It was her first time at the Festival. This didn't seem possible.

Sarah Jessica Parker was in Cannes with The Weinstein Company to do some advance promotion and sweet-talk some money people for her upcoming film I Don't Know How She Does It, based on the book of the same name. She told me she's never read a stronger screenplay. After what Michael Patrick King put together for Sex & the City 2, I totally believe her. At press time, there were three events she attended. First a little cocktail reception (where I interviewed her) on Friday night at the Martinez featuring several of TWC's upcoming titles. She introduced several minutes of the film. Later on that night she made her red carpet debut at the Palais. And then the next day there was a photo call on the beach. She went long each time. I mean her clothing.

SJP is really, really professional. She understands the job. When she's there to talk, she talks. A lot. She is thoughtful with her answers, she's very articulate, she's very passionate about this film, and, she was actually really, really nice. Not up her own ass, really sweet to people, made eye contact, smiled at me a lot, made a point of involving me in her responses - example: I'm sure you have just as busy of a schedule, and I could ask you the same thing, you must have your own way of making it work - and I quite liked her, and then I just felt bad. Because someone like that, you want them to be happy, finally. Dylan liked her too, and he tried his best to shoot her the best way he could. They had one really harsh light set up on that carpet and he asked several times to have it muted, or diffused, and they couldn't make it happen, so if you watch it tonight on etalk, just know a lot of it is lighting. This is why Oprah spends so much time on it. I expect they probably spent a lot of money on it on SATC too.

Her hair is awesome in person. And the white D&G dress at that event, while it wasn't my favourite, was actually quite brave, a bold choice, something we hadn't seen yet so far. I don't hold it against her. And if I did, she would have made up for it with the SPECTACULAR Elie Saab that she wore for her first time on the Cannes carpet. It's without a doubt my favourite of the festival so far, especially as everyone else has been showing up with so much skin and so much tacky, she went long sleeves and totally chic. Length was also the play at the photo call the next day with a nautical theme.

She kept talking about having "some work" to do while here. They bring the stars to dazzle the money. Movies are such a business. Nowhere more so than in Cannes.


Photos from Wenn.com and Michael Buckner/Gettyimages.com