BY MARILYN BECK and STACY JENEL SMITH

Morris Chestnut is giving his all to promoting his "The Perfect Holiday" movie, opening Wednesday, Dec. 12, with Gabrielle Union, Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard. The handsome star is doing a six-city swing to beat the drum on behalf of the charming feature about a department-store Santa who falls for a lovely divorcee whom he learns is lonely and available in a confidential kid-to-Santa conversation with her little daughter (Khail Bryant).

Chestnut is upbeat about the film opening on the heels of the darker and more dramatic comedy, "This Christmas" -- also a holiday movie featuring African-American stars. "I did see it, and I enjoyed it," he says of the Mekhi Phifer feature. "Everyone performed very well. Our movie is more of a family-friendly movie that even 6- or 7-year-olds could see -- and, because of the kids in it, maintain their interest. Theirs skews a little older."

The flick marks a reunion for Chestnut and Union, who previously made "The Brothers," "Two Can Play That Game" and "Breakin' All the Rules" together. "Aside from Gabrielle's obvious talent and good looks, I think she's a good person, something you especially appreciate in someone you spend 12 hours a day with on set," he says. "It makes the experience that much more bearable. And the kids were great. I have two kids of my own, and I think I deal with kids really well."

Still, as much fun as he had making the Santarific flick, which also features Katt Williams and Jill Marie Jones, Chestnut won't mind getting back to the action side of his career. "Action movies are hard, but the payoff is worth it," says Chestnut, who's made a habit of going back and forth between romantic comedies and flicks such as the Steven Seagal "Under Siege 2: Dark Territory" and forthcoming "Prince of Pistols." "As a former athlete, I enjoy being able to do something that demands more of you both physically and mentally."

THE SOUND OF THE SEASON: It's beginning to look a lot like the best Christmas ever for Chip Davis, a.k.a. the man behind perennial holiday fave Mannheim Steamroller, whose new "Christmas Song" album has become his quickest to reach platinum status (nine days) and attain top-10 placement on the pop charts. Davis is busy playing holiday concerts across the country and doing TV appearances -- including "Live With Regis and Kelly" Tuesday, Dec. 11 -- but says he'll be off the road "in time to have four or five days of getting into the spirit with my family before Christmas." And being available in case the "Today" show or others seeking holiday talent come a-calling.

The new album features vocals by Johnny Mathis, Olivia Newton-John and Gene Nery. Gene who? "Believe it or not, he was some random guy that a friend of mine knew -- Ed Wilson, who wrote the words for the song 'Above the Northern Lights.' He sent a demo with Gene singing on it. I called and said, 'Hey, Ed, the words sound great. Who is this guy you've got singing it?' He sings in clubs and stuff. He lives on Orcas Island, off the coast of Washington state. We just met the other day when we played Everett, Wash."

STILL THE PLACE TO BE: Malibu, the beachfront hideaway for California's rich and famous, has seen its share of hard times with the recent fires that caused a tremendous amount of destruction and left a number of people without homes. But real-estate agent and one of the stars of Bravo's "Million Dollar Listing," Madison Hildebrand, tells us it that hasn't dampened prospective buyers' enthusiasm for getting into the posh area. "After the first fire, I had clients scheduled to be seeing property all that week, and nobody cancelled, which I found shocking. I thought I might need a new job, but it turns out I was extremely busy," says Hildebrand, who has been dubbed "The King of Malibu" due to his quick success in the business.

"It's a really resilient community. The people there say, 'It's my home. I love it. I'll rebuild.' It really is the truth, but it is sad to drive along the beach and see black for several miles. I just think about all of the people who lost their homes. It's tough. There are families who have been in hotels all this time, some of them were underinsured, some insurance companies aren't helping out as much as they thought. It's not fun," he adds, "but the other 350 days of the year in Malibu are amazing. That's why we live here."

POSING NOT A QUESTION: Willa Ford, who rose to fame with last year's "Dancing with the Stars," has posed for a number of magazines over the years, including the infamous Playboy, but the pop star says she does not consider herself a cover-girl type. Notes the recently married Ford, "I'm not really a model, but as far as the magazines, they just ask me to do stuff because I'm a singer and an entertainer. I like that. It's like playing dress-up."

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With reports by Stephanie DuBois and Emily Fortune Feimster.

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Photos of Gabrielle Union and Morris Chestnut by Brad Barket/Getty Images, Willa Ford by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images. Photos of Chip Davis and Madison Hildebrand from places unknown.