book actress

George Clooney will take home yet another honor come January: the Chairman's Award, courtesy of the 23rd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Clooney is being honored for his work in "The Descendants," which opened Wednesday, and "The Ides of March," which he directed, acted in, produced and co-wrote.

"George Clooney brings new definition to the word 'star,' " festival chairman Harold Matzner said in a statement announcing the award. "A consummate actor, director, producer and screenwriter, he’s demonstrated that no discipline within the film industry is beyond his reach." Matzner also noted that Clooney's career is "fortunately for all of us who admire him ... still a work in progress."

Ben Affleck took home the chairman's prize in 2011, while other recipients include Dustin Hoffman and Nicole Kidman.

The festival runs Jan. 5-15, with the award gala on Jan. 7.

"Twilight" book author Stephenie Meyer is adored by fans for the vampire romance phenomenon she penned, but for weeks the Ministry has been admiring her new figure.

In early November, the author showed up at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood for a handprint and footprint ceremony starring "Twilight Saga" trio Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner -- and wound up turning a few heads herself with a slimmed-down silhouette.

So how did she do it?

"Honestly, watching what she eats, and exercise," franchise screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg told us at Monday's "Breaking Dawn" premiere. "Diet and exercise. And she looks fantastic."

Based on the above photos, we'd have to agree (on the left, Meyer poses with Peter Facinelli at 2010's "Eclipse" premiere; on the right, she hugs Taylor Lautner at Monday night's after-party).

"You know, she had lost some weight when we filmed the wedding scene together," Rosenberg recalled of the on-screen matrimony of Stewart and Pattinson, "but then I saw her at the 'Breaking Dawn' junket and just thought, holy smoke."

Congrats, Stephenie.