Oscar Line Up

78th Annual Academy Awards - List of Winners, Presenters, Performers As the Night Unfolded

Straight from my source at the Kodak Theater, here is the order of tonight's Academy Awards presentation, according to the official program. It will be updated with category presenters and winners throughout the evening as awards are announced.

1. Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role, presented by Nicole Kidman to George Clooney for "Syriana."

2. Achievement In Visual Effects, presented by "green screened" Ben Stiller to Joe Letteri, Brian Van't Hul, Christian Rivers and Richard Taylor for "King Kong"

3. Animated Feature Film of the Year, presented by Reese Witherspoon to Nick Park and Steve Box for "Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit"

PERFORMANCE, introduced by Naomi Watts: Dolly Parton, "Travelin' Thru" from "Transamerica"

4. Live Action Short Film, presented by Luke and Owen Wilson to Martin McDonagh for "Six Shooter"

5. Animated Short Film, presented by Luke & Owen Wilson and Chicken Little & Abbey Mallard (voiced by Joan Cusack) to John Canemaker and Peggy Stern for "The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation"

6. Achievement In Costume Design, presented by Jennifer Aniston to Colleen Atwood for "Memoirs of a Geisha"

MONTAGE, introduced by Russell Crowe, clips of biographical films

7. Achievement In Makeup, presented by cleverly made up Will Ferrell and Steve Carell to Howard Berger and Tami Lane for "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"

INTRODUCTION of Scientific and Technical Awards highlights, by it's host Rachel McAdams.

8. Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role, presented by Morgan Freeman to Rachel Weisz for "The Constant Gardener"

MONTAGE, introduced by previously unannounced presenter Lauren Bacall, in recognition of film noir.

COMEDIC MOMENT, parody of Best Actress Oscar campaigns, voiced by Steven Colbert

9. Documentary Short Subject, presented by Terrence Howard to Corinne Marrinan and Eric Simonson for "A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin"

10. Best Documentary Feature, presented by Charlize Theron to Luc Jacquet and Yves Darondeau for "March of the Penguins"

PERFORMANCE, introduced by Jennifer Lopez: Kathleen (Bird) York, "In the Deep" from "Crash"

11. Achievement In Art Direction, presented by Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves to John Myhre (art direction) and Gretchen Rau (set decoration) for "Memoirs of a Geisha"

MONTAGE, introduced by Samuel L. Jackson, in recognition of social issues addressed in films

BATHROOM BREAK, Academy President Sid Ganis touts the honor of the Academy, 6 major films being filmed right now in New Orleans employing 600 workers.

12. Achievement In Music Written For Motion Pictures (Original Score), scores PERFORMED by Itzhak Perlman; award presented by Salma Hayek to Gustavo Santaolalla for "Brokeback Mountain"

MONTAGE, introduced by Jake Gyllenhaal, in recognition of film epics.

13. Achievement In Sound Mixing, presented by Jessica Alba and Eric Bana to CHRISTOPHER BOYES, MICHAEL SEMANICK, MICHAEL HEDGES and HAMMOND PEEK for "King Kong"

TRIBUTE & presentation of HONORARY OSCAR, introduced by Lily Tomlin and Meryl Streep to Robert Altman

PERFORMANCE, introduced by Chris "Ludacris" Bridges: Taraji Hanson and Three 6 Mafia - Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman and Paul Beauregard, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from "Hustle & Flow"

14. Achievement In Music Written For Motion Pictures (Original Song), presented by Queen Latifah to Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman and Paul Beauregard for "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from "Hustle & Flow"!!!!

COMEDIC MOMENT, parody of Sound Editing Oscar campaign, voiced by Steven Colbert

15. Achievement In Sound Editing, presented by Jennifer Garner to Mike Hopkins and Ethan Van der Ryn for "King Kong"

IN MEMORIAM TRIBUTE, introduced by George Clooney

16. Foreign Language Film, presented by Will Smith to Gavin Wood for "Tsotsi" (South Africa)

17. Achievement In Film Editing, presented by Ziyi Zhang to Hughes Winborne for "Crash"

18. Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role, presented by Hilary Swank to Philip Seymour Hoffman for "Capote"

19. Achievement In Cinematography, presented by John Travolta to Dion Beebe for "Memoirs of a Geisha"

20. Performance By An Actress In A Leading Role, presented by Jamie Foxx to Reese Witherspoon for "Walk the Line"

21. Adapted Screenplay, presented by Dustin Hoffman to Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana for "Brokeback Mountain"

22. Original Screenplay, presented by Uma Thurman to Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco for "Crash" 

23. Achievement In Directing, presented by Tom Hanks to Ang Lee for "Brokeback Mountain"

24. Best Motion Picture of the Year, presented by Jack Nicholson to Paul Haggis and Cathy Schulman for "Crash"

COMMENTS: What is the purpose of the music playing along while the nervous winners are trying to give their speech? (Update - winners I talked to said they did not notice the music in the background while they were on stage). Maybe it was for the enjoyment of the viewing audience (?)

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Oscar Picks

78th Annual Academy Awards - Our Picks

I've received feedback from people asking what our Oscar ballot looks like. I don't profess to be an expert - I leave the prognosticating to the Tom O'Neil's of the world - but to satisfy those requests, here are my picks. Some are based on previous wins, some from newly felt momentum, a few are simply wishful thinking, the rest are based on nothing but gut instinct. We'll print the actual winners after they are revealed tonight.

Update 8:30 p.m. - "my winners" are noted in red. And I'm proud to have correctly predicted 16 of 24 categories : > )

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
"Crash" Paul Haggis, Cathy Schulman, producers

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain"

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote"

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line"

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Matt Dillon, "Crash"
(award went to George Clooney for "Syriana")

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener"

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR
"Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" Nick Park, Steve Box

ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION
"Memoirs of a Geisha" John Myhre (art direction); Gretchen Rau (set decoration)

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
"Good Night, and Good Luck" Robert Elswit
(award went to Dion Beebe for "Memoirs of a Geisha")

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
"Memoirs of a Geisha" Colleen Atwood

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
"March of the Penguins" Luc Jacquet, Yves Darondeau

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
"The Death of Kevin Carter: Casualty of the Bang Bang Club" Dan Krauss
(winners Corinne Marrinan, Eric Simonson for "A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin")

ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
"Crash" Hughes Winborne

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"Joyeux Noël" (France)
(award went to Gavin Wood for "Tsotsi" (South Africa))

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP
"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" Howard Berger, Tami Lane

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (Original Score)
"Brokeback Mountain" Gustavo Santaolalla

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (Original Song)
"It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from "Hustle & Flow," music and lyric by Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman, Paul Beauregard

ANIMATED SHORT FILM
"One Man Band" Andrew Jimenez, Mark Andrews
(winners John Canemaker, Peggy Stern for "The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation")

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
"Ausreisser (The Runaway)" Ulrike Grote
(award went to Martin McDonagh for "Six Shooter")

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
"War of the Worlds" Richard King
(winners Mike Hopkins, Ethan Van der Ryn for "King Kong")

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
"King Kong" Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges, Hammond Peek

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
"King Kong" Joe Letteri, Brian Van't Hul, Christian Rivers, Richard Taylor

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
"Capote" - screenplay by Dan Futterman
(winners Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana for "Brokeback Mountain")

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
"Crash" - screenplay by Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco; story by Paul Haggis 

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Oscar Red Carpet

Oscar Countdown 2006 Co-Hosts, Official Red Carpet Celebrity Greeter

Oscar® Countdown 2006 Co-Hosts

Billy Bush, Chris Connelly, Cynthia Garrett and Vanessa Minnillo have been set to co-host the Academy's hour-long red carpet arrivals show "Oscar Countdown 2006" preceding the 78th Academy Awards®. This is the seventh Oscar Night® association for Connelly, the third for Bush, and the first for Garrett and Minnillo. Each correspondent will be trying to capture the thoughts, nervousness and excitement of the nominees as they proceed down the red carpet to what may be one of the most exciting nights of their lives.

Bush is co-anchor of "Access Hollywood." He joined the program in December 2001 as the east coast correspondent and became the co-anchor in June of 2004.

Connelly is a correspondent for ESPN and a contributing correspondent for "20/20." Prior to ESPN, he was an on-air correspondent and editorial director of MTV News.

Garrett was most recently seen as co-host of "Life & Style" and can be seen regularly on HBO. Prior to joining "Life & Style," she spent four years with VH1, where she began her on camera career.

Minnillo is a recent addition to the Entertainment Tonight family as a New York-based correspondent. She also serves as a co-host for MTV's "Total Request Live" and has hosted several MTV specials.

The pre-show will be produced by Dennis Doty and executive produced by Gil Cates. It will air on ABC Television at 4 p.m. PST/ 7 p.m. EST and will segue directly into the 78th Academy Awards presentation at 5 p.m.

 

Robert Osborne to Serve as Academy's Red Carpet Celebrity Greeter

Film historian, television host and Hollywood Reporter columnist Robert Osborne has been selected as the Academy's 2006 red carpet celebrity greeter, Academy President Sid Ganis announced.

Osborne will step into the slot occupied for the past four decades by Daily Variety columnist Army Archerd, who has stepped down and this year will himself be a celebrity guest of the Academy at the 78th Academy Awards.

In addition to writing a column for the Hollywood Reporter, Osborne is the prime time host of Turner Classic Movies and a frequent host of Academy events, both in New York and Los Angeles. In addition, he is the author of the Academy's official history, "75 Years of the Oscar" and hosts Robert Osborne's Classic Film Festival in Athens, Georgia.

"Robert Osborne's taking over this important Oscar night slot is perfect," Ganis said. "He' s a man personally familiar with today's stars, but with a historian's knowledge of the movies and the Oscar ceremonies."

"Army became an institution on our red carpet," Ganis added. "He had done it for so long that no one, including Army, is sure when he started or how long he has introduced celebrities to the bleacher crowds. We don't even have a name for it — it's always been 'the Army Archerd position.'

"But it's a vital position, very important to the creation of an atmosphere of excitement that pervades the Academy Awards red carpet experience. Each time another celebrity arrives and is introduced, a collective roar from the bleacher fans adds another visceral jolt to those arriving on the carpet. We think we've found just the person in Robert Osborne to continue that long tradition for us."

Osborne will be on the carpet for the duration of celebrity arrivals, which are expected to begin about 3 p.m. and conclude at the start of the Oscar telecast at 5 p.m.

Text, photo courtesy AMPAS ©2006

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Oscar Stage Design

2006 Oscar Stage Set

78th Academy Awards® Telecast producer Gil Cates and production designer Roy Christopher recently revealed the set design of the March 5 Oscar telecast.

"When designing the Oscars, I try to make the current show as different from the year before as possible," said Christopher. "Last year's show was distinguished by a hi-tech, 'cutting-edge' style. So this year, there's nothing hi-tech -- it's a no-holds-barred return to classic Hollywood glamour, paying homage to old movie theaters." "I wanted to celebrate the movies and to include great movie houses and screens," said Cates. "So Roy went back to the classic ornate movie houses for his inspiration, which, I think, is superbly reflected in the final design."

"I have always loved the movie theaters of the '30s, '40s and '50s," Christopher said. "The man who designed many of them was S. Charles Lee, who was remarkably imaginative and architecturally daring, making movie theaters in styles ranging from the ornate Hollywood baroque to the sleek art-moderne. His spaces were exciting places that upon entering made you feel that something extraordinary was going to happen."

That anticipation of what is about to happen is exactly what Christopher hopes the Academy Awards audience and the millions watching at home will experience on Oscar night. His homage to the world of movie theater design comes complete with a 65-foot-long giant "Oscar" marquee, a pair of 20-foot-tall frosted glass Oscars, an art deco box-office and several movie screens ranging from the elegant movie palace traditional to the gigantic wide-screen deco.

This is the 17th time that Christopher has designed the Oscar set, 11 with telecast producer Gil Cates. Christopher has received 35 Emmy nominations, 16 of them for his work on the Oscar telecast, for which he has won six Emmy Awards.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2005 will be presented on Sunday, March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5 p.m. PST. A one-hour red carpet arrivals show will precede the telecast at 4 p.m. Information about the 78th Annual Academy Awards can be accessed on line at www.oscar.com.

Text, photo courtesy AMPAS ©2006

Oscar Presenters, Performers and Parties

The Oscars

The day is finally here! The 78th Annual Academy Awards will be handed out at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. The Daily Show's Jon Stewart will host this year's grand ceremony (his invitation seems to have been widely embraced by the public, and might even help ol' Gil Cates finally achieve his goal of improving viewership!) Oscar nominations were announced January 31, 2006 (see below).

Following tradition, last year's Best Actress Hilary Swank, Best Actor Jamie Foxx, Best Supporting Actor Morgan Freeman and Best Director Clint Eastwood will be presenters at the 78th Oscars Presentation. Unfortunately, last year's Best Supporting Actress Cate Blanchett will be unable to fulfill the tradition this year because she's playing the title role in a stage production of "Hedda Gabler" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York.

Jessica Alba, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Bana, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Sandra Bullock, Steve Carell, Gorgeous George Clooney, Will Ferrell, Jake Gyllenhaal, Tom Hanks, Selma Hayek, Terrence Howard, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez, Rachel McAdams, Jack Nicholson, Queen Latifah, Keanu Reeves, Will Smith, Meryl Streep, Ben Stiller, Charlize Theron, Lily Tomlin, Uma Thurman, John Travolta, Naomi Watts, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon and Ziyi Zhang will also present the prestigious Academy Award.

Director / producer / writer Robert Altman will receive an honorary Oscar to commemorate "a career that has repeatedly reinvented the art form and inspired filmmakers and audiences alike."

Dolly Parton will perform her nominated original song, "Travelin' Thru" from "Transamerica." Ms. Parton wrote both the music and lyrics for the song. Kathleen "Bird" York will perform "In the Deep" from the film "Crash," for which she is nominated for writing the music and lyrics (co-composer Michael Becker also is nominated for the music.) Jordon "Juicy J" Houston, Paul "DJ Paul" Beauregard and Darnell "Crunchy Black" Carlton of the Memphis rap group Three 6 Mafia will also perform at the 78th Academy Awards. Beauregard and Houston, who are nominated for writing the music and lyrics for "It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from "Hustle & Flow," will perform their nominated song with group mate Carlton and actress Taraji Henson, who sang the hook in the film. Cedric "Frayser Boy" Coleman, who is nominated with Beauregard and Houston, will also perform. The song will be the first rap song ever performed on the telecast in the history of the Academy Awards.

The show will be broadcast on ABC at 5:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET. It will be preceded by ABC's "official" red carpet coverage, as well as day long coverage on the E! Entertainment Television Network.

And while Gil Cates has said he won't be repeating last year's presentation fiasco, he isn't exactly planning to return the awards presentation back to it's traditional format. Once again, in the interest of saving time, Cates will be rounding up the nominees in the artistic (otherwise known as technical) categories to play a game of musical chairs with them during commercial breaks. The nominees will be temporarily placed in the first rows of the Kodak Theater, so that the winners can sprint to the stage to accept the award. Cates has already advised these nominees that, if they want their full 60 seconds of fame, they are not to bring out any paper to read from or even stumble during their speeches. Any fumbling will cause Bill Conti to cue up the orchestra and end the winner's moment in the spotlight. The Academy has taken every measure to make sure that this year's traditionally lengthy Oscar speeches go off without a hitch - along with the nominee's tickets to the Oscars, every nominee received a 15 minute DVD, narrated by Tom Hanks, featuring examples of "good" speeches vs. "bad speeches" from previous year's Academy Awards ceremonies.

Official websites: Oscar.com / Oscar.org / Oscar.org Academy Awards

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Oscar Nominations

The 78th Annual Academy Award Nominees:

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
"Brokeback Mountain" Diana Ossana, James Schamus, producers
"Capote" Caroline Baron, William Vince, Michael Ohoven, producers
"Crash" Paul Haggis, Cathy Schulman, producers
"Good Night, and Good Luck" Grant Heslov, producer
"Munich" Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg, Barry Mendel, producers

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
George Clooney, "Good Night, and Good Luck"
Paul Haggis, "Crash"
Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain"
Bennett Miller, "Capote"
Steven Spielberg, "Munich"

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote"
Terrence Howard, "Hustle & Flow"
Heath Ledger, "Brokeback Mountain"
Joaquin Phoenix, "Walk the Line"
David Strathairn, "Good Night, and Good Luck"

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Judi Dench, "Mrs. Henderson Presents"
Felicity Huffman, "Transamerica"
Keira Knightley, "Pride & Prejudice"
Charlize Theron, "North Country"
Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line"

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
George Clooney, "Syriana"
Matt Dillon, "Crash"
Paul Giamatti, "Cinderella Man"
Jake Gyllenhaal, "Brokeback Mountain"
William Hurt, "A History of Violence"

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Amy Adams, "Junebug"
Catherine Keener, "Capote"
Frances McDormand, "North Country"
Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener"
Michelle Williams, "Brokeback Mountain"

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR
"Howl's Moving Castle" Hayao Miyazaki
"Tim Burton's Corpse Bride" Tim Burton, Mike Johnson
"Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" Nick Park, Steve Box

ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION
"Good Night, and Good Luck" Jim Bissell (art direction); Jan Pascale (set decoration)
"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" Stuart Craig (art direction); Stephenie McMillan (set decoration)
"King Kong" Grant Major (art direction); Dan Hennah and Simon Bright (set decoration)
"Memoirs of a Geisha" John Myhre (art direction); Gretchen Rau (set decoration)
"Pride & Prejudice" Sarah Greenwood (art direction); Katie Spencer (set decoration)

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
"Batman Begins" Wally Pfister
"Brokeback Mountain" Rodrigo Prieto
"Good Night, and Good Luck" Robert Elswit
"Memoirs of a Geisha" Dion Beebe
"The New World" Emmanuel Lubezki

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" Gabriella Pescucci
"Memoirs of a Geisha" Colleen Atwood
"Mrs. Henderson Presents" Sandy Powell
"Pride & Prejudice" Jacqueline Durran
"Walk the Line" Arianne Phillips

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
"Darwin's Nightmare" Hubert Sauper
"Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" Alex Gibney, Jason Kliot
"March of the Penguins" Luc Jacquet, Yves Darondeau
"Murderball" Henry-Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro
"Street Fight" Marshall Curry

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
"The Death of Kevin Carter: Casualty of the Bang Bang Club" Dan Krauss
"God Sleeps in Rwanda" Kimberlee Acquaro, Stacy Sherman
"The Mushroom Club" Steven Okazaki
"A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin" Corinne Marrinan, Eric Simonson

ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
"Cinderella Man" Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
"The Constant Gardener" Claire Simpson
"Crash" Hughes Winborne
"Munich" Michael Kahn
"Walk the Line" Michael McCusker

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"Don't Tell" (Italy)
"Joyeux Noël" (France)
"Paradise Now" (Palestine)
"Sophie Scholl - The Final Days" (Germany)
"Tsotsi" (South Africa)

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP
"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" Howard Berger, Tami Lane
"Cinderella Man" David Leroy Anderson, Lance Anderson
"Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" Dave Elsey, Nikki Gooley

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (Original Score)
"Brokeback Mountain" Gustavo Santaolalla
"The Constant Gardener" Alberto Iglesias
"Memoirs of a Geisha" John Williams
"Munich" John Williams
"Pride & Prejudice" Dario Marianelli

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (Original Song)
"In the Deep" from "Crash," music by Kathleen (Bird) York, Michael Becker; lyric by York
"It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from "Hustle & Flow," music and lyric by Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman, Paul Beauregard
"Travelin' Thru" from "Transamerica," music and lyric by Dolly Parton

ANIMATED SHORT FILM
"Badgered" Sharon Colman
"The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation" John Canemaker, Peggy Stern
"The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello" Anthony Lucas
"9" Shane Acker
"One Man Band" Andrew Jimenez, Mark Andrews

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
"Ausreisser (The Runaway)" Ulrike Grote
"Cashback" Sean Ellis, Lene Bausager
"The Last Farm" Rúnar Rúnarsson, Thor S. Sigurjónsson
"Our Time Is Up" Rob Pearlstein, Pia Clemente
"Six Shooter" Martin McDonagh

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
"King Kong" Mike Hopkins, Ethan Van der Ryn
"Memoirs of a Geisha" Wylie Stateman
"War of the Worlds" Richard King

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" Terry Porter, Dean A. Zupancic, Tony Johnson
"King Kong" Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges, Hammond Peek
"Memoirs of a Geisha" Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell, Rick Kline, John Pritchett
"Walk the Line" Paul Massey, D.M. Hemphill, Peter F. Kurland
"War of the Worlds" Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Ronald Judkins

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" Dean Wright, Bill Westenhofer, Jim Berney, Scott Farrar
"King Kong" Joe Letteri, Brian Van't Hul, Christian Rivers, Richard Taylor
"War of the Worlds" Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Randy Dutra, Daniel Sudick

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
"Brokeback Mountain" - screenplay by Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana
"Capote" - screenplay by Dan Futterman
"The Constant Gardener" - screenplay by Jeffrey Caine
"A History of Violence" - screenplay by Josh Olson
"Munich" - screenplay by Tony Kushner, Eric Roth

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
"Crash" - screenplay by Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco; story by Paul Haggis
"Good Night, and Good Luck" - screenplay by George Clooney, Grant Heslov
"Match Point" - written by Woody Allen
"The Squid and the Whale" - written by Noah Baumbach
"Syriana" - written by Stephen Gaghan

 

TRIVIA:

This year's nominations represent the first time since 1981 that the Directing and Best Picture nominations have honored exactly the same five pictures.

A change in the Original Song rules for 2005, imposing a minimum required scoring average for nomination, accounts for the nomination of just three songs in the category.

This is the first time since the Animated Feature category was inaugurated in 2001 that none of the nominees was produced primarily by CGI techniques.

Three pictures, one in each of the three categories for short films, won 2005 Student Academy Awards: "9" in Animated Shorts, "Ausreisser" (The Runaway) in Live Action Shorts and "The Death of Kevin Carter" in the Documentary Short Subject category.

This is the first time in Academy history that a nominee in the Directing category - George Clooney for "Good Night, and Good Luck" - is also nominated in one of the acting categories for a different film ("Syriana").

John Williams' two nominations this year in the Original Score category (for "Memoirs of a Geisha" and "Munich") are his 44th and 45th Academy Award nominations, putting him in first place in total nominations in the Music categories, breaking a previous tie with Alfred Newman. He also moves into second place in terms of nominations overall, his total individual nominations now second only to Walt Disney's 59.

Ang Lee, nominated this year in the Directing category for the English-language "Brokeback Mountain," received his first Directing nomination for the foreign language film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

14 of the 20 acting nominees are first-time nominees. Of the other six who previously received nominations, four are Oscar winners: William Hurt, Judi Dench, Charlize Theron and Frances McDormand.

Release Dates of Best Picture nominees:

"Brokeback Mountain" - December 9
"Capote" - September 30
"Crash" - May 6
"Good Night, and Good Luck". - October 7
"Munich" - December 23

Courtesy: AMPAS

Saturday Oscar Parties

The Day Before the Oscars Big Party

Today marked the 13th Annual Oscar luncheon hosted by Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg at their magnificent Coldwater Canyon home. Also taking place this afternoon, the after-party at Shutters in Santa Monica, celebrating the achievements of nominees and winners at today's Independent Spirit Awards. It's a good thing the Spirit Awards wrapped up early, because the Weinsteins are hosting an early evening cocktail party at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, allowing stars plenty of time to change into their designer duds before hitting Jeffrey Katzenberg's Fourth Annual Night Before Party at the Beverly Hills Hotel, with proceeds benefiting the Motion Picture & Television Fund. Focus Features is holding a nominee party at Eat on Sunset, and a special reception is being held for honorary Oscar recipient Robert Altman at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.

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Independent Spirit Awards

Independent Spirit Celebrated in Santa Monica

The 21st Film Independent Spirit Awards will be celebrated Saturday, March 4th, on the beach in Santa Monica, California. Sarah Silverman.has been invited to host this year's event and Naomi Watts serves as honorary chair. The short list of celebrity presenters includes Terrence Howard, Lisa Kudrow, Laura Linney, Sandra Oh, Jeremy Piven and Rachel Weisz.

Films competing for Best Feature recognition are "Brokeback Mountain," "Capote," "Good Night, and Good Luck," "The Squid and the Whale," and "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada." "Crash" competes in the Best First Feature category against "Lackawanna Blues," "Me and You and Everyone We Know," "Thumbsucker," and "Transamerica." Visit IMDb.com for the complete list of nominations for the 2006 Film Independent Spirit Awards, which were announced by Mark Ruffalo and Laura Linney on November 29, 2005.

The red carpet pre-show airs live on the WE Channel at 1:30 pm PT / 4:30 pm ET. The colorful awards ceremony will air live and uncensored on the Independent Film Channel at 2 pm PT / 5 pm ET. If you miss the live show, you can watch the edited rebroadcast on AMC tomorrow night at 10 pm ET/PT and on IFC Sunday.

Other award ceremonies taking place Saturday include the Motion Picture Sound Editors MPSE Golden Reel Awards, the Razzie Awards and the Soul Train Music Awards. Visit our awards calendar for more details about these events.

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Friday Oscar Parties

The Day Before the Day Before the Oscars Big Party

Hollywood, Beverly Hills and all of Los Angeles will be blanketed with stars tonight, as celebs continue the round of pre-Oscar parties. In addition to the Global Green party, there will be a number of private parties throughout the city. Some of the biggest parties are thrown by agents at their homes, including CAA's Bryan Lourd, ICM's Ed Limato and Endeavor's Ariel Emanuel. Billy Crystal, Claire Danes, Mel Gibson, Steve Martin and Denzel Washington are just a few A-List guests expected at Limato's estate in Beverly Hills.

The studios will also be celebrating their Oscar nominees tonight. Universal Studios will once again hold their fete at Spago in Beverly Hills; newcomers Benderspink will hold court at the Reel Lounge in honor of "A History of Violence." The Warner Bros. party at the Bel-Air Hotel will host talent from "Syriana," "North Country," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "Batman Begins," "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "March of the Penguins," "Paradise Now," and "Good Night and Good Luck." The New Zealand Film Council hosts their annual dinner at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

These are just a few of the parties that have been publicized. Dozens more low key parties will be scattered throughout the city. Just follow the paparazzi to find them.

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Global Green Oscar Party

Hollywood Goes Green for Pre-Oscar Party

Celebrities make an environmental statement tonight by attending the annual Global Green USA Oscar Party at the Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre. The party benefits Global Green's global warming initiatives, including the green rebuilding of New Orleans. It kicks off at 8:00 pm at 6126 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood.

Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti will chauffeur Global Green supporter Kate Bosworth to the Green Carpet in his own electric car. Additional celebrity attendees will arrive in a variety of alternative fueled vehicles including Honda Civics powered by natural gas, Ford Hybrid Escapes, Toyota's electric RAV 4's and various biodiesel cars.

"I say we should all walk or rent bikes, but that would determine a new and interesting Oscar dress code," suggested Academy Award winner and current nominee Frances McDormand (Hilary Swank and Chad Lowe did just that a few years ago, when they rode bikes to attend the Independent Spirit Awards on the beach in Santa Monica!).

Oscar nominee David Strathairn offered, "I think we all should do whatever we can to use environmentally friendly products."

Those expected to walk the symbolic "green carpet" covered by a solar powered tent include Elizabeth Banks, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Aaron Carter, Nick Carter, Kristin Cavallari, Chevy Chase, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Clifton Collins Jr., James Cromwell, Julie Delpy, Stephen Dorff, Sara Foster, Walton Goggins, Daryl Hannah, Lukas Haas, Kelly Hu, Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden, Justin Kirk, Mila Kunis, Sharon Lawrence, Bai Ling, Jon Lovitz, Anthony Mackie, Kate Mara, Radha Mitchell, Rhona Mitra, Shamar Moore, Mekhi Phifer, Kelly Rutherford, Jean Smart, Bahar Soomekh, George Stultz, Brian Tee, Paz Vega, Jenna Vewan, Ken Watanabe, Ray Wise, Alicia Witt and many others.

The celebrities join over 1,000 Global Green supporters for a sold-out concert emceed by Pras Michel of the Fugees, featuring performances by Liz Phair, Money Mark, Fishbone, Tracy Lyons, and DJs Senor Amor and Peanut Butter Wolf.

The party kicks-off Global Green's "Red Carpet, Green Cars" Oscar campaign, where celebrities arrive at the Academy Awards in environmentally friendly vehicles instead of gas-guzzling limousines. This year, Global Green's Red Carpet, Green Cars campaign will feature celebrities including Naomi Watts, Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal, George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston, Felicity Huffman, Paul Giamatti, Will Ferrell, Paul Haggis, Frances McDormand and David Strathairn. In fact, there will be so many hybrids and alternative-fueled vehicles driving celebrities to the awards show Oscar valet services have had to dedicate a special area for parking them all at the Hollywood Bowl during the ceremony.

Global Green USA, the U.S. affiliate of Green Cross International led by Mikhail S. Gorbachev, works in cooperation with individuals, industry, and governments to create a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future. For more information, please visit www.globalgreen.org.

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LA Confidential Oscar Party

LA's Confidential Oscar Party

Los Angeles Confidential Magazine will host their 4th Annual Academy Awards Party on Thursday, March 2nd at the SKYBAR at the Mondrian Hotel. The magazine is also celebrating its cover of Oscar nominee Philip Seymour Hoffman. The celebration will be attended by a host of A-List personalities from film, television, and music including "Crash" star and fellow Academy Award nominee Matt Dillon, Babyface, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Naomi Campbell, Ludacris, Dennis Hopper, Paris Hilton, Larry and Shawn King, Famke Janssen, Helena Christensen, John Salley, Darren Starr, Natalie Cole, Finola Hughes, Daisy Fuentes, Bai Ling, Byron Allen, and more.

The cocktail reception starts at 6:30 p.m. where guests will enjoy the hospitality of the Morgans Hotel Group as well as cocktails sponsored by Hendrix Electric while being entertained by world renowned DJ Johnny Knight and his special blend of hip hop, top 40, rap, and rock beats.

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Publicists Awards

It's the PR Reps Turn

Jimmy Kimmel emcees the 43rd Annual ICG Publicists Awards luncheon on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. The event kicks off with no host cocktails at 11:00 am, followed by the noon luncheon. The International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards honor excellence in publicity and promotion for motion pictures and television programs. Recipients are selected in several different categories and are voted on by their peers. According to the Camera Guild, no other event celebrates the publicists' contribution to the entertainment industry. With the current Oscar campaigns coming to a close following the last ballot cast on Tuesday, February 28, this is also the time for movie publicists to let their hair down and let off a little steam. Last year, more than 900 publicity and marketing executives, producers, studio and network executives, celebrities and press braved torrential rains to join Local 600 members for the ICG 42nd Annual Publicists Awards.

Nominees for this year's awards were announced January 9, 2006. The Guild will also hand out several honorary awards. Barry Meyer, Chairman and CEO, and Alan Horn, President and COO of Warner Brothers, will be honored with the guild's Motion Picture Showmanship Award. Stephen McPherson, President of ABC Entertainment, will be named 2006 Television Showman of the Year. Variety columnist Army Archerd, who recently retired from his daily column but continues as one of the paper's reporters, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award; Bob Dowling, who just retired as Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of the Hollywood Reporter, will receive a Special Award of Merit. Other awards to be presented are the Press Award; the International Media Award; the Maxwell Weinberg Awards, which recognizes outstanding accomplishment in the field of publicity; the Les Mason Award, given to a publicist for lifetime achievement; and the Bob Yeager Award, which recognizes significant community service.

Nominees for the Maxwell Weinberg Publicist Showmanship Award for Motion Pictures include the union publicists behind the Academy Award nominated films "Charlie and The Chocolate Factory," "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," "Good Night, and Good Luck," "Memoirs of a Geisha" and "Walk the Line."

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Oscar Ballots Due

Tuesday, February 28, 2006:

Oscar Ballot Alert

It's time for the 5,798 voting members of the Academy to make up their mind! Final ballots for the 78th Annual Academy Awards® are due to the accounting firm by 5:00 p.m. PT on Tuesday, February 28, 2006. The 2006 Oscars - recognizing outstanding achievement in motion pictures released in 2005 - will be presented next Sunday, March 5, 2006. Watch for more details here as the biggest day in Hollywood draws near!

Photo: © A.M.P.A.S.®

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CAS Awards

Saturday, February 25, 2006:

Cinema Audio Awards

Sound professionals will take over the Crystal Ballroom of the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles Saturday night for the 42nd Annual Cinema Audio Society Awards. The CAS nominations were announced January 26, 2006. CAS nominees for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Motion Pictures are "Crash" - sound re-recording mixers Marc Fishman, Adam Jenkins, Rick Ash; production mixer Richard Van Dyke; "KING KONG" - sound re-recording mixers Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges; production mixer Hammond Peek; "Memoirs of a Geisha" - sound re-recording mixers Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell, Rick Kline; production mixer John Pritchett; "Walk the Line" - sound re-recording mixers Paul Massey, Doug Hemphill; production mixer Peter F. Kurland; and "War of the Worlds" - sound re-recording mixers Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer; production mixer Ron Judkins. The artistic teams behind "KING KONG," "Geisha," "Walk the Line" and "War of the Worlds" are also nominated for Best Achievement in Sound at the 78th Annual Academy Awards. "Narnia" took the fifth Oscar slot over "Crash."

Winners will also be announced in categories for Television Movies, Series and Mini-Series, and Television Non-Fiction, Variety or Music Series or Specials. A new category this year, DVD Original Programming, is for programs released straight to DVD. For the second year in a row, C.A.S. will present the Technical Achievement Award honoring technical innovation in the area of sound recording. Director, writer and producer Quentin Tarantino will be the first recipient of the C.A.S. Filmmaker Award. Sound re-recording Mixer Michael Minkler will receive the Cinema Audio Society's Career Achievement Award. Visit the Cinema Audio Society website for more information.

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ASC Awards

Saturday, February 25, 2006 & Sunday, February 26, 2006:

Cinematographers Celebrations

The American Society of Cinematographers will hold an Open House and Internet Chat this Saturday at the ASC Clubhouse, 1782 N. Orange Drive, Hollywood. Colleagues, fans, students and the media can interact with the 2006 ASC Awards honorees and nominees from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Participants will include producer-director-actor Sydney Pollack, cinematographers Richard Kline and Woody Omens and documentary director Frederick Wiseman. The chat will take place on the ASC website, www.theasc.com, at 12:00 p.m. PT. For more information about the open house or chat, call 323-969-4333.

On Sunday, ASC will host the 20th Annual American Society of Cinematographers Awards at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Century City. ASC theatrical nominations for films released in 2005 were announced on January 11, 2006; nominees in the narrative television competition were published the following week. The cast of presenters includes Emily Deschanel, Curtis Hanson, Leonard Maltin, Edward James Olmos and Bill Paxton. Actress Nicole Kidman will present Sydney Pollack with the 2006 American Society of Cinematographers Board of Governors Award. Gilbert Taylor, BSC will receive the 2006 ASC International Achievement Award. Taylor's work extends to such classics as "Dr. Strangelove," "A Hard Day's Night," "The Omen" and "Star Wars." Sherwood "Woody" Omens, ASC will receive the Presidents Award, reserved for individuals who have made exceptional contributions to advancing the art and craft of filmmaking. Richard H. Kline, ASC will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented annually to an individual who has made exceptional and enduring contributions to advancing the art of filmmaking. Frederick Wiseman will receive an Award of Distinction. Wiseman is only the second documentary filmmaker honored by the ASC (Albert Maysles was feted in 1998).

Nominees in the American Society of Cinematographers' feature film competition are: Dion Beebe, ASC, ACS for "Memoirs Of A Geisha"; Robert Elswit, ASC for "Good Night, and Good Luck"; Andrew Lesnie, ASC, ACS for "King Kong"; Wally Pfister, ASC for "Batman Begins"; and Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC for "Brokeback Mountain." Beebe, Elswit, Pfister, and Prieto are also nominated for Best Achievement in Cinematography at the 78th Annual Academy Awards®. Strangely, Emmanuel Lubezki took the fifth Oscar slot for "The New World" over the talented Lesnie's work on "King Kong."

ASC was chartered in 1919. The first ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards were held in 1987 for the purpose of recognizing and inspiring artistic achievement in cinematography. There are currently some 290 members from many countries around the world, and another 145 associates in allied fields. Visit the ASC Awards website for more information.

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Olivier Awards

Sunday, February 26, 2006:

Laurence Olivier Awards

Theater buffs will appreciate the 2006 Laurence Olivier Awards, presented annually by the Society of London Theatre. This year's award winners will be announced Sunday night at the London Hilton on Park Lane, London. Nominations were announced January 18, 2006 and include such film and theater notables as Brian Dennehy for "Death of a Salesman", Ewan McGregor and Jane Krakowski for "Guys and Dolls", and Stephen Daldry for "Billy Elliot - The Musical". According to it's website, the Laurence Olivier Awards are the UK's most prestigious theatre awards and the highlight of the West End calendar. The Awards were established in 1976 to recognize excellence in London theatre; Lord Olivier agreed to have his name associated with them in 1984. Visit the official website for exclusive, live, interactive coverage of the event as the drama unfolds on the big night.

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Image Awards

Saturday, February 25, 2006:

NAACP Image Awards

Celebrities including presenters Toni Braxton, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Nick Cannon, Vin Diesel, Kimberly Elise, Donald Faison, Omar Gooding, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Star Jones-Reynolds, Kerry Washington and Lynn Whitfield will join host Cuba Gooding, Jr. at the 37th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles this weekend. Nominations for this year's Image Awards were announced January 10, 2006. The evening's special honorees include Carlos Santana, who will receive the Hall of Fame Award, and The Neville Brothers, receiving the Chairman's Award. All of the Image Award nominees will celebrate at a pre-show gala at 7:30 p.m. Friday evening and a pre-show brunch Saturday morning, before re-grouping at the Shrine that afternoon for the network taping, to be broadcast March 3 on FOX. A post show gala will also be held immediately after the main event. For more info and tickets, visit the NAACP Image Awards website.

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CDG Awards

Saturday, February 25, 2006:

Costume Designers Awards

Costume designers and other theatrical professionals will gather at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills Saturday night for the 8th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards, hosted by actress Angelica Huston. The Guild announced its' nominees on January 11, 2006. In addition to the usual slate of awards, the guild has lined up several special honorees. Actress Joan Allen will be honored with CDG's Distinguished Actor designation. Acclaimed costume designer Colleen Atwood has been selected to receive the Lacoste Spotlight in Film Award. Other honorees include Thomas C. Short, who is to receive the Swarovski President's Award, and Star Trek designer Robert Blackman, who will get the Spotlight in Television Award. Anna Hill Johnstone will be inducted into the Edith Head Hall of Fame, and the guild will present Michael Woulfe, Grady Hunt and Moss Mabry with a Gold Card for their years of service to Local 892. This year's ceremony will be topped off with a tribute to the work of legendary 1950's designers Bill Thomas, (William) Travilla and Renie (Conley), who each created hundreds of the glamorous gowns and wardrobes seen in the classic movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

The Costume Designers Guild was founded in 1953 by a group of 30 motion picture costume designers. As of 1999, its membership includes motion picture, television, commercial, and stage costume designers throughout the world and totals some 470 members. The award given by the Costume Designers Guild is made by renowned Italian jeweler Bvlgari and was created by costume designer David Le Vey. The Bvlgari award stands 37 centimeters high and is made from sterling silver. A total of seven artisans are involved in the making of the statuette including the sculptor, the artisan, the silversmith, the shiner, the goldsmith, the engraver and the casemaker. Each of the seven statuettes entail about 50 hours of work and are flown in from directly from Italy (information courtesy CDG).

Films are recognized for Excellence in Costume Design by the CDG in three genres: Contemporary, Period and Fantasy. Nominees in the Contemporary category are "Hustle & Flow," "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," "Shopgirl," "Syriana," and "Transamerica." The Period category includes "Capote," "Good Night, and Good Luck," "Memoirs of a Geisha," "Rent," "Walk the Line," while the Fantasy film category includes "Batman Begins," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Chronicles of Narnia," and "Stars Wars, Episode III."

For comparison, the five films competing for Best Achievement in Costume Design at the 78th Annual Academy Awards® are "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Memoirs of a Geisha," "Mrs. Henderson Presents," "Pride & Prejudice," and "Walk the Line."

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Cesar Awards

Saturday, February 25, 2006:

French Film Awards

The 2006 César Awards, sponsored by L'Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma, the Gallic equivalent of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will be presented at the Theatre Du Chatelet in Paris this Saturday night. The gala evening will be hosted by Carole Bouquet, president of the French Academy for Cinema Arts and Techniques, and French actress Valérie Lemercier. The nominations for Best Foreign Film, announced January 27, 2006, include "A History of Violence," "Match Point," "Million Dollar Baby," "Mar adentro", and "Walk on Water."

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Elton Wows, Paris Parties, Vegas Rocks

Wild Weekend In Las Vegas

We took a break from the parade of celebrity award shows to accept a few invites in Las Vegas this past weekend. The entertainment started with Sir Elton John's raucous Red Piano performance Friday night at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace. On Saturday night, we were treated to the Wayne Newton Show at The Flamingo Hotel and Casino. Then it was back over to Caesars, where Paris Hilton was celebrating her 25th birthday at PURE nightclub. Few celebrities attended the Paris Party; it was just her parents, Rick and Kathy Hilton, sister Nicky Hilton, and a few friends. Paris' current underage beau, 19 year old Stavros Niarchos, wasn't able to attend. Security staff told us there was no way he would be allowed in the 21 and over hot spot.

Monday night was the big benefit at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace. "HEART: Harrah's Entertainment Artists Rally Together to Aid Hurricane-Affected Families" was headlined by Sir Elton John, Celine Dion and Jerry Seinfeld. The show raised $2.1 million for approximately 9,000 Harrah's employees who are still in need of help after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.

The ladies of ABC's "The View" set up to tape a week's worth of shows on Monday and Tuesday in the front courtyard of Caesars Palace. Scheduled guests included James Denton (ABC's "Desperate Housewives"), Maurice Benard (ABC's "General Hospital"), Jaime Pressly ("My Name is Earl"), Marg Helgenberger ("CSI"), actress Jennifer Tilly, celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, magicians Penn & Teller, comedian Carrot Top, musical guests the Pussycat Dolls, a performance by the Aussie "Thunder From Down Under" all-male revue dancers, and music superstar Celine Dion. We didn't stick around to watch all of the tapings, but it seems like everyone had a great time, despite the chilly temperatures.

That's our long weekend in a nutshell. We'll be getting some rest tonight and be back to blogging our usual beat tomorrow.

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BRIT Awards

Wednesday, February 15, 2006:

2006 BRIT AWARDS & SWAG

The BRIT AWARDS 2006 will be presented at Earls Court 2 in London, England. The musical event will be hosted by Chris Evans. Presenters include Madonna, Blondie's Deborah Harry, Thandie Newton, and Jamelia. It's been rumored that Oscar nominee Reese Witherspoon will also be presenting an award. Miss Paris Hilton has been signed to present pre-show coverage live from the Brit's Red Carpet. Performers include Coldplay, Kanye West, Kelly Clarkson, The Kaiser Chiefs, James Blunt, Kt Tunstall, Gorillaz, Jack Johnson and honoree Paul Weller, who will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award. The show will be televised in the UK February 16 on the ITV Network with international air dates will follow. The BRIT Awards advise that this the only UK show from which all the proceeds are donated to charity through the British Recording Industry Trust. Official website / Official Blog / BRIT nominations announced 1/10/06.

Winners at this year's Brit Awards will receive a gift bag worth over 4,500 pounds. Registered users were invited to enter to win the same goody bag through the Brits' website. This collection includes a sumptuous array of decadent luxuries and some of the year's most sought after labels. Sponsors and items procured for the Brit Awards SWAG Bag include a stay in the Caribbean at the secluded Ambergris Caye in Belize; a weekend break featuring massages, facials and relaxation at Champney's Health Resorts; a cashmere hot water bottle; a hand-crafted Globe Trotter case; a Yuroll face massager, made from solid jade; Godiva truffles; Danziger Gold Leaf Liqueur; a Lucia Cowan limited edition clutch bag; Timberland boots; Joules pyjamas (that's pajamas in the U.S.) and a Motorola ROKR with I-Tunes.

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VES Awards

Wednesday, February 15, 2006:

VES Awards

The 4th Annual VISUAL EFFECTS SOCIETY AWARDS will be handed out at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood. Awards are given in 20 categories. In addition, John Lasseter will be honored with the Georges Méliès Award for Artistic Excellence and Jim Morris will be presented the Board of Directors Award at the sold out event.

VES Nominees for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Motion Picture include the visual effects artists behind "Jarhead", "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Memoirs of a Geisha". VES Nominees for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture are "Chronicles of Narnia", "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", "King Kong" and "Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith". "Narnia", "King Kong" and "War of the Worlds" are this year's nominees for the 78th Annual Academy Awards® Achievement in Visual Affects.

Bonnie Hunt, Katherine Helmond, Cheech Marin, Edie McLurg, Craig T. Nelson and John Ratzenberger will be part of the VES tribute to Pixar's John Lasseter. Hunt, McLurg, Nelson and Ratzenberger have worked previously with Lasseter on movies from famed Pixar Animation Studios. Helmond and Marin join Hunt and Ratzenberger in Pixar's upcoming release, the Lasseter-directed "Cars." Lasseter also produced this year's Oscar nominated animated short film, "One Man Band," which will be released in theaters with "Cars" this summer.

More information: VES Awards website / Visual Effects Society / VES nominations (announced 1/9/06).

Juno Nominations

Wednesday, February 15, 2006:

Nominations for the 2006 JUNO AWARDS will be announced Wednesday, February 15. Tickets to the 2006 Juno Awards go on sale this Saturday, February 18. These tickets always sell incredibly fast - the show is often sold out in minutes. For more information, about the Juno Awards, see the calendar entry on April 2.

Cinematographers Capture Final Ballots

February 14, 2006:

ASC Feature Film Ballots Due

Nominees in the American Society of Cinematographers' feature film competition are: Dion Beebe, ASC, ACS for "Memoirs Of A Geisha"; Robert Elswit, ASC for "Good Night, and Good Luck"; Andrew Lesnie, ASC, ACS for "King Kong"; Wally Pfister, ASC for "Batman Begins"; and Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC for "Brokeback Mountain." The awards will be presented February 26, 2006. Recipients of honorary ASC Awards and other information is available on our February awards show calendar (see ASC).

Beebe, Elswit, Pfister, and Prieto are also nominated for Best Achievement in Cinematography at the 78th Annual Academy Awards®. Strangely, Emmanuel Lubezki took the fifth Oscar slot for "The New World" over the talented Lesnie's work on "King Kong."

Oscar Nominee Official Class Picture

Academy's Class of 2006

Here they are, the nominees of the 78th Annual Academy Awards®:

Unfortunately, Oscar nominees Ang Lee, Paul Giamatti and Rachel Weisz were unable to attend today's luncheon as they were caught in the blizzard that blanketed New York and much of the East Coast. In all, about 111 (according to Entertainment Tonight's Leonard Maltin) to 116 (according to The Insider's Pat O'Brien) talented nominees came together for the power lunch.

For more information, see yesterday's blog: Oscar Nominee Luncheon.

Photo: Copyright 2006 A.M.P.A.S.®

Gift Ideas for Your Valentine

Set the Mood and Glow

There is a scene in David Spade's "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star" that depicts how NOT TO set the mood with your sweetheart. Dickie's ex-girlfriend, played by Alyssa Milano, shows up at his "childhood" home and is invited to stay the night. The couple goes through the motions to create a romantic atmosphere - they turn down the glaring white lights, light a few candles, sip some sour bubbly. Dickie doesn't really want her there and at one point "accidentally" pours candle wax on her back, causing her to scream "You burned me!" Well, if Dickie and Cyndi really wanted to be romantic, they would have gone about this a lot differently.

We would recommend they start with lighting from Mood-Lites and candles from Lotion Glow : > )

Lotion Glow candles are made from all natural pure soy, which has a melting temperature of 100 degrees - just above your normal body temperature - and they create a subtly scented atmosphere that provides the perfect setting for romance and relaxation. Cyndi would have welcomed the warm, silky, clear liquid as it was applied to her back and massaged into her skin. Rather than scream at Dickie, she would whisper a breathy command to him, "don't stop, don't stop!."

Yes, that is how great these candles are. They come in 10 amazing scents: Mango Passion (Harmony), Sex on the Beach (Life Force), Pina Colada (Energy), Cucumber Melon (Balance), Lavender Fields (Relaxation), Calm Waters (Serenity), Soft Rain (Tranquillity), Tuberose (Romance), Hawaiian Gardenia (Spirituality), and Plumeria (Love). Each is available individually or in a Rainbow Collection that provides a pleasing palate of colors and fragrances that help facilitate relaxation.

To compliment this great gift for your sweetheart, combine an assortment of Lotion Glow candles with a variety of Mood-Lites - the affordable Light Bulbs for Your Lifestyle - in a gift basket. Mood-Lites also come in a relaxing array of colors - Happy, Tranquility, Renewal, Energy, Passion, Serenity and Creativity. At an ambient 25 watts, they are the perfect companion to Lotion Glow candles to set any mood.

Photos: Amber Tamblyn with Mood Lites at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards Celebrity Gift Lounge; Terrence Howard at the 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards, where he received an introduction to Lotion Glow. Both licensed images © Wire Image.

Oscar Nominee Luncheon

Monday, February 13. 2006:

OSCAR NOMINEE LUNCHEON

The stars will be out in force today for the annual Academy Awards Nominee Luncheon in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. This will be the 25th time that the Academy has hosted the Nominees Luncheon. The first was held on March 9, 1982.

Seventeen of the 20 nominees in the acting categories will be among the more than 100 nominees from 24 categories who will get together at noon for the traditional pre-Academy Awards gathering. This is the time when the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) personally honors this year's Oscar contenders with the luncheon, presentation of a certificate, and some nice take home gifts. Previous luncheon gifts have included a commemorative Oscar sweatshirt, event posters, and a ball cap!

The event is especially sweet for the majority of talent who aren't household names (even though they'll forever have the distinction of being known as "Oscar nominee ..."). When drawing up the table arrangements, AMPAS planners go to great lengths to ensure that each table has an equal balance of guests from all categories, meaning that a Best Actress nominee and her guest might be seated with nominees from the Best Foreign Film, Adapted Screenplay and Visual Effects categories. A nominated director from the Best Motion Picture category might also be at her table, as long as he did not direct her nominated movie. Or, for another example, Best Supporting Actress Michelle Williams will likely be seated away from husband and fellow nominee (for Best Lead Actor) Heath Ledger and neither of them will sit with nominee Ang Lee who directed their movie "Brokeback Mountain." The arrangement is always a success as it allows for new introductions and encourages the shared camaraderie of this special time.

From the 78th Annual Academy Awards® Leading Actor and Actress categories Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Capote"), Terrence Howard ("Hustle & Flow"), Heath Ledger ("Brokeback Mountain"), Joaquin Phoenix ("Walk the Line"), Felicity Huffman ("Transamerica"), Keira Knightley ("Pride & Prejudice"), Charlize Theron ("North Country") and Reese Witherspoon ("Walk the Line") have RSVP'd to attend. Amy Adams ("Junebug"), Catherine Keener ("Capote"), Rachel Weisz ("The Constant Gardener"), Michelle Williams ("Brokeback Mountain"), George Clooney ("Syriana"), Matt Dillon ("Crash"), Paul Giamatti ("Cinderella Man"), Jake Gyllenhaal ("Brokeback Mountain") and William Hurt ("A History of Violence") are set to represent the supporting categories. All five nominees from the Directing category - Clooney ("Good Night, and Good Luck"), Paul Haggis ("Crash"), Ang Lee ("Brokeback Mountain"), Bennett Miller ("Capote"), Steven Spielberg ("Munich") - are also scheduled to attend. The only nominees in these categories that indicated they won't be there are Lead Actor nominee David Strathairn ("Good Night, And Good Luck"), Lead Actress nominee Judi Dench ("Mrs. Henderson Presents"), and Supporting Actress nominee Frances McDormand ("North Country").

Hotel guests, and perhaps a few door crashers, may be welcome to gather behind a velvet rope in a small area near the hotel lobby's entrance to watch the celebrities arrive for the luncheon. The celebs will also gather for the traditional Oscar Nominee Class Photo, and be the subject of dozens of interviews. Watch for clips on this week's entertainment news shows like Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight, which are usually taped poolside in the beautiful Southern California sunshine.

Photos: Oscar nominee Nicole Kidman with our teen editor at the 2002 Oscar Luncheon. Copyright LAStarz.com. Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger at 2006 Oscar Luncheon. Copyright Reuters.

Art Directors' Beverly Hills Gala

February 11, 2006:

The 10th Annual ART DIRECTORS GUILD AWARDS will be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on Saturday, February 11. Reception begins at 6:30 p.m.; dinner followed by awards presentation 7:30 p.m. The Art Directors nominations were announced on January 17, 2006.

The Art Directors Guild (ADG) will announce winners in seven categories of Production Design for motion pictures, television and commercials competing in ADG's Tenth Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards for 2005. Black-tie ceremonies will take place from the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. The event will be hosted by six-time Emmy® nominee Jeffrey Tambor. Presiding over the occasion will be ADG Council President Tom Walsh assisted by Awards Co-Chairs Robert Strohmaier and Tom Wilkins. Scheduled celebrity presenters include Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon ("NYPD Blue"), Production Designer Robert Boyle, Executive Roy Disney, Director Paul Haggis ("Crash"), Jill Hennessy ("Crossing Jordan"), Laura Herring ("Law & Order"), Producer Kathleen Kennedy, Ian McShane ("Deadwood"), Production Designer J. Michael Riva, Kelly Rutherford ("E-Ring"), Doug Savant ("Desperate Housewives"), Jane Seymour ("Wedding Crashers") and Jean Smart ("24").

ADG's Outstanding Contribution to Cinematic Imagery Award will go to three-time Academy Award® winner Steven Spielberg, who has his imprimatur on four major films this year: "War of the Worlds," (director); "Munich" (producer/director); "The Legend of Zorro" (executive producer) and "Memoirs of a Geisha" (producer), whose production designer John Myhre is an ADG nominee. Spielberg was also executive producer of the TNT mini-series "Into the West," whose production designer, Marek Dobrowolski, is also an ADG nominee this year.

Other highlights of the evening will be the first live public performance of the Academy Award®-nominated song, "In The Deep" from "Crash" by its co-composer / performer Kathleen "Bird" York (actress as well on "The West Wing" and "The O.C."), as well as the presentation of the ADG's Hall of Fame inductees, ADG's Lifetime Achievement Award and the Career Achievement Award for Scenic Arts. Production designer John B. Mansbridge will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award and Ronald V. Strang will be presented with the Career Achievement Award for Scenic Arts. Production designers John Box, Hans Dreier, Cedric Gibbons, Jan Scott and Alexander Trauner will be inducted into the ADG Hall of Fame (an honor bestowed only posthumously).

USC Scripter To Honor Capote Scribes

February 11, 2006:

The 18th Annual USC SCRIPTER AWARDS ceremony and live webcast originates at 7:30 p.m. from the Edward L. Doheny Jr. Memorial Library on the University of Southern California. Henry Winkler will serve as master of ceremonies; Hal Kanter returns as grand emcee. The Scripter Award is given annually to honor writers for the best achievement in adaptation among English-language films based on a book or short story that were released the previous year. The writers of Brokeback Mountain, Capote, The Constant Gardener, A History of Violence and Syriana were nominated for this year's Scripter XVIII award. The winner was set to be unveiled 1/13/06 but due to a tie between Capote and Syriana, a run off vote delayed the final announcement to 1/18/06, at which time it was announced that author Gerald Clarke and screenwriter Dan Futterman would be honored with the 18th Scripter Award for Capote. USC Scripter official website.

Art Directors Guild Final Ballots Due

February 9, 2006

ART DIRECTORS GUILD - final ballots due to CPA by 5:00 p.m. The 10th Annual ART DIRECTORS GUILD AWARDS will be held this Friday, January 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. More details about the event will be posted tomorrow.

Official Grammy Party

GRAMMY Night Never Ends

Los Angeles - The 2006 GRAMMY® Celebration Party, an exclusive invitation-only, star-studded event, takes place for the second consecutive year at the Los Angeles Convention Center following the 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards. The gala - the largest produced by The Academy - attracts GRAMMY winners and nominees, music industry executives and a number of celebrities.

The GRAMMY Celebration Party is one of the entertainment industry's biggest, most lavish events and a post-GRAMMY telecast highlight, with an all-star lineup of live entertainment, including current GRAMMY nominee Earth, Wind & Fire with special guests Sleepy Brown, GRAMMY nominee Floetry, Brian McKnight, GRAMMY nominee Kelly Rowland, Raphael Saadiq and GRAMMY nominee Will.I.Am (The Black Eyed Peas); GRAMMY nominee Big & Rich, featuring Cowboy Troy; contemporary rock group String Theory (playing 60-foot-long harp strings suspended from the ceiling); and DJ Splyce. Additionally, the GRAMMY Celebration Jazz Lounge will feature Kermit Ruffins And The Barbeque Swingers; Dave Koz and special guests Patti Austin, Jonathan Butler, Wayman Tisdale and Kirk Whalum; and the Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles.

"Music's Biggest Night is an international extravaganza that celebrates the year in music, but the festivities don't end there," said Neil Portnow, President of The Recording Academy. "The evening continues with winners, nominees, VIPs, Academy members and enthusiastic music lovers at our GRAMMY Celebration, an elegant soiree where contemporary cuisine, distinctive design and top-notch entertainment are the best way to top off a spectacular day. We never want GRAMMY night to end."

The Recording Academy once again will partner with highly regarded event producers Along Came Mary (ACM) to produce the post-telecast GRAMMY Celebration Party, overseeing all of the event entertainment, decor, menu and other logistics. ACM and its design and lighting team will take the vast convention space and transform it into a modernist Midsummer Night's Dream theme, complete with an eclectic mix of live exotic flora and performance art. A mainstay in the entertainment industry, ACM has masterfully orchestrated many of Hollywood's most distinguished events and has been named top caterer in the nation by numerous publications. The Recording Academy has hired ACM to co-produce the GRAMMY Celebration Party seven times, as well as both the 1st, 3rd and 5th Annual Latin GRAMMY post-parties.

The event's menu will feature more than 70 buffets with fare that includes American bistro (with roasted sirloin, onion rings and a steakhouse chopped salad), Caribbean (Jamaican jerk chicken ceviche shooters and cornbread-yam pudding), Asian (mirin-lacquered salmon, potstickers and spring rolls), French (lamb bourguignon, mascarpone polenta cakes and a roasted Provencal ratatouille) and Italian (Tuscan vegetable lasagna and an assortment of antipasti). And desserts will feature ACM's signature miniatures, including turtle bars, mini-banana cream pies, apple galette, winter sundaes, crispy rice pudding and an assortment of ACM's famous cookies.

The 2006 GRAMMY Celebration Party, presented by Heineken, also will feature wines and spirits provided by Patron Tequila, Belvedere Vodka, Pyrat Rum, Forest Glen Wines and Domaine Laurier Champagne.

This year's GRAMMY Celebration will again approach the traditional "gifting" of party guests in a whole new way. The Recording Academy has partnered once again with gifting company Distinctive Assets to create a specially designed area where guests will be able to preview luxury products such as a Privia digital piano package provided by Casio; his and her Oceanus and G-Shock watches; a nine.com gift certificate; a his and her set of Lancel luggage; free Lasik surgery from Dr. Kerry Assil; a spring purse collection from Elliott Lucca; two tickets to the PAC 10 basketball finals in March, courtesy of Dr Pepper; Hilton "Competitive Advantage" (including a bed, a hotel stay, an alarm clock and other items); a House of Blues Gold Membership; a U.S. Racing School package; Lukie jewelry; ski accessories featuring Fendi goggles, a Samora cashmere scarf and hat, a women's Escada ski jacket and a men's Napapijiri jacket; and a Verizon package, including a Gateway laptop computer and an Olympus Stylus 800 digital camera and P-11 photo printer pack. These companies will be showcasing special surprises that will delight party guests while redefining the traditional celebrity party gift bag. Additionally, every guest in attendance will receive a parting gift courtesy of S Factor.

Source: The Recording Academy®

Oscar®-Nominated "Shorts" to Screen in NYC

Beverly Hills - On Saturday, February 25, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present two public screenings of the ten Oscar-nominated films in the Animated Short and Live Action Short categories. The screenings will feature the five films from each category, providing a rare opportunity for New York moviegoers to see the nominees prior to the 78th Academy Awards® telecast on Sunday, March 5.

The screenings will be held at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Academy Theater at Lighthouse International in New York City. Film historian and television host Robert Osborne will serve as the host for both screenings.

The following ten Oscar-nominated short films will be shown at the New York screenings:

Short Film (Animated)
"Badgered," Sharon Colman, director
"The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation," John Canemaker, director; Peggy Stern, producer
"The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello," Anthony Lucas, director
"9," Shane Acker, director
"One Man Band," Andrew Jimenez and Mark Andrews, directors

Short Film (Live Action)
"Ausreisser" (The Runaway), Ulrike Grote, director
"Cashback," Sean Ellis, director; Lene Bausager, producer
"The Last Farm," Rúnar Rúnarsson, director; Thor S. Sigurjónsson, producer
"Our Time Is Up," Rob Pearlstein, director; Pia Clemente, producer
"Six Shooter," Martin McDonagh, director

Tickets for the screenings are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid I.D. Advanced tickets may be reserved by calling 888-778-7575. The Academy's Theater at Lighthouse International is located at 111 East 59th Street between Park and Lexington avenues. All orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. To be added to the Academy Foundation mailing list, please visit the Academy's website at www.oscars.org/events.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements for 2005 will be presented on March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5 p.m. PST. A one-hour red carpet arrivals show will precede the telecast at 4 p.m. PST.

©A.M.P.A.S.®