Page Six reports today that the behind-the-scenes feud between A Chorus Line's Mario Lopez and co-star Nick Adams that began when Lopez allegedly requested that Adams cover up in their scenes together as to avoid being upstaged, has been taken one step further:



"Now the rivalry between the hunks has been pumped up with word that the men's-underwear company 2(x)ist has decided it wants Adams front and center in a shirtless ad and that it passed over Lopez. 'Mario was originally No. 1 on our radar as we planned the campaign,' said an insider. 'We were ready to call him with an offer, but then we saw Nick. He's younger, sexy, more interesting. On top of that, his body was crazy. We set up a meeting, and when he walked in, that was it. We never even looked at anyone else after that.' Jason Scarlatti, 2(x)ist's creative director, gave final approval. He told us, 'Nick's very masculine, sexy, modern. It's totally all about his body. Mario is a good-looking guy, but Nick had it. He's up and coming, the new face of sexy. He's original. He's hot.' The ad campaign was shot in one day at Via Della Pace restaurant in the East Village. The series of shots shows Adams in an unbuttoned tuxedo shirt, a bow tie and underwear. It will appear in Out's August issue first and then in other magazines."

Above, a shot of Adams in 2(x)ist posted on his website the day of his photo shoot last month.