Chatting up the stars at the BAFTA/LA Tea Party

I am really looking forward to watching the Golden Globe Awards on television for the first time in about a decade.

Part of me will miss not being in the thick of things at the Beverly Hilton Hotel but did get my fix of big movie and TV stars on Saturday.

I snuck away from the Television Critics Association Press Tour Saturday afternoon to cover the red carpet at the BAFTA/LA Tea Party at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

The event drew some heavy hitters including Jane Fonda, Paul McCartney, Tom Ford, Julianne Moore, Lee Daniels, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Helen Mirren, Anna Kendrick, Diane Kruger, Christoph Waltz, Ben Foster, Jeremy Renner, Stephen Lang, Emily Blunt, Jason Reitman, Gabouray Sidibe, Claire Danes, Eli Roth,  Bryan Batt, Sam Trammel, Saoirse Ronan, Rick Springfield, Joan Collins and Quentin Tarantino.

It was disappointing to not get a chance to talk with some of those people though as I was near the end of the red carpet. But I tried! When Sir. Paul McCartney blew by, I caught his attention and asked: ‘Who are you rooting for?” His answer was funny: “Me!” The former Beatle is nominated for a Golden Globe Award tonight for a song he wrote for his song I Want to Come Home from the movie Everybody’s Fine.

Then there was Jane Fonda whose book, My Life So Far is one of the very best celebrity memoirs ever written. She wasn’t doing many interviews but when she was leaving the event, I turned and said to her: “I loved you book.” She lit up and said, ‘Thank you! I wrote it myself.” I thanked her for being so revealing and honest in the book which is a fascinating read.

I was really looking forward to chatting to Maggie Gyllenhaal who was very patiently talking to each and every reporter on the line. She co-stars with Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart and was telling the reporter next to me how she getting ready for these kinds of events is something she’s gotten down to a science.

Just as it as going to be my turn, Maggie turned to her publicist and wearily asked, ‘How many more?” She then resumed by talking to the person on the other side of me. I did not take it personally and did not have the heart to exhaust her further. Let me just say this: she is a very beautiful woman and handles herself with tremendous grace.

Tom Ford, the director of the wonderful film A Single Man, was another missed opportunity. He arrived with the lovely Julianne Moore who is so good in his movie and was making a beeline to the party after posing for photos. He musta been hungry!

“I’m happy to be here!” he said to me barely breaking stride. I asked him if he’s enjoying all of the parties and he said: “Fun!” Then, as he walked away, I asked Mr. Ford if he was basking in all the attention and acclaim. He looked back over his shoulder, smiled, and said: “Basking!”

Not one of my more in-depth interviews I must say but kinda fun all the same.

“It’s the most amazing thing because, first of all, it was so hard to get the part,” she said. “Then you get the part and then it’s so exciting. Then you make this movie. I gave pretty much my heart and soul. I knew this was the part.  And then to be getting the response I’ve been getting and for it to not only be such a big box office hit but also to be acclaimed by the critics – which never happens, right? It’s so wonderful to be recognized, finally, for a performance, and the hope of a better parts in better movies, that’s just amazing.”

Also had a brief exchange with her co-star, the Austrian actor Christoph Waltz who is the favorite to win the Globe tonight for his performance as the terrifying Col. Hans Landa in Basterds.

“It’s one of the best parts that has ever been written in the history of moving pictures,” he said of the role.

Of today’s Golden Globes he said he was “Excited? Yes. Ready? Not. I’m not cool but I try and keep my cool.”

Briefly talked with director Lee Daniels who has received a DGA award nomination for Precious and wondered how he handling all the acclaim for his gritty and moving film.

“I’m taking it like a pro,” he said. “I’m taking it with the grain of salt, I am humbled, I’m honored. It’s exciting. It’s a very exciting time.”

Someone else asked Daniels what the moviemaking experience has taught him and he said: “I think that everybody’s precious. I’ve come to realize that everybody has a little bit of precious in them.”

Rick Springfield arrived looking remarkably youthful and hip for a man who is now 60. The Grammy winner had one of his juiciest roles in years on Showtime’s Californication playing a nightmare fictionalized version of himself. I asked if there were any plans for him to return to the show.

“Maybe, I don’t know,” he said. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen…. I’m not the jerk that that guy was but it was fun to play.”

Until or if that happens, Rick has plenty to keep him busy as he is not only making a new record, he’s also writing his autobiography.

“I’ve been working on it for about six months,” he said. “When I hit 60 I said it was time.”

I mentioned to Rick that McCartney was inside the party and wondered if they were going to have a pow-wow about music.

“Oh yeah I am actually,” Rick said laughing. “I’m go, ‘Paul, blow everyone else off, we need to talk.”