By Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY
What:�An unapologetic criminal defense attorney Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey) lands the case of his life, representing a manipulative, rich Beverly Hills Realtor (Ryan Phillippe) who is accused of a gruesome, deadly crime.
By Kevin Winter, Getty Images
Ryan Phillippe and Matthew McConaughey strike a pose at the after party for The Lincoln Lawyer.
By Kevin Winter, Getty Images
Ryan Phillippe and Matthew McConaughey strike a pose at the after party for The Lincoln Lawyer.
Where:�Arclight Hollywood, Los Angeles
When:�Thursday night
Guest list:�Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Phillippe, Josh Lucas, Michael Pe�a, Frances Fisher, William H. Macy, Trace Adkins, Laurence Mason, Michaela Conlin and director Brad Furman. Also spotted: Camilla Alves and Marissa Miller.
Legal aspirations? In the film, McConaughey plays a lawyer out for cash (who operates out of the back of his Lincoln sedan) while defending the guilty. Did this crop of stars ever think they'd end up as lawyers? Growing up, "I thought that's what I was going to do for six years," McConaughey said. "I like how I've got it now. I can work as one, (then) do something else." Lucas, who plays a district attorney in the film, said no way ? but his parents "would have loved it if I had become a doctor because my parents are both doctors."
Phillippe's most random gig growing up? Working at a video store ? that got held up. "I let them have the money in the register, basically," he confessed. "I was 17 years old, and there was not a weapon in sight. I gave in pretty easily. The cops came afterwards." Pe�a had other aspirations. "I was thinking about going into the military and being a Marine, but that didn't work out." Macy almost became a veterinarian, "but I discovered that to become a vet, you actually had to go to school," he said. "But I'm good with animals."
Matthew's new direction:�After a string of comedies including Fool's Gold, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Failure to Launch, McConaughey said he was hungry for a drama. "It's just what turned me on at the time," said the star, who walked the red carpet with wife, Alves, his mom and his brother. "I'd come off of doing a bunch of comedies, loved doing those," but "this came across, and I was kind of looking for something like this." Will he ever go back to comedy? "Oh yeah," he assured.
Keeping it real:�"We didn't do a lot of rehearsal because we wanted to keep the scenes between the two characters really fresh," said Philippe, whose on-screen tactics dealing with McConaughey turn venomous. "The whole dynamic between us is about manipulation and trying to catch the other off guard."
Proud parents:�Proud mom Kay McConaughey walked the carpet, posing in pictures with her son who she says "loves being a dad, let's put it at that way. It's not an effort. It just comes natural." McConaughey smiled while talking about his little ones and said being a parent gave him a new perspective on his career. "I can tell you I'm enjoying (acting) more than I was before, and I've made 40, 50 films," he said. Phillippe agreed. "When I was younger I was much more at the mercy of the work I did," said the dad of two, who's learned to shake off challenging roles. "When they say wrap, I'm gone. I go home and cook dinner after playing this awful character."
Country crooner:�What was country star Trace Adkins doing at the Hollywood premiere? He stars as the head of a tough biker gang in the Los Angeles-based film. "This is certainly the biggest film I've ever been part of," said the tall singer, who donned a cowboy hat for the event. "I enjoyed it. It challenges me and takes me out of my comfort zone, and I find that invigorating." And there was no singing on set. "I was only there about five days, so I didn't have to worry about that too much," Adkins said. "Matthew and I tried to out-mellow each other, and we slipped into a coma," he joked.
Love notes:�Phillippe was mum on his romance with Red Riding Hood star Amanda Seyfried (who popped in to the film's after-party). "I can't say anything," he said with a laugh. "I'm dating!" Co-star Macy beamed when talking about his love, wife Felicity Huffman. "I love my family," he said, crediting Huffman with keeping him grounded. "Like most actors, we can go flying off the deep end really easily, you think about yourself as if the world starts and stops with you. I've got a really good wife, she's good at perspective."
News you can use:�Lucas told us he's shooting J. Edgar, playing Charles Lindbergh alongside Leonardo DiCaprio. Director Clint Eastwood, he said, is "making a deeply important American movie. There's no director in the world like him. He's a bit of a Zen master." DiCaprio, whom he shares the bulk of his scenes with, is "going for it," Lucas said. "It's an extraordinary project." Conlin, who plays a police detective in The Lincoln Lawyer alongside Brian Cranston, appears as pregnant Angela on Fox's Bones. She said she's ready to give birth to her Bones baby. "I'm so tired of wearing a fake pregnancy suit," she confessed. "It's sweaty and pretty heavy. I'm in an eighth-month suit now."
Director's notes:�Furman said that despite the film's dark, twisting undertones, the cast and crew had a good time on set. "We had fun, but it was also very serious due to the nature of the content, dealing with rape and murder and testimonies and some really dark stuff," he said. "But we had a good time." That included impromptu sparring with the star of his movie. "We had a big boxing match one time. It was like our last day. And he's strong, that's all I can say," he said with a laugh. Who won? "Matthew," he said. "He's like a big brother."
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