Downtown Curiosities

The Cinema Society, Pamella Roland and Svedka host a screening of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Friday, December 12, 2008

(NEW YORK) "Take a good look me!" exclaimed Taraji P. Henson at Andrew Saffir's Cinema Society screening of the award season favorite The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. "Because I'm about to get old and fat." The actress was the only major cast member present at the screening sponsored by Pamella Roland and Svedka (Brad Pitt was celebrating his Globe nomination with family in Los Angeles, while Cate Blachett was home in Australia) but that didn't make experience any less memorable for guests who took in the film the first time. Uncontrollable tears flowed down every aisle of the Tribeca Grand Hotel, and so many people wanted see the epic that a separate screening space was set up for the likes of Kanye West, Spike Jonze, and Paul Dano.

Back in Tribeca, guests like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Daniel Benedict, Tommy Hilfiger and Dee Ocleppo (on the eve of their wedding), Lee Radziwill and Richard Meier, Bradley Cooper, Moby, and Ingrid Sischy and Sandy Brant followed Pitt's backwards journey from a very senior citizen to a shiny newborn. "I would probably choose to live backwards," said Ciara. "That way I would be less anxious and more experienced in life instead worrying of wrinkles." Hilfiger, meanwhile, estimated his spiritual age. "I'm in my 50s but I probably feel like I'm in my mid-30s," he smiled. Debbie Harry wasn't sure about her number: "For me age varies of daily basis. I couldn't even estimate."

At the Soho Grand Hotel's after-party, a cinematically-inspired clique that included Amy Sacco, Stefano Tonchi, Chace Crawford, Todd DiCiurcio, Lonneke Engel, Mallory June, Cynthia Rowley, and Bettina Zilkha enjoyed southern fried chicken cutlets and ravioli. "I thought the film was incredible," said Rolland. "If someone would tell me that it was two and a half hours long, I would never believed them." Henson greeted the designer of her dress, admired her Judith Ripka diamonds and confessed that she wasn't entirely comfortable with the red carpet routine. "I have a newfound respect for these perfectly-styled actresses," she said. "It's intense labor. Of course, I'd rather come in sweatpants--but my publicists won't let me."
VALENTINE UHOVSKI