Everyone Was There at the "I'm Not There" Premiere

New York - The stars glittered brilliantly on a chilly Tuesday night in New York City to see director Todd Haynes' homage to Bob Dylan's life. Called "I'm Not There," it is a movie with an interesting conceit. In it, six actors – including one female, Cate Blanchett – portray the legendary singer-songwriter at various points in his iconic career. Blanchett was off in Sydney, and fellow Dylans Christian Bale and Ben Whishaw didn't make it either, but the other three who take on the role, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger and Marcus Carl Franklin, joined Haynes and the film's
Heath Ledger talked about the film to the press earlier in the week, and explained that a knowledge of Dylan's life and music isn't a necessity to enjoying the flick.

"I don't think you need to be a Dylan genius in order to appreciate it as a story, a film, or the experience of it," Ledger said. "It is a film, it is a movie, and it's not a quiz. There is no Q&A afterwards, as an audience member. Quite frankly I think the less you know, the better off you are going to be. You are not going to be straining yourself, trying to digest every single line of dialogue. You just kind of strap yourself in and enjoy the ride, that kind of thing."

That's just what Julianne Moore, Bruce Greenwood, and Yolanda Moss did; they co-star in the movie and joined a throng of Haynes fans at the premiere. There was Lauren Bacall, Adrian Grenier, Glenn Close, Justin Bateman, Eva Amurri, Bebe Neuwirth, Patricia Clarkson, Richard Belzer and Bart Freundlich.

Dylan's music has had a profound impact over the years, even on 28-year-old Heath Ledger, who wasn't born when Dylan rose to superstardom in the Sixties, but who insisted that age has nothing to do with appreciating the music – or "I'm Not There" either.

"I was definitely a fan of Dylan. I think Dylan was someone who I had scheduled somewhat, in the future, down the line, to become obsessed by. I do get obsessed with people, musicians, and artists," Ledger admitted. "I think that Todd prematurely invited me into this obsession, on this film."

The film-festival favorite opens in limited release on November 21.