Kate to face the music

They have long conquered Hollywood with their sizzling on-screen presence and compelling performances.

But, instead of taking on more challenging acting roles, some of the silver screen's leading ladies - and men - are choosing to flex their talents in a very different way.

Kate Winslet is the latest to move into musicals and will star opposite Sopranos actor James Gandolfini in an all-singing, alldancing spectacular called Romance And Cigarettes. The movie is being billed as a 'savage, passionate and darkly comic' tale of one man's infidelity and redemption.

It comes amid a musical revival in Hollywood-following the success of Chicago, with Renèe Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who have also recently turned to musicals.

The Welsh-born star played opposite Richard Gere in the Oscar-winning film, scooping best supporting actress for her role as glamorous murderess Velma.

Romance And Cigarettes will also mark a sea change for Gandolfini - better know as dark, brooding mobster Tony Soprano.

Two years ago, 27-year-old Winslet provided one of the voices for the animated version of A Christmas Carol and released a single from the soundtrack called What If?

Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor also revived interest in musicals with Baz Luhrmann's spectacular film Moulin Rouge.

Even TV stars are turning to the genre, with former Big Breakfast presenter Denise Van Outen getting back to her singing and dancing roots. After her success on stage in Chicago in London and New York, she is starring in Lord Lloyd-Webber's one-woman West End musical Tell Me On A Sunday.