The Lasses Most Likely To

Sweet 'n' opinionated is the guiding rule for this year's happening starlets

By NANCY MILLS

When aspiring actresses need to stand out in a sea of pretty faces, it helps if they have attitude to burn. Of course, there are plenty of one-dimensional girlfriend roles, but Û despite habitual complaints about thankless parts for actresses of all ages Û every year Hollywood throws up demanding work for those lucky few ingenues able to grab it.

For every 30 or so cheerleader and trashy horror films requiring nubile beauties, there is at least one anguish-ridden "Girl, Interrupted." And even such recent cheerleader movies as "Bring It On" and "Sugar & Spice" have been intelligent.

This latest crop of on-the-cusp actresses has no intention of accepting eye-candy roles. "I turn down a lot of things because I don't feel they're challenging or interesting," says Jena Malone.

Today's young actresses have learned from their feminist mothers and strong-minded female co-stars that having an opinion is a good thing in Hollywood Û even though the men in suits might not appreciate it. They are prepared to take chances rather than play it safe. As Eliza Dushku says, "I've always been a bigmouth. It's kind of hard to hide."

What is the likelihood that the actresses here will make it? One indication is that among them, they have at least 20 movies coming out this year. Hollywood is especially tough on women, but we're giving favorable odds to these eight.

ELIZA DUSHKU

"I'm 5-feet-5, 105 pounds, but I feel like I'm 6-feet-4, 250 pounds," says 20-year-old Dushku, who, even so, is best known for playing evil slayer Faith on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" than for going after Schwarzenegger-size roles (though she played Arnold's daughter in "True Lies").

Growing up with three older brothers and a single mom who is a feminist Mormon political-science professor may have had something to do with Dushku's avowed feistiness. She likes to joke that the Faith role was a case of typecasting. By 2006, say, she could be the next Sigourney Weaver Û a smart, tough, beautiful broad.

She has, for example, signed on to play a diamond thief who wears a black leather cat suit in Kevin Smith's upcoming "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back."

Not that she can't take it down a notch. "In 'The New Guy' [opening May 1], I play a sweet girl," she says, "and I think I'm getting sweeter myself. I've discovered that once you start coming into your own, you don't have to be so tough."