Battle in Seattle!

(NEW YORK) To score the part, she slept with the director. That was the joke Charlize Theron repeated countless times as she shuffled down the red carpet Wednesday night at the Tribeca Grand. The Cinema Society and Dior Beauty hosted a screening of Battle in Seattle, which stars Theron and was written and directed by her beau Stuart Townsend.

The duo, both clad in Dior, looked like a match made in fashion heaven. "Her opinion matters, and that girl knows how to dress. Tonight, it's just a plain old suit," said Towsend. "Us guys, we don't have the same kind of fashion intensity and nervousness that the girls have. We just put on a suit and maybe a tie and go out."  But does the fashion icon approve of her man's taste. "I'm being really serious--I'm always really impressed with how he dresses himself. He really doesn't need any help," said Theron. "I make sure the dry cleaner comes and picks up the dirty shirts, but that's about it. I don't know if I would want to dress a man--I think you do that when you have children."

Selita Ebanks was rocking patent leather heels despite her foot injury. "When it was a treacherous downpour, I was coming down the stairs on the way to a show and I slipped and banged my ankle," said Ebanks. "I told my trainer, you better heal that up quick because I cannot live without a stiletto!" Actress Michelle Rodriguez seemed minimally concerned with her outfit. "I'm wearing Gucci and some French guy," she shrugged. But as for the movie, which is based on demonstrations and riots that took place in November 1999 on the streets of Seattle in protest of the World Trade Organization's Ministerial Meeting, Rodriguez was proud of her role.

Ray Liotta, who plays the mayor of Seattle in the film, was hard-pressed to discuss the city's highlights. "We shot in Vancouver, so I don't know about that; actually...we were in Seattle for two or three days and I really liked it. It's a good sports town!" Towsend had another take on the city. "It reminds me of Ireland. There's lots of rain and the people are real." With a crystal clear view of New York City surrounding the SoHo Grand penthouse, guests mingled until after 1:00 a.m.  "This is really where it's at," said Townsend--just before calling it a night.
NOLA WEINSTEIN