Awards Entries and Campaign

[jo]

Hello there, Barb

Great to hear from you again....and I love reading your chat!

I guess all we need are a pocketful of miracles on February 24, in terms of voters rethinking any preconceived notions --

*If it took beloved Meryl 17 years to get her third Oscar, why would voters make it so easy for Daniel, who does not even make films as often? Voters may be wary of showing they value DDL's contribution on a higher scale compared to Meryl.

*Had the role not been that of one of the greatest American icons, would DDL have been given a frontrunner status? Are they rewarding him for being Lincoln or being just an excellent actor? On the other hand, we have a contender who is arguably Hollywood's most versatile talent these days. Is he being recognized for both the iconic role as well as for his virtuosity as an actor? If there are two worthy contenders, why not spread the recognition around?

*Which role has more responsibility in carrying the movie( as Russell puts it) - in terms of the character arc as well as the degree of difficulty? Have their performances fared superbly against the measures of performance excellence ?

*Maybe it is not relevant - but what an actor does outside his acting to help the industry probably also counts? What has DDL done to put the industry in a more favorable light and has he done anything for other members of the industry? Hugh has hosted the Oscars as well as the annual Actors Fund's "A Fine Romance" charity event on a regular basis.

*Ironically, Spielberg has been carrying the torch for putting Lincoln and DDL as frontrunners, including the invitation to a former president to introduce the movie at the Golden Globes and the heft to influence Time to feature the international cover story of DDL as " The World's Greatest Actor". On the other side, the negativity towards Hooper due to his unexpected win for The King's Speech ( versus the Social Network), has invited unwanted negativity towards the movie musical, Les Miseables, itself. Tsk, tsk!

*One thing that many people in Hollywood have not been too aware of -- that Hugh is probably one of the most highly held onstage performers these days for his contribution to the theatre! He is really the compleat actor!

As I have said in earlier posts, Hugh is already a winner, as Hollywood views him now with different glasses, with a different perspective ...and hopefully all those encounters with excellent filmmakers during the awards season will lead to better roles for him on film.

We all hope all's well that ends well!


Jo

[jo]

Clearer photo of Oscars Luncheon attendees --

www.awardsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/02/academylare.jpg

Please click on the photo to zoom in!

Jo

[jo]

An account by Pete Hammond (Deadline Hollywood) of the Oscars Luncheon --

www.deadline.com/hollywood/

There is no mention of Hugh, but there is an inset photo of Hugh with AMPAS president Howard Koch.



According to the article, ballots go out on Friday ( Feb 8) for the start of balloting! Er... I wonder how Russell was able to vote early ( Is there an early online voting procedure, like for political elections?), when he announced he voted for Hugh for Best Actor. The tweet is no longer among RC's tweet list.

It’s getting near the end but in a tight ‘anything-can-happen’ race like this one every vote – and potential voter – counts.

In that regard at the Oscar nominees lunch it is always interesting to try and read the tea leaves to figure out who gets the most applause when their name is called by Academy COO Ric Robertson. By that standard there were a few, but the first to get a real genuine vocal whoop was not a major star or director but Bill Westenhofer, the Special Visual Effects nominee from Life Of Pi. We’ll leave it at that. Trying to figure out who is going to win by the amount of applause in this room is fool’s folly, and anyway it is not what this day is all about

Jo

[mamaleh]

Feb 5, 2013 5:53:29 GMT -5 jo said:

Clearer photo of Oscars Luncheon attendees --

www.awardsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/02/academylare.jpg

Please click on the photo to zoom in!

Jo

Hugh and Oscar make a perfect couple, don't you think?

Ellen

[jo]

I found another video link --

www.ontheredcarpet.com/Hugh-Jackman-talks-his-Oscar-nomination--Russell-Crowe-and-his-wife-Video/8982050

Hugh mentions that his Dad is coming in for the Oscar show -- however Hugh fares in the Oscars, I hope he and his Dad can still savor together the joy of Hugh being counted among this year's acting greats!

Jo

[luzie]

Here is the Access Hollywood interview:

watch.accesshollywood.com/video/oscar-luncheon-2013:-hugh-jackman-having-a-blast/2142750830001

[foxie]

:)sounds good to me!!!!

[Kelly]

Feb 5, 2013 2:05:56 GMT -5 carouselkathy said:

Hi Ellen,

I'm sitting here playing with the edit button (oooh...I love the edit button).

I hesitated saying anything because the last thing I want to do is set anyone's hopes too high and then see them dashed. The one statistic that Daniel does have in his favor is that he is the front runner and they do tend to win. Not always. In fact I could name you a ton of front runners who lost, but by and large, they do win. No, the thing that's got me thinking this is not a done deal (and I've thought this since before the nominations were even announced), is that elusive third Oscar. If Daniel can do it, he's gonna have to beat more than one odd and make some serious history here making him the ONLY three time Best Actor winner...EVER! And if Hughie weren't in the race, I'd say this was a no-brainer. But he is. And his performance is just a worthy as Daniel's. Another thing...with Argo looking more and more like the Best Picture winner, Daniel just might not have a Lincoln surge to carry him up to that podium. When it comes to the Oscars, I don't put all of my eggs into the baskets of the buzz from critics, the public and even the pre-Oscars awards because they don't predict with a 100% certainty. Come Academy Award night (any Academy Award night) all bets are off. Especially in this most wacky of years where nothing can be predicted (and my guess is, they're gonna spread it around). But here's the thing...Hugh is going into this in the absolute best possible postition because he's not expected to win (cos no one's thinking about the 3rd Oscar thingy) and he knows it so the pressure is off. Daniel's the one with the pressure because it's his to lose and it's quite the accolade to Hugh that he really is the only serious challenger. So if he does win it, it's not gonna come completely out of left field. But even if he loses, in a way, he's still wins. And too, now that he's in the Oscar club, his future performances will be looked at thru a different prisim. Meaning, if The Fountain was to be released this year, that performance would be looked at and received differently than it was back in 2006. Perception is everything. Actually, truth is everything. But perception knocks truth on it's azz every time.

Okay. I gotta quit typing. My eyes are getting tired (you're getting old...oh shut up).
Barb

Kathy/Barb...

I was reading these posts from my cell phone so didn't see the author nor previous post. When I came across the "oh shut up" sentence I nearly spit out my wine. Nice to hear from you Songirl. Have wondered what you've been thinkin'.

[jo]

Someone's musing about the Best Actor Race

www.celebdirtylaundry.com/2013/hugh-jackman-beat-daniel-day-lewis-academy-awards-best-actor-oscar-popularity-0207/

Can Hugh Jackman Beat Daniel Day-Lewis for the Best Actor Oscar Based On His Popularity?

...The biggest change in the race, as noted before by different sites, seems to be how much popular support is being thrown behind Hugh Jackman for Best Actor. While everyone assumed that Daniel Day-Lewis would sweep the awards for his performance in Lincoln [and he has so far managed to do just that], Hugh has slowly but steadily been building a solid Oscar campaign by appearing on talk shows and interviews, and it has really proven how likeable the guy really is. The Academy loves him, everyone who knows him loves him, and he has one of the best reputations in the industry, both as an actor and a person.

During the Oscar luncheon the other day, a reporter from the Hollywood Reporter even noted that Hugh got the most applause out of any actor there. Does that really mean anything? Well, it means that the Academy members that were present that day were most enthusiastic about him [although, to be fair, Daniel Day-Lewis wasn’t even present during the luncheon]. However, after winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical, and being much more visible than Day-Lewis on television and the circuit in general, one has to wonder whether the tide might not tip in his favor, especially considering that he has no Oscar, when Daniel Day-Lewis already has two. Yes, that’s right, he has two and this would mark his third. Does he really need another one? Methinks not, and that Hugh deserves it, and if it comes down to popularity [not acting talent, just pure popularity], then he would win by a mile. And aren’t the Oscars mostly just a popularity contest anyway? I guess we’ll find out on February 24th.

I wholeheartedly support the new trend - give Hugh Jackman the Oscar !!!

Jo

[klenotka]

They are not the only ones. These guys are fans (they usually write the nicest things about Hugh) and I still think it´s more wishful thinking but it is nice to read something else than "DDL is a lock"

www.laineygossip.com/Is-Hugh-Jackman-gaining-on-Daniel-Day-Lewis/25862

[jo]

TIME has commissioned modern-day, black and white photographs of the nominated actors portraying their nominated roles --

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2275311/Hugh-Jackman-Jessica-Chastain-Anne-Hathaway-pose-haunting-photographs-ahead-Oscars.html




Jo

[jo]

The Academy has also commissioned art posters for the Best Picture Nominees. Here is the art work for LES MISERABLES :


Art Inspired by the Nominated Best Pictures
LES MISÉRABLES by Phantom City Creative
18x24 screen print



Stark and visceral!

But I am grinning because it is all about 24601!


Jo

[jo]

The rest of the art posters are here --

oscar.go.com/photos/themed-galleries/special/new-academy-and-gallery-1988-exhibition

There are thumbnails for each one on top of the page.


Jo

[jo]

Hugh and Bradley at one of the awards events !


Jo

[jo]

I have been studying the artwork of Les Miserables ( check it out a few posts ago) ... and it does portray --

*That this is a French tale, signified by the use of the French flag tricolors ( red/white/blue)
*That it is a story of rebellion/uprising by the marginalized ( symbolized by the red flag)
*That this is seen through the eyes of one Jean Valjean, whose tears evoke that this is a sad dramatic tale!

It is both beautifully conceived and resonating!

Jo

[jo]

Can't help it - but here's an interesting discussion on the Les Miserables IMDB Page on "Hugh Jackman Deserves an Oscar" - no dissing but mostly honest appraisals or opinions on whether he can be the top actor of the five nominees or not.

www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/board/nest/210477729?p=1

I like one comment made by Flexon - that "his Valjean is NOT a musical theatre performance". How true - it is a film role impressively interpreted, even if part of the portrayal medium is via singing. Not to be nitpick-y, but it is a portrayal, rather than a performance, as far as I am concerned.

Jo

[foxie]

:)So much fun watching hughie after a few glasses of wine!!!love him!!

[jo]

At the BAFTAs --

By sheer coincidence, my remote control surfed towards BBC - and I was just on time to see ---

*Hugh and Deb alighting from their limo and on the red carpet towards the Opera House
*Hugh staying for a very long time on the red carpet greeting others and signing lots of autographs
*Hugh being mentioned many times and commented on by the gushing commentators. One male commentator who is talking at length about the nominated films and nominated actors said that he thinks Hugh does have a chance at the award because of his impressive performance! He said Hugh is such a great musical theatre actor that someone of the acting stature of Russell Crowe became uncertain when performing alongside Hugh in the movie!
*Hugh being interviewed!
*The BBC commentators talking about how Hugh has been kept on the red carpet with interviews and interviews...and how great a stage star Hugh is ( and they talked about Oklahoma!) and why Les Miserables was the role for him...and how he should not be written off just like that. LOL - they are rooting for him! They also admitted having cried when they saw the movie - LOL again!
*Back to Hugh again -- closeups of him and Deb!!

In a sense, London is where it all started for Hugh on his road to international stardom! Fifteen years ago, he dazzled Londoners with his Curly in Oklahoma!

Hope London honors him again tonight!

Jo

[jo]

Here are some of the details on the Hugh interview at the BAFTA red carpet --

filmindustrynetwork.co.uk/hugh-jackman-talks-about-les-miserables-on-bafta-red-carpet/2105

Btw, the reference on why he is asking the crowd to " Sing! Sing!" -- is because someone who was waiting to greet him among the fans started singing Valjean's songs -- and so, he asked him from afar to sing again towards the camera

Jo

[annetter]

Watching the same thing Jo
My hopes r high that BAFTA voters have done the right thing

[jo]

[jo]

Hugh lost out to DDL!

And Les Miserables lost out to Skyfall for Best British Film!

westend.broadwayworld.com/article/BAFTA-Latest-Anne-Hathaway-Wins-Best-Supporting-Actress-For-LES-MISERABLES-20130210

[mamaleh]

At least LM won several technical/craft awards, but...yes, I was hoping somehow he'd sneak past DDL this time. I'm still holding out a thread of hope for the Oscars, but it's a pretty slender thread.

Ellen

[jo]

Les Miserables was actually the night's biggest winner ( 4 wins) but there is something odd about its losing Best British Film. Les Miserables was among the nominees for BEST FILM ( for all film entries - won by ARGO) as well as a nominee for BEST BRITISH FILM. Yet SKYFALL, which was NOT nominated for BEST FILM and only nominated for BEST BRITISH FILM won the latter award. You would think that in the hierarchy of films established by the nominations for BEST FILM that it was ahead of SKYFALL...it doesn't compute

Also, I am a Bond fan and have the complete collection of DVDs ( 24 or so?), except for Skyfall. I enjoy the spy thriller series but I cannot see it beating a masterpiece story such as Les Miserables! Are CGIs or violence-per-second the arbiter of taste these days?

Jo

[jo]

au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/-/movies/16108007/

Anne, who won for Best Supporting Actress, paid another tribute to Hugh --

Jackman loses out to Lincoln

AAP, The West AustralianFebruary 11, 2013, 8:29 am


Hugh Jackman has missed out on a best actor BAFTA with the gong instead going to Daniel-Day Lewis for his portrayal of legendary US president Abraham Lincoln.

Jackman wasn't confident heading into the Royal Opera House in London and with good reason - the bookies had installed Day-Lewis as an unbackable favourite.

But the Sydney-born actor told AAP just being nominated for his turn as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables was a thrill.

"This is just a joy," the 44-year-old said on the red carpet, where he had to compete with an over-zealous fan belting out a tune from the screen musical.

"Any movie musical can go so wrong so easily.

"The fact we got nine nominations means a lot for us."
Jackman was one of the hits of the red carpet with fans screaming his name to get his attention and a snap.

Despite atrocious conditions - it was cold and wet on Sunday evening - Jackman was all smiles as he talked to the world's press at the British Academy Film Awards.

Before the ceremony Day-Lewis was the favourite at 1/25. Jackman was on the next at 10/1.

On the red carpet, Jackman wasn't confident about his chances.

"In my nature I'm not a betting man - particularly if I'm in the race," he told the BBC.

"I wouldn't bet on me."

The Sydney-born actor said singing for 12 hours a day during filming was "gruelling", but having done stage musicals in the past - which can involve eight shows a week - stood him in good stead.

Jackman's co-star Anne Hathaway won best supporting actress for her portrayal of Fantine in Les Miserables.

"I share this with the cast and crew," the American said.

Hathaway paid special tribute to Jackman saying: "I've run out of superlatives for you, man - you're just the best."

Les Miserables also won BAFTAs for best production design, sound and make-up and hair.

Director Tom Hooper wasn't nominated.

During the ceremony host Stephen Fry made a joke about actors at least not having silent letters in their names like some of the nominated films.

He cited Daniel Day-Lewis, Samuel L. Jackson and "Hug" Jackman, which drew a wry smile from the Aussie.

All is not lost for Jackman who has received a first Oscar nomination for his work in Les Mis.
The best actor Academy Award will be handed down on February 24.

Reading the title of the article " Hugh Jackman Loses to Lincoln" ( instead of Hugh Jackman Loses to DDLewis) I sometimes wonder if it was the portrayal of arguably the most loved American president that Hugh went up against, and not necessarily the best acting challenge that DDL had to offer. In other words, if it were another biopic that DDL was portraying, would he have been given so much accolades? NINE was a semi-biopic of Federico Fellini, the famed director, and DDL did not go anywhere with the film. He is a very good actor, but the subject of his current portrayal upped the ante for anyone else challenging him for the Oscar.

Mais c'est la vie *wry expression*

Jo