Celebrity smorgasbord
| AP |
“Lions for Lambs,” the new United Artists film, has “war on terrorism” undertones all over it. The movie examines the impact of the United States’ war in Afghanistan using three separate (but connected) stories.
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So it makes sense that two of the movie’s stars — Robert Redford, who also directs the film, and Tom Cruise — came to Washington on Wednesday night to screen the movie at the Uptown Theater in Cleveland Park. Also spotted at the VVIP event: Mrs. Cruise Katie Holmes, Madeleine Albright, David Gregory, Ted Leonsis and Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter.
The level of security was nearly presidential: The Connecticut Avenue lane closest to the theater was shut at 6:30 p.m., dropping people off in front of the theater was prohibited, and attendees were not permitted to bring guests.
Although it was closed to the public and the media, fans, reporters and paparazzi alike headed to the theater hoping to get a taste of some Hollywood in D.C.
Cruise is no stranger to D.C.: He has a business relationship with Redskins owner Dan Snyder. The two spent time together Wednesday night, making it the second night in a row for the pair: Snyder was a co-chair of the Museum of the Moving Image’s black-tie dinner honoring Cruise in New York City on Tuesday night.
Following the screening, those in the know were bused to the Ritz-Carlton for an after party, which lasted until midnight. Redford made an entrance with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, but he didn’t stay long: It was off to his own hotel, the Four Seasons, for a chat with Albright at the bar. For their part, TomKat was out of here in a hurry, via a private plane at Dulles.
Elsewhere around town. …
» French President Nicolas Sarkozy, set out from the Willard Hotel on an early-morning run around D.C. Wednesday, before heading to Mount Vernon with President Bush.
» The “24” cast and crew, including Kiefer Sutherland, filmed in front of the Capitol on Wednesday morning. Many of them also grabbed a nightcap at the Four Seasons, around the same time as Redford and Albright, and stayed until at least 1:30 a.m. Sutherland must be a fan, because he was heard yelling “Washington [expletive] rocks!”
» Justice Stephen Breyer, Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen and D.C. Council Members Tommy Wells and David Catania at the opening night of the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s “Tamburlaine” on Wednesday.
» Tonight, actress Juliette Lewis and her band, Juliette and the Licks, come to the Rock and Roll Hotel. The five-piece pop/punk outfit, which Lewis formed in 2003, has opened for Social Distortion and Courtney Love and recorded with the Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl.
» And if you’re one of the lucky ladies going to the annual Knock-Out Abuse fundraiser at the Ritz-Carlton tonight, expect a major surprise for the evening’s entertainment. Our lips are sealed.
