She's Starred With E.T., But Does She Have What It Takes To Direct Vampires?

Rumors sprang up last month that Charlie's Angels star (and producer) Drew Barrymore was one of the names on the short list of directors to helm, Twilight three-quel Eclipse.

Fanatical followers of the vampire romance series hadn't been that riled up since star Robert Pattinson chopped off his tussled vamp boy locks.

Well, get ready to cue the fan girl (and boy) online outrage.

Drew herself confirmed the speculation in a recent interview, "I'm one of the directors that is being talked about, which is great, because I'm a director now." She adds, "But, you know, they'll make their choice. "

Because the films are due to be released so close together (Nov. 20, 2009 and June 30, 2010, respectively), Chris Weitz, who is sitting in the director's chair for the second movie, New Moon, pulled out of doing the third.

Has Barrymore directed anything before, you ask? She made a TV documentary in 2004 called Choose or Lose Parents: The Best Place To Start, and she just finished work on her directorial debut, Whip It! starring Ellen Page, fresh from her star-marking-turn in Juno.

The out-of-the-blue candidate has stunned, horrified (pick an adjective) some, but who knows, maybe Summit got a look at Whip It! and was impressed enough to at least want a meeting. And no doubt godfather Steven Spielberg would be just a cell phone call away for some directorial advice.

But taking a wild guess, the cap lock debates probably have less to do with Drew's quals, and more to do with the fact the newly single actress-turned-director
might sink her teeth (quite literally) into hotties Pattinson or Taylor Lautner. Ah, nothing like thousands of tweens in a possessive snit. And really, as long as those two are on screen and in focus, everything else is pretty much a bonus.

By Paige Muller

Paige Muller, Gossip & Hollywood Hijinx
		About the author:
		Paige Muller is a gossip gal with an appreciation – some would say obsession – for Hollywood hijinx, celebrity style and the latest fashion trends.  From who hooked up, who's knocked up and "WTF are they wearing?", Paige offers all the dish, with a side of snark. When not pondering Jennifer Aniston's perplexing post-breakup PR strategy, Paige is a published writer and communications professional who has worked with brands like Dove, L'Oreal, More magazine, Gap and WE: Woman's Entertainment.
	Read More >>