ROCHON NOT HAPPY WITH COMMENT'S RACIAL TONE.

Byline: Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Lela Rochon was ``blown away'' by the comment of a Hollywood filmmaker who viewed her casting in Jean-Claude Van Damme's new ``Knock Off'' as accidentally colorblind. ``The film had an Israeli producer and a director from Hong Kong,'' he pointed out, ``and they didn't know they couldn't cast a black woman in the lead.''

Actually, this isn't the first time Lela has landed a leading role not written for an African-American actress. She played a Southern attorney involved with Chris O'Donnell in ``The Chamber,'' and Jim Belushi's stripper girlfriend in ``Gang Related.''

She says, ``I've been lucky - but is it really lucky, if you give the best reading, to have the director decide to hire you? With all my luck, I'd say that for every time I'm cast in a film, there are 10 to 15 times the director decides he `just can't go that way.' ''

Rochon notes she's proud she is part of the ``black'' movie ``Why Do Fools Fall in Love,'' with Larenz Tate, Halle Berry and Vivica A. Fox. But she says that pictures like it and her ``Waiting to Exhale'' starrer come along too infrequently.

``Lots of times, the black film is about nothing. It's hard to find one of substance - maybe there's two or three a year.''

She says we can look forward to Oprah Winfrey's ``Beloved'' and Maya Angelou's ``Down in the Delta.'' She's seen the pictures that will be released Oct. 16 and Dec. 25, respectively, and terms them ``terrific.''

Emmyitis

Jerry Seinfeld has still not let the television academy know if he'll take part in the Sept. 13 Emmy Awards. Even without him, it looks like it'll have one of its biggest turnouts of stars in years. Everyone from Helen Hunt, Tom Hanks and Sigourney Weaver to Chris Rock, Jay Leno and Whitney Houston are scheduled to be on hand. Julia Roberts will also be there if she accompanies her beau, ``Law & Order's'' Benjamin Bratt - as she is expected to do.

A word from the wise

Tim Hutton has learned a lot in the years since he earned an Oscar at the age of 20 for the 1980 ``Ordinary People.'' And if he had advice for others who earn an Academy Award at so young an age, it would be: ``Don't just sit back and wait for the next all-important movie to come along.'' Hutton says, ``There are too many talented people willing and ready to work. Take a great part in an independent film, a supporting part in a studio film, an interesting character part in a cable film. It's important to keep working in things that matter to you.''

Hutton, who recalls ``taking long periods of time off in my early 20s,'' ended up with the sizzle gone from his career. However, he's certainly made up for lots of lost time this year. He's before the cameras now in Paramount's big, big-screen drama, ``The General's Daughter,'' with John Travolta. He co-starred with Peter Falk and Lauren Holly in the upcoming feature film ``Vig.'' He also made and is awaiting the debut of the independent film, ``Deterence,'' with Kevin Spacey, and of Showtime's ``Aldredge Ames: Traitor Within.'' Besides all that, he's made an impressive feature directorial debut with the new film, ``Digging to China,'' which co-stars Kevin Bacon, Mary Stuart Masterson and Cathy Moriarty. He made it for $2 million. Its stars know how important it is to keep working in things that matter to them, even if it's at a fraction of their usual salaries.

The industry eye

Casting is under way for Ron Shelton's Bob Marley biopic, which is now set to roll in November with locations in Jamaica, Miami and L.A. They still have to find the right performer to play the legendary reggae artist - as well as such notable Marley associates as Haile Selassie, Island Records founder Chris Blackwell and reggae artist Peter Tosh.

Chief executive suite

Maureen McGovern will be doing a revival of George and Ira Gershwin's presidential musical ``Of Thee I Sing,'' at the Westwood Playhouse, with rehearsals starting in November. The tuneful tale sounds cheeky in light of recent events, with its key character's campaign slogan - ``Put Love in the White House'' - and songs like ``Never Was There a Girl So Fair,'' ``Some Girls Can Bake a Pie'' and, of course, ``Who Cares?'' But really, the Pulitzer Prize-winning show dates back to 1932.

With reports by Stephanie DuBois.

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

Photo: (1) Lela Rochon

Colorblind casting

(2) Jerry Seinfeld

No Emmy commitment

(3) Timothy Hutton

Hard charger

(4) Maureen McGovern

Presidential performing