by Missy Thompson
STAFF WRITER
Park City turns into a madhouse during the annual Sundance Film Festival as tourists and locals scour Park City's historic Main Street in search of their favorite celebrity.
During last year's festival, I didn't set foot on Main Street. I wanted to focus on watching films and appreciating independent filmmakers' work.
This year, however, I wanted to be star struck. Braving the crowds with Transcript-Bulletin contributing photographer Maegan Burr, we attempted to spot as many stars as we could on Friday and Saturday.
Unfortunately, we were possibly the worst paparazzi ever. Not having a detailed plan, we walked up and down Main Street looking for other photographers on the theory that where celebrities were, photographers and press would follow.
Stationed in front of a few high-end stores, we saw Alan Rickman leave with a small entourage. Crowds gathered around asking who he was and what he was known for. I replied, telling them it was Severus Snape of "Harry Potter" fame. Then the name and face clicked and people went nuts trying to get autographs and pictures from the smooth-voiced Brit.
Rickman was in attendance at Sundance to promote the film "Bottle Shock," in which he plays a British wine educator. Fellow co-stars Chris Pine (who played Jake Hardin in "Just My Luck"), Bill Pullman (who played President Whitmore in "Independence Day"), Freddy Rodriguez ("Bobby" and "Planet Terror"), Rachael Taylor (who played Maggie Madsen in "Transformers") and Eliza Dushku followed Rickman out of the store and into a horde of camera flashes and fans.
We spotted Jason Ritter, who stars in the dramatic film "Good Dick," wandering Main Street, only accompanied by a few friends. Stanley Tucci ("The Devil Wears Prada") could also be seen coming in and out of stores. Tucci was at the festival to help promote the premier of "What Just Happened?" which also stars Robert DeNiro, Bruce Willis, Sean Penn and Catherine Keener.
Rumors circulated through crowds concerning which celebrities could be seen walking up and down Main Street. Apparently Paris Hilton was getting her hair done in a salon at the north end of the street, but we didn't stick around to see if she really was there. Tourists were anxious to simply catch a glimpse of a star but with thousands of people walking the area, they were difficult to identify.
I swear I saw Dustin Hoffman, but it turned out not to be him. Some celebrities practically sprinted through crowds, like Quentin Tarantino who apparently didn't want to be bothered by all the fans. Others were slightly recognizable but difficult to place in the real-life setting. Stargazers could be walking down Main Street at any particular moment and not recognize a celebrity they passed.
But it was Bono, the front man for the world-renowned band U2, who caused some of the biggest crowds to form. It seemed as if everyone wanted to get in to see the highly anticipated film "U2 3D." Only two screenings of the film were scheduled at the festival, both showing last Saturday night, because the film opens in theaters on Wednesday.
Maegan and I showed up at the Eccles Theater two and half hours prior to when the red carpet was supposed to start. Standing in the frigid cold for more than an hour, we were finally let into the building and stood around for another hour, but at least we were warm.
Television stations and print outlets from around the country gathered around to score an interview or photo of the band. The producers, Jon Shapiro, Peter Shapiro and John Modell entered first, followed by "U2 3D" directors Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington.
When the band showed up flashes went off and the frenzy began. Everyone wanted to see one of the most famous bands in history. Bono, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr. and the Edge -- who make up the members of U2 -- patiently allowed still photographers to take thousands of pictures while only a handful of television interviews were given.
After U2 left the red carpet and headed off to their seats, a few other celebrities entered the theater. Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid paused momentarily for the press while Will. i. Am from the band The Black Eyed Peas quickly walked behind the press so as not to distract from U2's presence. Also in attendance at the premier were Al Gore, Jared Leto, Elisabeth Shue and Josh Peck.
Although the first weekend of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is over, there is still a chance celebrities will be wandering Park City's Main Street or in attendance at screenings. Even though the focus of the festival is supposed to be on the films, the actors are just about everywhere. And if the stars aren't enough, simply walking the area, ducking in to a few unique stores and observing is entertaining in its own right.
missy@tooeletranscript.com