George Clooney reportedly is in talks to star in a Hawaii-based film being directed by Alexander Payne, the acclaimed director of "Sideways."

Variety posted an article on its Web site saying Clooney would be the lead of the movie based on "The Descendants," a novel written by Honolulu resident Kaui Hart Hemmings.

Variety said the movie is scheduled to start shooting here in February.

Hemmings' book revolves around the life of Matt King, the head of a kamaäina family, as he struggles with family issues including infidelity, death and questions about selling land holdings.

MARTIN, BALDWIN TO CO-HOST OSCARS

Former Oscar host Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, the Emmy Award-winning star of NBC's "30 Rock," will co-host the 82nd annual Academy Awards on March 7.

The announcement was made yesterday by Oscar telecast producers Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman.

Martin hosted the 73rd and 75th Oscar ceremonies. Though Baldwin will be making his hosting debut, he's no stranger to the Academy, having been nominated for a supporting actor Oscar for 2003's "The Cooler."

OBAMA BROTHER OPENS UP ABOUT NOVEL

President Obama's half brother has broken his media silence to discuss his new novel — the semi-autobiographical story of an abusive parent patterned on their late father, the mostly absent figure Obama wrote about in his own memoir.

In his first interview, Mark Ndesandjo told The Associated Press that he wrote "Nairobi to Shenzhen" in part to raise awareness of domestic violence.

"My father beat my mother and my father beat me, and you don't do that," said Ndesandjo, whose mother, Ruth Nidesand, was Barack Obama Sr.'s third wife.

For the past seven years, Ndesandjo has been living in the booming southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, and has refused all interview requests until now.

The novel, from self-publishing company Aventine Press, goes on sale today.

Another of the president's half brothers, George Obama, 27, of Huruma, Kenya, has penned a memoir that will be published by Simon and Schuster in January 2010. Other Obama relatives working on books include his sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, daughter of Obama's mother and her second husband, Lolo Soetoro; and Craig Robinson, first lady Michelle Obama's brother.

FIRED BEAUTY QUEEN, PAGEANT SETTLE SUITS

The legal war between former Miss California USA Carrie Prejean and pageant organizers is over.

A joint statement released yesterday says Prejean and the organizers of the pageant reached a confidential settlement on dueling lawsuits. Prejean sued Miss California USA organizers in August for libel, slander and religious discrimination. She accused them of telling her to stop mentioning God even before her controversial remarks against gay marriage.

Prejean was fired in June after pageant officials accused her of missing events. The pageant countersued Prejean last month.