LOS ANGELES — Gimme the light ... and the camera and action, too.

Sean Paul is going where nearly every major star in hip-hop has gone before — Hollywood.

"I'm looking into that, getting scripts I think I can fill properly," the dancehall star said after Sunday's American Music Awards (see "50 Cent, Luther Vandross Take Home Multiple AMAs; Many Artists Skip Out") at Teen People's afterparty, where he performed and was named an Artist of the Year.

"I don't know what I'd get into. I always mess up on jokes, so maybe someone can coach me on [comedies]. But I'm looking forward to trying to get into that kind of stuff. It's going to take me away from music, so I want to do everything that I have to do right now until I get this new album done, then I'm looking for scripts and see if I can do that on that side."

Paul could be chasing big-screen opportunities sooner than fans think. He started working on the follow-up to his platinum breakthrough, Dutty Rock, in September and has already spent six weeks recording in Jamaica.

"It's a lot of party tracks I've done so far 'cause for me it's the easiest thing to do, basically," Paul said. "I'm trying to dig deep this Christmas and do some thinking about life and put that on record [next]."

So far Paul has worked with some of the same Jamaican producers from his previous albums, such as Sly & Robbie, Steely & Clevie and Steven "Lenky" Marsden.

"I'm definitely gonna work with a lot more," he added. "We're gonna hook up with Timbaland again, with the Neptunes ... I have a long wish list of what I want to do."

Topping the list is Beyoncé, whose previous collaboration with Paul, "Baby Boy," has been #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 for eight weeks. "I would love to have her back on my album," he said. "We'll see what happens."

It's too early for Paul to have a title or first single in mind, but he does a favorite new tune.

"I have one called 'Excuse Me Girl.' It's real cool," Paul said. "It's in a rhythm that we call Egyptian. Look out for that."