Taking Names

Another love child?

One of Heath Ledger’s estranged uncles claims that the late actor may have fathered a love child when he was a teenager, according to a report in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.

When he was just 17, Mr. Ledger reportedly dated a 25-year-old woman — who discovered she was pregnant after the relationship ended and later gave birth to a baby girl. Although the woman was living with another man at the time, Mr. Ledger’s uncle Hadyn told the Australian newspaper, “There is a very real possibility that Heath was the father.”

The actor — who died in January at age 28 following an accidental overdose of prescription drugs — has a daughter, Matilda, with actress Michelle Williams. His will, written before Matilda’s birth, left his entire estate to his parents and three sisters. Although his father, Kim Ledger, has promised Miss Williams and the 2-year-old “will be taken care of,” the uncertainty surrounding the will has reignited a family feud among Mr. Ledger and his three estranged brothers.

The long-simmering tensions date back more than 15 years, when Kim Ledger was made executor of his grandfather Sir Frank Ledger’s $2 million estate. “It plunged into enormous debt,” Mike Ledger, one of Kim Ledger’s brothers, told People magazine reports. According to Australia’s Sunday Times, a Supreme Court judge eventually removed Kim Ledger from overseeing the estate. The brothers now claim Kim Ledger is not capable of managing the late Oscar nominee’s considerable assets.

Picasso nude found

A nude painting by a young Pablo Picasso has been found in the bedroom of a house in southwest England, according to Agence France-Presse.

The watercolor, titled “Etreinte” (Embrace), shows a nude Mr. Picasso entwined in an intimate embrace with his girlfriend Louise Lenoir, known as Odette. It was painted in 1901 or 1902, when the Spanish artist would have been 20 or 21 and still struggling for recognition, and was authenticated by Mr. Picasso in 1969.

The work was discovered with two works by other major artists — George Stubbs and Alfred Munnings, both of whom specialized in painting horses.

Each painting is expected to sell for up to $199,000 when they go on sale April 10.

Gone to pot

Keith Richards has tons of juicy details to fill his upcoming autobiography. The problem, though, is that he can’t remember them, the New York Daily News reports.

It seems the Rolling Stone’s penchant for pot may finally be catching up with him.

“I smoke my head off,” Mr. Richards told Britain’s Daily Mail. “I smoke weed all the damn time.”

The wrinkly rhythm guitarist, known for partying as hard as he rocks, is having trouble recalling details for his life story, the Daily Mail says.

“I can’t even remember yesterday,” Mr. Richards says. “I’m trying to put together an autobiography and it’s coming along.

The 64-year-old rocker, who was in New York this week to promote the band’s new concert documentary, “Shine a Light,” went to trial for drug-related charges five times in the 1960s and ’70s.

Heather to judge

Heather Mills has a job. The ex Mrs. Paul McCartney is among the celebrity judges for the upcoming Miss USA Pageant, Associated Press reports. Other judges for the April 11 competition include actor/comedian Rob Schneider, actor/musician Joey Fatone, actress Kristian Alfonso, Olympic-champion swimmer Amanda Beard, actress Kelly Carlson and San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman. Donny and Marie Osmond will host the telecast of the 57th annual pageant, airing live from Las Vegas on NBC.

Briefly…

Jessica Simpson was hospitalized yesterday at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles for a “minor kidney infection,” TMZ.com reports. Her rep says the pop star is fine and was expected to be released.

Compiled by Robyn-Denise Yourse from Web and wire reports.