Every day, if you want to shoot arrivals at the Palais, "les marches", the famous red steps in Cannes, you have to go present your credentials at the press office at 10am to be entered into a lottery. You then return at 3pm to see if your outlet was selected. Spots are limited. For prime premieres, like Pirates of the Caribbean, it's really just the luck of the draw. And it's a bitch when you're planning a show because you don't know for certain whether or not you can get the footage. If you can't get the footage yourself, you have to buy it from the Festival. It's a LOT of pressure. I went early on Saturday knowing that Johnny Depp would be mayhem. I arrived at 9:30am and still I was 10th in line. Happily we were successful. But our spot wasn't on the main line. It was along the steps, the final step right before the actors entered the theatre. Initially Dylan and I thought it would be a sh-tty vantage point. It turned out to work in our favour.

Because then I could shout.

In tv, as you know, it's all about getting the best shot. The one that no one else has. Or the one that's extra special. I was situated literally 10 feet from where they ended up for a final pose. So when Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, and the cast of Pirates 4 stood up there, greeting the public before screening their film, they could hear me screaming myself senseless to get their attention:

JOHNNNYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And he looked over. Several times. And he laughed. Several times. In fact, they were all laughing - Geoffrey Rush, Pene, Ian McShane, Rob Marshall - at the barking freak to their left. He waved back. A lot. Right to camera. Right to Dylan. Dylan, of course, decided to give him some kind of bro signal with his free hand. Johnny bro'd back in return. A nod of the head. What's up, guy? You good? And that's what will air on etalk tonight.

Oh but he was in fine, fine, FINE form. Bad ass stylings. The black under the white, wearing his hair the best way it should be worn, in a great mood, so fresh and young, gallantly helping Pene up the stairs as she was negotiating with her dress. I hated that dress. I was disappointed with all of it. With that fringe, with that ponytail, with the Marchesa. More so because at the photo call earlier in the day, her hair, it was amazing and long and luscious, blown out half way down her back, in a beautifully structured Stella McCartney that did everything for her figure. Spectacular. Truly, truly spectacular. When she walked by me heading across the bridge from the photo call to the press conference, I could see how the dress held to her body. Perfectly designed.

They were sweet and fun together that day. He was shy and cool and playful, as usual, and she was sexy, becoming, and quick. They have a nice easy chemistry. And you'll note, he had no problem posing with her with his arm around her. Not intimately, obviously, but as friends, the way you do. In sharp contrast to his body language during The Tourist press with the Jolie, when the two would stand a foot apart, awkwardly, like there was some kind of invisible shield between them. It was, of course, to avoid senseless speculation, especially since anyone who so much as talks to Jolie is suspected of being invited to f-ck her.

Pirates 4 opens on Wednesday. It'll win the weekend, no doubt, but by how much? Am very, very curious to what those numbers will be.


Photos from Wenn.com and Bauergriffinonline.com