TINSELTOWN SPYWITNESS.Byline: Elizabeth Snead and Joel Stratte-McClure WAKE-UP CALL: When Amnesty International Amnesty International (AI,) human-rights organization founded in 1961 by Englishman Peter Benenson; it campaigns internationally against the detention of prisoners of conscience, for the fair trial of political prisoners, to abolish the death penalty and torture of throws a party, Hollywood shows up. The Nobel Prize-winning human-rights organization pulled in plenty of A-list stars Thursday for the premiere of ``Hotel Rwanda.'' Angelina Jolie and Harrison Ford hosted the event at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. . Also in the power house: Ford's gal pal Calista Flockhart Calista Kay Flockhart (born on November 11, 1964) is an Emmy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning American actress, primarily on soap operas and television. She is perhaps best known for playing the title character of Ally McBeal (1997 - 2002). , Matt Damon, Jim Caviezel, Jasmine Guy Jasmine Guy (born March 10, 1964 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American actress. She is most well known for her starring role as Southern girl Whitley Gilbert in the television series A Different World. , Ann Magnuson, Ryan Gosling Ryan Thomas Gosling (born November 12 1980) is an Academy Award-nominated Canadian actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in The Notebook, Half Nelson and Fracture. , Mekhi Phifer, Meatloaf and the film's cast, including Don Cheadle (who arrived with girlfriend Bridgid Coulter), Nick Nolte, Sophie Okonedo, director Terry George and music contributor Wyclef Jean. Cheadle stars in the astonishing a·ston·ish tr.v. as·ton·ished, as·ton·ish·ing, as·ton·ish·es To fill with sudden wonder or amazement. See Synonyms at surprise. and inspiring true-life story of Paul Rusesabagina, a mild-mannered Rwandan hotel manager who stood up to the Hutu militia, housing and protecting more than a thousand Tutsi refugees during the 1994 genocide that left 1 million dead. ``It's difficult for us in the United States to grasp the horrors of genocide,'' said Damon. ``But this compelling film humanizes the situation and enables us to relate to it. It definitely encouraged me to use my voice to draw attention to abuses like this.'' He's not the only one. Jolie, who has published journals of her travels to troubled countries, is Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency and a strident supporter of human rights around the globe. ``I've gone from being sad to being frustrated to being angry as I've watched human-rights crises worsen during my travels to Sudan and other countries during the last four years,'' said Jolie, wearing a basic black sweater, slacks and pearl earrings. ``We have to draw attention to these problems by backing powerful movies like this.'' Everyone involved in the film, which won the Toronto Film Festival People's Choice Award and is getting major Oscar buzz, hoped it would mobilize worldwide efforts to halt the ongoing slaughter of innocents in Sudan. ``The film isn't just about Rwanda and the abysmal failure of the international community to react,'' said director/co-writer George, who first got involved with Amnesty when he was in a Belfast prison in the 1970s. ``It's about similar situations occurring today and the continuing abysmal failure of the international community to react.'' The highlight of the night came after the film, when Rusesabagina and his wife, Tatiana, accepted an award from Amnesty. ``From this film, people can now understand not only what happened in Rwanda but also what's going on What's Going On is a record by American soul singer Marvin Gaye. Released on May 21, 1971 (see 1971 in music), What's Going On reflected the beginning of a new trend in soul music. now in other parts of Africa today,'' Rusesabagina said softly, after a standing ovation. ``This movie is a message about human rights, and my dream is that you can carry the message to help prevent the next genocide.'' Want to help? Go to www.amnestyusa.org. MILE-HIGH CLUB: Would the real Howard Hughes have turned up for the packed premiere of ``The Aviator'' at Mann's Chinese Theatre on Wednesday night? Absolutely. ``He'd be here wondering if Hollywood has gone soft,'' predicted Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays the legendary industrialist/aviation pioneer/movie mogul/romancer. ``When his film 'Hell's Angels' opened at this theater in 1930 there were 50,000 people rioting in the streets.'' ``He would have liked it to be 10 times bigger than this,'' agreed John C. Reilly John Christopher Reilly (born May 24, 1965) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor known for his ability to act in a dramatic or comedic role with ease. Biography Personal life , who plays Hughes' right-hand man Noah Dietrich. ``And this is the biggest I've seen in Hollywood recently.'' The screaming crowd of around 1,000 did get to see Kate Beckinsale, looking just like Ava Gardner in a strapless strap·less adj. Having no strap or straps, as a dress or an undergarment. n. A garment having no strap or straps. strapless Adjective peach gown; Gwen Stefani, looking like Jean Harlow in a pink satin number; and Josie Maran in a bright red gown with a strange pointy point·y adj. point·i·er, point·i·est Having an end tapering to a point. red witch hat. Rufus Wainwright, Stefani's squeeze Gavin Rossdale, Kelli Garner, Alan Alda, Adam Scott, Michael Moore, Jacqueline Bisset and Maria Menounos also braved the frigid air. But cast members Jude Law (Errol Flynn), Cate Blanchett (Katharine Hepburn) and Alec Baldwin didn't show. And everyone wondered whether Hughes himself would have braved the freezing night. ``He was driven to succeed and he'd be out here, shivering with the rest of us,'' offered a bare-shouldered Beckinsale. ``He knew the value of promotion but he wouldn't hang around talking to the press when it's this cold and noisy,'' countered Alda (Sen. Brewster) as he calmly chatted with journalists. Some even thought the eccentric millionaire, who later in life struggled with obsessive-compulsive disorder obsessive-compulsive disorder Mental disorder in which an individual experiences obsessions or compulsions, either singly or together. An obsession is a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an unreasonable idea or feeling (such as of being contaminated through shaking and became an unkempt hermit hermit [Gr.,=desert], one who lives in solitude, especially from ascetic motives. Hermits are known in many cultures. Permanent solitude was common in ancient Christian asceticism; St. Anthony of Egypt and St. Simeon Stylites were noted hermits. , might have boycotted the entire deal. ``The older Howard Hughes definitely wouldn't be here tonight,'' said ``Aviator'' director Martin Scorsese, who was hyping his film and stars for Oscar contention. ``And he would have been very cranky crank·y 1 adj. crank·i·er, crank·i·est 1. Having a bad disposition; peevish. 2. Having eccentric ways; odd. 3. that I made this movie.'' CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1) COULTER, CHEADLE: Telling an incredible story. (2) JOLIE, RUSESABAGINA: An ambassador and a hero. Chris Pizzello/WireImage.com (3) BECKINSALE, DiCAPRIO: Spruced, moussed. Lester Cohen/WireImage.com |
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