Premiere league: Stars lay siege to Venice for festival

COLIN Farrell and Ewan McGregor were in Venice yesterday for the premiere of their new Woody Allen film Cassandra’s Dream.

They play Cockney brothers who are drawn into a life of crime by a beautiful young woman.

Farrell, 31, said he was happy to play an ordinary Joe after so many roles as the action hero.

“It’s very liberating to not be playing the hero, someone who is tough talking and takes each situation on the chin and instead, to concern your-self with the common man, which personally, I consider myself to be,” he said.

Despite an Oscar-winning career stretching back 30 years, Woody Allen claimed his work had failed to inspire later generations of film-makers.

“Oddly enough, over the years I’ve never felt that I have influenced anyone. I don’t mean that to sound like false modesty, but I could always feel the influence of my contemporaries — Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Altman, Steven Spielberg – but I have never seen my influence on anyone,” he said.

Meanwhile, Brad Pitt spoke of the joys of fatherhood yesterday, describing it as “the most fun I’ve ever had”.

The Hollywood star is dad to partner Angelina Jolie’s adoptive brood and the couple have a fourth child, Shiloh.

“It’s the most fun I’ve ever had and also the biggest pain in the ass I’ve ever experienced,” he said.

“I love it and can’t recommend it any more highly — although sleep is non-existent.”

He added: “It makes me much more efficient because when I work I really have to focus.”

His relationship with Jolie was recently rumoured to be in trouble.

But the Tomb Raider actress has accompanied him to the Venice Film Festival, with children in tow.

Pitt is promoting his new film, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

The 43-year-old actor is the biggest draw of the festival, arriving to huge cheers from the crowds.

But he proved less popular with the assembled photographers when he refused to take his sunglasses off to have his picture taken.

The snappers booed him and accused him of being vain before walking out in protest.

Pitt’s latest film is a Western depicting the last year in the life of the famous outlaw. Ben Affleck’s younger brother, Casey, plays fellow gang member Robert Ford.

Pitt was momentarily lost for words when one critic asked if the film is really a gay drama about the relationship between the two men.

“If that’s what works for you, it’s absolutely fine. You can interpret it as you will,” he replied, “but it’s actually much more complex. I do love a gay story though.”

The Ocean’s 13 star said he was incredibly proud of his new film.

The movie is one of the favourites to win the Golden Lion prize for best film.