"What Women Want" Premiere
By Ellen A. Kim, Hollywood.com Staff
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Thursday, July 26, 2001
The battle of the sexes may be neverending, but "What Women Want," which premiered Wednesday night at Westwood's Mann Village Theater, puts a new spin on the romantic-comedy genre by giving Mel Gibson the gift of, well, reading women's minds.
And he uses it to his advantage in the film, not only to further his advertising career but to woo his new boss, played by Helen Hunt. Gibson goes to great lengths to recognize his feminine side in the film, from waxing to trying on pantyhose and dancing down the halls like Gene Kelly.
Mel Gibson flashes his famous blue eyes at the premiere for "What Women Want."
"I think I mentioned a hat and [the choreographer] mentioned a rack," Gibson joked of his musical numbers. "I thought he meant hat rack, [but] he was talking about someone passing by."
But the real question on the red carpet was: Are men's minds something women want to understand?
"I asked a man, my husband [Gerald McRaney], 'What are you thinking?'" cast member Delta Burke said. "[He said] 'Nothing.' 'What are you thinking?' 'Nothing.' They don't think anything; that's why they go to sleep at night. Women are thinking too many things, and they can't go to sleep."
Mark Feuerstein, who plays Gibson's sidekick in the film, begs to differ.
"When I'm upset, I know why. Women don't," he said. "That's the great mystery of women.
Attending from the film were Hunt, director Nancy Meyers, Marisa Tomei, Ashley Johnson, Valerie Perrine and Loretta Devine. Meredith Brooks and The Temptations, both of whom contribute songs to the movie, were on hand, as well as Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Ben Stiller, Laura Linney, Kelsey Grammer, Gloria Stuart and others.
"What Women Want" hits theaters Dec. 15.