DEAR STACY: What is Vin Diesel's ethnicity? And is Diesel his real name? And is he married? And what is he up to? — Mark S., Canton, Ohio

DEAR MARK: The actor, born Mark Vincent, reportedly is of Italian and African-American ancestry, among other roots. However, he prefers to avoid being specific as to his cultural background, saying he'd like to be seen as all inclusive. Thus, he named his film company One Race. He has "Fast & Furious," the latest installment in the big screen action series, due to open in June — his return to that franchise after seven years. It's also been reported that he'll reprise another popular character in the planned "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage." He's not married, but he has a daughter, Hania Riley, born in April, with his girlfriend, model Paloma Jimenez .

DEAR STACY: Please settle a disagreement. I say Mike Myers is of average height, but my sister says he is quite short. Who is right? — Sue S., Chattanooga, Tenn.

DEAR SUE: Myers' height is given as 5-feet 7 inches.

DEAR STACY: What's up with Joaquin Phoenix? I loved his work in "Walk the Line" as Johnny Cash. — Diana, Bronx, N.Y.

DEAR DIANA: Phoenix stunned fans last month when he announced that he's planning to retire from acting at age 34. He told E! Online that his latest film, "Two Lovers" — a romantic drama with Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw set in Brooklyn — will be his last, and that he was "dead serious." He hasn't given up performing, however. He's been working on recording an album with Tim Burgess of Britain's The Charlatans, for which Phoenix wrote the songs.

DEAR STACY: My daughter told me that one of the children who did the voice of Sally in the Charlie Brown "Peanuts" cartoons grew up to be a pop star, but she couldn't remember who. I'm curious about that. Please fill us in. — Stephanie S., Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

DEAR STEPHANIE: She's thinking of Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas. Born in 1975 as Stacy Ann Ferguson, she voiced Charlie Brown's little sister in two "Peanuts" television specials: 1984's "It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown" and 1985's "Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown." (She sings on the latter.) You can find some clips on YouTube. She also had a regular spot on Nickelodeon's "Kids Incorporated," and did commercials as a youngster.

DEAR STACY: I know Joan Lunden has two sets of twins thanks to a surrogate mother. Can you tell which other stars have had babies, especially twins, that way? — Brenda F., Torrance, Calif.

DEAR BRENDA: Peri Gilpin, Cheryl Tiegs and Angela Bassett each have sets of twins born via surrogate. Kelsey Grammer, Art Garfunkel, Deidre Hall and Laurie Metcalf are also surro-parents, one baby at a time.

DEAR STACY: I know that Haley Joel Osment is the older brother of Emily Osment of "Hannah Montana." Have they ever acted together? Are there more actors in the family? — Rachel N., Bayside, N.Y.

DEAR RACHEL: The 20-year-old and 16-year-old siblings are the only offspring of a teacher, Theresa, and an actor, Eugene, both of whom hail from Alabama. Eugene has served as manager and acting coach for his kids through the years, and has been criticized as a stage father along the way. He's done cameos in several of his son's movies (the doctor in "Secondhand Lions," the cop in "Pay it Forward," etc.) and can be seen in Emily's "Soccer Mom" as Marty. Haley Joel and Emily both did voices in the 2000 animated short, "Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big," but have no joint TV or film appearances as of yet.

DEAR STACY: Whatever happened to Haya Hararete from "Ben-Hur"? — D.A., Brooklyn, N.Y.

DEAR D.A.: "Ben-Hur" marked the high point of the now-77-year-old Israeli actress' film career. She went on to work in some small films seen mostly in Europe, but her career ended in 1964. She co-wrote the screenplay for the 1967 "Our Mother's House." She was married to British director Jack Clayton ("Room at the Top," "The Great Gatsby," "The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne") until his death in 1995.

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 2008 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.