PartyLines- photographs by Patrick McMullan

After being in this movie, would you want to be in the music business? “No! I thought TV and film is kind of shady. But this? No thank you.” —Gabrielle Union

—Adrien Brody

Have you met Etta James? “On the red carpet in L.A. She was lovely, she was frail, but I could see that she felt that her life had been captured and honored by this movie.” —Eamonn Walker

—Beyoncé Knowles

—Jay-Z

What was the coolest thing about the forties and fifties? “Women took a lot of time to get ready. It was very feminine.” Could you see yourself doing that? “Oh, hell no. I’m so low-maintenance.” —Emmanuelle Chriqui

—Sean Combs

Does this movie make you want to go into the music business? “It seemed to be a really good time; they had fun. They were the first real rock stars, even though they were singing the blues; these guys were wild and drinking and rowdy.” —Cedric the Entertainer

—Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos

—Ne-Yo

The Public Theater had to cancel your play Free Man of Color with Jeffrey Wright due to financing trouble. “It really could have been one of the most important American plays of the 21st century.” —Mos Def

—Jeffrey Wright

—Tamara Tunie

You designed your own watch? “This is a Maranello. We’ve got 50 styles. It’s like the second-best-selling watch in Europe right now.” —Akon