''Gladiator'' scores most SAG nominations

AWARDS ALERT ”Gladiator” picked up three nominations from the Screen Actors Guild, which announced its award nominees Tuesday afternoon. Earning nods for best actor, best cast performance, and best supporting actor, Ridley Scott’s epic received the most nods of any film. The SAG Awards have become an important precursor to the Oscars, since both its nominations and ceremony take place just a couple of weeks before the big event. Here are the major nominees:

Best Actor:
Jamie Bell (”Billy Elliot”)
Benicio del Toro (”Traffic”)
Russell Crowe (”Gladiator”)
Tom Hanks (”Cast Away”)
Geoffrey Rush (”Quills”)

Best Actress:
Joan Allen (”The Contender”)
Juliette Binoche (”Chocolat”)
Ellen Burstyn (”Requiem for a Dream”)
Laura Linney (”You Can Count on Me”)
Julia Roberts (”Erin Brockovich”)

Best Supporting Actor:
Jeff Bridges (”The Contender”)
Willem Dafoe (”Shadow of the Vampire”)
Albert Finney (”Erin Brockovich”)
Gary Oldman (”The Contender”)
Joaquin Phoenix (”Gladiator”)

Best Supporting Actress:
Judi Dench (”Chocolat”)
Kate Hudson (”Almost Famous”)
Frances McDormand (”Almost Famous”)
Julie Walters (”Billy Elliot”)
Kate Winslet (”Quills”)

REEL DEAL We have X-treme sports and X-treme ads– prepare for X-treme kids’ movies. Shock rocker Marilyn Manson has reportedly accepted the lead role in a Tim Burton directed remake of Roald Dahl‘s ”Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” According to London’s ever reliable Sun tabloid, Manson plans to transform the part of the chocolate tycoon — originally played by Gene Wilder — by digging deeper into the meaning of the dark children’s tale. ”I really see the movie as a metaphor,” he told the tab. ”I see Willy Wonka as Satan because he presents people with the temptation of picking good and evil.” We’re X-tremely N-trigued.

IN THE MONEY Yes, it’s been 30 years since the Beatles broke up, but their music still outsold everyone else’s last year. A survey from London’s Heat magazine reveals that the Beatles earned $80 million in 2000, more than U2, Elton John, and the Rolling Stones. All this from the compilation CD ”1,” which hit record stores in November. That means the Fab Four made more money in two months than any other musician in the entire year. Talk about a day in the life.

SWEEPS STUNT Never again will parents have to answer the question ”Where do babies come from?” Thanks to ABC, kids can see for themselves, when ”Good Morning America” will air a live broadcast of childbirth next week. The morning show has arrangements with three OB/ GYNs in Boston, Dallas, and Houston to show any of the several births due Tuesday, February 6.

Of course, it’s a very complicated ”segment” to produce, since the birth MUST occur within the two hours that ”GMA” is on the air. According to Reuters, executive producer Shelley Ross chose Tuesday, since it is the day of the week women are most likely to give birth. Oookay. Not only will the lucky bambino have one killer birth video, they’ll also get to share their birthday with President Ronald Reagan.

NEEDS HELP Jason Priestley has been ordered to attend an alcohol counseling program as part of a sentence stemming from a drunk driving charge. The ”90210” actor, who pleaded no contest last March to the Dec. 1999 DUI charge, was supposed to enter a five day work release jail program and a mandatory alcohol program. He did serve his five days in jail but has yet to attend counseling. At a hearing Tuesday, a Los Angeles judge told Priestley he must show proof of completion by July 2.

MORE AWARDS This time, though, the honorees are musicians. Nominations for the 15th annual Soul Train Music Awards were announced yesterday, with R&B stars D’Angelo and R. Kelly and new artists Jill Scott and Carl Thomas each earning four nods. Four acts picked up two nominations: rapper Eminem (the only white nominee); sister duo Mary, Mary; trio Lucy Pearl; and quartet Jagged Edge. So far, no performers have been confirmed for the awards ceremony, which take place Feb. 28 and will air in syndication on March 3.

CASTING Ewan McGregor may join the cast of ”Black Hawk Down,” a military action pic from ”Gladiator” director Ridley Scott and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Josh Hartnett and Tom Sizemore have already signed on to the film, which is based on a nonfiction book detailing a battle between American and Somali troops in 1993. Shooting starts Feb. 23.

Cate Blanchett is in talks to star opposite Kevin Spacey in director Lasse Hallström’s (”Chocolat”) latest film adaptation of a popular novel: ”The Shipping News.” Blanchett would play Spacey’s ex- wife in the drama. Shooting for the much delayed project will start this spring.

Heather Graham and Marisa Tomei are in negotiations to star in ”The Guru of Sex,” a comedy from director Daisy Mayer (”Madeline”), as followers of said guru.

Steve Buscemi will play a supporting character in ”Domestic Disturbance,” a thriller starring John Travolta and Vince Vaughn. The film started production this week in North Carolina.

REAL TV MTV launches <b ''Kathy's So-Called Reality'' this Sunday at 10 p.m. The show features Kathy Griffin (”Suddenly Susan”) watching and criticizing snippets of reality shows with a group of her friends, relatives, and coworkers. Griffin will also interview reality series celebrities. Yet another chance for men to ogle Colleen.

TUBE NEWS Veteran TV actor James Garner returns to primetime as the chief justice of the Supreme Court. Garner will play the Honorable Joe Flanigan in ”First Monday,” a pilot for CBS about the life of the high court justices. He’s already played God (”God, the Devil and Bob”), so why not?