Amal Clooney, who is married to the Hollywood actor George Clooney, is joining the faculty of Columbia University as a visiting lecturer. Columbia announced on Friday that the lawyer will lecture on human rights this spring. She will also serve as a senior fellow with its law school's Human Rights Institute. The Human Rights Institute co-director Sarah H Cleveland says Clooney's "extensive experience" will enrich the experience of Columbia's students. The Clooneys are based in London, but he is filming Money Monster with Julia Roberts in New York this spring. Jodie Foster is directing. – AP
Sean Penn has 'no apologies' for Oscars joke
While in Beverly Hills on a promotional tour for his new film The Gunman, the actor Sean Penn opened up about the immigration joke heard round the world. He said he had "absolutely no apologies" for his comment. The actor-director also offered up choice words for those who didn't recognise the irony in his remarks. On February 22 at the 87th Academy Awards, Penn, who presented the Best Picture award, made waves when he opened the envelope and asked: "Who gave this son of a ***** his green card?" before announcing the winner as Birdman, which was directed by the Mexican-born Alejandro Gonzàlez Iñárritu. "I found it hilarious," Iñárritu said after the ceremony. "Sean and I have that kind of brutal [relationship] where only true friendship can survive." Commenting on the reaction to his joke, Penn said: "I'm always surprised by flagrant stupidity," adding: "The fact is that I understand it. I see it all the time. When somebody sees the opportunity to frame something in the comfort that it will be common – that they can do that and they can get a group to look at them and that they will take on those positions and never really think about what it was." He concluded by saying: "I have absolutely no apologies." – AP
Carrie no longer CIA officer in next season of Homeland
"Time will fly between the fourth and fifth season of the Showtime spy drama Homeland," the series' executive producer Alex Gansa said. "We're going to take about a two-year forward jump," Gansa said on Friday at the opening night of PaleyFest, the annual TV celebration at the Dolby Theatre. On the purple carpet, Gansa said the next Homeland season will be filmed in Europe, most likely in Berlin. The fourth season of Homeland was shot in Cape Town, South Africa, which doubled for Islamabad and Kabul. Gansa later told the PaleyFest audience that CIA officer Carrie Mathison, played by series star Claire Danes, will no longer be an intelligence officer. Many of the Homeland crew members said the fourth season was critical to the series, given the death of the character of Brody, portrayed by Damian Lewis, in the third season. Homeland was adapted from the Israeli TV series Hatufim (Abductees). – AP
Pancholi arrested at Mumbai nightclub
The Bollywood actor Aditya Pancholi was arrested at a nightclub in Mumbai on Saturday night after assaulting a bouncer, NDTV.com reported. Pancholi, 50, allegedly argued with the DJ “after his request for playing Hindi songs was turned down”. When bouncers intervened, he attacked one of them. “There is a complaint that Pancholi hit a bouncer on his head with his mobile phone,” said a police inspector when asked to comment. The actor was due to appear in court yesterday. – The National staff