PartyLines- photographs by Patrick McMullan

Are you ever going to rap again like you did on Saturday Night Live? “I don’t think I’m qualified to rap.” —Natalie Portman

—Meryl Streep (Getty Images)

What was the biggest lesson you learned as a first-time director? “Well, I understand why directors often have cocaine problems. I myself do not, but honestly, I thought about it. I mean, you could do it probably with 40 cups of coffee, but it was physically grueling. You know, writing, you’re just sitting at home in your underwear eating chips.” —Robert Siegel, ‘Big Fan’ Director

—Alec Baldwin

—Patricia Clarkson

Have you seen Twilight? “No. I know that it’s a phenomenon, but unfortunately, I’m not a 12-year-old girl or a creepy 50-year-old pedophile. Although a friend of mine saw it and said it’s ‘stare porn.’ It’s just young people staring at each other. Which I was like, ‘Wow.’” —Patton Oswalt

—Ryan Reynolds

How do you describe all the famous people in the room tonight? “It’s like going to the best zoo in the world. I don’t know. Somehow I got invited to hang out with all the really pretty animals, so that feels good.” —Ben Foster

—Stanley Tucci

—Michelle Byrd, IFP President

Have you changed how you do your hair since you made the movie Good Hair? “Nope ... obviously.” —Chris Rock

—Joel & Ethan Coen (Getty Images)

Have you ever crashed a party? “Yes. Prince had a Grammy party two years ago at his house, and I was able to crash that by lying in a friend’s trunk. Once I got to the house, everybody was like, ‘Oh, it’s so good to have you here.’ And I was like, ‘No shit? I had to strap myself to a donkey to get here.’ But it was amazing.” —Anthony Mackie

—Willem Dafoe

—Amy Landecker

How do you remain calm at these types of ceremonies? “I think about death, and I think of my own mortality. Whenever I get slightly on the spot about anything, I think about my moment of extinction, and all of a sudden, the size of that event shrinks to nothingness.” —James Toback

—Kathryn Bigelow

—Ellen Burstyn

Did you expect your movie The Hurt Locker to receive so much critical acclaim? “No! I was wondering the entire time, is this going to get made? Three emerging actors, Iraq war character drama ... really? There are a thousand reasons why I shouldn’t be standing here right now, but I’m glad that I am.” —Jeremy Renner

—Michael Stuhlbarg

—Krysten Ritter

Have you ever crashed a party? “No. I’ve been being invited to these things since I was 4, so no. I crashed one when I was 3 1/2, I think.” —Brooke Shields

—Jim Sheridan

Have you ever crashed a party? “Yes, my first year in New York, it’s Rosh Hashanah, and I sneak into a temple nearby, because I don’t belong to one. I go upstairs and I’m trying to be as inconspicuous as I can, and all of a sudden I look around — it’s only women. All the men are downstairs. I stayed. God understood.” —Richard Kind

—Kevin Corrigan

—Margarita Levieva

Is there anything the producers won’t let you do on Saturday Night Live? “Oh, gosh. There’s nothing they won’t let me do.” —Kristen Wiig

—Kumail Nanjiani

—Bill Hader

Do you use a computer for e-mail? “Yeah, but I’m AOL. I would like to be on the Prius of Internet, but I’m not.” —Jonathan Ames

—Tim Bevan & Eric Fellner

—Oliver Platt

Should the couple who crashed the White House State Dinner get in trouble? “Listen, if they were Puerto Rican or black, their asses would have already been arrested. So I think that they should be arrested immediately. It’s against the law.” —Rosie Perez