ENTERTAINMENT DAILY: ENT1- WOMEN'S LUNCH

(16 Oct 2000) English/Nat

TITLE: Women in Hollywood luncheon
DATE 12 October 2000
LOCATION: Beverly Hills, CA

They may be women who lunch - but the seventh annual Women in Hollywood Luncheon is no Tupperware party.

Premiere magazine played host to some of Hollywood's most powerful players last Friday - and they were all women.

DREW BARRYMORE, once a Beverly Hill's brat who got to deeply into drugs, was honoured as a Hollywood icon and joined the ranks of women lauded by Premiere magazine in their annual Women in Hollywood luncheon.

Also feted this year were HOLLY HUNTER, LAUREN SHULLER DONNER - a prominent producer and newcomer AMANDA PEET.

Barrymore, who shot to fame at the tender age of seven after her starring role in ET, has been in 28 films in her 25 years. She began her production company at 19 and has now produced and starred in the upcoming 'Charlie's Angels' with Hollywood hotshots CAMERON DIAZ and LUCY LIU.

Barrymore was off working on another film with another well-known Hollywood woman, PENNY MARSHALL, but, in time honoured fashion, found time to record a short video message for the amassed ladies. "I just want every one to know how humbled and grateful I am for this. I'm over here, I'm doing 'Riding in Cars with Boys' with Penny Marshall and it's an amazing experience. It's everything you could wish for as an actor.'

The producer of the 'X-Men', "You've Got Mail" and "Bulworth", Lauren Shuler Donner, was also named an Icon by the magazine, proving that the power brokers behind the stars can be female, too.

"It's very thrilling, " saud Shuler Donner. " It means for this moment, for these two hours I'm
recognised for my hard work and the movies that I've done and it's very flattering - I owe it to a lot of other people. It's thrilling -and it's a little haunting, too."

She has also produced "Any Given Sunday', 'Free Willy' and 'St Elmo's Fire'.

She is married to Hollywood heavyweight Director Richard Donner of 'Maverick'and " Conspiracy Theory' fame among others. But Shuler hasn't leant on her husband's fame in order to get to the top.

In fact - she says she prefers not to work with him - keeping her marriage separate from the cut throat behind the scenes work in Tinseltown.

Also present at the luncheon - was the magazine's third honoree - HOLLY HUNTER - who was also given iconic status

Her film day career may have begun in a horror flick 'Friday the 13th' but the rest of her career has been a far cry from terror.

The star of some 24 films - Hunter won fame for 'Broadcast News' in 1987.

Hunter - overwhelmed by the new accolade bestowed upon her - says she is delighted by the honour.

'Sure! I'm very, very, very happy about it, " said a surprised Hunter. " Mystified - but very happy. That's lovely - it's a lovely thing - Hollywood is a very unpredictable community and I'm happy for Premiere magazine to think of me in this light but that's a big big word for such a small chick. "


Among other women attending the luncheon were Hollywood bigwigs: Angelica Huston, CALISTA FLOCKHART, French star JULIE DELPY and dozens more.

Even a couple token men were let in - including TOM HANKS and director OLIVER STONE - he may want to watch out, though.

Newcomer Thora Birch says it's high time for more female directors - and she may even have her eye on the chair.

She said: " One thing that I would like to see is more women directors which, you know, as an actress, I feel like I'm constantly surrounded by male directors and it's
like - come on - I know there are good women directors out there."


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