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The curtain will go up in a few hours on the 88th Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Host Chris Rock is expected to, ah, rock the house — and he will have plenty of material with the controversy about the lack of diversity in Hollywood hanging over the glam event. Here’s more on the controversy from ABC News and why it matters on Hollywood’s biggest night. The list of nominees here. More on the Oscars on the Hollywood Reporter. Plenty of Oscar... Read More →
The nominations were announced early this morning for the 2015 Academy of Awards. In the prestigious Best Picture category, several small quirky films and no blockbusters. American Sniper Birdman Boyhood The Grand Budapest Hotel The Imitation Game Selma The Theory of Everything Whiplash “Birdman,” actor Michael Keaton’s comeback, and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” tied at nine for the most nominations. The full lists of nominees here. There were snubs and surprises: The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times. The 87th Academy Awards ceremony... Read More →
“Everyone deserves not just to survive, but to live.” — Steve McQueen Best Picture Oscar 2014
“… those of us in the industry who are still foolishly clinging to the idea that female films with women at the center are niche experiences. They are not. Audiences want to see them and, in fact, they earn money. The world is round, people.” –– Cate Blanchett Best Actress Oscar 2014
A lot of viewers tuned into see the Ellen Degeneres hosted 86th Academy Awards ceremony last night. The ratings are out today and they show 43 million watched the kudocast. It got a 12.9 rating among the most valued 18-to-49 demographic. This Oscar broadcast drew three million more viewers than the last time Degeneres handled the hosting duties in 2007, according to Variety. A lot of chatter today about the pizza giveaway, the celebrity group selfie, Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” dance, and Pink’s wonderful rendition of “Somewhere Over the... Read More →
“And I just want to say, I love you, Mom. Thank you for teaching me to dream.” –Jared Leto Best Supporting Actor Oscar 2014
First time nominee, Lupita Nyong’o, was one of the big winners at the 86th Academy Awards last night in Hollywood. The “12 Years a Slave” actress stunned on the red carpet in a powder blue custom Prada gown with flowing pleated skirt and plunging back and front, which many praised for having a Disney Cinderella like quality. The 31-year-old Kenyan has been a sharp dresser throughout the award season, frequently receiving props from the tough fashion critics for gowns and appearance. Nyong’o used her time in the spotlight... Read More →
“… I can’t deny the fact that you like me . . . right now . . . you like me!” –Sally Field
Sure, a lot of chatter about the possibility of rain on the red carpet at the 86th Academy Awards today, but most of the talk is about which picture will win the tight race for the Best Picture Oscar. Will it be one of the leading contenders”12 Years a Slave,” or “American Hustle,” or “Gravity,” or maybe one of the other nominees: “Captain Phillips,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Her,” “Nebraska,” “Philomena,” “The Wolf of Wall Street?” Each year, the Academy voters have a number of choices for this major... Read More →
“You’re only two years older than me, darling. Where have you been all my life?” –Christopher Plummer
“This is the highlight of my day. I hope it’s not all downhill from here.” –Kevin Spacey
“Could you double check the envelope?” –Martin Scorsese
“I’m just a girl from a trailer park who had a dream.” –Hilary Swank
“Every time an Oscar is given out, an agent gets his wing.” –Kathy Bates
Oscar’s big night of glitz and glamour is less than a week away. Today is the deadline for members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to cast their ballots in the race for Oscar. The balloting, both paper and online, officially opened on Friday, February 14. All ballots must be in by 5 p.m. Pacific Time today. Then the accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers will go to work counting the ballots and determining the winners. Not all of the nominees will take home a gold... Read More →
“Is there a movie I think I should have won the Oscar for? Yeah. All of them.” –Morgan Freeman
Pink has been added to the roster of performers for the 86th Academy Awards ceremony set for a week from this Sunday. This Oscars broadcast is apparently putting a heavy emphasis on entertainment with Bette Midler, U2, and Pharrell Williams already signed on to appear. “We are very excited to welcome Pink to the Oscar stage for the very first time,” said show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron in a statement. “She is regarded as one of the greatest voices in pop music and one of the... Read More →
Hollywood is getting ready for its biggest awards affair — the Academy Awards. Officially, the final voting for the 86th Academy Awards began today for online as well as paper balloting. Some voters may have been able to jump the gun. Some members of the Motion Picture Academy Arts and Sciences reportedly got their ballots in the mail earlier in the week, according to Deadline. It may not matter when voters got their ballots, but when they return them. All votes must be... Read More →
TV daytime talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres, is going to host the Academy Awards ceremony again. The announcement was made today by the show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. “We are thrilled to have Ellen DeGeneres host the Oscars, said Zadan and Meron in a statement. “As a longtime friend, we had always hoped to find a project for us to do together and nothing could be more exciting than teaming up to do the Oscars. There are few stars today who have Ellen’s gift for comedy,... Read More →
Sam’s piano in the movie classic “Casablanca” sold for $602, 500 last Friday according to Reuters. The 58-key upright hit the auction block for between $800, 000 and $1.2 million. The selling price fell short of Sotheby’s estimate, but still a huge gain over the previous purchase, which was $154, 000 back in 1988. The reason: this piano has been touched by Hollywood movie making magic. In the Academy Award winning romance drama, Dooley Williams (Sam) plays “As Time Goes By” on an upright... Read More →
The East Coast took a brutal pounding from the superstorm Sandy, which made landfall late yesterday. The storm caused widespread devastation in some of the mid-Atlantic states, knocking out power to millions. At least 26 deaths have been blamed on Sandy, now moving slowly across the country — less powerful, but still a threat. The nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., suffered only a glancing blow from Sandy with some flooding, trees down, and more than 140,000 homes without power this morning, according to the Washington Post. Also, the Post... Read More →
As expected “The Artist” collected the major prize of best picture last night at the 84th Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood. However, one of the best moments of the night occurred when Octavia Spencer won the best supporting actress Oscar for her work as a feisty maid in “The Help.” Octavia Spencer received her golden statuette from last year’s best supporting actor, Christian Bale, and she joked about it. “Oh, thank you! Thank you, Academy, for putting me with the hottest guy in the room. “I have to thank my... Read More →
