Cannes Notebook: Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett Lead an All-Star Cast at Robin Hood Premiere

2010 edition of film fest gets off to rousing start as celebs, filmmakers gather for opening party

By Josh Grossberg May 13, 2010 1:15 AMTags
Cate Blanchett, Russell CroweIan Gavan/Getty Images

There was a lot of merrymaking—not to mention stargazing—going on as the 63rd edition of the Cannes Film Festival got under way today along the French Riviera.

Kicking off opening night was the world premiere of Robin Hood, Ridley Scott's take on the classic British folk hero starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett as the titular outlaw and Maid Marion, respectively.

As the two Aussie Oscar winners waved to fans, they were joined on the Croisette by their costar, screen legend Max von Sydow, and actress Salma Hayek. But it was a who's-who of A-listers at the afterparties that had us all a-Twitter.

After the screening, a tuxedo-clad Crowe was in good spirits at the Festival Inauguration party at the Majestic Hotel, genially slapping the backs of his fellow castmembers. Other Tinseltown elite on hand to celebrate were Benicio Del Toro, Kate Beckinsale, Eva Longoria Parker, Danny Huston, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jean-Claude Van Damme and Alice in Wonderland director and this year's jury president, Tim Burton.

But it was the ravishing Blanchett who wowed the crowd.

The actress told E! News she thoroughly enjoyed working with the former Gladiator. But she added she was looking forward to getting back to the Sydney Theater Company with her screenwriter hubby, Andrew Upton, where they serve as co-artistic directors.

Speaking of, we asked Blanchett what was up with reports she was thinking about bringing to Broadway her critically acclaimed production of A Streetcar Named Desire, which ran at the Brooklyn Academy of Music last fall. The Liv Ullman-directed revival was a hot ticket, selling out its run and earning raves for her performance as Blanche DuBois.

"We tried to do [Streetcar] on Broadway but it was just too complicated. We wanted it to work out, but hopefully there will be another opportunity," she said.

Burton meanwhile took time out to comment on the current 3-D craze. Despite criticism from some quarters, such as DreamWorks Animation honcho Jeffrey Katzenberg, who predicted that studios who shoehorn 3-D into films not originally envisioned for the format will kill the golden goose, the helmer believed 3-D is here to stay.

"3-D is a tool and I don't think it's gonna go away, but I don't want to make some big proclamation," he said.

As the night's fun reached its peak, Kristin Scott Thomas of The English Patient fame performed the official ribbon-cutting to open the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. Afterward, a couple of very intense drummers began banging out a beat as fireworks lit up the sky.

A Cannes opener indeed.

_________

See the stars in our Cannes 2010: Star Sightings gallery!