Hollywood Digest

JODIE IN THE 'ZONE'?

It's the farthest thing from a done deal, but there is some talk in Hollywood about the possibility that two-time Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster might direct an episode of the new UPN remake of the fantasy sci-fi classic "The Twilight Zone."

Speaking with reporters to promote the new DVD release of "The Panic Room" -- which featured new "Twilight Zone" host Forest Whitaker -- Foster was asked about the possibility that the collaboration might lead to a directing gig for her on the TV show. Her response was, to say the least, noncommittal.

"Hey, you never know," said Foster -- whose feature-directing resume includes "Little Man Tate" (1991), "Home for the Holidays" (1995) and the upcoming "Flora Plum."

It turns out Foster has another connection to "The Twilight Zone." One of the show's executive producers, Pen Densham, was also a producer on "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys," in which Foster played a nun struggling with behaviorally challenged students at a parochial school.

Densham said Foster would be more than welcome to direct an episode of his show if she wants to.

"I can't imagine anything more wonderful than 'The Twilight Zone' being honored by talent of the caliber of Jodie Foster directing 'The Twilight Zone,'" he said -- managing the mention of his show twice in one quote.

ANOTHER TWIST ON 'IDOL'

In what might be thought of as a cross between "American Idol" and "American Gladiators," plans are under way in Hollywood for a new reality TV series -- aptly, though tentatively, titled "The Next Action Star" -- in which men and women will compete over 10 episodes for action roles in a TV movie for NBC.

NBC West Coast President Jeff Zucker said action picture specialist Joel Silver ("The Matrix," "Die Hard," "Lethal Weapon") is working with the network to bring the new show to primetime in the summer or fall of 2003.

"The combination of this dramatic weekly competition and the movie will provide an element of excitement beyond what we've seen on television anywhere," said Zucker.

Plans call for producers to "scour the country" looking for prospects, and then bring contestants together in a communal living arrangement in Hollywood before choosing the two winners, who will be cast in the TV movie "Hit Me."

ACTORS LINE UP BEHIND DIRECTORS IN SUIT

The Screen Actors Guild has joined the Writers Guild of America in publicly supporting the Directors Guild of America in a court case involving the legality of the relatively new practice of cutting or covering over violence, sex and vulgar language to rent top Hollywood movies to families who don't want to see or hear that kind of content.

CleanFlicks -- a Colorado-based company that is marketing sanitized versions of movie hits on DVD -- recently filed a pre-emptive suit against 16 top Hollywood directors, intended to take the initiative before the DGA could file an expected suit of its own.

In a statement issued Wednesday, SAG CEO Robert Pisano said CleanFlicks and other companies that offer similar services have no right to alter movies before renting them to customers.

"Movies and TV programs are created by actors, writers and directors," said Pisano. "Central to this creative process is the protection of both the First Amendment and copyright for the actor's role, the writer's words and the director's vision."

Pisano said consumers want to be confident that they're seeing "what the creators intended."

CleanFlicks and inventor Robert Huntsman -- who developed the software -- insist that what they do is protected under federal copyright law and the "fair use" doctrine. Pisano said SAG understands parents' concerns for what their children see, but he said censoring or altering movies is not an acceptable practice.

HONORS FOR KATZENBERG

Organizers of the Hollywood Film Festival have announced that DreamWorks founding partner Jeffrey Katzenberg will receive the first Tex Avery Animation Award at the festival in October.

The award is named for animation pioneer Tex Avery, who had a hand in creating such cartoon classics as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig. Festival founder and executive director Carlos de Abreu said Katzenberg was chosen because of his ongoing commitment to animation.

"Jeffrey's well-known passion for animation is almost unparalleled in the film industry," said de Abreu. "As a studio executive, as a producer and as an unabashed fan, he has made invaluable contributions to the art form on every level, as recently evidenced in this year's Oscar-winner 'Shrek.'"

Katzenberg played a key role in creating such Disney animated hits as "The Lion King," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin" and "The Little Mermaid." At DreamWorks, he has brought the animated hits "Antz," "Chicken Run," "The Prince of Egypt," "The Road to El Dorado" and "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" to the screen, as well as "Shrek."

He will receive the award in ceremonies on Oct. 7 in Beverly Hills.