(Dorine)OK, I think that's pretty much it. That's pretty much a pretty fabulous in-depth look at it! Thank you for all your recaptured CF answers. His feelings really come through in your account of his answers, especially the answer to Pauline's question. Pauline and J, thanks for your accounts of the evening too. I marvel at what you were all able to ask and remember and know you are still on a high from the experience. Thanks for sharing it with us. And was it P or J's DH who ran and got the disposable camera and saved her a seat while she went to the loo (and ran into YKW)? He deserves kudos too!

(Premiere Mag and Evelyn)....was touched by the tale of Colin Firth's not -lost in translation discovery of new love [ed note:"Take that Ebert!] ...." Am still astonishment on Ebert's reaction to ODB's 'piece'. I thought it was v. v. funny and enjoyed it (best bit of acting still goes to Emma T IMO, but ODB did very well indeed) ;-)! (Evelyn) See? Long postings are catching;-q Yah! Way to go! And you even left extra space at the end like you wanted to say more!!!! ;-D Bee....and Little Bee! Fantastic pic! Very good....really love the expression on his face right there. Sort of bemused (which I think he was when he walked into the tent). Do!? Is he looking at you?? I have a pic (I know, I know...I'll get them to Karen and she can sort them out) where he does appear to be looking in 'your corner'. (Dorine) A question came up about career choices. No idea what she said....sorry. LOL....SJ? Career choices? She's 18....she's got a lot of "Boat Trips" out there waiting for her...you remembered the best bits! And I'm glad you did. This is interesting...that he appeared to express himself so openly in front of an audience (jammy git!! ;-) ). (ODB through Dorine) He says he does refuse many scripts, but aftter a while just takes whatever because, "I gotta work." And I am assuming it isn't 'for the dough'. He sounds as if he just gets antsy and wants to do something....that's a good sign. He doesn't sound like Hugh....who keeps saying he doesnt want to act anymore (or dance every again! LOL!). (ODB through Do....again, but thanks to Pauline) He mentioned how personal the reviews can get by attacking the physical aspects of the actor personally, their family friends, etc. I still remember the personal attacks on Amanda Bynes. How incredibly hurtful some of them were.....they would attack her appearance when that had nothing to do with her performance. It sometimes seems that once certain reviewers start criticising a film, they just open every door, even if it isn't relevant.....or they begin to go on and on and on about themselves (a la Jo M from yesterday). Thank you Do! I know you've been v. v. busy (and you must be exhausted!). Great reporting! Dorine.....already a legend! (Eithne) ...and his skin looks almost as if it had been dusted with something vaguely orange. That's just cinnamon....so we can just 'eat him up'!! ;-D

Wow, this place is hopping! Thanks to J, Pauline and Dorine for your in-depth reporting of the Q&A. I am always fascinated by ODB's answers to questions about his acting and career choices. And thanks to the Big and Little Bees for the yummy pic! It was his night. Hurrah! :-)

(Tress) Do!? Is he looking at you?? I do believe so!! Have been trying to remain calm since I realized last night that it appears to be when he turned around once he heard me and was looking at what I had with me. I wrote Little Bee to clarify where he was when she took it. Didn't realize the first 3 times I looked at this pic, that Livia was right there. Pic is a bit smaller on the laptop than the one I have here, where she is more obvious. And as was apparent by my post about that night, I didn't seem to notice she was there at that moment, either. I still remember the personal attacks on Amanda Bynes. How incredibly hurtful some of them were.....they would attack her appearance when that had nothing to do with her performance. She came to mind as he mentioned the personal stuff and wondered if that's who he was thinking of, also. (Lisa) Thanks to J, Pauline and Dorine for your in-depth reporting of the Q&A. And I will thank some people from another list who were helpful in jogging my memory on some things, too. It was a lot of info, some more of which I have remembered as just flashes, like when you dream, but not enough to coherently put together.

(Tress)Am still astonishment on Ebert's reaction to ODB's 'piece' Although I know he saw LA, and liked it, sometimes I think he's out in left field. He said that Colin's storyline, if I remember correctly, was the weakest link in the film, and that the pond scene wasn't up to the caliber of the rest of the film??? What's up with that? Anyway, I know that Sunday I watched/heard him review WAGW...I know there was no way he watched that film. Ok, give it a thumbs down...and he did, but heck he made no sense and it was quite obvious to me he had gotten it all wrong. Almost like he took his review from other stuff that had been written. Oh well. He can't keep me away, I'm off to 3rd viewing of LA. right now. If your keeping score that's 3 LA and 2 Gwape. Dorine, thank you for all the details about Tuesday night. Oh how I wish I had gone to that, too. I shall not complain, though. Have lots to be thankful for. Great job, Little Bee. So glad you were able to join us. Great picture!!!

Hi everyone from one of the "blonde Stepford publicists" whose only mission in life is to piss off snotty journalists and serve Hugh Grant and Colin Firth chilled drinks! :):) Wow that woman is a pill. Anyway, I wanted to pop in a moment to congratulate all the folks who braved that rain at the NY premiere and made it a lot of fun for the talent, journalists, photogs, and us folks working the thing. The support and enthusiasm you showed the event and of course most especially the talent (ie CF) was terrific. Always a well behaved group those CF fans :) Colin's schedule is a bit crazed at the moment with promoting two pictures and filming one and so as I mentioned earlier some of the things have had to be juggled somewhat. But there is another junket set for this coming week and more to come in the media. Glad to hear you had a pleasant experience meeting Colin again or for the first time. He's truly one of my favorite folks and so is Hugh. Always a pleasure to deal with either of them. Take care and will be back soon with a bit more confirmed details. :)

Thnaks, Dorine, for the great write-up from the Q&A. On the Today Show, they were supposed to talk about GWAPE and he had a clip, but they only showed BJD/EOR clips and stills. He was rather surprised it seemed. LOL, he shouldn't be. He was there on Universal's nickel, so they showed the 2 films Uni is distributing, LA and TEOR. Uni sent a PR person with him to ensure that their stuff got on. I'd bet anything Lion's Gate didn't. That's business. Besides, it's unlikely they'd be interested in showing clips from a film that is still 2 months away for most of the country. Sorry, Colin, you're going to have to come back.;-) He tries to pick and choose, which he doesn't think he's very good at, but then gives in craving work. He did mention seeming to have a run of poor judgement, which he looked rather....regretful That's why people hire managers--as opposed to soley relying on agents, who just work out the business deal. He mentioned how personal the reviews can get by attacking the physical aspects of the actor personally, their family friends, etc. Definitely brought to mind the AB lynching by the Telegraph. They made fun of how she looked, of her personality, and if I recall correctly, criticized her parents (who they hadn't met.) http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/story.jsp?story=463924

(Lola)The support and enthusiasm you showed the event and of course most especially the talent (ie CF) was terrific. Aw shucks. *blushing*;-) Honestly, we were all so glad to be there to support Colin--and there were a heck of a lot more than just our group. And believe it or not, Hugh has won us over, Lola!:-) Did anyone make it to the BAFTA LA GWAPE showing last night and if so, did Colin attend? I think the London premiere for LA is tomorrow night, right? And then he has the Survival thing mid-week. Is he coming back to the US for the next junket, Lola?

(Dorine) Must point out, he said "erotic" *twice*. Am visualizing scene from Bye Bye Birdie, when Conrad is singing outside the town hall and the women are dropping like flies. (Dorine) struck up a conversation with the Prog Dir, noting that I agreed AMITC was indeed a gem...I brought up Apt Zero which he didn�t know...On my way back...I threw out Tumbledown as an example of one of his better things, too, which of course I knew he wouldn�t have heard of. *snickering big time* You showed them! They talked about the painting...JM asked if the real painting was cracked like it is in that close-up. Not having seen the movie yet, is the painting shown as if going back in time or as if it was just painted, in which case the paint would not have those cracks. Makes a diff IMO. Or maybe she was stunned by those stupid boots Scarlett was wearing. She had on some kind of mid-shin big, thick moccasins. Those are Ugg boots from Australia. You would've known if you'd seen The View and that you can get fairly decent knockoffs from Target. It would appear they're very in right now: http://www.uggaustralia.com/ The subject of EOR came up. He said it was going well and..that he could see it going on. [Gasp!!] Matter of fact, he thought there was enough material that there could be 2 more! [Holy cow. ] You do mean "cash cow," don't you? He says he does refuse many scripts, but aftter a while just takes whatever because, "I gotta work." He tries to pick and choose, which he doesn't think he's very good at, but then gives in craving work. He did mention seeming to have a run of poor judgement, which he looked rather....regretful [is that a word?], maybe. Kind of tried to chuckle it off, but obviously not happy about it. Maybe a tad uncomfortable in admitting it...possibly to us and himself. Pure speculation there on my part, as I can only imagine. He wouldn't have mentioned it otherwise and I've sensed it in a number of interviews/articles, going back to last year. Many other actors would slough it off, blaming others, talking about their failures in the abstract, etc. He not only needs better "career" advisors if he can't trust his own judgment, but a better agent (never thought I'd say that!!), one who *can* help him and is plugged in. Thank you, Dorine, for such fabulous reports from the front. You did a brilliant job with the details as well as your own impressions. For Eithne, this is the pic. It was initialy printed in a Norwegian magazine (Det Nye) earlier this year or perhaps end of last year: (Ada) Karen I bake a mean cheesecake, does that count? More than you'll ever know. ;-) And thanks to Bee and Little Bee (who will eventually be posting here herself). A great picture!

There are some new pics taken by a fan at the London Film Festival here: http://www.firth.com/gwape_premgal5.html Note to self: Must get NY premiere done before London one buries me.

Hope this hasn't already been posted. From People.com on AOL: "WHO'S THE SEXIER BRIT? Hugh Grant might be Hollywood's most popular British hunk, but the female fans who gathered outside the red carpet at the Love Actually premiere at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City begged to differ. The ladies saved their biggest swoons for another British actor: Grant's costar Colin Firth. The roar was deafening as Firth emerged on the red carpet in a black Richard James suit and a white button-down shirt with the top couple of buttons undone. When PEOPLE asked Firth if he expected all the adoration, he said, "Not at all. It's pretty stunning actually. I actually want to get a tape of this and prove it to a few people back home." Grant, meanwhile, seemed to take his position as second fiddle in stride. Asked by PEOPLE whether he felt he received the appropriate reaction from the crowd, he joked, "Well, I could do with a little more noise."

Thanks Ellie D! (People.com)black Richard James suit Sure looked navy to me, especially in comparison to his black shoes ;-) (Colin)"Not at all. LOL! Am having a P&P moment! It's pretty stunning actually. Someone else is using actually, actually. I actually want to get a tape of this and prove it to a few people back home." Anyone else want to offer themselves up as evidence of his "fan base?" I'll scream and swoon for him if he needs a tape. ;-) Wow, I'm especially silly this evening. Please pardon me.

but the female fans who gathered outside the red carpet at the Love Actually premiere at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City begged to differ. The ladies saved their biggest swoons for another British actor: Grant's costar Colin Firth. The roar was deafening as Firth emerged... It's about time. Am singing the Hallelujah Chorus here that one magazine, one reporter managed to accurately portray the evening, despite all the stilted reporting we got from the infotainment shows!

The ladies saved their biggest swoons for another British actor: Grant's costar Colin Firth. The roar was deafening ... We done him proud! :-D a black Richard James suit and a white button-down shirt with the top couple of buttons undone. Nice to see they notice what's important, too. ;-) Grant, meanwhile, seemed to take his position as second fiddle in stride. Asked by PEOPLE whether he felt he received the appropriate reaction from the crowd, he joked, "Well, I could do with a little more noise." Mari, next time shout your question at him. ;-D They talked about the painting...JM asked if the real painting was cracked like it is in that close-up. (Karen) Not having seen the movie yet, is the painting shown as if going back in time or as if it was just painted, in which case the paint would not have those cracks. Makes a diff IMO. It's just a pull back shot of the high resolution picture they mentioned in the Q&A, of the actual painting, that starts in close on the light reflected on the earring and ends with the whole painting shown and leads into the credits. So it would be the actual cracks in the painting.

OK, though, it seems like one should be closing *in* on the pic, so as to learn what what into its creation. Whatever, am not accredited cinematographer. ;-) The Today Show transcript is up, thanks to Ada: http://www.firth.com/int/03todaynov10.html

(Hola) Hi everyone from one of the "blonde Stepford publicists" whose only mission in life is to piss off snotty journalists and serve Hugh Grant and Colin Firth chilled drinks! :):) Don't listen to her Hola! Hateful woman! I like you.....just as you are! Had a blast in NYC....loving Colin (still) and a newfound respect and admiration for Hugh (who took our kidding and talked smack right back! Gotta love that!). (Mari) Did anyone make it to the BAFTA LA GWAPE showing last night and if so, did Colin attend? Yes. He was there. A friend went.....said he looked amazing. Hair looked great....khaki pants, brown suede shirt and his favorite brown boots....but you are probably wondering what he spoke about....LOL...didn't get into that too much. She was rushed. Will probably hear more in the next few days. (Dorine) Or maybe she was stunned by those stupid boots Scarlett was wearing. (Karen) Those are Ugg boots from Australia. Easy on the Uggs! I have a pair...but don't wear them with a skirt (isn't that what Scarlet did)? I promise not to embarrass you Dorine, when I come back to NYC in December....will keep Uggs at a respectful distance (but be warned that they are coming!). ;-D When PEOPLE asked Firth if he expected all the adoration, he said, "Not at all. It's pretty stunning actually. I actually want to get a tape of this and prove it to a few people back home." I think his time has come....actually! Am so thrilled for him (to borrow Emma T's line!)!!

(Hola Lola) the "blonde Stepford publicists" whose only mission in life is to piss off snotty journalists and serve Hugh Grant and Colin Firth chilled drinks! :):) LOL! Hmmmm....now how can I get a job like that? I'd gladly endure the disdain from bitter journalists. ;-) He's truly one of my favorite folks and so is Hugh. And what a great sport he is! :-D their family friends, etc. BTW, this was supposed to be family, friends, etc.....not just family friends. Just thought I'd put that out there. ;-) (Mari) Sorry, Colin, you're going to have to come back. ;-) From your keyboard to God's and publicist's eyes. ;-) Did anyone make it to the BAFTA LA GWAPE showing last night and if so, did Colin attend? I read he did, but no significant details at that time. I guess there were small details on clothing, etc, but I just glazed over it as I was on my way out. (Dorine) Must point out, he said "erotic" *twice*. (Karen) Am visualizing scene from Bye Bye Birdie, when Conrad is singing outside the town hall and the women are dropping like flies. Well that effect could be tempered by the sound of some remnants of congestion when he coughed several times. Poor baby. Hope he has been able to rest up a little to get totally over that cold or whatever he had from the dip in the cold fountain. Those are Ugg boots from Australia Was talking to someone about those recently, but didn't know what they looked like. They're fine with the right outfit. needs a better agent (never thought I'd say that!!) Really? Never knew which side of the fence you were on, on this subject. When PEOPLE asked Firth if he expected all the adoration, he said, "Not at all. It's pretty stunning actually. I actually want to get a tape of this and prove it to a few people back home." Colin, we'd be happy to be a traveling "fan base," or "Colin's peeps" show for you to prove it to people in person. ;-D

Oh! Sorry for double posting...but thank you everyone for all the wonderful tidbits.....and thank you Karen and Sylvia for the lovely pics of the London premiere (wish I had someone to follow me with an umbrella...would come in very handy here in the Pacfic Northwest! LOL!)! And thank you Karen and Ada for the Today Show transcript!

(Dorine) Colin, we'd be happy to be a traveling "fan base," or "Colin's peeps" show for you to prove it to people in person. ;-D ROTFL...I'd gladly follow him around and create a fuss for him so that all his friends would believe him! I'd scream and whine on demand if asked to! And relieve Hola of serving the chilled drinks if needed! ;-D

(Tress) I promise not to embarrass you Dorine, when I come back to NYC in December....will keep Uggs at a respectful distance (but be warned that they are coming!). ;-D Um, did I forget to mention that it turns out I'll be busy the day you wear those?....whatever day it is. ;-D And she wore them with pants. Trying desperately to get pics of them that night off the camera. (Karen) Those are Ugg boots from Australia. Yeah? Well doesn't make them any more attractive to me on her. Sorry, Terry! :-P

Good LFF page, Boss. Poor fans in all that rain. Hard to juggle pen, book and brollie. We were lucky to get inside the press tent. Did you arrange that Lola;-) Tomorrow night LA premiere in London. Survival Appeal night is Tuesday. Hope Richard James suit hold up.[That suit was dark navy!]

(Tress)(wish I had someone to follow me with an umbrella.. I have now realized what my true calling in life could be. I can maneuver one mean umbrella. Lola, thanks for stopping by. Colin was fantastic he made time for all of us. I'm glad People magazine took notice, too...the tent ladies were hard to miss. Just want to add my two cents about Hugh...great sense of humor and another very dear man! (Evelyn)Hope Richard James suit hold up.[That suit was dark navy!] Me too, it's been through hell. Rain, spills on the cobbies, sheesh! Very navy!!! (Dorine)Must point out, he said "erotic" *twice*. Oh gawd. Crikey, until Tuesday, I was on cloud nine because I heard him say "ab-so-lutely" (CF)"Not at all. It's pretty stunning actually. I actually want to get a tape of this and prove it to a few people back home." Colin, I have a better idea. Take us home and we can do a live repeat performance tomorrow and Tuesday in London. Peeps, what do you say? Are you up for it???

Mari: Did anyone make it to the BAFTA LA GWAPE showing last night and if so, did Colin attend? Tress: Yes. He was there. A friend went.....said he looked amazing. Hair looked great....khaki pants, brown suede shirt and his favorite brown boots....but you are probably wondering what he spoke about.... Jana and I attended the screening. He was there, along with SJ and PW. I think there were about 4 questions asked, and somehow they seemed to lead into praise for Eduardo Serra. As for how he looked, the lighting in the theatre was so poor, the Q&A could have been conducted by candlelight (and I sat in the front row).

(people.com)The roar was deafening as Firth emerged on the red carpet in a black Richard James suit and a white button-down shirt with the top couple of buttons undone. When PEOPLE asked Firth if he expected all the adoration, he said, "Not at all. It's pretty stunning actually. I actually want to get a tape of this and prove it to a few people back home." (Karen)It's about time It is about time!! Stupid, stupid reporting! Some of us are bound to be able to make a tape for him......;-))) (Karen)and Little Bee (who will eventually be posting here herself). Oh! I can't wait!!

(Marianne) As for how he looked, the lighting in the theatre was so poor, the Q&A could have been conducted by candlelight (and I sat in the front row). Sounds like how our BAFTA one was. And they have better lights in those theaters that are on before the movie, but they don't seem to feel the need to turn them on for the Q&A. Did the same with Russell Crowe this week. Thanks for reminding me I was going to complain about that. And I was in the 2nd and 1st row, respectively, for those, too. Thanks, Marianne. Were there only 4 questions because the session was short? Or because they talked so long for each answer? Or the moderator asked most of the questions? I assumed you meant 4 audience questions, not total. Ok, making progress with pics. Just have to get folders to manageable size to send to Karen. Get ready Karen....seems I went a bit nuts with pixel size. I mean, who doesn't want to see a really big Colin? ;-D

Dorine: Were there only 4 questions because the session was short? Or because they talked so long for each answer? Or the moderator asked most of the questions? BAFTA switched the viewing location from the Pacific Design Center to the Laemmle Fairfax, so the Q&A was short cause the moderator said that it would have to end by 10 as they would be unspooling another movie ... liar. PW and CF spoke lengthily, when answering their questions, but honestly I can't for the life of me remember much. PW spoke about how a lot of his favorite scenes and other characters were cut but would be included in the dvd. CF did a lot of gesturing, grimacing and hands all over his face. In fact, I think he's been spending entirely too much time with HG as he's begun to use some of his reactions. SJ did something really cute. She shoved the mic towards CF and said something along the lines of a romance novel about how she/Griet loves CF/Vermeer ... I wish I could remember the exact words. But mygawd, his reaction! He looked stupefied ... it was so funny.

Notice to Australian Drooleurs: Next week's "In-Entertainment" (Channel 10, 6pm on Sundays in Sydney) promises "interviews with the cast of Love Actually" -- don't know which cast members, but might need to set the VCR just in case... I will hate Antonia Kidman even more if she gets to meet/interview ODB....

it seems from the mars website (the company distributing LA in france) there will be a local premiere this monday at the ugc normandy in paris (on the champs-�lys�es). looks like they are cramming european premieres in the same week. time of screening for the paris thing not specified though (should be around 7-8 pm, right ?). they boast that "the whole crew will be there"... am doubtful, but will go and check this afternoon at the theater. i entered a competition last week to win tickets to the premiere, but alack & alas, the gods of vegas were definitely not with me on this one : might be a sign the *whole* of the crew is not going to be there, or is phantom screening of some sort for i cannot find any listing of this in the daily press...

(Dorine)The subject of EOR came up. He said it was going well and Renee was so fantastic as Bridget, that he could see it going on. [Gasp!!] Matter of fact, he thought there was enough material that there could be 2 more! You don't think he was just yanking our chain here, do you? I'm thinking of Mari's take on the story, set 25 years from now... (Dorine) Must point out, he said "erotic" *twice*. (Karen) Am visualizing scene from Bye Bye Birdie, when Conrad is singing outside the town hall and the women are dropping like flies. Count me amont the laid out flat! (CF)"Not at all. It's pretty stunning actually. I actually want to get a tape of this and prove it to a few people back home." (Linda)Colin, I have a better idea. Take us home and we can do a live repeat performance tomorrow and Tuesday in London. Peeps, what do you say? Are you up for it??? This peep is in! And Colin that was nothing! Why, had we known it would impress you so much, I'm sure none of us would have had our voices the rest of the weekend from screaming! Thanks Dorine for all the notes and thank you Karen for keeping up with all of this in this amazing time! Come on London premiere!! Wahoooo!!!

Thanks, Marianne, for the report from BaftaLA. Sounds like Colin was very entertaining at all these Q&A sessions. He might want to loosen up a bit more on TV. (Beedee) Some of us are bound to be able to make a tape for him......;-))) Did you have a camcorder? Probably should've gotten friendlier with that cameraman from Extra! (a freelancer on assignment). Bet he shot footage of Colin--like everyone else--which they didn't use. (Sophie) they boast that "the whole crew will be there"... am doubtful There has been a fairly large contingent making the rounds to Madrid, Rome, Lisbon and Munich, though Colin hasn't thus far been part of that group. However, given that his storyline takes place in France, it would seem logical for him to be there. But, if you go to ogle at the premiere, you won't be disappointed by Rodrigo and you might want to needle Hugh a little bit more. ;-)

There's a fairly large interview (with no new pics) in today's Sunday Herald magazine (Scottish broadsheet). My brother works for their sister paper, so I'll get extra copies and send one to you, Karen. The female interviewer was quite uneffected by his charms, BTW. - Strange woman!

(Karen)Sounds like Colin was very entertaining at all these Q&A sessions. He might want to loosen up a bit more on TV. Wot and act more like Hugh;-) (as Marianne said). I thought he did v. well on the current round of TV appearances. In top form on The View. (Janet) There's a fairly large interview (with no new pics) in today's Sunday Herald magazine (Scottish broadsheet). Is it online? I can't wait a week til that paper gets here. Can you be a dear, Janet, and type it out for us? We would be greatly indebted.

I'm going to be v. v. bad again and not go to the LA premiere in Leicester Square tonight. I just am not in the mood for a gazillion people crowding around trying to see all the other folks - would much prefer the one man show like HS or similar, and I doubt I would get anywhere near what you excellent NY reporters got. He's probably jet lagged anyway. Won't be quite so dashing and happy to see lots of people. But of course will be going Tuesday to Survival, and will report in asap after. Not, of course, expecting that he will show. It'll just be a nice bonus if he does =).

Thanks for the heads up, Janet. Herald interview is below. Pic is a variation of the "jumping at the rainbow" ones we've seen: After ten years of being seen as a romantic hero, Colin Firth is keen to lose his sex symbol image. But first, discovers Vicky Allan, there is the small matter of Love Actually, the most hotly anticipated British film of the year Bridget Jones II is a closed set, which means that while Colin Firth is doing the �line-up� for his latest scene, I am forced to sit in a freezing, grungy canteen with an overhead heater which seems to have been designed as a hair dryer for people over 6ft. Tall, lean, gangly people like Colin Firth. Already he has stood me up several times. There was the occasion when I booked a flight down to London, only to find, moments before I left, that the date was off, though I decided to go and see his new film, Love Actually, anyway. Then there was my current date, shifted from the warm chic of the Portobello Hotel to chilly Ealing Studios with its plastic table cloths, brown ketchup bottles, extras in Thai police uniforms and pale clouds of breath. Of course, it doesn�t help that I am wearing my short skirt. A bit of leg had seemed only right back in Edinburgh as I discussed my prospective date with jealous girlfriends, but here, it already seems wrong. Here, a short skirt seems all too Bridget Jones. As if I am play-acting a role as a follower in the cult of Firth. By the time Firth arrives, I am pacing to keep warm. He blusters through the door, looking for all the world like Mark Darcy, the character he plays in the Bridget Jones films. He is dressed in a lawyerish pin-striped suit, pale blue shirt, tie pulled from round his neck. And he has that troubled, slightly constipated look about him. He is almost overly apologetic. �Have you come down from Edinburgh today?� he asks. �I�m so sorry about that. It�s been a very odd day because I�ve been doing the post-production dubbing for another film, which couldn�t be more different. It�s called Trauma. I�m just playing someone who�s very upset all the time. It�s about a guy in sort of emotional meltdown. I didn�t expect to be filming this today either. I thought we would be lounging in a hotel.� He suggests that we move to his trailer which will be much warmer. I can�t help thinking of a few lines from the book of Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason, when Bridget interviews the actor Colin Firth, Mr Darcy in the BBC adaption of Austen�s Pride and Prejudice. �I think you�re exactly like Mr Darcy,� Bridget says. �In what way?� he asks. �You talk the same way as him.� �Oh, do I?� �You look exactly like him.� At this moment Colin Firth looks very like Mark Darcy. Not like Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pride and Prejudice, or like Jamie, the lovelorn writer he plays in Love Actually, or Judd the embittered public school Trotskyite he played in Another Country. But like the dull, repressed, smouldering Darcy of Bridget Jones, and it doesn�t make me swoon. I have to confess that, despite the short skirt, I�ve never caught the Firth mania. Firth has been thinking a lot about Pride and Prejudice. �It�s very odd, you know, to have it as this ghost. It�s nearly ten years now and I do find it sort of bewildering. I�ve thought about it more in the last year than I�ve ever thought about it. Because it�s suddenly occurred to me how long it�s been and it�s still there. It�s only now that I�m seeing how bloody durable it is. �We are, you know ... culture is saturated with stuff, we�re full of self-reference. So this film [Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason] quotes from something else that�s already out there, either the first film, or Pride And Prejudice. Everything is full of little homages to something or satires. And it occurred to me today because I was doing this dubbing � something that was very different � then one of the engineers said, �Oh, did someone say that the line sounded a bit Darcyish?� I thought, God, ten years ago, I did that. That was my summer of 1994.� Love Actually is the directorial debut of Richard Curtis, the screenwriter with the Midas touch responsible for Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones� Diary. It is an ensemble romantic comedy with a cast including Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon, Liam Neeson and Emma Thompson. Firth plays a novelist, ditched by his girlfriend, who goes off to France to recover. There he meets and falls in love with a Portuguese housekeeper played by Lucia Moniz. In one of the film�s most romantic scenes, Moniz strips off and dives into a lake to fish out a manuscript he has been working on, echoing, I suggest, his own iconic soaking in Pride and Prejudice. �I don�t think that scene was written for me,� he says, shaking his head. �It was in place before I had the part.� The scene in which Bridget Jones interviews Firth is in the book they are filming at the moment. In other words, Firth the actor is appearing in the film of a novel in which he appears as a character. How are they tackling this? �When does this article run?� he says, �because I find it very boring not to discuss the secrets. But I can assure you right now, as things stand, the character of Colin Firth does not exist in the film.� Instead we talk about the actual interview Helen Fielding, author of the Bridget Jones novels, did with Firth, which formed the basis of the passage. �We had a friend in common through Nick Hornby,� Firth explains, �and he introduced us. She came to the set of Fever Pitch and then, I don�t know whose suggestion it was, but a call came from Nick suggesting that we do a Bridget interviews Colin, and I was living in Rome at the time and, in a way, though we staged it, it was pretty much verbatim. I thought she was remarkably faithful. The only difference is that she doesn�t let on that she�s the writer, Helen Fielding. And she very generously afterwards sent me faxes of the proof. Because it wasn�t a real interview. It was a little act we�d done together.� Did she seem to have a Colin Firth crush, like Bridget does? �How do I know?� he sighs. �Can�t you tell?� �No. No.� Firth�s eyes narrow at this point, as if bracing himself for a slew of humiliating questions about his �sex god� status. He is 43 now and perhaps considers himself past all that. �I�d be delighted to think errrmm � obviously it would be flattering. But I don�t know. She doesn�t behave in a silly Bridget way at all.� I tell him that out of the many women I talked to before the interview, I found only one who wasn�t a Firth-Darcy devotee. �I don�t know,� he says. �It�s very difficult for me to answer any questions on this subject because I�m the last person who could have anything sensible to say about it.� Firth has a resigned air, as if he�s given up on trying to convince the world he�s a serious actor, given up reminding them of his roles in Tumbledown, The English Patient and the forthcoming Girl With The Pearl Earring. �Very often,� he says, �when I do something that�s different from Darcy it blends in and people don�t notice it. I quite like the occasional invisibility of an actor in certain things. You know, sometimes it�s one�s business not to shine.� There�s a pained, earnestness in his manner that verges on the comic. It�s not difficult to see why Rupert Everett might have clashed with him back when they were both acting in Another Country, when he complained that Firth was a �ghastly guitar-playing redbrick socialist who was going to give his first half-million away to charity�. Even now he is engaged in charitable and political causes (including campaigns for imprisoned asylum seekers) which he is reluctant to talk about. �I�m not really that comfortable with doing it as a celebrity. I mean for years I�d much rather put leaflets through the door on my street. I spoke to someone recently who said, �I never think good of someone when they�re doing that. I just think it�s a kind of massage of your own conscience.� Perhaps it is. I don�t know. But I think if you live in the west, you�re going to be living that paradox a bit. You are going to have to, you know, the inequality is there, there�s injustice in the world; do you have the right to have a nice day?� His modesty is like a running gag. When I ask him if he sees all his own films, he says: �Yes, I do, sadly. One is obliged to see more of them. It�s not always a pleasant experience.� He constantly seems worried that something he�s just said may be ridiculous. For instance when he tells me he thinks it�s odd that when someone read back a quote from his short story (published in an anthology edited by Nick Hornby) he found the experience �horrific�, and adds, as if tired of his own voice, �Perhaps not that odd.� He encourages me to talk about myself. �Moving on,� I say, but he insists on asking me about a book I�ve written. �What is it called?� It is difficult to tell if he is genuine. A journalist who recently interviewed him on the set of Girl With A Pearl Earring (in which he plays Johannes Vermeer), noted a telling aside by co-star Scarlett Johansson: �Colin has such a huge ego he probably thinks he painted the paintings himself.� Firth grew up initially in Nigeria, then Britain and the United States. His father was a history lecturer, his mother taught comparative religions. Both were of missionary stock and grew up in India. Even now his mother still campaigns for the rights of asylum seekers, which is where he confesses he gets his worthiness from. Did it seem a rebellion then to do something so seemingly frivolous as acting? �My family are so unorthodox I think the real rebellion would have been to become something much more � maybe gone into business, or gone into the armed forces or something. That would have been more strange for them. Although, my father has mentioned several times that I was the first actor he had met.� I tell him I have heard that despite the money he must now be earning, he sticks to a fairly spartan lifestyle. �No, I�m not ascetic,� he says. �Absolutely no, I�m not. Well, I can be a bit. My family has a certain puritanism about it, because my parents grew up in India and they were all conscious of the need to conserve things, which is to do with their generation.� But he has no television? �That�s out of date. It was true. About ten years. I watch almost no television now, I watch news.� He met his wife, the Italian producer, Livia Guiggioli, while on set of the mini-series, Nostromo, where she was then a production assistant, and married her in 1997. They now have two children � a two-year-old and four-month-old, and spend at least three months of the year in Rome. (He also has a son from a previous relationship with the American actress Meg Tilly, with whom he moved to British Columbia to live the wilderness life in a five-year break from his career.) What does Guiggioli think of his reputation as an object of desire? �It just doesn�t come up any more. She thought it was as funny as everyone else at first. It wasn�t the Italians who couldn�t believe it. It was everyone who knew me. It actually was rather a funny time, and I don�t think I ever stopped feeling a bit numb about it really.� Guiggioli�s parents, Firth explains, have always found it �vaguely ridiculous� that their son-in-law became such a screen idol. �It�s partly because when Livia and I met it was just a little bit pre-Pride And Prejudice and the only reference they had for it, was a film out in Italy at the time called Circle Of Friends, in which I play about as unattractive a character as you can get. A sort of mustachioed upper-class buffoon who pays for the abortion of a girl he gets into trouble. And, of course, they all went there to see this actor, and they came away, I think, probably in near despair. It confirmed everyone�s stereotypical idea of an unattractive Brit. Stuffy, humourless, rather stupid and a bit cruel.� It�s not difficult to see why the Italians would struggle to relate to this stiff-upper-lipped Englishness. These days most English people, I suspect, don�t quite relate to it, except as a parody of some forgotten breed. Even Firth prefers to see himself as quite American. �I steered accidentally into the old-fashioned idea of the English persona. It�s partly having been away so much. Ex-pats do that. But actually I feel very largely rooted in America. Partly because my mother grew up there for so many years of her life. India and then Iowa for about seven years. And I spent some of my childhood in suburban America and I�ve been surrounded by Americans all my life. My eldest son is American.� Even the culture he relates best to is American; his favourite author is William Faulkner. �One of the first things I would define myself with, is a passion for all sorts of Americana.� In a way this makes sense. Only a not-very-English person could be this English. There is a knock at the door. Firth grips his tie and his loose collar � all that stands between him and the man he�s about to play. Any good jumpers in this film? I ask, �Trade secret,� he says. Then he apologises again, and that concerned look passes over his face. �Do you feel as if you�ve justified your trip down from Edinburgh? I�m so sorry it had to be so messy and everything.� It�s so very Mark Darcy. Love Actually is released on Friday. 16 November 2003

Love Actually Stars Head for the Red Carpet By Anita Singh, Showbusiness Correspondent, PA News Love Actually, the most eagerly awaited British film of the year, was getting its UK premiere tonight. The feel-good romantic comedy features the cream of British acting talent. Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Keira Knightley will be gracing the red carpet in London's Leicester Square, along with Emma Thompson, Bill Nighy and Alan Rickman. Love Actually is the latest film from Richard Curtis, who brought us Four Weddings And A Funeral and Notting Hill. Set in London in the run-up to Christmas, the film tells a series of interwoven love stories. Hugh Grant plays a Prime Minister ("based on Tony Blair") who falls for his tea-lady, Martine McCutcheon. Colin Firth is a lovelorn writer, Billy Bob Thornton plays the US president and Bill Nighy steals the show as a fading rock star. Other famous faces who appear in the movie include Liam Neeson, Rowan Atkinson, Laura Linney and The Office's Martin Freeman. Claudia Schiffer, Michael Parkinson and Ant and Dec pop up in cameo roles. Grant has predicted that the film will be a huge hit. "It sounds nauseating because it's all about love," he said. "The reason it succeeds, rather than being puke-making, is that it is funny as well." The film premiered in the US last week but some of the critics were less than kind. The New York Times called it "an indigestible Christmas pudding from the British whimsy factory" while Rolling Stone magazine said "sometimes it just makes you gag." Love Actually is released over here on November 21. And Bill Nighy is tipped to land the Christmas number one with his song from the film, a jokey Yuletide version of Love Is All Around.

Mari, thanks for copying the Sunday Herald article. And good luck to anyone planning on going along to the premiere tonight in London. - I hope you all have as great a time as the 'fan base' on the other side of the Atlantic did this past week!!

Thanks, Janet, I'd appreciate a copy. (Janet) The female interviewer was quite uneffected by his charms, BTW. - Strange woman She came into the interview, I'm convinced, ready and eager to do a hatchet job. Did we really need to hear how "inconvenienced" she was? Then there are the phrases like "the cult of Firth." Maybe he should clear his schedule next time she wants to talk to him. ;-) Firth has a resigned air, as if he's given up on trying to convince the world he's a serious actor Doing Hamlet would've helped. :-( (Mr In-A-Perfect-World) "I'm not really that comfortable with doing it [charitable causes] as a celebrity. I mean for years I'd much rather put leaflets through the door on my street. You mean, the stuff that goes directly into my garbage bad??? When I ask him if he sees all his own films, he says: "Yes, I do, sadly. One is obliged to see more of them. It's not always a pleasant experience." He brings it up himself. Is this an offensive move to deflect criticism? The best defense is a good offense. It is difficult to tell if he is genuine. A journalist who recently interviewed him on the set of Girl With A Pearl Earring...noted a telling aside by co-star Scarlett Johansson: "Colin has such a huge ego he probably thinks he painted the paintings himself." And this idiot writer takes it seriously? Oh, she's severely lacking in both humor and judgment. :-( What does Guiggioli think of his reputation as an object of desire? I'm getting rather tired of this. Why is this considered remote newsworthy? Why don't I hear this question being posed of other celebrities' spouses, etc.? Even the culture he relates best to is American; his favourite author is William Faulkner. Still, huh? Then why hasn't he pursued doing some of the roles I've always thought he suited to a T, like Ben Quick?

"Love Actually" I saw it in town yesterday in the late afternoon and the audience had a wonderful time watching it!....Men and women were giggling and laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and charming action going on....It's a "feel good" kind of movie....The film is energetic - PERFECT for this time of year - .....I really needed to see this kind of film considering the "down feelings" I've been experiencing with my uncle being so ill.... It's a wonderful movie in a quirky, fun-loving, sentimental sort of way....There are several storylines (subplots) going on�.It�s easy to follow each storyline because the film is well directed, with terrific acting, gorgeously filmed capturing the merriment and beauty of the holiday season during Christmas, and meticulously edited�.The scenes are clearly defined moving easily with understanding from one scene to the next�.Watching �Love Actually� was like reading an enjoyable book that you just didn�t want to put down�. Roger Ebert gave it 3 � out of 4 stars which I �totally� agree with so those other reviews aren�t hitting the point as to what this film is about�.Everyone has their opinion though which is just that - an �opinion��. Roger Ebert�s review: http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert1/wkp-news-love07f.html GO & SEE IT WHEN IT COMES IN YOUR AREA��YOU�LL ENJOY IT!!!!! NOTE: (For those of you who don't want to know the storyline involving Colin Firth's character Jamie, don't read any further.) Colin Firth is wonderful as the "lovelorn writer" who was jilted by his girlfriend as she is having an affair with his brother�.To ease his pains and mend his wounds, he goes to Marseille, France and retreats to a country cottage near a lake/pond�.The scenery is beautiful�.There he meets lovely Aurelia (Lucia Moniz), a young Portugese woman who cleans his cottage during his stay there�At the end of the day, Jamie drives Aurelia home�.Neither of them speak each other�s language�.Regardless of not being able to communicate verbally with each other, a budding relationship develops from there, but I won�t go on�.You�ll need to see the film to find out how the relationship ends�. To read about Lucia Moniz who plays Aurelia, click on the link below: http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0598159/ ~Momi~

I don't know why they keep quoting that NY Times review; clearly the public isn't paying much attention to it. Weekend boxoffice estimates: LA took in $8.8 million, for a per screen average of over $7,500, and a total since opening of $19 million. And it hasn't even gone on widest release yet.

Here, a short skirt seems all too Bridget Jones. As if I am play-acting a role as a follower in the cult of Firth. Silly Vicky...I have no sympathy for her (maybe she can hook up with Jo and they can commiserate over hot cocoa). I didn't dress her in her short skirt (and I don't care that she's wearing it....I learn more about the reviewer in some of these than I do about ODB...). A journalist who recently interviewed him on the set of Girl With A Pearl Earring (in which he plays Johannes Vermeer), noted a telling aside by co-star Scarlett Johansson: �Colin has such a huge ego he probably thinks he painted the paintings himself.� LOL...I love that some reviewers thought this was serious and instead of making up their own minds about how the feel about Colin, they drag this bit out. Like saying...."he was perfectly gentleman like and kind to me, but let me tell you what I heard from so and so...who heard from his cousin's best friend that he can be a real pill!" �One of the first things I would define myself with, is a passion for all sorts of Americana.� LOL...I would have given him a little piece of Americana! Oooohhhhh bad, Tress, bad! Time out! ;-) Thank you Mari, Janet.....good luck to you Emma! I hope he shows to Survival (I'll keep fingers and everything else crossed!).

(Scotland Herald) Even the culture he relates best to is American; his favourite author is William Faulkner. ?One of the first things I would define myself with, is a passion for all sorts of Americana.? In Italy, he substitutes Italian. (Scotland Herald)Moniz strips off and dives into a lake to fish out a manuscript he has been working on,echoing, I suggest, his own iconic soaking in Pride and Prejudice. "I don?t think that scene was written for me," he says, shaking his head. "It was in place before I had the part." Psst,Colin...RC says he wrote the screenplay with the actors in mind. Agree about the journalist. Why would I care if she froze her ass off.

#6 Love Actually Uni. $8,880,000 29% 1,177 +601 $7,544 $19,044,000 - / - 2 Up 29% this weekend - From Box Office Mojo. Full chart here: http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2003&wknd=46&p=.htm

From Felicity: LA premiere being covered live by news stations so will be loads on Sky, News 24 etc. Colin even managed to get on ITN 6.00 by walking behind their reporter! wearing lightish grey suit and black shirt. Sorry can't confirm shoe colour. Not looking like Hugh's twin today. But looking good.

I checked, but didn't find this posted. From BBCiFilms, review of LA http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/11/06/love_actually_2003_review.shtml Can't wait to see pictures from the London premiere. Nice to hear, he looked good (doesn't he allways :-))

Can't wait to see pictures from the London premiere. WireImage is starting to put them on...none of Colin so far. http://www.wireimage.com/

I can see I'll be switching channels all night tonight! For viewers in the UK and Europe. Bonus Love Actually is showing on Sky Movies 5 at 8.40pm tonight, British time.

Just caught quite a bit of coverage on Sky. Colin and Hugh arrived first. Crowd were screaming something - definitely two syllables, blah blah-ah (ie not "Hugh") Would recognise CF anywhere from the walk. Interviews with both CF and Huge. Believe it or not, this is the first time I've ever seen CF as himself on TV for more than a nanosecond. Definite Hugh bias in reporting - all about Hugh's adoring fans being there to welcome him, women in studio swooning, Martine McC. going on about how good a kisser he is etc. Very good review of LA from in studio critic, although the news reader kept on quoting the New York Times review! Thanks for all the brilliant reporting! Was very interested in the Q&A's. CF should ignore the bad reviews - at least he tries to do life-affirming stuff, stressing the basic decency of people. Most UK reviews seem to be written by 20/30 something males whose defining childhood experience was "Star Wars" and who love anything miserable! Perhaps they don't realise that there are times when all the audience wants is some light relief, some undemandingly pleasant escapism. Bin the reviews!

One pic of Colin up at Wire Image. He's wearing a dark shirt (LOL!) under his jacket (maybe dark grey, but am not sure).

To anyone in the UK, SKY News are running story now on the UK Premiere that is taking place tonight. They Spoke to Colin for a few minutes, looked divine as usual! I guess they run it on a loop so will put it back on later

Looks like the ole SIL premiere suit. Emma looking v. glam again.. & Laura Linney, stunning. Martine's dress,... (gag!) And who is Laura Bailey in the "ostrich number."

LOVE ACTUALLY PREMIERES Love was in the air as the cream of British acting talent gathered for the UK premiere Love Actually. Stars from the feel-good romantic comedy strode down the red carpet in style as they arrived in London's Leicester Square. Director Richard Curtis, famous for Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill described his movie as a "roaring rampage of romance". And the film's Christmas theme was on full show when actor Bill Nighy arrived with three blondes on each arm, dressed in risqu� Santa outfits. Set in London in the run up to Christmas, Love Actually tells a series of interwoven love stories. Hugh Grant plays a Prime Minister - based on Tony Blair - who falls for his tea-lady, Martine McCutcheon. Colin Firth is a love-lorn writer, Billy Bob Thornton plays the US president and Bill Nighy steals the show as a fading rock star. Heart-throbs Grant and Firth had the crowds screaming as they drew up to the premiere. "I think this is very much Richard Curtis's gig actually," said Firth. "We all just took a free ride. I just went to the south of France and was horribly overpaid." Grant praised his co-star McCutcheon as an "unbelievably good actress with a lot of sexy presence". He added: "It's certainly a very, very romantic and positive film. If you can't deal with that, it's not the film for you." McCutcheon showed off her figure in a skimpy black and pink sequinned dress. She said she was honoured to star alongside her "hero" Grant. The film is released over here on Friday. http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-12928100,00.html

Sounds like Colin looked top form this evening. (bethan)Definite Hugh bias in reporting - all about Hugh's adoring fans being there to welcome him, women in studio swooning Ah...but we know the real truth. I told you the NY Peeps should have gone on a premiere junket;-) Mari, thanks for that Herald article. Sounds a bit to me like the reporter did protest too much. It is difficult to tell if he is genuine. Oh please, I thought reporters had a sixth sense about these things...You're dead on, Karen, she did go with some preconcieved notions. (Evelyn)Agree about the journalist. Why would I care if she froze her ass off. Glad she did, and, just why??? did she wear the short skirt in the first place, Ms. Play Actor of the cult of Firth. Give me a break. Thank you UK ladies for the premiere happenings, and good luck Emma on Tuesday!

From BBC News: "A crowd of several thousand were at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square, some waiting more than five hours. " "Love Actually took almost $16m (�9.5m) in its first two weekends on release in the United States and Canada, but has received mixed reviews from critics. Curtis said: "I'd rather make a film that most of the audience liked and some critics didn't rather than a film that critics loved and nobody wanted to watch." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3275283.stm 7 photos , but none of YKW (grrrrr)

(Evelyn) Laura Linney, stunning. Martine's dress,... (gag!) That's funny, I was thinking the other way around. ;-)

Got a couple of gallery pages done, while supervising leaf bagging: http://www.firth.com/p_eye010.html http://www.firth.com/love_gal_nyprem1.html and will add NY Drooleurs pics when available. Plan to have small sections on the NY Bafta screening and Burns Center screening as well.

About the dresses, I seem to get stuck (sp?) at the picture of ODB. My tired eyes won't use any energy on anything else right now :-) Thank you for the links and reviews :-)

Sorry to doublepost, but have to thank Karen for the new galleries. Really enjoyed reading the text aswell :-)

(Karen) Got a couple of gallery pages done.... Bravo, Karen on the In the Public Eye page! I like the pic of he and Livia going into the club (in front of the bus). Looks like it was taken when he's looking over at his portable "fan base" cheering for him. ;-D And LOL, I never saw partygoers having to be bussed into a party in the middle of the city. And to think we had to wear out our little feets schlepping down the street to get there. But then, unfortunately, we weren't partygoers. ;-)

Oh yeah, and that extremely open neck on that shirt of his in those Premiere gallery pics are driving me insane! *fanning self*

(Karen)Got a couple of gallery pages done, while supervising leaf bagging Holy S**t!!! Those pictures are wonderful Karen.:-))) He's beaming. So glad to be a part of it and give him a little back. He sure has given me plenty of pleasure. What a treat! Also loved the narrative.

Still only the one pic submitted; there are bound to be more later at other sites.

"....New York at the world premiere of Love Actually. firth.com was there to experience first hand the heady atmosphere of a film premiere' Yeay!! Great write-up, Boss. Sure you weren't a journalist in your pre-Drool life? Wonderful pics of "The Divine One."

(Evelyn) Sure you weren't a journalist in your pre-Drool life *snort*

Mari - Thanks for the article Karen - wow . .love those galleries . .I have to say I do love the pics with ODB and Livia . . they are such a beautiful couple together . .god those kids of theirs are going to be drop dead gorgeous when they grow up! Thank you to everyone who donated pics to them!!!!!! Could kick mysself for not joining Drool earlier . .could have met up with the NY Ladies . .sounds like everyone had so much fun!!!!! Will try for next time perhaps??? Lola - So when will he be back in town???? . .I want to make sure to free up my calendar!!! (CF) "Not at all. It's pretty stunning actually. I actually want to get a tape of this and prove it to a few people back home." Hmmm . .I think Beedee suggested making a tape . .what a lovely Christmas present for him, perhaps???? Video testament of screaming adoration from his fans?:)

(Kimberley) Thank you to everyone who donated pics to them! Those galleries only have press photos so far. You've yet to see any of the pics taken by the Drooleurs who were there, except for the one that Bee posted here. I hope to start dealing with them tomorrow-ish...

Huge Thank You to Karen, the gallery pages are lovely. He looks so AFG and not at all too tired. Love how those buttons are unbuttoned lower and lower;-) I say, why button up at all?

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2003/11/16/crunch_time/ From the Boston Globe...GWAPE seems to be creeping up in the Oscar stakes,and SJ and RZ seem to be regarded as sure bets for nominations.

(Karen) Those galleries only have press photos so far. Erp . .my mistake . . .am eager to see the angles the NY Ladies were able to get with their cameras!!

Zowie!!! What gorgeous pictures, and what a great write-up! Thank you, Karen! (Leaf-bagging must be conducive to putting up new galleries...) Can't wait to see the pix from the Lovely Drooleurs in NYC and elsewhere!

Karen, the galleries you put together while leaf bagging are terrific. What a multitasker you are as well as a writer with great journalist talents! The pictures are amazing. Look forward to seeing the ones from drooleurs too. (Karen)Still only the one pic submitted But a goody! Love his rosy cheeks. You're right, Linda, he doesn't look at all tired from US junket. And I love the gray and black change of outfit!

Wire Image has lots of them up now. Hey boss, pl. blow up Colin and Livia...she's got a smashy pants outfit. (Lose the pony tail;-( AR looks hung-over.

A great big thanks to Karen for the lovely LA premiere galleries! A classy layout on a v. classy guy. Love the gray suit/black shirt from the London premiere. And Livia looks lovely as usual. Wonder what kind of wrap she's wearing with that dress? Wish some of us could have been there!

I think Colin looks very tired, not in as good a mood as NY, and is somewhat forcing smiles. It's all in the eyes, they aren't smiling as much, IMO. Certainly understandable if it's so, but of course we're only getting snapshots of particular moments. But he looks that way in all the moments to me, so far. Nice silk suit he has on. Looks like they have matching shirts. Re others..... Bad dress choice Laura...a frumpy dressy look. Bill Nighy didn't smile once. Some I realize are put on's, but still different again. Is Kelly Clarkson LA's traveling guest celebrity? Poor Greg Wise, reduced to being guest with Emma, as is Daniel Craig with Heike M. I notice here they dress with more color in UK premieres vs black or darker shades in NY. Not just this movie, but with others, too.

(Linda) I say, why button up at all? I second that!! Or tuck the shirttails? Ok, well at an event like this, even I'd think that not great fashion sense...being the fashion maven I'm not.

Rare moment when Colin gets in a photo when Huge is in the room: If that photo didn't show up, go to: http://editorial.gettyimages.com/ms_gins/CFW/home.aspx?pg=1

Looks like he got a slight tan while he was in LA, despite the snow/hail storm.

Are they wearing matching shirts?

(Ada)Are they wearing matching shirts? I'll take that shirt! Either one. What a face on him Ada. Thanks for it.

Not to be catty, but I've never seen that many rings on one hand, other than a Las Vegas dealer's... wonder why Livia's wearing so many rings at once?

Actually..I saw Colin on the news just before leaving to see LA at a preview with my DH. Colin looked well, radiant, I thought. He seemed to shine. Did not look tired at all. He was being interviewed next to Hugh and as the interviewer started to speak to him he was distracted by something Hugh was saying about him to another interviewer. Colin's woman said something rather briskly along the lines of "so can we talk to you...". He just said something about RC being the star of LA and that the critics were bound to carp, this was a film for, and I think he said "the little people". It might not have been that but it was some such phrase. Slightly wince-making. Anyway went to see LA with my DH. He hated it. Said it was the worst film he had ever seen. Take no notice a. He only goes to see films carefully selected by his wife (and she didn't make him see SLOW ;-)) b. he should get out more. I found myself smiling inanely by the end of it even though it was shamelessly schmultzy and had times when it was completely ludicrous. But more of that on spoolers perhaps.

wonder why Livia's wearing so many rings at once? And one of them looks like scarlett's ring from 4WAAF. The one which served as a wedding ring.

-- second try at this post -- I got to see LA last night, (thanks to a DH who 'found' giveaway tickets in a newspaper that we 'never' buy... ;-) The theater was full, and there was clapping and cheering almost thoughout the screening. I enjoyed most of the stories, but as it was my first viewing, I was still trying to sort out who belonged to who - and this is after reading the Spoilers and reviews, okay, so sometimes I have to see a movie 5 or 6 times to really get an idea of whats going on ;-) As for Jamie's scenes, I'm going to have to see this a *few more times*, as I couldn't concentrate on his face and the subtitles at the same time. Now to just get the 'feelin' in my fingers song banished from my head until the next time...

For any of you who are attending the Survival screening tomorrow night, I just spoke with Survival and they told me that Colin does not finish filming until 7pm so he is going to try and make his speech after the film finishes. Lets just hope he makes it!

Empire has a whole mini site about LA... http://www.empireonline.co.uk/features/events/loveactually/

And if you are greedy and never satisfied, like me, and wish you had been there and want to eat up every moment, there is a small video clip here that opens with Hugh and Colin, but that is all we get of him... http://www.itv.com/news/1658508.html

Grrr...maybe this? http://www.itv.com/news/VideoReports.html

From This is London (and should be the same one up at femail.co.uk: All you need is Love By Georgina Littlejohn 17 November 2003 Love was in the air last night as the cream of British acting talent hit the red carpet for the premiere of the year's most eagerly-awaited romantic movie. Stars of the comedy Love Actually arrived at the Odeon Leicester Square as director Richard Curtis - the man behind Four Weddings And AFuneral, and Notting Hill - described his film as a 'roaring rampage of romance'. Set in the capital in the run-up to Christmas, it intertwines nine different stories connected by one theme - love. Hugh Grant plays a prime minister - apparently based on Tony Blair - who falls for tea-lady Martine McCutcheon. Colin Firth is a lovelorn writer, Billy Bob Thornton plays the US President and Bill Nighy is a fading rock star. Grant and Firth had the crowds screaming as they drew up. 'I think this is very much Richard Curtis's gig actually,' said Firth. 'We all just took a free ride. I just went to the South of France and was horribly overpaid.' Grant praised McCutcheon as an 'unbelievably good actress'. The film was 'very romantic and positive', he added, saying: 'If you can't deal with that, it's not the film for you.' Other stars there included Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley and McCutcheon, who said she was 'blown away' to act with Grant. Nighy is releasing his song from the soundtrack, a jokey version of the Wet Wet Wet hit Love Is All Around. Love was certainly around for Londoner Marc Andrews, who won VIP tickets to the film. He proposed to girlfriend Monse Eiroa as they arrived.

I am curious as to how the British press will review LA. Big question: Will it protect its young or join the feeding frenzy? Empire (not really part of the the group referred to above) was critical but gave it 3/5 stars, summing it up as: Overlong and over-sentimental, this is nonetheless a fairly entertaining way to spend a couple of hours, and it�s great to see so many of the UK�s best actors sharing screen space. While never quite scaling the heights of Four Weddings or Notting Hill, it�s a perfectly respectable debut for Curtis. - Caroline Westbrook As a few have mentioned, "Spoilers" is the proper place to talk about a newly released movie.

Just got an email from jaap photo saying, the stills from GWAPE is up. Not any new ones of ODB as far as I could tell. http://www.jaapphoto.com/ Thank you for the photos and links :-)

Overlong and over-sentimental, this is nonetheless a fairly entertaining way to spend a couple of hours, and it�s great to see so many of the UK�s best actors sharing screen space. While never quite scaling the heights of Four Weddings or Notting Hill, it�s a perfectly respectable debut for Curtis. - Caroline Westbrook I think that's spot on as far as I'm concerned. Thanks for the new GWAPE pics.

Thanks, Annette. I'd given up on that guy, figuring he was still busy photographing Alexander. There *is* one new one BTW, at least to me. Globe has its pics of the premiere: http://www.globephotos.com/scripts/kws30pre.exe?site=GLOBEPH&maxhits=12&picktype=GfxOnly&type=GfxOnly&search=[A13976+K34130]&hmessage='LOVE+ACTUALLY'+U.K.+PREMIERE,+ODEON+LEICESTER+SQUARE,+LONDON.+11/16/2003&ShowTotal=on&fmaxhits=&submit=lsearch Pic of Colin with Laura Linney is different: And the after party, at the In and Out Club. http://www.globephotos.com/scripts/kws30pre.exe?site=GLOBEPH&maxhits=12&picktype=GfxOnly&type=GfxOnly&search=A13977&hmessage='LOVE+ACTUALLY'+U.K.+PREMIERE+AFTER+PARTY,+IN+AND+OUT+CLUB,+LONDON.+11/16/2003&ShowTotal=on&fmaxhits=&submit=lsearch where there are *no* pics of Colin

(Karen) From This is London (and should be the same one up at femail.co.uk: Post 188 He looks somewhat perturbed here...Almost the look in WAGW just after he punched Alistair...Was it something the photographers said?

Any reports of daily newspaper coverage from the UK?? According to the Express site, the cover of today's newspaper says there are pics from the premiere?

LA London premiere was great fun - fans were screaming for Colin, Hugh and Keira while we were going in, CF seemed to spend more time than anyone doing autographs, and then got caught for endless interviews once in the lobby. Seemed very upbeat, whereas you could sense that AR, KK and some others were a bit more jaundiced by the publicity carousel. Pre-screening, short speeches from Tim Bevan, Duncan Kenworthy and Richard Curtis, none of them very funny except where RC mentioned that one of the preview cards gathered had said: "Things You Liked About This Film: Lots of fit birds taking their tops off; Things You Didn't Like About This Film: Everything else." Post-screening, the actors were called up on stage for a bow, nothing more.

Globe has its pics of the premiere: What is the trophy in Colin's hand?

Pics of the after party at Getty...2 pics of Colin http://editorial.gettyimages.com/source/CFW/imageResults.aspx?s=EventImagesSearchState|1|15|1|2736621|0|0|0|0|&p=7"

(Dorine)Oh yeah, and that extremely open neck on that shirt of his in those Premiere gallery pics are driving me insane! *fanning self* Mmmmm .Dorine . .just makes you want to nuzzle him right there, doesn't it;) (Allison M.) Anyway went to see LA with my DH. He hated it. I so understand!! I dragged my hubby to see LA .and was quite surprised he liked it . . . he's rather fickle as well (usu. never wants to be near any rom-com or period films I prefer) . .would rather see shoot-em up films or anything related to sports . .have to admit he did enjoy FP (what little I could make him sit through only due to football/obbsessive fan references) Karen - Would you want to see the NY Times review of LA? . .I can 't recall seeing it in any earlier posts . .I hesitate to post it . .b/c it wasn't very good . .I got so angry I wanted to throttle the writer myself.

Has anybody posted this? There is video on the BBC entertainment site, bottom right of the page: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/default.stm There is pics in all the papers here today, but as far as I can see from a quick check on my lunch break, they are the same ones that you have all seen already from the websites. Looks like I missed quite the spectacle. And of course just the news I was waiting for - filming commitments tomorrow! Argh!

(Ellie D) ...The ladies saved their biggest swoons for another British actor: Grant's costar Colin Firth. The roar was deafening as Firth emerged on the red carpet... *Grinning from ear to ear* Sigh! Finally! I never thought I'd ever have the chance to read something like that. I'm absolutely thrilled. (Mari)Herald interview: ...�Have you come down from Edinburgh today?� he asks. �I�m so sorry about that. ...He encourages me to talk about myself. �Moving on,� I say, but he insists on asking me about a book I�ve written. ...Then he apologises again, and that concerned look passes over his face. �Do you feel as if you�ve justified your trip down from Edinburgh? I�m so sorry it had to be so messy and everything.� It is difficult to tell if he is genuine. ????? Difficult?! You are a true gentleman Colin. But save your concern, this woman does NOT deserve it. Unbelievable. Thank you for the pics, links, accounts, everyone, I love all these goodies. Colin is gorgeous on all the pics, and so is Livia. I thought one of the after party (London) pics was cute, the one where Colin seems to be chatting with a waitress(?) She must have enjoyed her shift that night. :-)