The all-star cast of "Closer" walked the red carpet Monday night for the movie's world premiere, but the absence of one of its four stars was on everyone's minds. "We're usually a quartet and we're one short, it's only a trio," Natalie Portman said of the missing Julia Roberts.

So the threesome, which included "Closer" stars Natalie, Jude Law, and Clive Owen, called Julia, who is on strict bed rest at the hospital. "She sounded happy, very rested, a little sad not to be here," reported Jude. "But she's doing what the doctor says and taking it easy."

And while Ms. Roberts was missed on the red carpet, "Extra's" Jon Kelley caught up with the rest of the cast and the film's director Mike Nichols, who arrived with his wife, Diane Sawyer. "They are beautiful people, but such amazing actors," Nichols said of his cast. "They're the best!"

"Closer" is a story of four beautiful strangers, their instant attractions and brutal betrayals. And Jude Law -- a.k.a. People's Sexiest Man Alive -- wanted to talk about his co-star, Clive, and Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols. But first he set the record straight about his new title: "My mom obviously had a lot to do with it, she filled in all the ballots."

"Clive, he was a gentleman," Law continued. "He was a real gentleman as he pulverized me. And you know, I'd have played the doorman in this thing if Mike had asked me to, to be really honest with you."

And Clive had a similar opinion, telling us, "I said to Mike Nichols, half-way through this movie, 'if I just have to keep doing this film for the rest of my career, that'd do me.' I don't need any more than this."

"Closer" is new territory for a sexed-up Natalie Portman, who plays an exotic dancer. "It was scary because I didn't know if I could do it," she admitted.

And the cast had plenty of compliments for Julia as well. "I had to keep pinching myself to remind myself that I had to be acting too because I was so tempted to just sit there and watch her act," Natalie revealed.

"She's pretty extraordinary, Julia," Law chimed in. "And I think she delivers in this one of her most present performances."

"Closer" zooms into theaters December 3rd.