JACKSON, Miss. – A housekeeper wants a judge to reinstate a lawsuit that claims Kathryn Stockett, author of the bestselling novel-turned-movie “The Help,” used her likeness without permission.

“The Help” is based on relationships between white families in Mississippi and the black women who worked for them in the 1960s. It was made into a movie that opened Aug. 10.

Additional Photos

Ablene Cooper and her son Antonio Cooper leave a courthouse in Jackson, Miss., after her lawsuit against “The Help” author Kathryn Stockett was dismissed last week. The Associated Press

Kris Humphries, Kim Kardashian

Ablene Cooper, who works for Stockett’s brother, claims a character in the book, Aibileen, was based on her likeness. Her lawsuit seeks $75,000 in damages.

Hinds County Circuit Judge Tommie Green ruled Tuesday that a one-year statute of limitations elapsed between the time Stockett gave Cooper a copy of the book in January 2009 and the lawsuit’s filing in February 2011.

Cooper’s lawyer, Edward Sanders, filed a motion for reconsideration Wednesday, saying the clock should not have started ticking on the statute of limitations until Cooper read the book in the summer of 2010.

Sanders argued that Cooper didn’t read it sooner because Stockett said in a handwritten note that, despite the similarity in names, the character wasn’t based on Cooper. He submitted to the court a copy of the handwritten letter, in which Stockett says she met Cooper only a few times, but was thankful she worked for the writer’s brother because his children love her so much.

“One of the main characters, and my favorite character, is an African American child carer named Aibileen,” the letter said. “Although the spelling is different from yours, and the character was born in 1911, I felt I needed to reach out and tell you that the character isn’t based on you in any way.”

The letter goes on to say the book is “purely fiction” and inspired by Stockett’s relationship with “Demetrie, who looked after us and we loved dearly.” The letter is referring to Demetrie McLorn, the Stockett family’s housekeeper.

Stockett was not in court last week in Jackson — where the book is set — when the lawsuit was dismissed. Cooper was in court and wiped away tears as she left. Outside the courthouse, Cooper shouted, “She’s a liar. She did it. She knows she did it.”

Kardashian marries athlete

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries have walked down the aisle.

The TV star and the professional basketball player were married Saturday evening near Santa Barbara in a ceremony that will be televised as a two-part special on the E! cable channel in October.

It’s the first marriage for Humphries, 26, and the second for Kardashian, 30, who was married to music producer Damon Thomas from 2000 to 2004.

The couple began dating late last year and announced their engagement in May. Humphries proposed on bended knee with a 20.5-carat ring by spelling out “will you marry me?” in rose petals.

Kardashian is a star of E!’s “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” Humphries last played for the National Basketball Association’s New Jersey Nets.

Rock fest deaths to be probed

BRUSSELS – Officials say prosecutors have launched an investigation into the deaths of five people during a violent thunderstorm at the annual Pukkelpop outdoor rock festival.

A magistrate’s office spokesperson in Hasselt said Saturday the preliminary inquiry would focus on how the high winds, hail and rain Thursday evening caused such damage to the festival site.

The sudden storm uprooted trees and flung scaffolding towers and racks of concert lights across the grounds. Five people were killed and 140 injured. Officials said the dead were all Belgians, ranging in age from 15 to 59.

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