Shue Returns To Complete Degree

Twelve years after interrupting her college career at Harvard to pursue acting, Elisabeth Shue is returning to Harvard, her agent confirmed.

Shue had been a government concentrator before she decided to leave Cambridge for Hollywood in 1985. She was midway through her senior year, a few credits shy of a degree.

In quick succession, she landed parts in Adventures in Babysitting, Cocktail, the last two Back to the Future films, Soapdish and the Marrying Man.

She was lauded by critics for her portrayal of the girlfriend to Nicholas Cage's alcoholic in Mike Figgis' Leaving Las Vegas in 1996.

She was nominated for an Academy Award for the role and received the Los

Angeles Society of Film Critics Award, the Chicago Society of Film Critics Award and the National Society of Film Critics Prize, all for Best Actress.

After graduating from high school, Shue attended Wellesley College before

transferring to Harvard in 1985.

Three and a half years later, Shue made the decision to leave, due to the steady stream of roles that ensured her place on Hollywood's A-list.

After Leaving Las Vegas, however, Shue's career suffered a slew of commercial and critical disappointments including The Trigger Effect, Palmetto, Cousin Bette and Molly.

Shue tore her Achilles tendon during the shooting of her next movie, Paul Verhoeven's The Hollow Man, and filming was delayed for several months.

The film is still due to hit theaters this summer.

After graduating from high school, Shue attended Wellesley College before transferring to Harvard in 1985.

Three and a half years later, Shue made the decision to leave, no doubt in part to the steady stream of roles that ensured her place on Hollywood's A-list.

Stephen Huvane, Shue's agent, said he does not know exactly when she'll begin classes.

"The timing depends on one more movie role she wants to do," he said.

Shue is married to director Davis Guggenheim, who has worked on episodes of ''ER,'' ''NYPD Blue,'' and ''Party of Five.''

University officials said they know little else about Shue's impending return. A Harvard News Office spokesperson said that "Harvard only knew about it because of Elisabeth's comments in a magazine. We don't know anything else about it. She hasn't said anything about it to us."