The film “Nine” lived up to its title. Tuesday’s premiere was set for 7:30. And when did “Nine” actually start? Just before 9. My outfit was out of style before it finally began.
The opening was as flossy and glossy as the film. Where else can anyone see a corsage of the world’s most beautiful flowers — Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, the Black Eyed Peas’ Fergie, Penelope Cruz. And Dame Judi Dench. And Marion Cotillard. And all in this one movie. Figures there’d have been at least one juicy catfight between them, right? Wrong.
Nicole: “We loved one another. I already knew Kate and Penelope. I’d never met Fergie before, but we now have a strong friendship. Maybe it’s partially because I’m married to a musician. Anyway, I bonded with them all, and we all just went to one of the Black Eyed Peas’ concerts. Judi Dench and I sat together.”
This was getting me nowhere, so I talked Christmas. She said: “I’m so close to my sister, she could be my twin. She lives in Australia, has children, and I, of course, have three children. I’m just glad to go to Sydney for the holidays to be with them.”
Nicole was in strapless black Prada. Tight waist. Poufed skirt. “Thank God for a change I can actually breathe in this one. With the wide skirt I don’t have to hold my stomach in. And I own it. I didn’t borrow it.”
Fergie: “These are all strong women in this film. Strong women don’t need to be afraid of one another. These were seasoned actresses, and I had to gain 20 pounds for my role and yet I felt so secure that it wasn’t anymore about how I looked. I just had to dive right into the part. The truth is it wasn’t an ego thing for any of us. We all got along great.”
And her large amounts of diamonds at this opening? “Chopard. Borrowed.”
Penelope: “Oh, this was such a wonderful company. We all got along wonderfully. Everyone loved everyone. I remember seeing this Broadway show with Antonio Banderas and thinking how fabulous the character Carla was. I didn’t then even dream it would someday be a movie and that I would be considered to play Carla.”
Yeah, yeah. Get to her chandelier diamond earrings. “Chopard. I can’t keep them.”
Director Rob Marshall explained the bonhomie: “It’s that they’re all so different. Penelope can’t be further from Judi Dench. Sophia Loren, who’s also in it, can’t be further from Kate Hudson. Each has her song. Her scene. Her own moment. Except for Nicole, who’d done ‘Moulin Rouge!’ and Sophia who’d been in ‘Man of La Mancha,’ a film musical was new for them. So they had lots to learn, rehearse, choreograph. We created a company where each helped the other.”
Judi: “Rob created an atmosphere where there was lots of work. Dancing lessons, singing lessons. It was not like a movie set where except for your scenes you never get to see anyone else. It was a theater company.
“And after all this hoopla, I’m back home to England. I’ve had some bad holidays. The year my father died wasn’t too wonderful. So this Christmas I’m putting my feet up my chimney and just being with friends and family.”
Stunning Kate Hudson, suffering Alex Rodriguez-itis, was silent when she wasn’t muttering to Madonna
[See PAGE SIX on Page 12]. She’d been in love with him. He’d been in like with her. A-Rod’s divorce from Cynthia, whom everyone called C-Rod, was due to his P-Rod. Yankee types always worried he’d hurt Kate because Alex’s idea of fidelity is a long weekend. So Kate just smiled for cameras and huddled with mom Goldie Hawn.
This picture means a lot to producer Harvey Weinstein. He actually wore a tie instead of his usual schloompy open-collar shirt. The Broadway show’s director, Tommy Tune, wore white socks “deliberately . . . in honor of Daniel Day- Lewis‘ character Guido because there’s a little Guido in all of us.” Lourdes Ciccone came with mama Madonna. The kid looked pretty. A predominant color was red — from Penelope’s gown to Mrs. Giuliani‘s cocktail dress to designer Zac Posen‘s boutonniere. An Olsen twin — who knows which and who cares — schlepped two huge economy-size buckets of popcorn. They weighed more than she did. And Daniel Day-Lewis sat in the theater with his coat on.
THE Spitzers sent friends homemade, home-bottled jam . . . The whole Mac cioni tribe left their Le Cirque and Circo restaurants to go open another one in Vegas . . . The George Stephanopoulos ascension to morning show anchor and permanent sit-in for soon-to-be nightly news anchor Diane Sawyer was written in the wind years ago. No last-minute decision. ABC news chief David Westin tapped him for immortality years ago . . . Following that husband and that wife in that red sari crashing a state banquet, the White House, despite its longtime Chicago-based friendship with social secretary Desiree Rogers, is muzzling her.
A cellphone jingle: “Bye to a decade of mindless men. Let’s hope we do better in year 2010.”
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.