Motherly Love

We’ve heard of publicists going to great lengths to appease stars--but providing mother’s milk?

It happened at a recent two-day publicity junket for Columbia’s just-out “Sibling Rivalry,” where star--and vocal animal lover--Kirstie Alley showed up carrying a mysterious box.

Nestled inside: Birdie, a baby opossum. The box sat on Alley’s lap during some of her interviews.

Rejected by its parents, the furry rodent was in need of real mother’s milk, Alley explained. By chance, publicist Anne Reilly, working the junket for Castle Rock Entertainment, the film’s producer, was spending her first full day away from her 5-month-old daughter--and happened to have what Birdie needed.

“It was a case of supply and demand,” laughs Reilly, who expressed the milk with an electronic breast pump. Birdie was then fed through an eye-dropper.

As a thank you, Alley sent the publicist a floral arrangement.

Reilly says she’s also been on the receiving end of some predictable jokes.

“You know, about the milk of human kindness. . . .”