Is it a party if Oprah doesn't show? By 8:40 last night, Ms. Winfrey was still AWOL at a swank pre-gala gathering put on by BlackBerry in the Crystal Court at the Royal Ontario Museum. But singers Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige, actress Paula Patton, and Precious breakout star Gabourey (Gabby) Sidibe don't exactly make for poor consolation prizes. Oh yes, and Robert De Niro, too.
All the attention on Ms. Sidibe mirrors a scene in Precious in which the title character dreams of being a superstar. In real life, she said she never imagined pursuing acting. "I wanted to be a psychologist." So how does it feel to be catapulted into fame, and have Oprah backing you. "You never get sick of hearing good things about yourself," she said. "It's not tough, it's just tough after six hours of it."
Oprah Winfrey waves to the crowd as she arrives for the gala screening of Precious at the Toronto International Film Festival.
As for Mr. De Niro, he told me he flew in just for the day; his wife Grace Hightower has a song in the movie. The actor, who said he was last in Toronto for the movie Godsend, shared a special greeting with critic Roger Ebert and wife, Chaz.
Others there to celebrate the film or catch a glimpse of the Big O (who apparently headed straight to the red carpet): Sherri Shepherd from The View, RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis and his wife, Ophelia, R&B artist Robin Thicke (husband of Ms. Patton), Project Runway Canada judge Shawn Hewson and hotshot young producers Gabe and Alan Polsky of Bad Lieutenant.
Up a few Libeskind-designed levels at the ROM and earlier in the evening, the New York Times attracted boldfacers with an intellectual bent: Paul Schneider looking noticeably slimmed down from his role in Bright Star, a bespectacled Bill Nighy, Martin Sheen and Kristin Scott Thomas (accessories enthusiasts take note: she was wearing a Tiffany Keys necklace and Roger Vivier pumps).
While the newspaper's film critics are regulars to TIFF, this is the first time there's been such an official presence. If for nothing more than for the networking, this was a key place to be with industry influencers David Dinerstein and Times film editor Lorne Manly among the group. Two lovely standouts: Tatiana von Furstenberg and Francesca Gregorini, friends from high school who wrote and directed Tanner Hall about the lives of girls at boarding school. Ms. von Furstenberg who, yes, is the daughter of wrap dress dynamo Diane, shared a cute story that her nine-year-old daughter, Antonia, is already proving to be a good director (she has a role in the movie). "Even before this experience, she used to tape up the kitchen floor and tell us where to stand and what to say."
And will any former boarding-school mates recognize themselves in the film? "Maybe, possibly the antagonist," said Ms. von Furstenberg with a sly smile.
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RED FEET FOR PEACE
At the Artists for Peace and Justice fundraiser on Friday night, all the action was outside the Windsor Arms Hotel, where the likes of Jason Reitman, Vivica A. Fox, Rachelle Lefevre, Colin Farrell, Marlon Wayans and a veritable O.C. reunion - Peter Gallagher, Kelly Rowan and Adam Brody - dipped their feet into red paint to mark their turf on a collage created by New York artist Peter Tunney that, once dry, would become an altogether different kind of red carpet. Co-founded by filmmaker Paul Haggis and Olivia Wilde (another O.C. vet), the organization is committed to improving the lives of children in Haiti.
