New York, June 16, 2009 – Kathy Bates didn’t prepare much for her role as a courtesan in Belle Epoque Paris in the movie Cheri.  “I literally flew into Paris on a Sunday, arrived on Monday morning, went into costume fittings and started shooting on Tuesday,” she told us at the Cinema Society screening.  Bates said that director Stephen Frears does not like to rehearse, but he denied that, saying that Bates simply got there too late.  “If she’d come earlier, she could have rehearsed,” Frears said.  “It’s not my fault.  I’m innocent.”  The director was in a playful mood at the screening; Michelle Pfeiffer looked shocked when Frears nonchalantly walked past her on the red carpet.  “Oh my god!” she exclaimed, and then spotted him.  “I should have known it was him,” Pfeiffer said.  “Who else would come up to me and run their finger down my back but Mr. Frears?”