By SAMANTHA ETTUS
Scripps Howard News Service
31-AUG-05

In Hollywood, it is increasingly common for weddings and babies to capture more attention than a celebrity's upcoming film role or even, in some cases, an Oscar win. The public's fascination with such matters makes complete sense - just as we are interested in learning about our friends' and neighbors' nuptials or new children, we are intrigued when a celebrity gets married or becomes pregnant. And it is widely recognized by the press that what happens in bed or leads stars to wed is still what grabs people's attention (Exhibit A: continued speculation that Tom Cruise's sudden courtship of Katie Holmes was a publicity stunt). So this week we take a look at three celebrities whose personal milestones have thrust them into the spotlight and how they have fared under the glare.

Robert Downey Jr.
For most of us, the Downey Jr. name recalls memories of the promising young actor who threw his potential away to a life of drug addiction. Yet this past weekend he walked down the aisle for the second time and received as much media attention as he ever did during his darker days. His wedding to Susan Levin, a producer he met on the set of Gothika – a 2002 film in which he co-starred with Halle Berry – created a stir that surprised even him. As a result, Downey Jr. was forced to move his event to an undisclosed location only days prior to the wedding. Amidst the strikingly positive attention, he often credits his new wife with helping him overcome his addiction, reinforcing the message of his sobriety. You can bet that filmmakers are taking note; if Downey Jr. can elicit this much attention by getting married off-screen, his on-screen performances are bound to make a splash as well.

Robert Downey Jr.' Celebrity A$$$$ets

Marcia Cross
Cross was nominated for a best actress Emmy alongside Desperate Housewives castmates Teri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman, but she has had a difficult time breaking out of the all-star pack, a group that includes her two fellow Emmy nominees and Eva Longoria. Now, the never married star is eclipsing her media loving co-stars for the moment with the announcement of her engagement to stockbroker Tom Mahoney. Mahoney and Cross have been dating for six months and their relationship has always received a significant amount of fanfare; their courtship came on the heels of a false rumor that Cross was gay. With the news of her engagement, she has finally found a way to emerge from the crowd. Intentional or not, her timing could not be more perfect, as she has raised her public profile before the Emmys are decided.

Marcia Cross' Celebrity A$$$ets

Britney Spears
Spears has arguably ignited the press' baby fever more than anyone, as she is one of the few stars who garner attention simply for breathing. But sadly, her pregnancy was tainted from the beginning by the memory of her husband and baby's father, Kevin Federline, leaving his ex, Shar Jackson, while she was pregnant just a year earlier. Yet now that Spears and Federline are hitting their pregnancy's nine month mark with no sign of his inevitable in sight, we can begin to reflect on the pregnancy and its impact on the Britney Spears image. Her pregnancy has been characterized as a dramatic roller coaster ride. There have been highs, like the tasteful baby shower profile in People Magazine, and extreme lows, like the crying fit she had in the lobby of a Los Angeles hotel as a result of a fight with Federline and the very bad haircut she received a day earlier. (Fortunately, her suffering was short-lived as she covered her botched cut with extensions the next day.) But lately Spears has managed to simply look happy, enjoying the last few weeks before the baby's arrival. Still, the jury remains out on how this process has impacted Spears' brand, as fans and skeptics alike await the true test of her credibility: how Spears handles the trials of motherhood.

Britney Spears' Celebrity A$$ets

Remember: the most dependable road to the top is to treat your brand as your greatest asset.

(Samantha Ettus' latest book, "The Experts' Guide to Life at Home" (Random House) is now in bookstores. She welcomes your comments at Samantha@celebrityassets.com.)