The Oscar-winning helmer of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy is known for his penchant for going barefoot, but even he chose a pair of sturdy shoes on the chilly, wet night at Grauman's Chinese Theater. It was as if Mother Nature brought exactly the right weather to SoCal to match the brooding atmosphere of the film which tells the creepy tale of a murder of a vivacious 14-year-old girl.
His trio of beautiful stars -- Rachel Weisz as the mom, Susan Sarandon as grandmother, and Saoirse Ronan of "Atonement" fame as Susie Salmon, the daughter whose murder ravages her family -- felt the chill big time. Sarandon had her real-life kids to keep her warm, as Eva Amurri and towering Jack Robbins joined her for the tented carpet walk. Weisz came solo, in a tiny minidress, looking glam but chilled to the bone.
Naturally, the men didn't do the freezing fashion victim thing. Executive Producer Steven Spielberg went the bomber jacket route, while Michael Imperioli looked dashing in his suit and wooly scarf, as did Stanley Tucci, the movie's really creepy sexual sadist.
"I have kids and I can't really read anything or watch anything about kids getting harmed," said Tucci, "but this was a beautiful story, an exploration of loss -- but without question it was the most difficult thing I have ever done as an actor."
Happily, everyone seemed warm and content at the after-party held at the Roosevelt Hotel across the boulevard. Weisz partied late, as did Sarandon and her crew. Other pretties from the film including Nikki Soohoo, Rose McIver, and Amanda Michalka -- (AKA A.J.), who brought her sister Alyson (Aly) -- enjoyed the jammed fete.
The crowd gathered in the main ballroom, where the two Oscar-winning stars of "The Lovely Bones" held court in comfy banquettes as celebs from old Hollywood and new jostled to pay homage to Sarandon and Weisz.
Sally Kellerman and Bud Cort wandered through, while Lea Thompson shepherded daughters Madelyn and Zoey into the fray. Antonio Sabato, Jr., made the scene more scenic along with girlfriend Cheryl Moana Marie, as Superman Brandon Routh did the same with his wife Courtney Ford.
Tightly packed with Tinseltown glitterati, the event was so crowed that as one partier squirmed through a tiny gap, she chortled, "This scrum makes me feel like I'm at the 'Invictus' premiere, not 'The Lovely Bones'!"









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