As reported by: The Associated Press
For one night, Mohegan Sun rivaled the red carpets usually reserved for New York and Los Angeles. The casino was the site Monday night for the East Coast premiere of "I (heart) Huckabees," set to open in theaters Oct. 1.

The premiere brought in movie stars like Boston native Mark Wahlberg, Jamie-Lynn DiScala of "The Sopranos" and the cast of HBO's new series "Entourage."

"It's good to be in Connecticut, because it's close to home," said Wahlberg, sporting a Red Sox baseball cap.

The premiere was a first for Mohegan Sun, which has emphasized its identity as an entertainment center. Casino officials hope it won't be the last.

Wahlberg said Mohegan Sun was chosen to host the event because the casino has worked closely with the youth foundation he founded in 2001.

Joining Wahlberg was friend and director David O. Russell, who collaborated with the actor for the 1999 war film, "Three Kings." Russell described "I (heart) Huckabees" as an existential comedy about coincidences.

The movie also stars Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin, Jude Law and Naomi Watts.

The film is about a character played by Jason Schwartzman, who seeks the help of existential detectives to help him figure out the meaning of certain events of chance that have filled his life.

The movie premiere was part of a two-day event to benefit the foundation and included a silent auction and a golf tournament in East Haddam.

The casino also announced a $50,000 donation Monday to the Mark Wahlberg Foundation, which aims to help inner-city children.