The New York Observer, October 2nd, 2007
At the New York Film Festival’s opening night party, which was held on Friday, Sept. 28, at the elegantly faded, labyrinthine Central Park restaurant Tavern on the Green, the actress LeeLee Sobieski approached an outdoor table and asked if she and her friends, the pleasantly rumpled musician Adam Green (famous for being in the indie band the Moldy Peaches and for writing a song about Jessica Simpson) and a blond, tuxedo-clad man named Hunter, could sit down.
Sure! said the delighted Transom.
Introductions were proffered; and Ms. Sobieski began picking at a plate of food from the buffet inside, which included ziti in tomato sauce, a carving station (roast beef and turkey) and pesto tortellini. It sort of felt like a bar mitzvah. The very blond and very tall actress, who was wearing a low-cut, form-fitting gold dress, said she had enjoyed the festival’s opening night film, Wes Anderson’s Indian romp The Darjeeling Limited, which features her friend, the jewelry designer and party-thrower Waris Ahluwalia. “I’d like to see it again,†said Ms. Sobieski. “The crowd was very enthusiastic.â€
Inside the glass-enclosed dining room, a gaggle of photographers was crowded around the table reserved for the stars of the movie, including a silver-haired Bill Murray (excited about the Chicago Cubs making it to the playoffs) and the always elegant Anjelica Huston. The Transom asked Mr. Murray, who turned 57 last month and has been in every Wes Anderson movie except Bottle Rocket, if he could imagine turning down an offer to be in one of Mr. Anderson’s films. “I didn’t even read this script before I agreed to do it,†he said. “So it would probably be too late.†Well, O.K., then!
The boyish Mr. Anderson, meanwhile, clad in a suit and a rose-colored velvet bow tie, was being shepherded about by his publicist, Leslee Dart. “I love the New York Film Festival,†he said. “I always go to the movies here. Opening night is giant, so I’m very excited about it.â€
