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George Clooney brushes up well for film festival launch
Last updated at 10:05am on 15.10.09George Clooney took his TV presenter girlfriend Elisabetta Canalis to the premiere of Fantastic Mr Fox in Leicester Square.
Clooney, 48, voices Mr Fox in the adaptation of Roald Dahl's book, which opened the London Film Festival last night.
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Clooney hogged the limelight at the premiere after his co-star, Meryl Streep, bowed out due to illness. Streep voices Clooney's wife in the film.
"It's great to be here and we have a bunch of films on show," Clooney said of the festival, which has three of his films in its programme.
He also signed autographs for fans, who had gathered at the film's world premiere - issuing a safety warning to some.
Sophie Chapman, 19, from London, said: "George Clooney said 'Please don't push because the barriers will fall over and you'll all fall on top of me'."
Sandra Hebron, director of the Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival, defended the decision to open the event with an animation.
She said: "It's absolutely no risk at all.
"The film is animated, but that simply adds to its charm.
"It's a story which lots of people grown up with and love.
"I think Wes Anderson has brought his own vision to the film (and) it has a really great cast."
Bill Murray, who voices Badger in the film, wore a trilby hat and pink bow tie to step out on the red carpet.
"If you like stop-animation like Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run, then you'll love it," he said.
Jason Schwartzman, who voices Fantastic Mr Fox's son, Ash, said he loved working alongside Clooney.
"It was an honour. He's an incredible combination of professionalism and relaxation and humour, so it's nice," he said.
Also attending the screening were actor David Morrissey, supermodel Cindy Crawford, presenter Jonathan Ross and film director Gurinder Chada. A festival spokesman said Streep was ill and could not attend.
The film is released on October 23.
