Wesley Snipes Asks for Shore Leave
Before his world shrinks to an 8-by-10 cell, Wesley Snipes would like to cross a few oceans.
The embattled actor has filed a request in federal court for permission to leave the country, first to London to sit in on the editing process for his new horror flick Gallowwalker, and then to Bangkok to film the action thriller Chasing the Dragon. Cameras are set to roll Sept. 8 and production is expected to last eight weeks.
According to the filing, Snipes’ unavailability could jeopardize his “future livelihood as an actor,” not to mention his ability to pay restitution for his crimes.
Snipes skated on charges of conspiracy and fraud but was convicted in February on three misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns on about $13.5 million in earnings. He was sentenced in April to three years in prison, but a Florida judge begrudgingly agreed last month to bail that will keep the Blade star a free man until his appeal has played out.
“Mr. Snipes will, of course, voluntarily return after his work on this filmas he has done each time he has been granted permission by this court,” defense attorney Daniel Meachum wrote in Wednesday’s filing, which was obtained by the Orlando Sentinel.
His bold request shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, really. Before he stood trial, a judge gave Snipes the go-ahead to travel to Namibia (not for the birth of Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, but to finish shooting Gallowwalker), South Korea and Vancouver.
Kiefer Sutherland is a Free Man
Kiefer Sutherland is a Free Man
As of 12:05am this morning, actor Kiefer Sutherland has been released from jail, after serving 48 days for his second DUI conviction.
Originally, the “Lost Boys” star was scheduled to divide his sentence into two segments, serving half his sentence now, and half after his show, 24, goes on hiatus this summer. But with the writers’ strike ongoing, he decided to do it all in one shot.
And it sounds like Sutherland was a perfect gentleman while he was behind bars. A prison spokesman told press, “Throughout his stay, he never griped, never complained. He never wanted preferential treatment from the get go, and we respect him for that.”
Upon his release, “[Kiefer] looked like he was glad to be out,” said a source. He’ll be on five years probation, 18 months of alcohol education, and six months of weekly therapy sessions.
George Clooney a Free Man?
George Clooney has taken his eligible-bachelor status out of storage.
The Oscar winner has reportedly split up with Sarah Larson, his envy-of-many girlfriend of about a year.
Clooney’s publicist, Stan Rosenfeld, would only tell News, “I do not comment on George’s personal life.”
But sources close to the situation have been saying the duo are no more. They were last photographed together at the 47th-birthday bash Giorgio Armani threw for Clooney May 6 in New York.
The Michael Clayton star was spotted just this weekend, however, soaking up the sun with an all-male crew in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
He and Larson originally met in Las Vegas at Whiskey Bar, where she was working as a cocktail waitress, about four years ago, but things didn’t get serious until they saw each other for the second time last June, also in Sin City.
Since then, Larson’s connection with Clooney has translated into an appearance in People’s 100 Most Beautiful issue, a trip to the Oscars in February (the first time Clooney ever took a girlfriend) and countless red carpet appearances.
Wesley Snipes Catches a Break
Wesley Snipes gets to have a little more fun in the sun after all.
A day after a court ordered him to surrender by June 3 to begin serving a three-year prison sentence for failing to file income tax returns, the actor was begrudgingly granted bail that will keep him a free man until his pending appeal is settled.
U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges wrote in his decision he was “dubious” of the merit of Snipes’ appeal, but that the Blade star could end up serving his entire sentence before the next chapter of this saga is addressed.
In arguing for bail, Snipes’ attorneys wrote their client is already “actively engaged in resolving his liabilities with the IRS civilly.” When they showed up for court on the day of his sentencing, Snipe’s legal team brought $5 million worth of checks to give to IRS agents on the scene.