'ROMANCE' AND 'SECRETS'

By Zorianna Kit

Jennifer Love Hewitt has come aboard to star in and co-produce through her LoveSpell Entertainment, the Fox 2000 romantic comedy "My Romance" and the Showtime dramatic cable feature "Secrets."

"Romance," being produced by Davis Entertainment, is about a frustrated artist (Hewitt) who has sworn off romance. When rumors link her with a millionaire playboy, she plays along and finds love in the process.

Robert King will rewrite the script with an eye toward directing the material. "Romance" was orignally written by B.E. Brauner and James Mattson.

The project reunites Hewitt with Davis, both of whom worked on last year's MGM feature "Heartbreakers."

Fox 2000 production president Elizabeth Gabler and executive vp production Carla Hacken are overseeing "Romance."

"Secrets" is based on Charlotte Jerace's unpublished manuscript that will be adapted by Melinda Jason. Mark Gordon is producing the project, which is about a young woman (Hewitt) who learns that her missing husband, shot down during the Vietnam War, has a sickly child by a Laotian woman. She takes the woman and child into her home until surgery can be performed to save the child's life.

Hewitt's producing partner Jill Gilbert also is co-producing both projects with Hewitt and their LoveSpell Entertainment.

Hewitt, repped by CAA, will next star opposite Jackie Chan in DreamWorks' "The Tuxedo" and is readying "Why Can't I Be Audrey Hepburn."

King, repped by Paradigm and attorney Linda Lichter, has written such feature scripts as "Vertical Limit," "Red Corner," "Cutthroat Island" and "Clean Slate."

Showtime declined comment.