Tough Guys Take In "American Gangster"

Jenny Peters Tue Oct 30, 1:42 PM ET

Los Angeles, CA - It's certain that awards season is right around the corner, when companies like Universal Pictures put on an "industry screening" (not a premiere, mind you) complete with long red carpet, screaming photographers, and some of Hollywood's biggest stars. That's what happened Monday night at the Arclight Cinemas on Sunset Boulevard, as "American Gangster" began its optimistic trek toward Oscar.

Boasting two Academy Award-winning actors in the lead roles – Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington, who both worked the red carpet hard – as well as another, Cuba Gooding, Jr., in a key role, the film tells the real-life tale of 1970's Harlem drug kingpin Frank Lucas and the New Jersey cop who brought down his empire.

Crowe joked that Washington "kept bringing his Oscar to the set every day," to which Denzel countered, "I brought two of them! I brought them both, they play like little men, they fight."

But there's no joking about making sure their film is positioned as a contender as awards season heats up; that kind of buzz is worth millions in box-office receipts, which is why they hit the carpet hard, smiling happily along with the film's producer Brian Grazer and beautiful breakout star Lymari Nadal.

Plenty of their famous tough guy friends turned up to check out the dark, compelling flick, from Mel Gibson and Ben Foster (Crowe's memorable co-star in "3:10 to Yuma,"his other contender this year) to Jeremy Piven, John Singleton, John Schneider, and Olivier Martinez. Also on hand to be one of Tinseltown's first to see the film were Julie Delpy, Marion Ross, Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams, Niecy Nash, and even Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The film, opening Nov. 2, was so popular that it took up multiple screens at the Arclight, including the cavernous Cinerama Dome, and caused its own Hollywood mini-traffic jam as the huge crowd exited all at once, since there was no after party.

There's a school of thought that would say that TV series Ally McBeal did for office wear what John Galliano once did for a fast-dating Dior - infused it with some spunk, some flair, and some seriously sexy models to kick a once-conceived 'boring' clothing sector into the cutting edge fashion world. And nobody wore corporate-chic better than Lucy Liu's ferociously foxy Ling Wu; who sported her trouser suits, sharp shirts and spiked stilettos with some serious edge, and a whole heap of attitude.

Lucy Liu had arrived, and when the series lent her an almost instantaneous style queen status, the actress didn't disappoint. With her quirky, freckled Asian looks, amazing hair and perfectly petite figure, it's hardly surprising that Liu can make almost anything look good. She is rarely if ever seen looking anything but sleek and glamorous, developing a trademark look of grooming and sophisticated elegance. She appears to have that rare, invaluable ability to combine old-school movie star glamour with cutting edge trends, and all the top designers can't get enough clothes on that back.

One of her more scene stealing numbers was the red and black one shoulder Versace gown she wore to the 72nd academy awards, which launched the actress on almost every best-dressed-at-the-Oscars list to be seen on. The beautiful fish tailed gown was beaded in a graphic swirl design, and was set off to perfection by red snakeskin sandals, and of course Liu's own sleek, jet-black locks.
But this style jackpot was by no means a one-off for the actress who first gained public attention (from the male public anyway) playing a dangerously sexy dominatrix in the movie "Payback". It's difficult to pinpoint the best-dressed moments of a woman who never seems to be anything but. Take for example her 2005 Milan Fashion Week outfit - simple yet stunning black, knee-length Versace; accessorised modestly with amazing Bulgari earrings and teetering peeptoe black heels. Just one more example of her simplicity-with-style fashion formula that never seems to let her down.

And of course, Liu takes her stylishness across the board, appearing in some of the 'coolest' movies being made. Who could forget her in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill", and she certainly hit the blockbuster mark in "Charlie's Angels" with friends Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore. When she made a cameo as herself in the style series of our time "Sex and the City", remember how she wore the then must-have "J'adore Dior" tank top - the storyline based around her reluctance to give up her Hermes birkin…..

Yes, Lucy Liu truly has made it as a Hollywood star - no mean feat among the masses of wannabe-starlets swarming LA. How did she do it? A combination of hard work, natural talent and stunning Asian looks - all beautifully packaged with focussed determination, natural flair and killer style that has and will always set Lucy Liu apart from the pack. We can but dream.