Freida Pinto And James Franco Go 'Apes'

Thursday's star-studded premiere of Rise of the Planet of the Apes featured a stunning Freida Pinto, a humble James Franco and two Harry Potter pals, among others.

Pinto was the head-turner of the evening in a bright-green, floor-length gown. The British actress told reporters that this latest Apes, a prequel to the 1968 original, was all about her furry cast mates. "I think this is one of few films that really give [the apes] a voice," she told MTV News. "Of course, Planet of the Apes did as well, but Rise of the Planet of the Apes gives them a voice in a very revolutionary way."

Pinto's co-star, Tom Felton, best known as Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, brought along good friend and loyal fan, Potter cast mate Rupert Grint. Ron himself sported a t-shirt with the words "I love Tom Felton" written on it. Felton praised Apes for both its visual marvels and the moral of its story. "There is a mixture of CGI and special effects that we've never seen onscreen before, along with a strong story and a strong message: Humans can't play God too much," Felton said. "We should not overstep our boundaries when it comes to manipulating Mother Nature."

Franco took time to make sure credit went where he felt credit was deserved, praising the performance chops of Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings trilogy), who plays one of the apes using motion-capture technology. Franco said of being on set with Serkis, who would be in scenes with the actors wearing gray pajamas with wires attached, that it "was like acting with a chimpanzee who has amazing acting instincts." On the red carpet, Franco said that the apes "should get top billing" and that "they stole the show."

Watch the trailer here: