DUBAI // Screaming fans welcomed the actor Gerard Butler yesterday at the Dubai International Film Festival, where he was presented the award for International Star of the Year by Variety magazine. Butler walked the red carpet last night, along with many other stars on hand to watch the screening of Avatar, James Cameron's science fiction epic.
Before the red carpet event, Butler talked about his life and cinema at the Madinat Theatre to an audience made up mostly of women of all ages. "PS, I love you, too!" Butler yelled, responding to cries from the crowd. The actor, who has starred in films such as 300, PS: I Love You and The Ugly Truth, was greeted with screams from placard-waving female fans. "Thank you for all the screaming. It makes me feel very sexy," Butler said. "I do not win too many awards, which is why I will cherish this one."
Earlier, at a press conference to announce the award, the 40-year-old Scot sent the audience into peals of laughter as he joked about everything from his acting skills to his distinct accent. "I graduated with a law degree and worked as a lawyer for years. But I got fired, which left me open to the universe and its wicked ways," he said. Butler joked about almost every question thrown at him. He challenged the interpreter by speaking fast in a thick, Scottish accent and checking whether she could get everything he was saying.
"If it were up to me I would stick to my Scottish accent," he said. "It is one of the downsides of this profession, as I have to play American so often. It's been very hard to go from a full Scottish accent to a US accent." He was asked what question he would hope to avoid for the rest of his life. "I wish the media never asked me again if I am dating Jennifer Anniston," he said. "She may be my favourite person on the planet. She is so cool, but I am not dating her."
The festival will conclude with the awards ceremony tonight. @Email:pmenon@thenational.ae