While Ricky Gervais is busy working on his routine for hosting the Golden Globes, the folks orchestrating the Academy Awards are feverishly hunting for a host of their own.
Hugh Jackman, last year's master of ceremonies, has already turned down the gig, and now it appears that the dynamic duo of Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. have declined the opportunity to host in tandem as well. The obvious questions is, what is it about the Academy Awards that's putting these prospective hosts off? Does Oscar have something in his teeth?
Maybe it's a simple matter of not asking the right people, since Hollywood has no shortage of talented professionals that could do the award ceremony justice. If I were in charge of selecting a host, here are some of the folks that I'd consider. Read more...
It’s the bold news that all of Hollywood is still buzzing about, as well as weighing its implications: 10 movies will be nominated for Best Picture at the next Oscars, double the usual amount. But when I caught up with Zack Snyder this week, he had yet to hear the news.
“10?” marveled the “Watchmen” and “300” director, who had been tied up all day doing interviews for those films’ upcoming Blu-Ray releases. “No way!”
Yes way. And, since we had the unique opportunity to break the news to one of Hollywood’s top filmmakers, we were also able to get his unfiltered thoughts as he processed the Academy’s bold decision – and what it meant for his profession. Read more...
Yesterday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that the Best Picture category centerpiece at the yearly Oscar awards show will be expanded to include 10 nominees. We MTV Movies Team staffers were not amused.
In the wake of the announcement, many accusations surfaced that this move is nothing more than a ratings ploy. For many, the allegations spring from the fact that "The Dark Knight" -- a universally regarded hit and currently the fourth-highest grossing film of all time -- was snubbed for a Best Pic nomination. That got me thinking about all of the other incredible films which have fallen victim to Oscar politics over the years... Read more...
Didja hear?! The Oscars’ Best Picture category is expanding from a svelte, ultra-elite five nominees to a bloated, practically unfussy 10. Paging Mr. Paul Blart…
What else are we to make of this unlikely change. Was the public clamoring for more nominees? Were there really ten films in 2008 that deserved the undeniable cache of a Best Pic nod? I have nothing against expansion—Major League Baseball’s wildcard playoff system was a sublime instance of business needs meeting sports fan demands. But who demanded this? Read more...
Some people watch the Oscars looking for Brad and Angelina, Jack Nicholson in the front row, or the annual musical tributes to the past year in film. Sunday’s ceremony, however, brought a new star to the game: Robert Pattinson.
It was a blast watching the “Twilight” heartthrob navigate the red carpet this year for one main reason: He’s still a normal guy. Yes, an abnormally good-looking normal guy, but Robert is every bit as self-deprecating, easily embarrassed, and endearingly sincere as any of us would be during our first time at an Oscar ceremony – and let’s hope no matter how big he gets, he stays that way. Read more...
FROM NEWSROOM.MTV.COM: I've got a pretty bizarre job. I know this, because my friends and family constantly tell me this whenever my Facebook updates casually mention encounters with the likes of Charlize Theron and Stephen Baldwin (in my mind, all celebrities are created equal).
(Check out behind-the-scenes photos from this year's Oscars here!)
Still, the crazy and surreal meter went into overdrive for me last night when I stepped onto my first Academy Awards red carpet. First of all, don't be too jealous; my feet barely touched the carpet before I was relegated to the press area that literally was behind a 4-foot shrub. I can't blame the Hollywood elite. If I were Sean Penn, I'd want a barrier between me and Nancy O'Dell at all times too.
Continue reading our behind-the-scenes Oscar diary at newsroom.mtv.com...
By Akshay Bhansali
FROM MTVNEWS.COM: Oscar champion "Slumdog Millionaire" is hardly a Bollywood movie. In fact, it bears none of the telltale Bollywood film characteristics. It's dark and gritty. There are no love triangles or exaggerated theatrical monologues. The characters do not escape to the majesty of the Swiss Alps for elaborate, innuendo-filled dance numbers. In fact, the film's sole nod to the Indian film industry remains the dance number in Mumbai's Victoria Station during the closing credits. But for those intrigued, here are five Bollywood films and actors that are well worth checking out.
Continue reading our Bollywood Picks at MTVNews.com.
Sure, you saw Will Smith mispronounce "outstanding" four times, Alan Arkin call out a nomination for "Seymour Philip Hoffman" and host Hugh Jackman take a little shot at "The Reader"'s low box-office receipts, but the Oscars had a lot more funny, awkward and touching moments that you didn't get to see. Lucky for you, our reporters were privy to them:
» Kevin Kline and wife Phoebe Cates strolled onto the red carpet before the show, only to hear the arrivals emcee call out, "Salma Hayek!" Phoebe looked confused, and the presumably embarrassed announcer quickly corrected himself, saying, "Sorry ... Phoebe Cates." Read more...
If Anne Hathaway thought she was lusted after before, just wait 'til the Internet audience gets a load of this. Yes it's true, one of the sexiest women in Hollywood is just like you, slouching at home watching cartoons. The similarities probably stop there however, but regardless the fact that Hathaway is now outed as a "Family Guy" and "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" fan elevates her to a new level of cool.
The "Rachel Getting Married" actress gave us her television faves on the Oscars red carpet; check it out below and then click here to watch the rest of our red carpet interviews, including James Franco, Robert Pattinson and more.
Robert Pattinson's life has changed considerably over the past year. Having went from a third-tier "Harry Potter" character to a worldwide sensation in barely 12 months, he now finds himself as a presenter at the 2009 Academy Awards.
That's where we caught up him, and when we did the famously shy Pattinson was more than modest, still in shock at walking the carpet alongside such giants as Steven Spielberg and Kate Winslet. Check out what he had to say for himself after the jump, and don't forget to watch all of our red carpet interviews, including more from Pattinson, Anne Hathaway and more. Read more...
