Tattle: Lansdale's Timlin likes 'Californication' climate

ONE OF THE hardest things for an actress in Hollywood is to transition from teen roles to adult roles. The parts for young women are either good girls or bad girls with little in between.

And once you get typecast as one or the other . . .

Throughout her teen years, Lansdale-born Addison Timlin was cast as an innocent. Now 19, she's trying to break those chains in a big way with a recurring role on what's likely the most depraved (but with a good heart) show on television - Showtime's "Californication" (Sundays, 9 p.m.).

Timlin guests as movie starlet Sasha Bingham, who hopes to play the lead in a movie based on an autobiographical book by bad-boy writer Hank Moody (David Duchovny). Her role would be based on former Hank lover Mia (Madeline Zima), who's the reason Hank has been charged with statutory rape.

In her research for the role, Sasha decides to bed Hank (a fairly common occurrence on "Californication.")

While Timlin's father stayed in our area, she grew up in Manhattan with a love of musical theater, eventually starring in "Gypsy" on Broadway opposite Bernadette Peters and in a touring company of "Annie."

A failed TV pilot, some series work and movie roles followed as Timlin finished high school in New York.

Hope took her to Hollywood, but she didn't officially move to L.A. until "Californication."

Timlin says that she went after the part of Sasha because she had played "very young, very sweet roles, and just the opportunity to audition was a big thrill.

"Now it's exciting to be viewed for more adult, more challenging roles."

Viewers met Sasha when she pulled up her shirt in a studio meeting to show off her . . . willingness to get naked for Hank's film.

"There are plenty of sex scenes and nudity," Timlin said of the series, now in its fourth season, "and it was nothing new to them.

"But it was plenty new to me.

"I played it very cool but I was very nervous."

Timlin said that the cast and crew of "Californication" are "aware of how gratuitous the nudity is but we had plenty of conversations about how to make me comfortable."

And working with Duchovny was a "dream come true."

"He's the best," she said, "very smart and funny, and he gives you so much freedom."

As for deciding at the age of 19 that she was willing to bare all, Timlin said, "I thought that if I'm going to do it, I might as well do it now."

Next up for the poised, thoughtful actress is a recently shot episode of the now-on-hiatus "Law & Order: Los Angeles," and then . . .

"I have no idea. 'Californication' has opened a lot of doors," she said. "I'd love to surprise people."

Tattbits

 * Well, Addison, stay away from this guy.

Charlie Sheen wants to get back to work on "Two and a Half Men," his spokesman said yesterday.

Charlie, 45 on the outside, 145 on the inside, remains in rehab (in his mansion) but hopes to return to TV's top-rated comedy by the end of February, according to publicist Stan Rosenfield. That's a "target" projection, Rosenfield said.

The series halted production after Charlie went on a porn-star and cocaine binge, and sought emergency hospital treatment for a bad tummy ache.

* The Chicago Symphony Orchestra says that music director Riccardo Muti is under a physician's care after fainting yesterday during rehearsal.

Muti, a former conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, was hospitalized in Italy in October for what orchestra officials later said was extreme physical exhaustion.

He had withdrawn from his fall residency with the Chicago Symphony but was cleared for the winter concert series in Chicago which opened last night - weather permitting - and runs through Feb. 19.

* How is it possible that Mick Jagger has never performed on the Grammy stage?

The Associated Press reports that Mick's first Grammy sing-and-strut (not via satellite) will be Feb. 13 as part of a tribute to soul great Solomon Burke, who died last year. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer opened for the Rolling Stones several times during his career comeback late in life.

Jagger will perform with soul singer Raphael Saadiq.

* The Apollo Theater says that Stevie Wonder will be inducted into the Harlem institution's Legends Hall of Fame on June 13.

Stevie got his start at the Apollo in 1962 when he was 12 and known as "Little Stevie Wonder."

* Now, Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn is after Joe Francis.

Wynn, to be clear, is not a 15-year-old girl who flashed her boobs in a drunken stupor.

Wynn says that "Girls Gone Wild" founder Francis didn't make good on a $2.5 million gambling debt.

A Vegas grand jury has indicted him.

Francis told the Associated Press on Wednesday that he'll fight the charges in a case that has been pending nearly three years.

Francis is accused of signing gambling markers at the Wynn Las Vegas casino in February 2007 without being able to repay.

Francis disagrees and says that the money isn't owed. He says that Wynn tried to cash the marker 15 months after it was issued, after his bank closed his checking account.

* "Lord of the Rings" director Sir Peter Jackson has left a New Zealand hospital.

Jackson had been hospitalized for surgery for a perforated ulcer - and not for any type of drug Hobbit.

Daily News wire services contributed to this report.

E-mail gensleh@phillynews.com.