`O' IN OSCAR ALSO WORKS WITH `OLDER,' AS IN EXPERIENCED.

Byline: Glenn Whipp Daily News Film Writer

The Oscars have never been a benchmark of quality; Cher has won one, for goodness sake. But they are certainly a barometer of what's going on in Hollywood, and what's going on right now isn't good news for American actresses.

Of the 10 Oscar actress nominations this year, seven went to foreigners and three went to Americans. Of those three Yanks, two are - let's say - mature (both Kathy Bates and Meryl Streep are 50). And winner Gwyneth Paltrow probably had to effect an English accent just to get into the group.

This was hardly an aberration either. Last year, Helen Hunt won, beating four Brits who probably split the vote in her favor. The story was much the same in 1997, with Frances McDormand winning for ``Fargo,'' beating three English actresses (Brenda Blethyn, Kristin Scott Thomas and Emily Watson) and an American (Diane Keaton) whose name was on the ballot more or less just to give it a fifth entry.

Like most Oscar trends, Miramax president Harvey Weinstein deserves much of the credit and blame. Miramax has perfected the kind of period piece that tends to grab Oscar's attention, and the studio stuffs these movies full of grand English dames and thespians. And then they spend millions of dollars, touting their films and performers and . . . well, we digress.

What we really want to say is: Harvey, mix in an American or two. And let me hasten to add that we're not a bunch of xenophobes here. We like foreign actresses just as much as the next filmgoer. It would simply be nice to see the current generation of American up-and-comers (see related story) make some movies that challenged their minds - not to mention ours.

``Good female characters in film are few and far between,'' says Hunt, Oscar winner for ``As Good as It Gets.'' ``That's why `Mad About You' has always been such a blessing. The show is smart, complex and interesting. You don't find too many movies that reach that level.''

Adds Oscar grande dame Streep: ``I feel lucky to see the kinds of roles that I see. But then I think that I shouldn't feel that way. There should be more roles and more movies featuring women. I know the audience is there for them, but you can't convince too many people of that.''

Statistics from the Screen Actors Guild show that Streep is indeed one of the lucky ones. According to the guild's latest employment numbers, 37 percent of men cast in films and television shows last year were 40 or older, but only 24 percent of the women cast came from that age group. The gap is even wider with leading roles: Just 21 percent of female leads were actresses over 40, compared to 34 percent for male leads.

Couple this with the fact that men are traditionally cast in twice as many roles as women and you have a glimpse of the enormity of the problem. Actresses are Hollywood's most undervalued resource.

``Women who have won Academy Awards are looking for alternative careers because there's nothing out there for them that's interesting or worth doing,'' SAG first vice president Amy Aquino told the Hollywood Reporter.

``It's been like this for years, and nothing is really changing,'' Aquino adds, noting that the statistics have varied by only one percentage point for the past seven years. ``Women who were big stars and are now in their 40s and 50s find themselves competing for fewer and fewer jobs, often finding themselves up for roles against women half their age. Look at all these 60-year-old actors matched up with women in their 20s. It's ridiculous and heart-breaking at the same time.''

The situation isn't that much better for young actresses, either.

``You've got to fight, otherwise you're just going to be the girlfriend,'' says 23-year-old Angelina Jolie, daughter of industry veteran Jon Voight.

Jolie's best roles to date have come courtesy of cable television, a medium many actresses are using to hone their craft. Jolie has won two Golden Globes for HBO's ``Gia'' and TNT's ``Wallace.'' Her film career has thus far been relegated to hit-and-miss supporting roles.

What can be done to give our actresses better work? May we humbly suggest the following:

1) Watch the History Channel. Women in this country have done some pretty interesting things through the years that don't involve prostitution or contracting cancer. Let's make some movies about these ground-breakers. (Example: Pocahontas - but without all the singing.)

2) We realize that some powerful men ditch their spouses for trophy wives. But we also know some tycoons who like women their own age. Reflect this occasionally in movies. Better yet, make a film about a powerful older woman with, say, Ryan Phillippe as a madcap suitor.

3) Less John Travolta. More Jessica Lange.

4) Don't rely so much on the WB acting stable or its accompanying puerile mentality. Sarah Michelle Gellar should only be allowed to make one movie a year. Set the same limit on any actress from ``Party of Five.''

5) Holiday prestige title suggestion: ``Betsy Ross in Love.''

Five more actresses to watch out for

OK. We've already expressed our admiration for Angelina Jolie. Here are five other young American actresses who could join Gwyneth Paltrow in Oscar history some day.

Natalie Portman: Memorable in ``Heat,'' she stole our hearts in ``Beautiful Girls.'' Took two years off to study her craft (and her math) and play Anne Frank on Broadway. She currently graces the cover of May's Vanity Fair. Next up: a little movie called ``Star Wars: Episode One - The Phantom Menace.'' Prediction: You won't notice the digital effects when she's on screen.

Christina Ricci: Made the near-impossible transition from Wednesday to polished performer. Her wild turns in ``Buffalo 66'' and ``The Opposite of Sex'' established her credentials, which she'll likely expand this year in Tim Burton's ``Sleepy Hollow.'' So good, she even stood out in ``200 Cigarettes.''

Renee Zellweger: Charmed audiences (and Tom Cruise) in ``Jerry Maguire.'' Held her own against Meryl Streep in ``One True Thing.'' Her indie roles - ``Deceiver'' and ``A Price Above Rubies'' - were noble failures, showing off her willingness to roll the dice. She'll do just that in future projects with Neil LaBute (``In the Company of Men'') and the Farrelly brothers.

Claire Danes: ``My So-Called Life'' grabbed our attention and Steven Spielberg's approval. ``William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet'' made her a star. She has been adrift ever since (``The Mod Squad''?), but the talent is not absent - just dormant. Maybe she's distracted by classes at Yale. Maybe those same classes will make her all the more formidable in the future.

Drew Barrymore: Content for now to be a personality. (She's not remaking ``Charlie's Angels'' to show us her chops.) But she's only 24 and mostly concerned with having fun. The acting genes are there. We're betting they'll kick in by the time she hits 30.

- Glenn Whipp

CAPTION(S):

5 Photos, Box

Photo: (1) Natalie Portman's profile is rising on the strength of the upcoming ``Star Wars'' prequel.

(2) RICCI

(3) ZELLWEGER

(4) DANES

(5) BARRYMORE

Box: Five more actresses to watch out for (See text)