Beatty Buddies Roast, Honor Warren
It wasn’t just politics as usual at the American Film Institute’s tribute to Warren Beatty. Though, it was a little of that.
A laundry list of stars and politiciansincluding wife Annette Bening, sister Shirley MacLaine, Robert Downey Jr., Halle Berry, Dustin Hoffman, Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Quentin Tarantino, Bill Clinton, a pretaped John McCain and a post-Lakers-game Jack Nicholsonturned up for the 36th annual AFI Lifetime Achievement lovefest in Los Angeles Thursday night.
And while the ceremony itself may sound staid, the comments dished out were decidedly not…
Jane Fonda: “I thought he was gay. He was so cute, and all his men friends were gay, and brilliant. He had a way of collecting really brilliant gay men friends. And he liked to play piano in a piano barI mean, what were the odds he was straight? Shows you how dumb I was.”
Halle Berry: “There was the usual discussion with the studio if there should be a scene to spice up [Bulworth]if somebody should go topless. But I have to say, to Warren’s credit, he put his foot down and insisted on keeping his shorts on for the entire movie.”
Dustin Hoffman, on His Costarring Roles in Ishtar and Dick Tracy: “It’s ironic that I’m here for the movies-that-bombed portion of the evening…Ishtar shall rise again!”
Hoffman, on Beatty’s Initially Absent Lakers-Watching BFF, Jack Nicholson: “Rumor has it that he was going to try to combine the two. Rumor also has it that he might have been sitting courtside in a tuxedo.”
A Fashionably Late Nicholson: “[Beatty] has received eight times as many awards as he’s made pictures. You get all these honors because of your passion and your dedication to excellence. This is why I’m crazy about your work.”
Bill Clinton: “Over all these decades, you have shared with us, as moviegoers, this insatiable hunger for life. That’s what I think about when I think of you.”
Warren Beatty: “I was a liberal when it was fashionable, I was a liberal when it was unfashionable, and I’m a liberal when it’s coming back into style.”
Beatty on Bening: “I love my profession because it’s introduced me to the person who’s given me the most important thing of all, which is her love and the love of our four children…Annette. I can thank the movies for leading me to you.”
The 36th Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Warren Beatty, honoring the 47-year career of the 71-year-old star, airs June 25 on USA.
Idol David Cook Rocks the Jocks
American Idol, national anthem, seeks a logical fit.
David Cook did his best to rock out the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the NBA Finals last night, performing during game three in the Lakers-Celtics series.
And while Simon Cowell wasn’t there to critique the performance, a bunch of even more intimidating big names were, including David Beckham, Tobey Maguire, Jack Nicholson, Hilary Duff, Kristin Davis, Kanye West, Fergie, David Arquette, Dustin Hoffman, Andy Garcia, Steven Spielberg, Sylvester Stallone, Eddie Murphy and Cook’s Idol-powered girlfriend Kimberly Caldwell. (She was apparently returning the favorhe was there to lend moral support to her rendition of the national anthem at a Dodgers game last week.)
Forget Hollywood week, Cook just made it through Hollywood night.
Natalie Portman’s Mr. Magorium Premiere
Natalie Portman’s Mr. Magorium Premiere
Whew! Last night was quite a night for movie premieres. Natalie Portman was in New York City at the DGA Theatre for the “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” event.
Natalie was all 80s in a short hot pink mini-dress, complimented by ripe red lipstick and a curly ‘do.
The “Garden State” actress was joined by Dustin Hoffman, Jason Bateman and Zach Mills, her co-stars in the movie. And it looks like it’ll be a long week in the Big Apple for this girl.
Portman is also scheduled to make an appearance on Live with Regis and Kelly, as well as the Today Show later this week.
“Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” opens nationwide November 16th.
Natalie Portman Gets Dance Lessons
Natalie Portman Gets Dance Lessons
You never know what to expect when a celebrity shows up at MTV studios for a taping of TRL. And for Natalie Portman, her appearance on the show garnered her a dance lesson.
On Monday for a show that aired yesterday, the “Garden State” actress showed up at the Times Square studios to promote her new film “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium.” And she walked away a better dancer.
Hop-Hop star Soulja Boy was also in the house, and he seemed to take quite a liking to the “V for Vendetta” babe. He taught her how do to the latest dance craze the Soulja Boy Dance, and she picked it up immediately.
And speaking of “V for Vendetta”, Portman noted that shaving her head for the role was great, but she’s glad to have her hair back. “It took a long time to grow back and I’m glad it grew back. I’m a girl again!”
As for working with Dustin Hoffman on “Magorium,” she said, “All the time, he is super-spontaneous. To make a scene work better he’d ask what if this is our last chance to do something ever? It really changes the way you work.”