Robbins bringing his Gang

Actor Tim Robbins says it's no surprise that filmmakers have begun flocking to Boston. An Oscar winner for his role in "Mystic River," Robbins says the Hub has an old-world charm Hollywood can't find on soundstages in, say, South Carolina or Vancouver. "I loved shooting in Boston because it reminded me of my youth in Greenwich Village," says Susan Sarandon's significant other. "Not to say that there are bad areas in Boston, but it's still vital, it's got real neighborhoods." With any luck, Robbins will be back in town next week when his experimental theater troupe, the LA-based Actors' Gang, puts on a production of George Orwell's "1984" at Northeastern. "As time has gone on, Orwell has become more and more prescient," says the left-leaning actor who is no fan of President Bush. "The use of fear as a means to control thought is very relevant to what's happening today." Robbins, the artistic director of the troupe and director of the show, said college crowds understand the Actors' Gang aesthetic. "If theater's going to survive, we've got to stop doing museum pieces and be a little more dangerous, a little more provocative," he says. Robbins will next show up on the big screen in the black comedy "Noise," in which he plays the husband of Bridget Moynahan's character. What does he think of the whole Bridget/Brady/Bundchen business? "Don't get me started," he says. "I can tell you that Bridget is a terrific woman - smart, beautiful, and funny . . . And she's going to be a great mom."

Sports Illustrated is conducting an online "Best Dressed" poll, and - surprise! surprise! - our boy Tom Brady is one of the 10 nominees. His rakish rivals include Reggie Bush, Dwight Freeney, LaDainian Tomlinson, Terrell Owens, Braylon Edwards, Matt Leinart, DeAngelo Hall, Darren Sharper, and Dhani Jones. (To vote, go to sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0709/best.dressed.nfl/content.1.html). . . . Meanwhile, Brady's girlfriend Gisele Bundchen is barely dressed at all on the cover of the new Italian GQ. (She's wearing a tiny silver bikini, actually.) The supermodel was not at Sunday's Pats game because she's working in Australia, where she and twin sister, Patricia, have been renting a beachfront house for $5,000 a day. When Bundchen returns to New York, we're told she'll be hosting "Saturday Night Live." Wonder if Brady will reprise his "Falafel City" skit.

As anyone who's watched his documentaries knows, Ken Burns has a keen ear. He has a talent for matching actors' voices with the material of his movies. For his latest, 15-hour epic "The War," Burns turned to Tom Hanks, Eli Wallach, Samuel L. Jackson, and Bob Wahlberg. Bob Wahlberg? Yes, the filmmaker asked Mark and Donnie's brother to read from the diary of James Fahey, a soldier from Waltham who fought in the Pacific. Was Burns satisfied with Bob's Boston accent? "(He) asked me to turn it up a little, actually," says Wahlberg, who also has a small but memorable role in Ben Affleck's new movie "Gone Baby Gone." The movie premieres here next week, and Wahlberg said he's looking forward to seeing it.

Yesterday's dreary weather didn't put a damper on Howie Deutch's plans. The "Bachelor No. 2" director was back at it in Belmont, shooting scenes at a hair salon with stars Dane Cook and Jason Biggs. (Heath Ledger's ex, actress Michelle Williams, also showed up on the set.) We chatted briefly with Cook between takes, and the Arlington native told us he's having a blast. He said his first stop when he arrived in Boston seven weeks ago was Nicola Pizza House in Arlington. "They have the best meatball subs," said the comedian, who'll be performing Nov. 17 at the TD Banknorth Garden. Cook said it's been his career "quest" to build a fan base that would remain with him once he started making movies. His hero? Steve Martin, of course. . . . Meanwhile, "The Women" director Diane English was shooting scenes at Maxwell's 148 in Natick with stars Candice Bergen and Meg Ryan. Maxwell's subs for a Manhattan tea room in the movie.

John "Hog" Hannah showed the squirts how it's done at this weekend's Patriots Alumni football clinic in Westwood Station. A Hall of Fame offensive lineman, Hannah was joined by Steve Grogan, Roland James, and Steve Nelson, among others, at the camp.

Boston-based rockers Bang Camaro enjoyed a raucous weekend in New York. The boys headlined a show at the Bowery Ballroom, and an MTV film crew was on hand to capture all the head-banging action. A big fan of the band, former "Weekend Update" co-anchor Jimmy Fallon hung out with the boys before the show, and then jumped on stage to sing, dance, and drink during three songs. Bang Camaro, which has a soft spot for '70s-style metal anthems, is featured in a two-page color spread in Rolling Stone's new "Hot Issue."

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