Julia Child did it, she conducted with a big spoon."

With reports by Emily Feimster.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2009 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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