Kidman, Roberts Hounded by Paparazzi

ByABC News
September 5, 2001, 8:12 PM

August 31 -- Since when is being hounded by paparazzi news for stars Nicole Kidman or Julia Roberts?

Well, although being stalked by photographers is a regular occurrence for the two newly single actresses, both inspired new levels of media frenzy this week, as Kidman appeared in Venice, Italy, and Roberts' reported new beau is said to have thrown stones at a photographer.

Movie-Style Boat Chase in VeniceWhen Kidman showed up at the Venice Film Festival to promote The Others (already a summer sleeper in the United States) and Birthday Girl, paparazzi were on her with lightning speed.

A high-speed watery chase started at the airport, with Kidman's "vaporetto" driver trying to lose eight (!) speedboats packed with photographers and cameramen as she tried to reach The Cipriani hotel.

In the middle of the madcap chase, a police launch sped up to Kidman's boat and told the security guards on board to slow down.

After seeing James Bond and Indiana Jones zip around the famed Italian city, we had no idea there even was a speed limit in Venice.

The red-haired beauty showed up with 22 suitcases, the press has duly reported.

Julia's New Beau?Meanwhile, back in Los Angeles, police are investigating claims that a movie cameraman, who is supposedly Julia Roberts' new squeeze, threw bricks at a paparazzo.

Roberts is rumored to be rebounding from Benjamin Bratt with Daniel Moder, a (gasp) married cameraman.

A police spokesman said no one had been arrested or charged in the assault complaint filed by freelance photographer Francis Griffin after an alleged incident on Tuesday outside Moder's home in the Los Angeles suburb of Woodland Hills.

Griffin had been waiting across the street to get a photo of Moder and his family as he left home for the funeral of his mother. According to some tabloid reports, Roberts had also been expected to attend the funeral.

Griffin alleges that Moder threw two bricks over the fence of his home that hit and damaged the photographer's car, police said. Griffin himself was unharmed.