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.®

Sexy Star Fiennes Suddenly Single

We don't know if we feel happy or sad about this bit of celebrity news. Handsome actor Ralph Fiennes has split from his partner of 11 years, Francesca Annis. According to Britains' Mail on Sunday tabloid, Fiennes admitted to having a fling with 31 year old Romanian singer Cornelia Crisan, after they met at a party two years ago. However, other reports state that Fiennes, 43, denies ever being unfaithful to 62 year old Annis.

Fiennes and Annis' relationship began in 1995 when they co-starred in the stage production of Hamlet. Fiennes played the title role and Annis played his mother. He previously exchanged wedding vows with ER star Alex Kingston in September 1993. Their divorce was finalized October 28, 1997. Annis left her long time love of more than 20 years, photographer Patrick Wiseman, with whom she had three children, to be with Fiennes.

Fiennes is nominated for a BAFTA Award in the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for The Constant Gardener, which received a total of 10 BAFTA nominations. The awards will be presented in London on February 19. He has already earned the British Independent Film Award for his performance as Justin Quayle in the film.

Fiennes was also nominated for an Annie Award this year for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production in the Academy Award nominated animated feature Wallace & Gromit and the Curse of the Were Rabbit. He was overlooked by the Academy Awards for his role in The Constant Gardener, which garnered 4 nods, including one for best supporting actress Rachel Weisz. Fiennes previously received Academy Award nominations for his roles in Schindler's List and The English Patient.

Fiennes and Constant Gardener co-star Rachel Weisz made a long term commitment to the people who inhabit the Kenyan locations where the movie was filmed.

Final Oscar Ballots Mailed to Voting Members

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

Final ballots for the 78th Annual Academy Awards will be mailed today to the 5,798 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Completed ballots must be in the hands of Pricewaterhouse-Coopers by 5:00 p.m. PT, Tuesday, February 28. Any ballot received after the deadline will not be counted.

Listed on the ballots are nominees in 19 Oscar® categories. Separate ballots for 5 award categories (foreign language film, short and feature-length documentaries and animated and live-action short films) will be distributed after verification of mandatory member attendance at screenings.

Once the auditing firm has tabulated the votes, the winners’ names are placed in sealed envelopes to be opened on Oscar Night®. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements for 2005 will be presented on March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5:00 p.m. PST. A one-hour red carpet arrivals show will precede the telecast at 4:00 p.m. PST.

Trivia question: final ballots for the 77th Academy Awards were mailed last year to 5,808 voting members. Why the decrease in voting members?

London Critics Circle Film Awards

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

The 26th Annual LONDON CRITICS' CIRCLE AWARDS will be presented at the Dorchester Hotel in London. The event will be hosted by broadcaster Mariella Frostrup and Critics' Circle Film Section chairman John Marriott. The London Critics Circle Film Awards recognize the best in British and International film talent. They are also the only UK film awards which raise money for charity, contributing to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Nominations were announced December 14, 2005, with Pride & Prejudice garnering the most nods, followed closely by The Constant Gardener. Johnny Depp is nominated in the Actor of the Year category for his portrayal of Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He is competing against Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain), Bruno Ganz (Downfall), Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda) and Viggo Mortensen (A History of Violence). Juliette Binoche (Hidden), Naomi Watts (King Kong), Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace), Laura Linney (Kinsey) and Maria Bello (A History of Violence) were recognized in the Actress of the Year category. The org also bestows awards to the British Actor and Actress of the Year, which includes nominees Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener. That movie is competing against Crash, A History of Violence, Brokeback Mountain and King Kong for the Film of the Year award. Nominations for Director of the Year went to Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardener), Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain), Paul Haggis (Crash), Peter Jackson (King Kong) and David Cronenberg (A History of Violence).

Daytime Stars Announce Daytime Emmy Noms

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

Nominations Announcement for 33rd Annual DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS®

DAVID CANARY, MICHAEL EASTON, KIMBERLY McCULLOUGH AND SCOTT CLIFTON ARE AMONG THE SCHEDULED PRESENTERS FOR THE 33rd ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY® AWARD NOMINATIONS, LIVE, FEB. 8, ON ABC DAYTIME'S THE VIEW

Plus a Surprise Appearance by One of Daytime Television's Biggest and Brightest Stars

One of Daytime television’s biggest and brightest stars joins five-time Emmy® Award winner David Canary (Stuart/Adam Chandler), along with fellow All My Children co-stars Alexa Havins (Babe Chandler) and Emmy Award winner Jacob Young (JR Chandler); Emmy Award winner Robin Strasser (Dorian Lord), Michael Easton (John McBain) and Renée Goldsberry (Evangeline Williamson) of One Life to Live; Scott Clifton (Dillon Quartermaine) and Emmy Award winner Kimberly McCullough (Robin Scorpio) of General Hospital; Austin Peck (Austin Reed) of Days of our Lives; Heidi Meuller (Kay Bennett) of Passions; Bradley Cole (Jeffrey O’Neill) of Guiding Light and Terri Colombino (Katie Peretti) of As the World Turns, as ABC Daytime’s popular talk show, The View, hosts the live nomination ceremony for The 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, Wednesday, February 8 on the ABC Television Network (check local listings for times).

The View co-hosts Barbara Walters, Meredith Vieira, Star Jones Reynolds, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck will also partake in the announcement of nominees in all the major categories.

The 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will air live on the ABC Television Network from Hollywood’s Kodak Theater, home of the Academy Awards®, on Friday, April 28, 2006. This will mark the first time the Daytime Emmys will be broadcast from Hollywood in the 33-year history of the Awards ceremonies.

GRAMMY Parties, Performers & Presenters

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

The 48th Annual GRAMMY AWARDS will be presented at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Award nominations were announced December 8, 2005. The 2006 Grammy Awards will be broadcast on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Grammy official website / 48th Annual Awards.

Trivia: Even though the 2005 Grammy broadcast boasted 24 live performances - and only 11 actual awards were presented during the telecast - it drew only 18.8 million viewers, a 28% decrease from the 2004 Grammys, and the lowest ratings since 1995, according to Nielsen Media Research. Of course, they were on the Sunday night line up against Desperate Housewives.

GRAMMY PRESENTERS:

Scheduled GRAMMY presenters include Fiona Apple, Lance Armstrong, Big & Rich, Chris Brown, Michael Buble, Dave Chappelle, Common, Sheryl Crow, Ellen DeGeneres, Destiny's Child, Matt Dillon, Jenna Elfman, Teri Hatcher, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Terrence Howard, Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Queen Latifah, Bonnie Raitt, Anoushka Shankar, Sting and James Taylor. Celebrity cyclist Lance Armstrong cancelled his appearance after news of his break up with Sheryl Crow was announced over the weekend - ironically Sheryl Crow herself just signed on as a presenter.

GRAMMY PERFORMERS:

The Grammy Awards opening performance will feature Madonna and the Gorillaz with additional performances by Mariah Carey with Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship Choir, Kelly Clarkson, Coldplay, Herbie Hancock & Christina Aguilera, Faith Hill & Keith Urban, Jay-Z & Linkin Park, Paul McCartney, SugarLand, U2 & Mary J. Blige, Kanye West & Jamie Foxx. Aerosmith's Steven Tyler & Joe Perry, Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am, Ciara, John Legend, Devin Lima, Maroon 5, Robert Randolph, Joss Stone and Sly Stone will perform during a Tribute to Sly and the Family Stone. Participants in GRAMMY's Tribute to New Orleans include Elvis Costello, Dr. John, Sam Moore, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Irma Thomas, Allen Toussaint, and U2's The Edge.

GRAMMY PARTIES:

Grammy parties kicked off Monday night, when Kanye West performed at the Rolling Stone / Verizon Wireless party, honoring the this year's nominees, at the Avalon Hollywood. The action continues tonight with Clive Davis' traditional pre-Grammy celebration, which moved this year to the larger ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The guest list includes Ellen DeGeneres, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson, the Dixie Chicks, Usher, Green Day and Willie Nelson. The long list of performers is rumored to include Kelly Clarkson, Jamie Foxx, Rod Stewart, Fantasia Barino, Mary J. Blige, Carlos Santana, Rob Thomas, Chris Brown, Heather Headley and Barry Manilow. Real Networks will be streaming the party live through their online music service, at rhapsody.com/grammys. The party will also be broadcast live on XM Satellite Radio's Grammy Radio station (XM200).

GRAMMY after parties will be happening throughout Hollywood, though most are non-publicized private parties. However, LG Mobile Phones is proud to announce the Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri Post Grammy Celebration. According to LG's press release, all of Hollywood's finest including, Jessica Simpson, Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson, Ashton Kutcher, Hugh Hefner, Usher, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, Pharell and many more will be on hand for a night of celebration and glamour with a star-studded guest list at a luxurious and exclusive location in Beverly Hills. "I'm very excited to be able to celebrate the things I hold dear - life, art, music - on the most important night in music," said Jermaine Dupri, "I'd like to thank LG Mobile Phones for the opportunity to show all my friends what's sure to be a great time!"

Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri plan to share with their guests a celebration of life with an old-Hollywood setting reminiscent of the days of the Rat Pack. The fun begins with the totally unique invitation: a video message from the two hosts, displayed on the ultra-cool, incredibly functional 'V' by LG. This exclusive event will have the myriad of luxuries that have come to be associated will LG Mobile Phones events, everything from an incredibly unique setting to ultra swanky celebrity goodie bags. This chic gift bag will include a personal massage chair, stylish co-branded Red Engine Jeans and a scratch-to-win gift card with high end prizes not limited to 60" plasma screen televisions and portable DVD players!

As for other parties, you might get some clues by reviewing where they were held last year. EMI threw it's post-Grammy shindig at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Usher held a private party at the Geisha House in L.A., Kanye West held a super secret party somewhere in Hollywood, and even Prince hosted a private party at his Hollywood Hills home. Guitarist D'Wayne Wiggins hosted a party for multiple winner Alicia Keys at the Day After Club, which filled up so fast that hundreds were left standing outside most of the night. Warner Brothers held court at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood where invitees included Green Day, Linkin Park, Kid Rock, Amy Lee, Twista, Rob Zombie, Rob Thomas, Jimmy Page, and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. There was also a musical jam at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip.

Michelle Rodriguez Lost In the Crowd

The last highlight for tonight from the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® backstage press room:

And then there was Ms. Michelle Rodriguez of the SAG Award winning Best Dramatic TV Ensemble, Lost. The same reporter who put Sandra Bullock on the spot also singled out Rodriguez for the "what are you wearing" red carpet question. Her reply made many laugh, though I swear more than a few people cringed when she answered, "I'm wearing Diane von Furstenberg. Did I say that right? She's been in the business since the '60s, and I love old people." I don't think her royal purple gown was vintage, but apparently she thought the designer was.

At these backstage press fests, only a few minutes can be allocated to grill each winner, or ensemble of winners, so not every reporter gets a chance to voice their own burning question. And of course, there's the right time, right place rule. This being the venue to ask winners "how does it feel ...?" or "what was it like ...?", some questions just have to be held back. Thus, no one asked Michelle Rodriguez about her recent DUI, movie flop (BloodRayne) or how soon her character, Anna Lucia, would be written out of the show. She might have been expecting to receive such pointed questions, because as the cast of Lost filed out of the press room, Rodriguez made a back handed comment. "Thank you for being respectful," she murmured to no one in particular. Was she expecting us to be anything less?

By the way, Designer Diane von Furstenberg just opened her first West Coast boutique, located at 8407 Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood.

Sandra Bullock's Dress Was Pretty, But Come On...

Later the cast of Crash crowded onto the small stage in the press room of the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®.

While Crash has a few high profile cast members, including Don Cheadle, Brendan Fraser and Sandra Bullock, the majority of it's 74 cast members aren't exactly household names (Terrence Howard moved up to the A-List with his Oscar nomination two days after this kudo fest). So it was nice to see the biggest star, Sandra Bullock, standing off to the side, more than likely to give this moment in the spotlight to lesser known cast members. Everything was going great, with Matt Dillon and others fielding questions. Then the mood changed.

Although Sandra Bullock didn't snort, she wasn't exactly Miss Congenialty when singled out by a reporter who chose this opportunity to ask her that all important question: "who are you wearing?" Apparently Sandra felt this was a question better left on the Red Carpet. She replied somewhat snarkily, "I can't believe you just asked that!" Another reporter than asked Bullock another question about her dress. Though it was pretty clear Bullock felt these questions were out of place, a third reporter pushed on, asking something like "what are you going for?," prompting Bullock to respond "What was I going for? What were you going for? What were you thinking when you put that on? I don't know how to answer that." For the record, Sandra was in a creamy-beige / light pastel cocktail dress designed by Angel Sanchez, who also created her wedding dress.

Speaking of weddings, we all know first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby ... . Now I'm not saying Sandra and husband Jesse James are expecting, but when she begrudgingly approached the microphone to answer the above fashion questions, I thought, for just the slightest moment, we saw a new baby bump under her pretty little dress. Or maybe my eyes were just playing tricks on me.

Don Cheadle, the Ultimate Team Player

More from the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®: 

I love Don Cheadle's attitude. He is someone who has totally embraced the concept of "ensemble," as he demonstrated when receiving The Actor® trophy with fellow cast members at this year's SAG Awards and also back at the 7th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. In accepting the award this month on behalf of the outstanding ensemble cast of Crash, Cheadle said, " Thank you very much, on behalf of the entire cast. I'd like to thank our peers, the Screen Actors Guild. We definitely appreciate it, thank you for acknowledging our film. We believe that it really celebrates the definition of what an ensemble is all about. I mean, there's 74 of us, so it... [laughter] has to be...".

Back in 2000, Cheadle also spoke up for the SAG award winning cast of Traffic: "I was asked to speak for our cast - I don't know why. But in this film there were 135 speaking roles, actually. [applause] And I would like to read every single name now. [laughter]. No, but I will hit some highlights: Michael (Douglas), Catherine (Zeta-Jones), Benicio (Del Toro), Luis (Guzman), Dennis Quaid, Erika Christensen, Topher Grace, Amy Irving, Jacob Vargas, Cliff Collins, Miguel Ferrer, Steven Bauer, Ben Bratt, D.W. Moffett, Peter Riegert, Tomas Milian, Marisol Sanchez, James Brolin, Albert Finney, Steven Gaghan for giving us the wonderful words. [applause] And of course, the captain of our ship, Steven Soderbergh for shepherding this whole thing."

Weisz, Fiennes Commit to Constant Gardener Trust

There are not any events or deadlines on our radar for Tuesday, February 7, 2006. A lot of celebrities are in Los Angeles for tonight's MusicCares Tribute to James Taylor or rehearsing for the Grammy Awards and gearing up for the after parties the following day (more about them tomorrow). Other stars may be clearing out of Detroit following Super Bowl Sunday, perhaps heading to New York City for Olympus Fashion Week or the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which continues through February 12.

So tonight I'll just share you with some anecdotes from the press room at last week's Screen Actors Guild Awards:

Beautiful Rachel Weisz quietly confided that she is committed to continue her support of the Constant Gardener Trust (constantgardenertrust.org) for at least the next five years. The org was established by Constant Gardener producer Simon Channing Williams. With the continued patronage of Weisz, co-star Ralph Fiennes, director Fernando Meirelles and author John le Carré, the people of Loiyangalani and Kibera - the largest slum in SubSaharan Africa, located in the center of Nairobi, Kenya - will benefit from the trust's core aims to improve education, water and sanitation conditions. You can learn more about the Constant Gardener Trust's goals and objectives in the Projects section of their website.

2/6/06: MusicCares Honors James Taylor

16th Annual MUSIC CARES PERSON OF THE YEAR TRIBUTE honoring multi-GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter James Taylor at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles. This annual benefit is MusiCares' signature event to recognize individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of music, as well as remarkable commitments to philanthropic and humanitarian causes. The evening begins at 6:00 p.m. with a special cocktail reception and silent auction sponsored by AEG that offers an unparalleled range of luxury and one-of-a-kind items, including an Ebony Gibson JR-200 Acoustic Electric Guitar signed by Paul Simon; a Precision Fender Bass autographed by Sting; an AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am VIP package; "France's Finest - The Grand Tour of France" with Viking River Cruises; a Peter Max personal portrait and VIP meet and greet at Max's New York studio; three days and two nights aboard the world-famous Onassis yacht "Christina O" for 10 guests; a ladies 18 carat ruby and diamond ring by Johnathon Arndt Gallery of Jewels; Tesoro diamond cufflinks by Jason of Beverly Hills; and a 2007 Limited Edition Cadillac Escalade. Proceeds provide essential support for MusiCares' Financial Assistance Program, which ensures that music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need.

The evening is further highlighted by a gala dinner, the awards presentation and a tribute concert featuring a line up of all stars including the Dixie Chicks, Carole King, Alison Krauss, Randy Newman, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, Sting, India.Arie, Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Dr. John, Taj Mahal, Bruce Springsteen and James Taylor himself. Funds raised help support MusiCares' health and human service programs. Other corporate sponsors include Gibson, General Motors, Dr Pepper, Heineken, Verizon, People, Westwood One, XM Satellite Radio, JBL, Hilton, Continental Airlines, Jewels and Pinstripes, and Yahoo! Music. For ticket information, please call 310.392.3777. Black Tie Preferred.

You might also be interested in the current eBay GRAMMY Online Charity Auctions to raise funds for the GRAMMY charities MusiCares and the GRAMMY Foundation.

2/6/06: BAFTA Ballots Due

BAFTA AWARDS - final round voting closes (18:00 GMT). The Orange British Academy Film Awards nominations were announced January 19, 2006. The BAFTA Awards gala will be held at Odeon Leicester Square in London, England on February 19, 2006.

Rachel McAdams, Will Ferrell Take Oscar Vows

Originally posted Friday 2/3/06:

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continues to slowly reveal celebrity presenters for next month's Oscars. Today we learned funnyman Will Ferrell became the latest star added to the talent roster. AMPAS also announced the starlet du jour selected to host the Scientific and Technical Awards on Saturday, February 18. Rachel McAdams has accepted the role, and she will also appear at the 78th Annual Academy Awards on March 5 to introduce taped highlights from the Sci-Tech dinner. McAdams played Owen Wilson's love interest in Wedding Crashers, in which Ferrell had a small role. Both Owen Wilson and his brother Luke are also set to present Oscars this year. Makes us wonder if fellow Frat Pack studs, Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller, frequent collaborators with Ferrell and the Wilson brothers, will be the next actors Gil Cates invites to the show.

2/4/06: Writers, Animators Draft Event Details

Originally posted Friday 2/3/06:

The 58th Annual WRITERS GUILD AWARDS will be held simultaneously in Los Angeles and New York Saturday night. Jon Favreau hosts the west coast Writers Guild gala at the Hollywood Palladium. Award presenters include Oscar nominees Matt Dillon and Terrence Howard, Geena Davis, Dan Rather, Steve Carell, Jason Lee, James Denton, George Lopez, Marg Helgenberger, Jenna Elfman, Sandra Oh, Craig Ferguson, Ellen Pompeo, James Garner, Tyler James Williams and Lauralee Bell. Frank Pierson will receive the Morgan Cox Honorary Service Award, George Clooney and Grant Heslov will receive the Paul Selvin Award for their screenplay Good Night, and Good Luck, screenwriter/ director/ producer Lawrence Kasdan will be honored with the Screen Laurel Award and television writer /producer Stephen J. Cannell will receive the Writers Guild of America, West's Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television.

Alan Cumming presides over the east coast Writer's Guild gala at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Award presenters include Stanley Donen, Susan Zirinsky, John Auerbach, Tim Fontana, John Waters, Rosie Perez, Dan Futterman, S. Epatha Merkerson, Paul Rudd, Paul Shaffer, Susie Essman and Sara Vowell. The Writers Guild of America East selected James L. Brooks for its inaugural Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence, to honor a scribe who has shown excellence in comedy writing and who has inspired others through leadership and mentoring. WGA East chose Warren Leight to receive its Richard B. Jablow Award for service to the guild. They will also honor Marshall Brickman with the Ian McLellan Hunter Award for lifetime achievement in writing. WGA tv nominees announced 12/8/05; motion pictures nominees 1/4/06. Official websites: WGA-W / WGA- E.

The 33rd Annual ANNIE AWARDS, presented by ASIFA-Hollywood, the International Animated Film Society, will be held at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA, and hosted by the talent behind Spongebob Squarepants, Tom Kenny. Celebrity presenters include William Shatner, Jason Alexander, Brad Bird, Seth MacFarlane, Craig T. Nelson, Nick Park and Lee Unkrich. The 2005 Annie Award nominations were announced 12/5/05. Chicken Little, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, Howl's Moving Castle, Madagascar and Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit are competing for Annie's Best Animated Feature title. Three of these films, Corpse Bride, Howl's Moving Castle and the Wallace & Gromit movie, were nominated for Academy Awards earlier this week. Mark Kausler will receive the June Foray Award for significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art and industry of animation and Tim Burton's Corpse Bride will be honored with the Ub Iwerks Award. Cornelius Cole, Tyrus Wong and Fred Crippen will be recognized for their contributions to the art of animation.

2/3/06: Film Editors Cut to the Chase

ACE EDDIE AWARDS - final ballots due. The ACE Eddie nominations were announced 1/13/06. The 16th Annual American Cinema Editors Awards will be presented February 19, 2006 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The group selected Ron Howard for its ACE Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award. They will also honor film editors Ed Abroms and Terry Rawlings with Lifetime Career Achievement Awards. Official website: Ace Eddie Awards

2/2/06: Don't Lag on SAG Charity Auctions

SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS - online auctions to benefit BookPALS and The SAG Foundation end today! Go to sagawards.org/auction to place your bid on collectible items from the SAG Awards before they're gone!