- Title: USA: Private screening of the film Elegy with Penelope Cruz
- Date: 7th August 2008
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK USA (AUGUST 5, 2008) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) VARIOUS OF PENELOPE CRUZ ON THE RED CARPET AT A SPECIAL SCREENING FOR "ELEGY" CAMERAS PENELOPE CRUZ CAMERAS CAST OF "ELEGY POSING FOR PHOTO PETER SARSGAARD AND PATRICIA CLARKSON PENELOPE CRUZ AND DIRECTOR ISABEL COIXET DENNIS HOPPER (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) PENELOPE CRUZ ON THE RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) PENELOPE CRUZ SAYING: "It says a lot of very interesting things about a lot of subjects. I became obsessed with the book when I read it five years ago and I've been attached to the project all those years and finally we were able to make the movie. I don't imagine a better director for this than Isabel Coixet and a better partner than Ben Kingsley for this character." CAMERAS (SOUNDBITE) (English) PENELOPE CRUZ SAYING: "We can talk about a lot of other things that I think are very interesting in the movie." PATRICIA CLARKSON ON CARPET CAMERAS (SOUNDBITE) (English) PATRICIA CLARKSON SAYING: "We had a lot of laughs. I do a striptease in the movie and we had quite a few laughs on and off camera while I was shooting that. Ben was very helpful." PETER SARSGAARD ON THE RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) PETER SARSGAARD SAYING: "Several other actors had already been set in the film and it's a fantastic screen play from a novelist that I hugely admire. So it's not one of those ones that is difficult to figure out. It's not even a significant piece of my time to come in and do some fantastic scenes on the page with an actor I really admire." DEBBIE HARRY AND PETER SARSGAARD ON THE RED CARPET DIRECTOR ISABEL COIXET (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR ISABEL COIXET SAYING: "Ben Kingsley. I know this year he's made lots of movies and I saw them. This is an amazing performance and Penelope is brilliant." GERARD BUTLER POSING FOR PHOTOS
- Embargoed: 22nd August 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA7KIMMZQ5MZLM3GWVX65LBI1LP
- Story Text: With two films out that feature her in sexy scenes, Penelope Cruz is the lady to beat at the moment. The Spanish actress hit the red carpet in New York on Tuesday (August 5) for a private screening of her new film "Elegy," in which she stars alongside Oscar winner Sir Ben Kingsley.
In a vintage Chanel dress, Cruz dazzled, despite having crisscrossed the U.S. from Los Angeles, where she was promoting her other film "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," the night before.
"Elegy" is a story about the passionate relationship between celebrated college professor David Kepesh [Kingsley] and a young gorgeous student, Consuela Castillo. The passionate relationship transcends any level either anticipated, and while Consuela's beauty is ravishing, it also leads David to become unstable.
The relationship between Consuela and David is heated and Cruz bares all in the highly charged love scenes.
But Cruz isn't forthcoming with her feelings about doing nude scenes and says she'd prefer to talk about other aspects of the film.
To the contrary, cast mate Patricia Clarkson isn't shy about her turn taking it off.
Sir Ben Kingsley's absence was felt at the premiere as most of the cast talked about their respect for him as an actor. Peter Sarsgaard even cites Kingsley as a reason for doing the film.
Director Isabel Coixet, whose previous films include "My Life Without Me" and "The Secret Life of Words" says turning Phillip Roth's novel into a film, was somewhat nerve wracking because she is such a fan of his work. But she points out that with her all-star cast, she never had any hesitations about bringing the erotic film to the screen.
"Elegy" opens in theaters in North America on August 8th. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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