Bill Clinton makes surprise appearance at Lion premiere

Exactly a week after his wife, Hillary Clinton, formally conceded to President-elect Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton made a surprise appearance at the New York premiere of Lion, a drama starring Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, and Rooney Mara. It marked his first public outing since the election.

Harvey Weinstein made the announcement during the film’s introduction. Clinton then received a standing ovation from the audience and went on to greet members of the film’s cast, including Patel and 8-year-old Sunny Pawar, who plays the younger version of Patel’s character.

“Last Tuesday, we suffered a nightmare as a country,” Weinstein said, according to PEOPLE. “I’ve seen…the hate crimes, and the prejudice against women…and the progress people made on climate control, all of that starting to be peeled away … But, as long as my friend is here with me, and with the American people, then I don’t think we’re gonna have to worry … We’re gonna have to fight, but at least we’ve got someone who is an inspiration.”

Lion is based on the true story of Saroo Brierley, who got lost at the age of 5 before getting adopted by an Australian family. Over two decades later, he found his mother — still in the same town in India where he grew up — with the help of Google Earth.

See a photo of Clinton with some of the Lion team above. The film arrives in theaters Nov. 25, the day after Thanksgiving.

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