Hollywood Hits the Red Carpet

Argo's L.A. premiere signaled the arrival of awards season in the City of Angels. Warner Bros. held the screening for the drama -- centered on the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis -- at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, followed by a lavish poolside bash at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Director and star Ben Affleck and producer George Clooney were hugged by well-wishers at the afterparty. Also getting attention was Tony Mendez, the real-life CIA operative behind the movie's events. "It's a celebratory movie that really focuses on humankind," said co-star Bryan Cranston. "When you choose to do something that is selfless and for the betterment of mankind, there is no more noble endeavor than that." -- Borys Kit