LOS ANGELES – Cameron Diaz didn't want to do the infamous "hair gel" scene in "There's Something About Mary."
"I didn't want to do it because I was so worried it would discredit Mary," she said at Wednesday's AFI Night at the Movies, which screeened "There's Something About Mary."
"We didn't use natural product ... I remember walking across the street from my trailer to the set with my hair sticking up for that scene and traffic stopped. People were wondering what was wrong with me," she said.
In fact, she almost didn't do the movie at all.
"My agent and manager thought that doing this film was an insane move — I was told it would be the end of my career," Diaz said before the screening. "But it has been the highlight of my career and my personal life."
Diaz, 36, was also brought to tears and comforted by close friends at the event after reflecting on her late father's cameo appearance in the film.
"He's in it for two seconds, but it's all we have of him immortalized," she said through watering eyes.
Meanwhile, Annette Bening (who was presenting "American Beauty" at the event) said Hollywood should show a lot more respect to Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
"We really want to hear her views, and I’m sure she’ll do very well in the debate. She’s obviously a very accomplished woman," Bening said. "I’m a Democrat, I’m a supporter of Barack Obama but she certainly deserves our respect."
Blake Lively Shares Thoughts on Wearing Panties to Parties
Picture Blake Lively, Amber Tamblyn and America Ferrera all together in Greece on the first day of filming the sequel to "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." Then picture the girls shooting a scene on scooters and things going terribly wrong.
"We got in a moped accident. It was my fault, although Blake ran into the back of us and it was a domino effect," Tamblyn recently told Pop Tarts. "Blake really hurt her knee and America fell off her bike and spun around — it was very dramatic and very scary. But at least I got to make fun of them both on crutches."
But unlike so many Hollywood hotties (who shall remain nameless), 20-year-old Blake says she simply doesn’t have time to get into trouble and makes a point of always remembering her underwear.
"I grew up with the mindset that after work you go to dinner and watch a movie," Lively said. "I don't want to go to a club and not wear panties."
In fact, the blonde, gorgeous "it" girl is somewhat surprised by her rising fame.
"I’m very shy, so it’s weird when people give me that kind of attention. I get really shy just watching myself on TV with my family there," she said.
Brit Does the Bronx
Britney Spears hit the Big Apple on Wednesday, again proving that she really is getting back to good.
The pop princess greeted her young fans at the John Philip Sousa Middle School in the Bronx borough of New York City, where she presented the students with a $10,000 check via Elizabeth Arden, which will enhance the school's new music program.
Our "Gimme More" gal certainly has come along way since her last NYC visit last year, where she trooped around with "cousin" Alli Sims. While Brit's father is keeping Sims out of his daughter's life, the aspiring songstress has found a new BFF in Avril Lavigne.
"The two are inseparable," said our inside source.
Paris Parties … With Her First-Ever Nanny
Paris Hilton celebrated the launch of her new MTV reality show "My BFF" in Hollywood on Tuesday night alongside her beau Benji, sister Nicky and her man Dave Katzenberg, her parents, her brothers, her aunts and uncles, cousins, best buddies and the show’s contestants.
But the person the party princess was most excited to see was actually her first-ever nanny, who made a surprise appearance at the soiree.
Don't Forget: Jeans on Friday!
"Grey’s Anatomy" actress Chandra Wilson and Tim Daly of "Private Practice" both know first-hand what it’s like to lose someone you love to breast cancer, so the screen stars have teamed up as spokespeople for Lee National Denim Day this Friday.
The 12-year-old nationwide initiative allows anyone and everyone to donate $5 on denimday.com and wear their jeans to work to show their support in bringing an end to breast cancer.
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