Then again, Moore has not indicated that she wants out for good-though what Hollywood is willing to throw at her today is uncertain. "Nobody's going around saying she's not worth anything or that she's not a good actress," says Mike Medavoy, chairman and CEO of Phoenix Pictures, "but I certainly wouldn't pay her the kind of money she was earning." Like many colleagues, producer Irwin Winkler believes that if and when Moore decides to act again, her near-40 status could hurt her. "There are limited opportunities for women in that age group," he says -- especially for a woman with a string of flops. But most believe Moorehas the talent and status to beat tough industry odds. "She'll come back," says Medavoy. "She's a good enough actress for it." Indeed, he believes her return to film is simply a matter of time; just a few months ago her agents at CAA suggested Moore for a project he was working on. He declined only because, he says, "I felt I had seen her in that sort of part already. It wouldn't have been a surprise for the audience." Or just as important, a challenge for Moore. Says one insider: "When there's a role out there that's more interesting than her life, she'll take it."

At this point, though, Moore seems less likely to take on a film than to hop in her boyfriend's beat-up Ford pickup and head to the Liberty Theater (which she and Willis own) to see one. Or better yet, to see her daughter Rumer perform in a school play. "She's very talented -- way more than either of her parents," says one of Moore's friends with a laugh. "She's got 'star' written all over her." Says another: "Demi is so proud. She's proud of all her children." Let Hollywood wait for the return of its onetime wonder woman; just now, bragging about her kids over a skinny latte at the neighborhood coffee shop is greatness enough.

-- KAREN S. SCHNEIDER -- LORENZO BENET and VICKIE BANE in Hailey, MICHELLE CARUSO, ELIZABETH LEONARD and LYNDON STAMBLER in Los Angeles, LIZ MCNEIL in New York City and JAN STOJASPAL and CARIS DAVIS in Prague