People

By Rebecca Winters

FIRST LOOK NO, YOU CAN'T PET HER

The cat is finally out of the bag. HALLE BERRY slinks into a strapping new ensemble this week when filming starts in Vancouver for Catwoman. The Oscar-winning actress plays the Felonious Feline (see also: Princess of Plunder, Mistress of Malevolence) from the Batman series, a role made famous by Eartha Kitt in the '60s TV show and reinvented by a neoprene-clad Michelle Pfeiffer in 1992. Berry's leather cat suit for the 2004 film is "very bare, very urban, very downtown," she says. Her character, Patience Price, is a scientist at a cosmetics company who transforms into Catwoman--or should we say Sex Kitten?--to take on her nefarious boss, played by Sharon Stone. Benjamin Bratt as a detective is the love interest for Berry's Catwoman, who is both villainess and heroine. "She's not Superman," Berry says. "She's not trying to save the world." Instead, like a pampered house pet, Berry says, "Catwoman is out to save herself." Could be quite a purr-formance.

Paging the Crocodile Hunter!

Young PRINCE HARRY'S Down Under welcome has been downright prickly. The rakish royal, 19, landed in Sydney on his way to a three-month stint as a jackeroo--a ranch hand who wrangles sheep and cattle in the Australian outback--during his gap year between high school and college. Stopping at the Taronga Park Zoo for a photo op with local wildlife, Harry struggled to get a safe grip on this echidna. Also bristling were some Australian politicians, who complained about the $400,000 it costs to guard his highness. Of course the boost in tourism dollars from schoolgirls and lurking paparazzi should help offset the bill a bit.

Bruce's Battle Cry

In Die Hard, BRUCE WILLIS played a cop fighting evildoers with little more than a Beretta and a smirk. In Iraq last week, the father of three wielded a harmonica and a cash reward. Willis, 48, and his rock band the Accelerators performed for soldiers (haven't they suffered enough?), who sat atop helicopters and in humvees on various Army bases in the sweltering Iraqi desert. "If you catch him, just give me four seconds with Saddam Hussein," the actor told a cheering crowd as he promised $1 million to the person who nabs the dictator. And if Saddam won't talk, perhaps Bruce could play for him.

CELEBRITY ON THE BLOCK PARTY

It's a good week for obsessive fans with cash to burn. Designer Emmy duds worn by stars like JENNIFER ANISTON and James Gandolfini are up for bid on eBay to benefit autism and environmental CHARITIES. OTHER FAMOUS FACES GOING ONCE ...

KATHLEEN TURNER

THE LOOT The husky-voiced actress on your answering-machine message

THE CAUSE The liberal group People for the American Way, via Christie's

JAMES HETFIELD

THE LOOT The '67 Camaro the Metallica singer drove in the I Disappear video

THE CAUSE Music education in schools, through an eBay auction ending on Oct. 2

ELTON JOHN

THE LOOT Two Napoleon busts, a leopard chaise, ceramic cows, et al.

THE CAUSE Minimalism. Elton is remodeling; Sotheby's will do his yard sale