New York, August 5, 2008 - Two films, two steamy sex scenes for Penelope Cruz.  While everyone’s been talking about the sultry Spaniard’s scorching sex scenes in Woody Allen’s Vicky Christina Barcelona, Penelope also steams up the screen with Ben Kingsley in Elegy.  The actress, however, is tired of talking about sex scenes – and begged reporters to ask her about anything but that at the Glamour Magazine-Cinema Society hosted screening of Elegy on Tuesday.  Cruz did reiterate how she’d been after the project for five years, and was thrilled to finally get the movie made.  “And I can’t imagine a better partner than Ben Kingsley", she told us.  The two are hot together!

Patricia Clarkson coincidentally appears in both of these films – but she had no scenes in either movie with Penelope Cruz.  Rock goddess Debbie Harry appears in Elegy, and she was even a bit awed by working with Kingsley and Dennis Hopper.  Peter Sarsgaard was sporting a beard at the screening – for his upcoming stint on Broadway in The Seagull.

Lots of big stars checked out Elegy and partied later at Socialista.  George Lopez was in New York to promote an upcoming movie.  And “300” star Gerard Butler was in town between gigs.  “I’m trying to stay in New York until they drag me kicking and screaming back to L.A. to get back into my business”, the hunky Scot told us. 

We chatted with Ugly Betty’s Eric Mabius, who promised plenty of screw ups for Daniel Meade next season, as well as felonies, manslaughter and other mayhem on the show.