Beachgoers at Ko Olina got a dose of Hollywood glamour when actresses Jodie Foster, two-time Oscar winner for "The Accused" and "Silence of the Lambs," and Abigail Breslin, an Oscar nominee for "Little Miss Sunshine," did a recent photo shoot to promote their new film, "Nim's Island."

Foster and her 11-year-old co-star were posing for a People magazine spread to hype their new Fox Walden movie, which opens April 4. Flanked by about a dozen people, the shoot featured Foster and Breslin first posing out on the rocks, then sitting on a tree on the lagoon lawn of the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa. Also at Ihilani was "Nim's Island" co-star Gerard Butler, of "300" and "Phantom of the Opera." ...

HOLLYWOOD HOT LINE: When a pair of major Hollywood flicks were filming last year on Kaua'i, precious little was revealed on who was playing what, who was truly in front of the cameras, etc. That's the studio tradition: Mum's the word. We now know "Tropic Thunder," the war comedy opening Aug. 15 and directed by and starring Ben Stiller, has a few surprise twists: Jack Black appears as a blond, and Robert Downey Jr. has blackface; that is to say, Downey is heavily made up to play an actor who portrays an African-American. We'll soon see if this type of casting raises brows and concerns.

Tom Cruise and Tobey Maguire also have cameos in "Thunder." If you recall, there was big buzz that Cruise had a part, but it was never confirmed or denied that the mission was impossible, or possible. ...

The newest Indiana Jones saga, "The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," arrives May 22 with a very senior Harrison Ford and a new character named Mutt (played by Shia LeBeouf). Mutt's pedigree is still hush-hush. Is he Indy's and Marion Ravenwood's (Karen Allen) son, or only hers? This much is sure: Ford still looks dapper in a fedora, and this Steven Spielberg-George Lucas franchise still has box-office sizzle. ...

RANDOM NOTES: Lito Capina, portraying Prudencio in Kumu Kahua's "The Romance of Magno Rubio" (showing through April 13), will wind up a 40-year show-biz career here when the play closes. He's done it all: community theater, Waikiki showroom spectacle, film and TV; he's been a dancer and choreographer, too, not just here but throughout Asia and in Las Vegas. He arrived in Hawai'i in 1967 as the Philippines rep to the East-West Center's scholarship in theater and dance, and since has criss-crossed the spectrum of entertainment. Fittingly, he's closing the Hawai'i chapter of his career at Kumu Kahua, where Scott Rogers is managing director. It's kind of a footnote to his earliest plays here, the pioneering summer musicals staged at Blaisdell Concert Hall, produced by Scott's late father, Herb Rogers. ...

Did you know that KITV4's morning co-anchor, Dan Meisenzahl, worked in the restaurant circuit for a decade, in such varied eateries as the Trattoria, Sergio's, Che Pasta, Verbano and Rudy's? So how did he spend St. Patrick's Day? Tending bar at Murphy's block party, recruiting reporter Shayne Enright, morning producer Theo Jones and photographer Rex Von Arnswaldt from Channel 4 to kokua. Despite long hours, Meisenzahl realized it's cheaper to serve than sip beer. ...

Eddie Kamae and the Sons of Hawai'i make a rare appearance at noon Saturday to promote the "Yesterday & Today" CD. The "today" Sons — Mike Kaawa, Ocean Kaowili, Paul Kim and Analu Aina — will assemble. ...

PERSONALITIES: Cellist Zuill Bailey, in town last weekend with Cello Bailey (as his prized instrument is named) for his debut pair of Honolulu Symphony MasterWorks concerts, attracted attention from diners at the Halekulani when he brought his prized instrument to talk about it and perform for a video accompanying a TGIF story last week. "They were all staring — until I started playing," said the accommodating musician. "Then there was massive hush — they all listened." With Diamond Head in the background, the footage looked as gorgeous and stunning as the musician himself. Go to www.honoluluadvertiser.com for a peek. ...

Bailey, by the way, is stepping in at the last minute to make his first appearances, too, with the Minnesota Orchestra, performing the Dvorak Cello Concerto this Thursday through Saturday. But brrrrr, he'll certainly savor our clime, compared with Minnesota's. ...

That was maestro Matt Catingub, along with entertainer Henry Kapono, cruising down Kalakaua Avenue a few days back, scouting beautiful women along the way. Not to worry; the task was part of a video filming of "Pretty Woman," which will be part of Catingub and his orchestra's "Back to Romance" special set for 9 p.m. April 21 airing — in high def — on KGMB9. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.