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HAVE A HEART: Once more into the breach, laddies? Paramount must believe in Mel Gibson's kilt epic, Braveheart: The studio may release the film for a third time on Feb. 16, just three weeks before its video release and right after Academy Award nominations are announced. After picking up a Golden Globe Best Director sphere and a Directors Guild nom, Mel's got Oscar momentum and Paramount needs to capitalize on it. Although a critical success, the Scottish epic cost an estimated $72 million and was a box office disappointment, earning $60.2 million in its first U.S. run and less than $7 million when it reappeared last September. Paramount and Gibson's Icon Productions refused to comment, but notes one distribution exec, ''[Paramount] put a lot of their heart and soul into that picture, and they are definitely anticipating some nominations.''
-- Anna Holmes
A FRIEND FRETS: Julia Roberts wasn't the only guest star making Friends during that apres-Super Bowl episode. Chris Isaak, who appears as a nice-guy librarian, also did a little friendly bonding, but with Lisa Kudrow. ''Someone from Gibson Guitars was visiting the set,'' says Kudrow, who has strummed as Phoebe. So Isaak stepped in to impart some sage six-string advice. ''Chris told them exactly what I needed,'' she adds. '' 'It's got to have fast action and a good neck,' and all this stuff I couldn't even begin to understand.'' Kudrow returned the favor. ''Lisa came in early to go over scenes with me,'' says Isaak. ''She was great.'' That's what Friends are for.
-- Dan Snierson
ETC.: Playing the Man of Steel has its perks. This fall, Wings star Tim Daly will lend his voice to the comic-book hero in the WB's animated Superman series (with Dana Delany as Lois Lane), and his popularity is growing faster than a speeding bullet. ''It's the first thing I've done that my kids are excited about,'' says Daly.
