Michael Clarke Duncan has died. The actor, who was nominated for an Oscar for "The Green Mile," died in a hospital on Monday (September 03), less than eight weeks after suffering a heart attack. His deep voice and hulking 6-foot-5 frame gave him a commanding screen presence. He was 54.

Russell Crowe and a friend were picked up by the U.S. Coast Guard over the weekend after getting lost while kayaking off Long Island, New York. The Oscar-winning actor and his friend flagged down a Coast Guard patrol after beaching their kayaks. Crowe took to Twitter to thank his rescuers for "guiding the way."

Michael Jackson's tour promoters reportedly knew about singer's health problems prior to his death - this according to the Los Angeles Times. The newspaper obtained leaked documents from AEG allegedly talking about Jackson's poor mental state and questioning his ability to perform the scheduled 50 London concerts. The new information is important, as the concert's insurers are currently attempting to nullify a 17.5 million dollar insurance policy, claiming they were given false information about Jackson's true health.

Finally, Paul McCartney has been nominated for France's legion of honor for his services to music. The former Beatle will receive the award from French President Francois Hollande in a ceremony Saturday (September 08). The nomination is one of France's highest honors given to non-natives.