SKATING WITH THE REEL STARS OLYMPIC FIGURE SKATING CHAMP COHEN DAZZLES PRODUCERS WITH HER LATEST DESIRE TO GET AHEAD IN THE MOVIE BUSINESS.

Byline: RAMONA SHELBURNE  Staff Writer

She walked the red carpet in a sleek, strapless, silver gown, perfectly at ease amongst the brightly shining stars inside the dimly-lit, A-list only, Vanity Fair Oscar party.

Or so it appeared.

``It was like living in a tabloid,'' she joked. ``The room was small and completely filled with celebrities. When you first walk in, you kind of have to take a deep breath.''

Sasha Cohen had seen bright lights before. Actually, she thought she'd seen quite enough of them for a while after leaving the Turin Winter Olympics with a silver medal in ladies' figure skating, one shade dimmer than the bright hopes she'd brought with her to Italy.

But this was no time for regret. With the exception of those who'd won Oscars' earlier in the evening, Cohen quickly realized she was one of the most decorated people in the room that night in early March.

Off in the corner, she spotted Jennifer Aniston. After a few minutes, she worked up the courage to approach her.

``It was funny, she wanted to know everything about the Olympics,'' Cohen said. ``We talked for a while and then she's like, `Let me introduce you to my friend, Vince.' Which of course was, Vince Vaughn. ... It was pretty surreal.''

That Cohen would be at home in a room or actresses and actors doesn't come as much of a surprise to anyone who has seen her skate.

She's regarded as one of the most artistic figure skaters ever, with routines as emotionally compelling as they are technically brilliant.

This afternoon, she'll skate at Staples Center as one of the headliners of the Champions on Ice Tour.

During her tragically flawed, but courageous long program in Turin, NBC announcer Peggy Flemming remarked: ``Other skaters just skate to Romeo and Juliet, but Sasha is Juliet.''

Michael Damian remembers thinking the same thing. The former ``Young and the Restless'' star-turned-movie director watched Cohen skate at the Winter Olympics at home with his wife and writing partner, Janeen.

``We both just thought, `I bet the film camera would love her,' '' he said. ``There's just something dynamic and special about her. She's a showman on the ice, it's very clear.''

About a month later, Damian and Cohen's worlds would collide. He was in Calgary in pre-production on a movie called, ``Moondance Alexander,'' and heard that Cohen was looking to get into acting. She just happened to be in town competing at the World Championships, so he arranged a meeting.

A few weeks later, he had a reading at her home in Corona del Mar and was blown away by Cohen's performance. Damian immediately cast her as sassy equestrian diva Fiona Hughes in ``Moondance Alexander,'' which is tentatively scheduled for release in 2007.

``I had a feeling she'd be great out of the box, but you never know,'' Damian said. ``You have to make make sure she had the chops.''

Cohen took acting classes and riding lessons to prepare. On set, Damian said she was a consummate professional.

``She takes direction beautifully. You could tell she'd worked with a lot of coaches before,'' he joked.

Word has spread quickly around town that Cohen -- rated as the No. 10 most popular female athlete in a Harris Poll in May -- was interested in an acting career. Her mother, Galina, said Sasha has been flooded with scripts and appearance requests.

In between tour stops, the family has been meeting with agents eager to represent her.

In May, she appeared in the TV drama ``Las Vegas,'' and later this year she's scheduled to appear in an episode of ``CSI:NY.'' She is also planning a cameo appearance in a movie with Will Ferrell.

No one would blame her if she basked in the Hollywood scene for a while. As a 21-year-old, two-time Olympian, it wouldn't be surprising to see her retire from competitive skating. But Cohen insists she still loves the sport and intends on competing in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

``I still love being an athlete,'' she said. ``I love the amazing high you get when you perform live in front of so many people. ... Of course I was disappointed (in not winning the gold in Turin). But it's not going to do any good to focus on the negative and dwell on it. You have to live to your own expectations, do what you want and love what you do.''

She'll split her time between training and acting over the next couple of years, then start training hard for Vancouver about two years out.

``I want to just play it by the moment and see what's out there for me,'' she said.

``There's just so much to her,'' said her younger sister Natasha, who will be a freshman at Barnard (N.Y.) College in the fall. ``That's why, when people ask her what she wants to do, she can't always give an answer. She has a lot of interests. When she's done skating, you're still going to hear a lot from her.''

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CHAMPIONS ON ICE