Showbiz Summer 'Musts'

In the entertainment business, what's hot one day may not be the next — only to come back bigger than ever.

It's exhausting to follow, but Entertainment Weekly magazine is on top of it, naming names.

EW's assistant managing editor, Kristen Baldwin, went through many of them with co-anchor Harry Smith on The Early Show Monday.

"A person is 'must-worthy' if they're doing work we're excited about," she said. "So, the list is a real balance of A-list celebrities who have big projects coming up, like Matt Damon, who has two very big movies coming out this fall, to up-and-comers who are just making the scene, like Jennifer Hudson, who's going to star with Beyoncé in 'Dreamgirls' in December."

The biggest "must" of them all, says EW, is Jessica Alba.

"She's really having a moment," Baldwin said. "She's one of the most talked-about and popular actresses in Hollywood right now, which is really impressive when you consider she doesn't have a movie coming out until next year. She's, of course, incredibly beautiful. She has a very unique look. She's Mexican and Danish and French, and she thinks that's part of the reason for her popularity, because she looks a little bit more like America than your regular blonde-haired, blue-eyed starlet. (And she has a) great personality."

Naomi Harris is dubbed the "must blockbuster breakout" this year.

"It's going to be a big summer for her," Baldwin said. "People may remember her from the zombie movie '28 Days Later' but, this summer, she has roles in two potential blockbusters, first as a voodoo priestess in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' sequel, 'Dead Man's Chest.' Then she stars with Jamie Foxx in 'Miami Vice,' the big-screen update of that. So, this is really her summer."

Michael Pena was picked as "the must man on the verge.""People may remember him from 'Crash,' " Baldwin said. "He had a small role in that big ensemble. And, now, in August, he's going to co-star with Nicholas Cage in Oliver Stone's 'World Trade Center.' It's based on a true story about two first responders who were trapped in the rubble of the World Trade Center. So, this is a huge step up for him, to go from small, supporting roles to a co-starring role in an Oliver Stone film."

Meryl Streep is the must "one-woman master class."

"She's always 'must-worthy,' " Baldwin said, "but this summer, she proves yet again why she's the most nominated actor in Oscar history. She has two, very diverse roles. First, in 'Prairie Home Companion,' where she plays a folk singer, does all her own singing, very beautiful. And then, in 'The Devil Wears Prada,' she is the very scary, monstrous fashion editor, who just steals the movie away from everyone. She can do anything."

Christina Aguilera is called music's "must glamour girl."

"She's back with a whole new look and sound," Baldwin explained. "Gone is the girl from the 'Dirty Lyrics' video. Now, she's working with a very old Hollywood look, with the platinum blonde hair and red lipstick, and her album, which is out in August, is incorporating the jazz and blues and soul music from decades past that she really likes. So, it's a very big departure for her musically, and her fans are already responding it with her new single."

EW says Kelly Clarkson is "the must summer tour."

"She has just embarked on a 24-city tour where she is previewing material for her new album, which will be out next year," Baldwin said. "She has already written 40 songs for her new album, and she tries them out on this tour to see how fans respond to them. If you are a Kelly Clarkson fan, this tour is definitely a must for you."

Finally, for readers, TC Boyle is the "must" author.

"He's a really interesting, unique writer," Baldwin said. "He's a master of dark comedy, and people love his short stories and novels. His new novel, called 'Talk Talk,' out in July, takes on identity theft and he takes it on with a darkly comic tone."