The Reliable Source

The Versatile Mr. Wright, Starring as Hometown Hero

Hey, is that Jeffrey Wright? The acclaimed actor looks different in just about every role -- this fall, he was Colin Powell in "W" and CIA agent Felix Leiter in "Quantum of Solace." And we barely recognized him at Tuesday's local premiere of "Cadillac Records," where he co-stars as Muddy Waters.

But, yes, that was the D.C. native, surrounded by doting family and friends at Regal Gallery Place theaters. Wright was raised in Southeast Washington, went to St. Alban's, majored in poli-sci at Amherst expecting to go to law school: "Growing up in Washington, there's no other way to end up," he said with a grin. Then he started acting and the rest (Tony, Emmy, Golden Globe awards) is history.

Now he's co-starring with Beyoncé, Mos Def and Adrien Brody in the glitzy music biopic (opening tomorrow) about Chess Records, the Chicago label that made Waters, Chuck Berry and Etta James household names in the 1950s and '60s. After the screening, Wright was presented with an official proclamation by the D.C. Council ("Jeffrey Wright Day") and a birthday cake -- he turns 43 on Sunday.

But he's still got Potomac fever: Wright said he'll be back in the District for Barack Obama's inauguration. Wright campaigned for him early on and wants his kids to witness a life-changing moment. "It's the first opportunity in the history of this country that brown-skinned children can see themselves deeply connected to the event," he said. "On January 20, my kids become the All-American kids."

Bill Richardson Reveals All, Including His Face

With a lucky bit of timing, a new issue of Esquire hits newsstands next week with bits of wisdom and trivia from your newly beardless Commerce Secretary-designate Bill Richardson. ("A mistake," the president-elect said yesterday. "That whole Western rugged look was really working for him.") Some excerpts:

· "I named my horse after Toby Keith because I really like the guy. Genuine -- that's Toby Keith."

· "My mother used to insist that I go to confession almost every day when I was a kid. I'd say, 'This is absurd! Let's do it every three days. Give me time to sin!' "

· "As I'm chatting with Obama, the [debate] moderator says, 'Governor Richardson, what do you think of that?' And I look at him like a deer in the headlights. I was about to say that I hadn't heard, when Obama puts his hand over his mouth and says, 'Katrina.' . . . It confirmed to me that this guy was something special."

· "Every elegant man should have a nice fountain pen and a nice watch."

OPRAH WATCH

The big question: What's Oprahdoing for the inauguration? We told you that the multimedia queen was scouting D.C. locales from which to broadcast her show; yesterday she told Access Hollywood she's rented the Kennedy Center Opera House. The taping will be Jan. 19, and Ms. Winfrey is handling her own ticket sales (details soon on her Web site), so don't call the KenCen. Unclear whether she's cramming a whole week's worth of shows into that one-night rental for $26,370, the standard corporate rate.

So that's settled . . . now, where's the party? Her former chef Art Smith just opened Art and Soul restaurant on Capitol Hill and, hmm, what do you know, they're not taking reservations Jan. 18-21. "Closed for private events," they said. Oprah's private events? They say no, but if it were true could they say yes? We'll keep looking . . .

THIS JUST IN . . .

· Kid Rock is criticizing a judge who denied his request to perform for the troops, as community service for his role in a Waffle House brawl. "I really take it as a slap in the face," he wrote on his Web site. The Georgia judge noted that Kid was going to perform for the troops anyway; he'll have to come up with something else to fulfill his 80 hours.

· Gary Coleman pleaded no contest to a disorderly conduct charge after he allegedly drove his truck into a guy who was trying to take his picture at a Utah bowling alley in September, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. He'll pay a $100 fine.