Sandra Bullock, Hugh Grant Finish Off Cannes

Sandra Bullock 

Sandra Bullock, Hugh Grant Finish Off Cannes

"Thanks a lot, I have a stalker now," Sandra Bullock joked with me on Saturday afternoon at the Cannes Film Festival.

Sandy, who is always fun and real, was referring to my story last summer that she'd bought a house on Tybee Island in Georgia. Indeed, she has — and her notoriety there has made Tybee more popular than ever. But, listen folks, let's leave her alone. The poor girl needs some down time.

Bullock and Hugh Grant made a cameo appearance Saturday to promote Two Weeks Notice, the Warner Bros. comedy they just wrapped. The film will be rushed for Christmas, so the studio wanted foreign distributors to see at least a few minutes of what's to come. The press wasn't terribly impressed, but five minutes isn't enough to tell. In the end, the combination of Hugh and Sandy should be enough to draw a big audience.

So where is Hugh Grant going now? "To England, where I live, you may have heard of it," he quipped. He's been doing nonstop publicity for About a Boy around the world, and dodging questions about Liz Hurley's baby with Steven Bing, so I guess he's ready for a little vacation.

Bullock was happy to meet R&B legend Sam Moore, whom this reporter introduced to her. He is featured in the Chris Hegedus- D.A. Pennebaker film Only the Strong Survive. The film, which this reporter co-produced, had a successful series of showings by the Directors Fortnight during Cannes. It also offered me the opportunity to be on the "other side" — doing publicity for a film. At the press junket given by Miramax, I warned the journalists who came to interview me: "Everything is off the record, and you can't ask about my relationship with Nicole Kidman!"

In the end, I asked myself the hardest questions, and needed a nap when it was over. You don't know how happy I am to return to the right side of the aisle!

As for Sam Moore, he and his wife Joyce — who did incredible service for a week — are now off to Cardiff, Wales for a big Royal Jubilee celebration for Queen Elizabeth's 50th anniversary. He's putting on a show with a bunch of music greats, including Brian Wilson, before returning to the States for the American release of his album, Pretty Good Loving.

In Paris tonight: the legendary James Brown, plus straggling Americans sleeping off Cannes...

Respond to the Writer