Creative Artists Agency

USC quarterback Matt Leinart, who's been known to hang with stars when he's not tossing footballs, signed Monday with Creative Artists Agency, the powerful firm that represents many of Hollywood's top actors, directors and writers.

For rent: The most expensive Beverly Hills office space in memory. Comes with a kitchen designed by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, a 100-seat screening room and a 27-foot-tall Roy Lichtenstein mural too big to be removed from the atrium. Added bonus: chi circulation courtesy of an international feng shui expert. For 17 years, Creative Artists Agency's headquarters has served as an unofficial nexus of Hollywood power.

One week after a screenwriter's allegations against Creative Artists Agency President Michael Ovitz surfaced in the press, the Writers Guild of America, West has issued a cautiously worded statement saying that it "views with grave concern threats of interference with a writer's career opportunities from any quarter, including agents and/or employees."

In the decades-long cola wars, Coke still holds more of the battleground than archenemy Pepsico. But Pepsi has made significant incursions. So Coca-Cola's hiring of Hollywood powerhouse Creative Artists Agency is being interpreted by beverage industry analysts as a major counteroffensive against Pepsi's successful marketing efforts in recent years.

Oscar wins by agency: Agency (Clients) 1987 1988 1. Creative Artists Agency 2 3 (Paul Newman, Oliver Stone, Cher, Michael Douglas, Sean Connery) 2. International Creative Mgmt. 2 1 (Dianne Wiest, Michael Caine, Bernardo Bertolucci) 3. Triad Artists 0 1 (Olympia Dukakis) 4. Smith & Friedman 1 0 (Marlee Matlin) Oscar nominations by agency: 1987 1988 1. Creative Artists Agency 9 5 2. International Creative Mgmt. 6 5 3. Triad Artists 3 4 4.