Julie Delpy: A Rare Jule

These days it seems like every celebrity who rolls with an entourage of fewer than five people or says "please" and "thank you" during an interview is described by the press as "down to earth" or "grounded." But when we arrive at the Warwick Hotel bar in Manhattan to meet French actress Julie Delpy, now starring in Before Sunset, we find her sitting -- gasp -- alone, sipping tea and people-watching. Suddenly it hits us: This is what "down to earth" must really mean.

Delpy's stunning looks -- often described as ethereal -- make her stand out from the crowd, but a glamour-puss she's not. Today, her long, wavy blonde hair is swept back in a loose, almost messy ponytail. The only trace of makeup is a hint of eyeshadow. And a bulky black blazer hides what looks like a striped dress. Oh, and did we mention that she's attending her New York movie premiere immediately following this interview? Yup! All she does is shed the blazer and go.

Perhaps it's the honest sense of humanity that Delpy infused into her character, Celine, that made the 1995 original, Before Sunrise, a chick-flick classic. Fans will remember how French student Celine and American traveler Jesse (Ethan Hawke) meet on a Vienna-bound train and fall in love over a 14-hour period. As the film closes, they promise to meet again in six months, and the audience is left agonizing over their fate.