AFI Awards or Lakers? Beatty or Kobe?

POSTED BY STUART LEVINE

Jack Nicholson is smack in the horns of a dilemma.

It's no secret the Oscar winner and film icon is a huge Lakers fan, sitting courtside for the last few decades whenever he's in town. So it's only natural to assume he'd be at Staples Center Thursday night for the fourth game of the Lakers-Celtics matchup.

But that same night one of Jack's best friends, Warren Beatty, is receiving the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award at the Kodak Theater, which will be broadcast on USA Network on June 25 at 9 p.m. and midnight. The two have worked together on such films as "Reds" and "The Fortune" and have been neighbors on pricey Mulholland Drive forever.

But, hey, he can see Warren taking out the garbage every week. How often do you get a chance to watch Kobe in the Finals?

Word has it Jack has decided to catch the game, which starts around 6:15 and should last til about 9. At that point, he could head over to the Kodak and give Warren all the support he needs before the "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Bugsy" star delivers his accceptance speech.

Others in attendance include Halle Berry, Faye Dunaway, Robert Evans, Dustin Hoffman, Diane Keaton, Barry Levinson, Quentin Tarantino, "Chinatown" scribe Robert Towne and natch, Mrs. Beatty herself, Annette Bening.

(Photo: Wire Image)