The Tribeca Film Festival 2017 continues, and the red carpet premiere of “Paris Can Wait” was the highlight of the evening. Alec Baldwin, who plays Diane Lane’s husband in the film was not present.
Sightings from the red carpet premiere
The storyline of “Paris Can Wait” revolves around a film producer who has to go away on a business trip to Budapest, while his wife wants to go to Paris. His French business partner, played by Arnaud Viard offers to drive her to Paris and funny events happen along their road trip.
Director Eleanor Coppola, the wife of Francis Ford Coppola and Nicolas Cage’s aunt, looked stunning in a navy blue print jacket and dark slacks.
Diane Lane wore a dark suit and white blouse, and French actor Arnaud Viard (who plays Alec Baldwin’s client) wore a dark suit. Eleanor Coppola, Arnaud Viard, and Diane Lane spoke to this column regarding the film. Interestingly, actor Paul Sorvino appeared unexpectedly and was standing on the red carpet. I've known him a long time and he spotted me by the press barricades and said hello.
Meeting the cast and crew of 'Paris Can Wait'
We asked Eleanor why the working title “Bonjour Anne” was changed to “Paris Can Wait.”
“I started off with that title, but when the film was finished I realized that maybe “Bonjour Anne” implied that it was a "woman’s story" or memoir. It was a working title,” Eleanor explained.
There was also a rumor that Nicolas Cage was supposed to be in the movie but that didn’t happen.
“The actor that I had was in another film and they wouldn’t release him and it was last minute that I found out. I had a really tough time finding an actor so Alec Baldwin took the role and saved the day!” Eleanor said. “Alec Baldwin and Diane Lane are consummate professionals.” “I told them I’m not an experienced director so I’m counting on you to do this better than I do.”
French actor, Arnaud Viard said that it didn’t take much to prepare for his role as Alec Baldwin’s French business partner.
“I had to be coached for my English. Before the shooting, my level of English was down. Now it’s better but it’s still not perfect,” Viard admits. “I would like to do some more filming in English.” He added, “Two years ago I did a major movie, kind of Woody Allen film.” Viard said of Diane Lane that she’s beautiful and a great actress, and a very nice person -- funny and lively.
Alec Baldwin he met for only two days at Cannes, had dinner with him, and was very impressed with his charisma and that he’s a "great storyteller.”
Diane Lane spoke of her role in the film: “I do recognize that any story that you take of people and then you make it a female person, takes on a fresher perspective, a deeper look of maybe what you didn’t have before about the plight of being female or the plight of being able to shed whatever gender bias is.”
"Paris Can Wait" was clever, comical, and very entertaining to watch from start to finish.
