July 8, 1996 By LOUIS B. HOBSON --

It wasn't just a chance to jam with his band Dogstar that prompted Keanu Reeves to pass on an $11.5-million payday to star opposite Sandra Bullock in Speed 2.

Reeves is poised to accept the same $11.5-million to star in The Devil's Advocate.

Reeves will play the right-hand man to Lucifer, who has taken up human form as a powerful lawyer. Dustin Hoffman, Warren Beatty, Michael Douglas and Jack Nicholson have all been approached at one time to play the devil.

Reeves has a doubleheader still planned for this summer. This month will be the action drama Chain Reaction, starring Morgan Freeman and directed by The Fugitive's Andrew Davis.

Next month, Reeves stars in Feeling Minnesota as a man who runs off with his brother's fiancee.

Andie MacDowell, who stars as Michael Keaton's wife in the comedy Multiplicity, just finished shooting the romantic comedy Michael, with John Travolta.

In Michael, Travolta plays an angel.

"John is an angel. People of all ages adore him. There are those who grew up watching him on Welcome Back Kotter and then there are teenagers who met him in Pulp Fiction," explains MacDowell. "I loved being in his presence. He has a real calming affect on people."

Not so with Keaton.

"He made me laugh so hard each day during Multiplicity that I was able to cut my aerobics classes short. My stomach muscles were tight enough from laughing."

Jennifer Jason Leigh, who won critical accolades last year for her performance in Georgia, is in New York filming Washington Square.

It's a remake of the 1949 weeper The Heiress, which nabbed Olivia de Havilland an Oscar for playing the shy wealthy woman pursued by a handsome gold-digger.

The scoundrel is being played by Ben Chaplin, who toyed with the affections of Janeanne Garofalo and Uma Thurman in The Truth About Cats And Dogs.

Also starring are Maggie Smith and Albert Finney.

Leigh doesn't mind playing a Plain-Jane.

"I think all women see themselves as ugly ducklings. I know I do. I can really relate to my character in Washington Square."

The ultimate Plain-Jane is Heather Matarazzo the 11-year-old star of Todd Solondz's Welcome To The Dollhouse, which opens Friday at the Plaza Theatre.

Matarazzo plays a girl who is teased mercilessly by her classmates.

"In reality, Heather is a very outgoing, vivacious child. We had to really disguise her beauty. It's not like I was traumatizing a young girl by asking her to play ugly," insists Solondz.

Meg Ryan insists there is no rivalry between her and hubby Dennis Quaid, even though she has a much higher profile these days.

"I've never seen Dennis happier. He's so at peace with himself that envy would be the last emotion he'd feel," says Ryan.

"He's a model husband in that he's excited for my success.

"Dennis had all this attention years ago. He's been here, done this.

"Now it's my turn and he's my biggest, loudest fan."

Ryan is set to film Addicted To Love.

Quaid has yet to sign for a new project.


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