Movie Premiere: Black or White
Kevin Costner’s latest movie, Black or White, opened in the U.S. on January 30, but the movie had its premiere on the 20th at the Regal Cinemas L.A. Live. The premiere was attended by many of the movie’s stars plus a number of other celebrities who were curious about the film and the buzz its received. At the most recent SAG awards, for example, there was talk of the movie walking away with a number of top honors at the 2015 ceremony.
The film follows the story of Elliot Anderson (played by Kevin Costner) and his granddaughter Eloise (played by Jillian Estell). Eloise’s mother died giving birth to her, leaving Anderson and his wife to raise their granddaughter. When his wife dies in a car crash, Anderson is left to raise the young girl on his own. But the status quo is changed even more when Rowena (played by Octavia Spencer) comes into the picture and demands the girl be raised by her father, Reggie, Rowena’s drug addicted son. Anderson now has to deal with both a battle for his granddaughter and his own racial prejudices while dealing with Reggie and his family.
At the premiere, Costner walked the red carpet with his wife, model and designer Christine Baumgartner, and his daughter Lily Costner. He chose to wear a deep blue suit, a white shirt with the top button left undone, and a light blue pocket square. It was a fairly relaxed look for the red carpet, but he pulled it off well. His wife went with a sheer black top paired with a long black skirt that looked great while showing off some skin in a classy way.
But it was daughter Lily, whom many say stole the show. She went for a long salmon-colored gown that left her arms bare. It featured a thigh-high slit up the side that showed off her long legs. Lily actually contributed to the movie’s soundtrack, singing several songs in the film.
Anthony Mackie walked the red carpet in a sleek blue also sans tie like co-star, Kevin Costner, but he went for a darker shade of blue and added a formal vest to his look.
Young Jillian Estell received much attention for her role as Eloise. She dressed for the premiere in an off-white dress featuring antique lace designs and decorations. She paired it with a headband featuring a few white flowers. It was a very cute look that got a lot of praise.
Bill Burr, who plays Anderson’s lawyer, continued the trend of appearing without a tie or any other men’s formal accessory. He wore a black suit, white button up shirt with the top button undone, and a black vest. He was accompanied by his wife Nia Renee Hill, who chose a dark red floor-length sleeveless gown that almost perfectly matched the red carpet.
While some have called Costner’s performance in this movie one of his best, overall early reviews have been mixed. Now that the film has opened across the country, it will be interesting to see what audiences have to say.