NEW YORK -- Hilary Swank, who is divorcing actor-husband Chad Lowe, says Lowe's "substance-abuse... People in the news...

NEW YORK -- Hilary Swank, who is divorcing actor-husband Chad Lowe, says Lowe's "substance-abuse problem" was partly responsible for the breakup of their marriage, in an interview in Vanity Fair magazine.

"I knew something was happening, but I didn't know what," the Oscar-winning actress tells the magazine in its August issue. "When I found out, it was such a shock because I never thought he'd keep something from me. And yet, on another level, it was a confirmation of something I was feeling that was keeping us from being completely solid."

"It's an enormous obstacle to overcome, and he's doing it. He's living a sober life. I know how difficult it is, and I'm really proud of his sobriety," she says.

Swank tells Vanity Fair that Lowe's problem did not directly cause their split. "Would I say that his substance-abuse problem helped us? Absolutely not. ... I would say we grew apart."

Lowe, 38, won an Emmy in 1993 for his portrayal of AIDS patient Jesse McKenna on the TV series "Life Goes On." He is the brother of actor Rob Lowe.

HOUSTON -- The portrayal of black women in popular music and videos is too often degrading and the black community must find a way to change these images, singer Jill Scott says.

The 34-year-old singer spoke Monday before a panel that discussed the issue. She took the stage at the Essence Music Festival's empowerment seminars as part of the magazine's Take Back the Music campaign.

Scott told the audience that if they are offended by these images, they should stop buying the albums and encourage people in their lives to do the same.

"This is about choosing what we will allow in our lives," she said. "We can force things. We can change things. Challenge the music industry with your purchasing power."

Scott used an eloquent speech, interlaced with song, to illustrate that black women are more than their sexuality and that music should represent that.

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