PartyLines- photographs by Patrick McMullan

You’re in a lot of scenes by yourself in this movie, and you’re going to be the lead in Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours, which is going to be all about you. What draws you to these kinds of roles? “You know, there aren’t that many movies like that. Whatever, I do other kinds of movies, too.” —James Franco

—Mischa Barton

What surprised you about James Franco playing Allen Ginsberg? “James was so classically good-looking that it was like, there’s no way that he can be a freak. But when you meet him and see his work, you realize he is a freak. He’s a holy freak. I mean, you don’t see Tom Cruise wanting to do all these interesting projects and fuck with everybody’s expectations.” —John Cameron Mitchell

—Zachary Quinto

Have you ever written a bad poem? “When I was 18 years old I went to Shakespeare & Company, the school, and I wrote a poem about my leaves — I felt like a tree that had no leaves. That is the life at 18.” —Alicia Silverstone

—Michael Stipe

—Agyness Deyn

What’s one reason straight actors like portraying gay men? “Well, gay is good. Gay is good, and I think that applies to the roles that actors go for.” —Dustin Lance Black

—Kim Gordon

—Lee Pace

What would be your sport in the Winter Olympics? “If I could skate, if I could do figure skating, I think I would be pretty happy. No, I’m an ankle skater — I skate on my ankles when I take my daughter skating. I just want to be able to look better than I do when I’m skating with her.” —Brooke Shields

—Julie Henderson

Do you have any embarrassing poetry-writing anecdotes? “No, I have some embarrassing songwriting moments, but no poetry. I wrote love songs to my niece and to my wife. They just aren’t very good.” —Chris Meloni

—Russell Simmons

—Jeffrey Friedman, Producer

What would be your sport in the Winter Olympics? “I’m so useless, I can’t do anything. I think it would probably be a newscaster reporting on the Games. Because most people, when they do see me, they think I’m a newscaster.” —Victor Garber

—Jessica White

—Rob Epstein, Producer

What are your thoughts about NBC right now? “I am a, uh, a continuing and loyal consultant to NBC.” —Dan Abrams