People talk 6/13

Affleck, Lopez to star in movie 'Jersey Girl'

PHILADELPHIA -- Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck will star in the next Kevin Smith film, "Jersey Girl," which will be shot in Philadelphia this summer.

"I pushed to shoot in Philadelphia over Toronto because it's in America, I liked the locations here and because it's a great production center," Smith told The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The sixth film from writer-director Smith, the dramatic comedy features Lopez, 31, and Affleck, 29, as parents of a preschool-aged daughter and has a budget of more than $20 million.

Smith's previous works include "Clerks," "Mallrats" and "Chasing Amy," all set in New Jersey. He said "Jersey Girl" would be his first PG-13-rated film, "unless the MPAA gets weirdly stringent."

Since Lopez's recent split from husband, Chris Judd, rumors have circulated that she and Affleck are romantically linked. The two recently finished another film together, Martin Brest's "Gigli," which will be released next year. But Smith said the two aren't a couple. "Are they dating? Unequivocally, no," he said.

Singer stays up late writing notes for sale

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Barbara Mandrell stayed up until 3 a.m. Tuesday getting ready for the five-day estate sale at her home, but she wasn't marking price tags.

The country singer wrote notes to authenticate and raise the value of some of the sale items, including several racks of dresses and costumes she wore on stage.

On a Manila envelope containing monogrammed pillow cases selling for $100, she wrote: "These were my pillow cases. Love, Barbara Mandrell. P.S. They were husband Ken's, too. I wasn't 'Sleeping Single in a Double Bed!' Ha!"

"Sleeping Single in a Double Bed" was one of many hits for Mandrell in the 1970s and '80s. She was named best entertainer by the Country Music Association in 1980 and 1981.

The 53-year-old retired from music in 1997.

Mandrell auctioned her 137-acre Fontanel estate near downtown Nashville last month for $2.1 million, and the estate sale, coincides with the annual Fan Fair festival for country music lovers, runs through Saturday.

Husband Ken Dudney says an empty nest, not financial problems, pushed the sales.

Two of the couple's three children are grown, and he and Mandrell recently moved into a smaller home.

-- From wire reports