Alexander Siddig ("Bashir") has been cast as Gabriel, the angel who informs the Virgin Mary of her divine pregnancy, in New Line's Christmas film "Nativity." The film is currently in production in Italy and Morocco, and is slated for release on December 1 of this year. It stars Keisha Castle-Hughes ("Whale Rider") as the adolescent Judean woman thrust into the historical spotlight. This is the first time the Nativity story has been tackled in a studio-financed feature film, according to a New Line executive. "This could be the definitive Christmas movie," Cale Boyter, senior VP of production, told Variety.

Siddig's role is small but pivotal, marking the latest high-profile gig for the DS9 star following appearances in last year's "Syriana" and "Kingdom of Heaven."

At Comic-Con: Nichols, Masterson, etc.

Nichelle Nichols will be a special guest at next month's Comic-Con in San Diego, there to represent Diamond Select Toys & Collectibles. She will appear at the Diamond Select booth on Saturday, July 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., to sign autographs and promote her character's "Mirror, Mirror"-style action figure, along with those of McCoy, Chekov, Sulu and Marlena Moreau.

Also at Comic-Con, Chase Masterson will be present for a screening of "Déjà Vu," the short film written and directed by Tim Russ in which she co-stars with Garrett Wang. She will take part in a panel discussion along with the film's producer, Robert Michael Conrad. That will be Friday night, July 21, starting at 8:35 p.m.

Other Trek dignitaries expected to appear during the four-day convention, July 20-23, are former Star Trek: Deep Space Nine writer/producers Ira Steven Behr, René Echevarria and Ronald D. Moore, speaking about The 4400, Medium and Battlestar Galactica, respectively.

There will be several other Star Trek connections at this year's Comic-Con, including a panel by CBS/Paramount regarding 40th Anniversary activities, and once all the details are firmed up we will publish an update. Visit www.comic-con.org for complete info.

Shatner Kidney Stone-Funded House to Begin Construction

On Friday, June 9, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles will begin building a home for a family in Thibodaux, Louisiana, thanks in large part to a painful kidney stone that William Shatner passed last year. After that highly publicized medical incident in October, there was an auction for that piece of Captain Kirk, and in January GoldenPalace.com paid $25,000 for the specimen (related story). That plus $20,000 more in contributions from the cast and crew of Boston Legal were donated to Habitat for Humanity to help victims of last year's hurricanes in the Gulf.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have donated their stadium parking lot as a build site, and Habitat staff members alongside corporate volunteers will frame the house in one day. It will then be disassembled, packaged and shipped to Louisiana, where it will be completed by local volunteers in partnership with its new homeowner family. Visit www.habitat.org to learn more about the charity.

Diane Warren Honored

Last Tuesday night, Diane Warren — who composed "Where My Heart Will Take Me," used as the theme song for Star Trek: Enterprise — was honored by the organization Women in Film (WIF) at an annual awards gala. She was bestowed with a Crystal Award, which recognizes those who have helped expand the role of women in the entertainment industry.

"Critics might say that Diane Warren trades in sentimentality, but her emotionally powerful songs always have struck the right chord with mainstream audiences," stated The Hollywood Reporter in a profile of the 49-year-old songwriter in a special section about the WIF function. The article notes that not only has Warren written about 90 top-ten songs and has had her compositions featured in more than 100 films, but her publishing company, Realsongs, is one of the most successful female-owned businesses in the industry.

According to Backstage.com, at the awards ceremony Warren had a case of stage fright which she turned into an amusing act with her presenter, American Idol judge Randy Jackson. When Warren tried to get Jackson to read her thank-you speech, it evolved into a quirky and endearing Q&A.

More Showbiz News: Collins, Hatcher, Judd, Stewart, etc.

Stephen Collins ("Will Decker" in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture") is making a rare foray into the feature world. He has joined the cast of "Blood Diamond" alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Collins plays an ambassador in a story about a diamond smuggling operation. Filming is underway in South Africa. Collins will continue to star in 7th Heaven as the TV family drama regroups for its 11th season on the new CW network.

Also making a rare foray into features is the ubiquitous Teri Hatcher ("Lt. Robinson" in "The Outrageous Okona"), who has joined the cast of "Resurrecting the Champ" with Josh Harnett and Samuel L. Jackson. In the sports drama about a reporter who tries to revive the career of a homeless ex-boxer, Hatcher plays the head of a TV channel. This is her first movie since becoming a media darling and hot gossip topic from her starring role in Desperate Housewives, which is entering its third season on ABC.

Another major star whose early work includes Star Trek: The Next Generation is Ashley Judd ("Robin Lefler"), and a horror film she stars in was recently screened at the Cannes Film Festival in France. It's called "Bug," directed by William Friedkin (most famous for "The Exorcist"). In the story, a paranoid war veteran (Michael Shannon) holes up in a spooky Oklahoma motel room with a lonely cocktail waitress (Judd) and sees insects everywhere. Despite its campy title, a review in The Hollywood Reporter calls the film "a psychologically taut thriller" that is "smartly and convincingly fleshed out." It further says that Judd's performance "is this entertainment's most stirring element," and her character, Agnes, "quite convincingly descends into megalomaniac delusion." Expect to see "Bug" in theaters late this year.

In the television realm, there's good long-term news for fans of animation producer Seth MacFarlane ("Ensign Rivers" in Enterprise): his Family Guy followup American Dad, which features the voice of Patrick Stewart in a recurring role, has already been picked up for 2007-08 by Fox. The long lead time is necessary for animation production, and the network has ordered a full 22-episode season. In addition to producing, MacFarlane also voices many of the characters, including title character Stan Smith and the popular fey alien Roger.

If you're watching TV this summer, you might want to check out a couple of new shows on cable: Psych starring Corbin Bernsen ("Q2" in "Deja Q") on the USA Network, starting July 7; and Brotherhood starring Fionnula Flanagan ("Juliana Tainer," "Enina Tandro" and "V'Lar") on Showtime, starting July 9.

Speaking of Patrick Stewart, the TNG star was recently profiled on AskMen.com in their "Men of the Week: Entertainment" section. The site says he is so honored because "Stewart always brings a sense of depth and gravity to his roles, regardless of the project," and is "one of the industry's most versatile actors." See AskMen.com - Patrick Stewart.

Commentary: Starless in Hollywood

One Original Series main character is missing from the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, an omission that many fans would like to see rectified. Even though actor and writer Walter Koenig ("Chekov") should rightly join his Star Trek brethren, unfortunately it's not entirely our — or the fans' — call. Although the required money has been raised, the decision comes down to a vote by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to allot the year's spaces on Hollywood Blvd. for the honor.

With this year's vote about to take place we would like to take this opportunity to draw attention, once again, to the omission of Walter Koenig from the Walk of Fame, and that the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce take special notice this year, 2006, as it marks the 40th anniversary of Star Trek. What a perfect opportunity to honor a man whose career has embraced film, television and the stage, not to mention his numerous writing credits. Walter is a true Hollywood person, one who has represented his craft well and continues to be an ambassador for Star Trek with appearances at conventions around the world.

"You can see all the stars as you walk down Hollywood Boulevard," sang Ray Davies of The Kinks in "Celluloid Heroes." Well, let's hope that can soon be amended to "You can see all the Star Trek stars as you walk down Hollywood Boulevard..." OK, maybe not the same rhythm, but you get the point. Good luck Walter!