Actors Jim Carrey and Rodrigo Santoro joined the real life Phillip Morris at the New York City premiere of the gay-themed film I Love You Phillip Morris, which opens nationwide on December 3.

Also at the Monday screening were directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa.

The film is based on the true story of Steven Russell (played by Carrey, Liar Liar) and his improbable transformation from small-town businessman, father and former cop to gay white-collar criminal and ingenious jailbreaker. While in prison, Russell falls in love with his cellmate Phillip Morris (played by Ewan McGregor, Star Wars). Thirty-five-year-old Brazilian hunk Santoro (Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, 300) plays Jimmy, Russell's first boyfriend. (The film's trailer is embedded in the right panel of this page.)

The movie premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in Utah. It has already been released in major markets around the globe and has reached DVD in some regions. But its U.S. premiere has been postponed four times since February.

In an appearance on CBS' the Late Show with David Letterman, Carrey ribbed Letterman for asking if he worried that playing a gay character would tarnish his leading man image.