Susan Sarandon goes commando

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COLD FEET: Susan Sarandon walks the red carpet at the premiere of The Lovely Bones in Wellington.

LOVELY EVENING: The Lovely Bones star Susan Sarandon arrives without shoes to loud cheers at the premiere in Wellington.

IRISH STAR: 15-year-old star Saoirse Ronan, who plays the main character, murder victim Susie Salmon, arrives at the Wellington premiere.

QUICK WALK: Brendan Pongia arrives for the premiere of The Lovely Bones in Wellington.

WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN: A guest arrives for the premiere of The Lovely Bones in Wellington.

STRIKE A POSE: Carolyn Dando and Rose McLver arrive for the premiere of The Lovely Bones in Wellington.

STAR STRUCK: Lead Irish actress Saoirse Ronan poses for a photograph with a fan at the NZ premiere of The Lovely Bones.

LONG ROAD: The red carpet leading to the Embassy Theatre, which is hosted the NZ premiere of The Lovely Bones.

KIWI STARS: Rose McIver (left) and Carolyn Dando pose for photographers on the red carpet at the Lovely Bones Wellington premiere.

IT'S A WRAP: The Lovely Bones director Peter Jackson arrives at the film's New Zealand premiere at the Embassy Theatre in Wellington.

EXCITMENT: Fans lined Wellington's Courtenay Place to welcome The Lovely Bones stars.

IN JACKSON'S FOOTSTEPS: Fellow Kiwi film director Taika Waititi attends Jackson's NZ premiere of The Lovely Bones.

KIWI FANS: Kerre Woodham and Shane Cortese walk the red carpet with their younger guests.

CROWD PLEASER: Kiwi comedian Rhys Darby was among the guests invited to the NZ premiere.

NZ PREMIERE: The Lovely Bones stars Susan Sarandon and Saoirse Ronan sign autographs on the red carpet.

STAR CAST: US actress and cast member Susan Sarandon arrives at the NZ premiere of The Lovely Bones.

RED CARPET: Guests start arriving to attend the New Zealand premiere of The Lovely Bones in Wellington.

HOLDING THE FLOOR: Peter Jackson attends the Lovely Bones press conference in Wellington.

SPEAKING OUT: Rose McLver and Carolyn Dando attend a press conference in Wellington to promote The Lovely Bones.

BIG HUG: Philippa Boyens and Saoirse Ronan attend a press conference in Wellington to promote The Lovely Bones.

TRIPLE TROUBLE: Susan Sarandon, Saoirse Ronan and Rose McLver attend a press conference in Wellington to promote The Lovely Bones.

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS: Peter Jackson and Saoirse Ronan attend a press conference to promote The Lovely Bones in Wellington.

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Kiwi actresses on The Lovely Bones

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Heaven, according to Peter Jackson's film The Lovely Bones, is a technicolour wonderland.

For the crowds that lined the red carpet on Wellington's Courtenay Place last night waiting for the stars to arrive at the premiere, the long-awaited sunshine was heavenly enough.

But Oscar winner Susan Sarandon, 63, the biggest-hitting international star in attendance, froze after she turned up in bare feet - and without knickers or a bra beneath her frock, her co-star Rose McIver revealed in a speech to guests inside the Embassy.

Sarandon was covered in goosebumps as she signed autographs and cut her media interviews short as she was taken inside to warm up.

VIP guests included Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi, television presenter Brendon Pongia and television actors.

The estimated 5000-strong crowd was humble compared with the 125,000 fans who turned out for The Lord of the Rings premiere in 2003 and the 20,000 lining the streets for King Kong in 2005.

But Jackson fever was in the air. Signs reading "We love you Peter and Fran" were waved and Wellington's best loved director, one of the last to arrive down the red carpet, received a resounding cheer and even bigger applause inside where he spoke to the VIP audience before the film began to roll.

"There is nothing like the home crowd. Everyone is royalty in Wellywood," he said.

Fifteen-year-old Irish actress Saoirse Ronan, who plays murder victim Susie Salmon, said she felt like Wellington was her second home.

"Is it wrong to say this is my favourite premiere so far?" asked the star, wearing a charm bracelet which was a prop in the movie and gifted to her after the film wrapped.

"Even though everyone is screaming for [comedian] Rhys Darby."

Yesterday's event follows last month's worldwide premiere before a royal audience in London, its launch on the weekend in New York and Los Angeles and a premiere in Sydney.

Jackson said the studios had decided to launch the movie in stages rather than an America-wide launch, partly because of competition from James Cameron's movie Avatar, also made in Wellington, and partly due to the style of The Lovely Bones.

"It's a slightly challenging film that doesn't fit into the usual mass market mould."

The film opens here on Boxing Day and will be released in other US cities by mid-January.

Overseas reviews for the $80 million movie have been mixed.

Jackson said audiences had largely been positive.

"A lot of people that see the movie have said they want to see it again to absorb it. It does seem to affect some people in a way that's not just a piece of entertainment in that disposable way."

He said the smaller scale of the film, compared to his previous big-budget fantasies, gave him more freedom and allowed him to take more risks.

"It certainly was a reaction to some degree of not wanting to repeat myself."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Mandy   #31   11:17 am Dec 16 2009

Never go barefoot or bare-anythinged in Wellington in December. December never hits even 18 degrees - and I've lived here for 12 years. Susan Sarandon must have been told by a PA that the NZ croud would love to see her conforming to a NZ 'norm' by turning up barefoot to a formal function.

They should also have told her that even though it's 'summer' it's likely to only be about 7 degrees. Bbrrrrr - I don't envy her! I don't go out in Wellington at any time of the year without a ski jacket.

Ben   #30   08:40 am Dec 16 2009

Barefoot and pregnant???

Cosmo   #29   08:34 am Dec 16 2009

Mark #27 - did you actually look at the photos? She's pretty pert for a biddy!

Linda   #28   08:33 am Dec 16 2009

Good for her, why not, hundreds of people do it all the time and there a lot of women not wearing bra's who really should (you know who you are)at this time of year in horrific tops barley containing cleavage. We couldn't see anything flopping out and if she hadn't told us about the panties would we have known. You go Susan, all power to you

Mark   #27   07:47 am Dec 16 2009

Yeah, good for her going "commando" but lets be frank here - a 63yo woman without a bra on is asking for disaster. I don't think the dress was designed to have her bits sagging around her belly button.

kazza   #26   06:03 am Dec 16 2009

@ Stacey #12 - Ooops, just goes to show how much I know, lol! I will now walk around barefoot so it is easier for me to put my foot in my mouth! Thanks for enlightening me.

Rawhide   #25   03:37 am Dec 16 2009

Susan's 40 odd years older than me and I got a thing for her sho stop the hate eh?

Gina   #24   10:14 pm Dec 15 2009

Barefoot or not she is one spunky lady and yes definately a tribute to Peter Jackson, Didn't Liv Tyler go barefoot on the red carpet For LOTR premier for the same reason?

Rach   #23   09:55 pm Dec 15 2009

^5 to Susan!!! Spunk, confidence and a mature woman, go for gold I say. She put a lot of the younger women to shame with her natural beauty, poise and professionalism. She is a lovely, down to earth woman and she was probably grateful that she could go barefooted to a redcarpet occasion and "know" that people would accept her for who she is... a great actress. Shoes do not make the women and people that know her for her abilities would not judge her so harshly!

She went commando, hells bells people so what?? She is comfortable and relaxed with herself, a true model to women everywhere, the more mature of us and the younger set.

Woody   #22   08:36 pm Dec 15 2009

woooohoooo Susan!! Go girl!!! You get one crack at life so what the hell... Who cares what you wear (or dont wear!), even for someone of your status in society. I personally dont give a toss, your a fab actress and a fantastic lady, thats all I care about.. Kia Kaha