Star Tracks - Friday, March 17, 2006

"Operation Smile" International Youth Ambassador Jessica Simpson flashes her own mega-watt choppers Thursday while on Capitol Hill to promote the nonprofit group that helps children born with cleft palates. Her own trip to Africa last year "changed my life perspective ... of what a smile actually represents," she said.

Simpson, along with hairdresser pal Ken Paves (right), listens intently to Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) during a news conference, but she refused to answer questions about declining an invitation from the GOP to meet with President Bush. "I am here to support Operation Smile," she said. "That is the purpose of my trip."

Penelope Cruz gets a hug of support from her beau, PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive Matthew McConaughey, at the Spanish premiere of her film Volver in Madrid on Thursday.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes play their own game with the paparazzi when they attend the World Baseball Classic in Anaheim on Thursday. But their star power wasn't enough to help the U.S.A team: Mexico knocked them out of the tournament.

Colin Farrell takes his bundled up 2-year-old son James for a stroll through New York City's Central Park on Thursday. The Irish actor is in the Big Apple filming the cop drama, Pride and Glory.

Sharon Stone, who bares it all in the upcoming Basic Instinct 2, chooses a relatively demure cocktail dress for the film's London premiere Wednesday.

Amanda Bynes taps into her communication skills while in New York on Thursday to promote her romantic comedy, She's the Man.

Female Star of the Year Natalie Portman gets a peck from Cody, star of the short film The Reel Monkey, at the 2006 ShoWest Convention in Las Vegas on Thursday. "I don't think monkeys like being in clothes," the V for Vendetta star told PEOPLE. "But, such a gentleman."

Russell Crowe takes 2-year-old look-a-like son Charles for a spin Wednesday in Beverly Hills. Crowe will become a pop again when wife Danielle Spencer gives birth to their second son this summer.

Angelina Jolie adeptly wrangles Maddox, 4, and Zahara, 1, at Nice Airport on Wednesday after spending a week vacationing in the South of France and the Luberon, where she and paramour Brad Pitt reportedly went house hunting.

Meanwhile, Brad Pitt prepares his plane for takeoff at Avignon Airport in Provence. While in the region, the expectant dad is taking flying lessons from his favorite instructor, whom he brought over from L.A.

Coordinated couple Mandy Moore and Zach Braff maintain a muted tone on their way out of New York City's Stanton Social restaurant on Saturday.

Christina Ricci sports a porcine prosthetic (but at least has some comfy boots on hand) Wednesday in London, where she's filming Penelope with Reese Witherspoon. Ricci plays a woman born with a pig's nose.

Denise Richards steals a smooch from her costar – and dodges a boom mic – in Hollywood on Wednesday. Richards was filming a pilot episode of the ABC drama Secrets of a Small Town.