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From staff and wire reports

Nic Cage dreams of violent deaths

LONDON, England -- Nicolas Cage tells The Associated Press that while he was filming his latest movie, "Captain Corelli's Mandolin," he fell prey to a curse on the Greek island of Cephallonia.

"There is a curse that says if you stay any length of time you get bad dreams," he said. "I had some fairly violent dreams while I was there. I had dreams about soldiers killing each other."

Cage, 37, plays an Italian officer who woos a village doctor's daughter in World War II Greece. The part requires Cage to play mandolin.

"I dedicated myself to going home every night and practicing the songs for hours," Cage told reporters Thursday before the film's premiere in London. "I have had no musical training in my life but I do come from a musical family."

"Captain Corelli's Mandolin," also starring Penelope Cruz, is set to for an August release in the United States.

Rosie plans TV return

NEW YORK -- Rosie O'Donnell's coming back.

The talk show host is returning to air on her self-titled TV property after spending time recovering from an infected hand. She returns Monday but will make a brief appearance on her show Friday, The Associated Press reports.

O'Donnell cut a tendon in her hand last August while trying to cut a price tag off a fishing pole. She's had three surgeries since then, spokeswoman Laura Mandel said.

O'Donnell says she will quit the show next year. A succession of guest hosts, including Barbara Walters, who is Friday's host, and comedian Caroline Rhea, who is rumored to be a candidate to replace O'Donnell, have filled in for her.

'Meadow Soprano': Job beats school

NEW YORK -- Being the daughter of a mob boss is a pretty cool gig. At least, if you're an actress and your role is Meadow Soprano in the HBO drama "The Sopranos."

Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who plays Meadow, tells The Associated Press she has a good job.

"It's kind of a nice schedule," Sigler, 19, says. "We film for six months and get six months off."

But Sigler doesn't spend her spare time sleeping late or watching videos on the couch. She's currently playing the title role in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella."

She'll keep this schedule for at least another year. "The Sopranos," currently in its third year, will have a fourth season. Beyond that, it's anyone's guess, including Sigler's.

"It's kind of hard to say. We all hear different rumors, and we don't even know," she said.

Jackson shaken to action by child slavery

NEW YORK -- Michael Jackson plans to travel to Africa to study the plight of children sold into slavery, according to The Associated Press.

The pop musician will take time off from preparing to release an upcoming album to lead the African mission. A date for the trip had not yet been set. He will be joined on the trip by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, a co-founder of Jackson's Heal the Kids organization, and the Rev. Al Sharpton.

"The existence of child slavery shakes me to my very core," the father of two said in a statement Thursday.

Jackson reportedly broke down in tears earlier this week after hearing about the search for a ship believed to be carrying child slaves along the coast of western Africa.

"Children need a childhood. They can't be forced to work," he said.