It's BAFTA night in Leicester Square and all the necessary ingredients were present for another instalment of the British Oscars. Red carpet as long as the eye can see? Check. Sealed envelopes with winners' names? Check. A gaggle of A-listers poised to see the gongs handed out? Check. Weather that could freeze the balls of an Eskimo? Oh yes indeed.
In true fashion, Britain welcomed its guests in usual BAFTA fashion with torrential rain and biting cold that put the brrr in Brrritish Academy Film Awards. But that didn't harm the turnout as a host of Hollywood stars, fresh from the balmy LA sun, braved the frigid conditions. Their pearly-white smiles were much in evidence despite all that the elements could throw at them, and the gorgeous frocks on display showed a fantastic disregard for the climate.
Christina Ricci sported a little black number, Mischa Barton was in pale lilac - but the sartorial winner was undoubtedly Ashley Walters, sporting a tuxedo with red lining. And a hood. That's right, a tuxedo with a hood. Now if that isn't street, we don't know what is. But tonight was all about the nominees, and a happier bunch it would be hard to find.
"I'm very excited!" said Charlize Theron, nominated for** North Country**. "The soggy carpet is very English but the people are great, it's a real sign of support to brave this weather. Every time I come here the people are great."
Fellow Best Actress nominee Felicity Huffman, arm-in-arm with husband William H. Macy (thereby winning the "cutest couple" award) was equally positive. "I'm very happy to be on the soggy red carpet. I've had a fantastic 12 months, it couldn't have been better." Macy, meanwhile, wondered, "Is it true that in England it rains a lot?" Empire was too trying not to get swept away by the small river rushing past our feet for frame an appropriate answer.
Fernando Meirelles, a Best Director nominee for The Constant Gardener, was also on top form. "I'm very surpised to be honest, and ten nominations I could never expect. I really didn't expect that, I'm very happy - especially for Simon the producer, this is his baby. To be honest, I read the story, I was very interested in the subject and I just got involved but I didn't know what was going to come out, so it was a surprise."
Philip Seymour Hoffman, a favourite for Best Actor for his stunning turn in Capote was less confident than some of his peers. "I don't think we were ready for this. I think quite late in the game we thought we might have something that's not bad. But you never know how people are going to respond. Sometimes you're part of things and you have more of a feeling, but this was a tough one."
Rachel Weisz, up for Best Supporting Actress for The Constant Gardener and heavily pregnant, was all smiles. " I guess I'm thrilled that people embraced it as much as they have. it was an incredible project to be part of, and the fact that people have loved it as much as I loved it is fantastic." When one witless reporter asked her what's next, she replied, "I'm having a baby!"
In keeping with the chilly weather, Jude Law was a breath of arctic air, marching past assembled fans and press with neither tip of the hat nor wink of the eye, as an attentive PR woman nannied him with an umbrella. Still, given the kind of questions those reporters with the necessary projection were asking, we're not entirely sure we blame him.
Gay cowboys Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal (who, we emphasise to the more litigious among our audience, are not really gay cowboys) arrived alongside the ever-humble Ang Lee and the somewhat more attractive Michelle Williams to fly the Brokeback Mountain flag. "The competition's very stiff," said Ledger. "Capote we really loved. We haven't seen Good Night yet but we hear that's fantastic."
"Every movie you make you assume will have this sort of a response - why would you make it if you didn't hope for this?" Declared co-star Gyllenhaal. "It's an embarrassment of riches. I'm just trying to be as present as possible - it's flattering and amazing. I feel like I've always been embraced by British audiences, on the stage in the West End and in Donnie Darko."
"I'm very excited but terribly cold!" Exclaimed Ziyi Zhang, teeth chattering as she talked. Not having the heart to see the girl catch a thorough chill, Empire bade her make haste inside the theatre and get herself a nice hot drink, the poor lamb.
The ever affable George Clooney was one of the last to pass by Empire's (by now almost frozen solid) reporter, he of the wobbly head enjoying his first BAFTA appearance as a dress rehearsal for his very first Oscar appearance next month. "I'll be honest, in LA we probably wouldn't turn up in this kind of weather!" He declared. Nominated for both Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck, Clooney declared a complete inability to choose one over the other, "Hey, I love them both - the good thing about directing though, is you get to boss around a bunch of actors. I kind of like that."
And with that we were left, cold, wet and alone outside the Odeon Leicester Square as the doors were closed and the ceremony began. Check back later for a full report on the show itself and the complete list of winners - as soon as some feeling returns to our frostbitten extremities.