However, Gilbert Cates, producer of the award telecast, remains adamant that on Feb. 24 there will be a red carpet outside the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood and an Oscar telecast on ABC despite the Writers Guild of America strike and the threat of a boycott by George Clooney, Angelina Jolie and the rest of the Screen Actors Guild. He hinted that he might not need actors onstage.

"There are enough clips in 80 years of Oscar history to make up a very entertaining show," Cates said in an interview Friday with The Times. "We'd have a lot of people on stage." He declined to give further details but added, "I just hope that the actors are there. I pray that the actors are there. I'm planning that the actors are there."

Still, the joy is already being drained from Tuesday's scheduled Oscar nomination announcement. A group of 30 award-winning writers, actors, producers, directors and authors will be protesting at Gramercy Park in Manhattan, sending this message: "Awards are nice, but we'd rather the writers get a fair contract." Later that day, in Los Angeles, the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be holding an emergency meeting to discuss the 80th annual Oscar ceremony.

"After considerable outreach to Golden Globe actor nominees and their representatives over the past several weeks, there appears to be unanimous agreement that these actors will not cross WGA picket lines to appear on the Golden Globe Awards as acceptors or presenters. We applaud our members for this remarkable show of solidarity for striking Writers Guild of America writers.

We have also been asked about our position regarding network talk shows. We urge our members to appear on the two programs that have independent agreements with the WGA, late Night with David Letterman and Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. However, actors who are asked to appear on the struck network talk shows will have to cross WGA picket lines, creating the same situation that has led to the consensus among actors to skip the golden Globes.

As I have said since this strke began on November 5th, we must stand united with our brothers and sisters at the WGA."

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Golden Globes Seeking Deal With WGA

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is trying to work out a deal with the Writers Guild that wold allow the Golden Globes ceremony to proceed without picketing, but with its comedy writers and its A-List actors.

According to a statement from HFPA president Jorge Camara, the Press Association began talking to the WGA on Dec. 29 after learning about the interim deal writers forged with David Letterman's Worldwide Pants. That deal permits The Late Show with David Letterman (as well as The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson) to resume production today using WGA writers. "We feel that The Late Show with David Letterman agreement is very reasonable, and hope and expect the WGA will agree to the same terms and ultimately permit the Golden Globe Awards to be broadcast as scheduled, without picket lines, on Jan. 13," Camara said in the statement.

*****

HFPA's Camara was confident that a deal could be worked out with the WGA because, like Worldwide Pants' ownership of CBS' The Late Show, the HFPA owns the Golden Globes, not NBC, the network that will broadcast the ceremony (though the ceremony is produced by Dick Clark Prods, which must also agree to WGA terms). "We strongly support the WGA and the efforts they are making on behalf of writers, and applaud the fact that they have agreed to allow certain industry awards shows to move forward with WGA writers and be broadcast," Camara said in his statement. "Much like the Screen Actors Guild Awards and Film Independent’s Spirit Awards, we want to enter into an agreement with the WGA that will allow the entertainment industry to celebrate the outstanding work of creative individuals in addition to millions of fans nationwide. It is only fair that we be afforded the same opportunity as these other awards shows."

The WGA responded with a statement that Dick Clark Productions is a struck company and that picketing will proceed.

"Dick Clark Productions is a struck company. As previously announced, the Writers Guild will be picketing the Golden Globe Awards. The WGA has great respect and admiration for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, but we are engaged in a crucial struggle that will protect our income and intellectual property rights for generations to come. We will continue to do everything in our power to bring industry negotiations to a fair conclusion. In the meantime, we are grateful for the ongoing support of the talent community."

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is really groveling here, but the writers aren't buying it. The feeling seems to be that the HFPA is just a marketing tool for the studios and that there is no benefit to the cause to allow the show to go forward on NBC. NBC Universal has steadfastly refused to entertain the writers' demands.

Posted on January 2, 2008
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Golden Globe Nominations Announced

The Golden Globes nominations were announced and there were plenty of snubs -- especially for shows such as Heroes and Lost. Keira Knightley's new film, Atonement, was nominated in multiple categories and America Ferrera was nominated for Best Actress, which is nice. Nominees in the major film categories are:

Picture, Drama: American Gangster, Atonement, Eastern Promises, The Great Debaters, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood.

Actress, Drama: Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age; Julie Christie, Away From Her; Jodie Foster, The Brave One; Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart; Kiera Knightley, Atonement.

Actor, Drama: George Clooney, Michael Clayton; Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood; James McAvoy, Atonement; Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises; Denzel Washington, American Gangster.

You can see the full list here.

Posted on December 14, 2007
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George Clooney and Brad Pitt Honor Julia Roberts

George Clooney sent in a video to American Cinematheque's tribute to Julia Roberts, which aired last night on AMC. The tribute was shot in bathroom stall and...well, you'll just have to see for yourself.



Posted on December 6, 2007
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Jon Stewart to Host 80th Academy Awards

Longtime producer Gil Cates announed that Jon Stewart has been chosen to reprise his stint as host of the Oscars. Jon will be the host of the 80th Academy Awards telecast on Sunday, February 24, 2008, at the Kodak Theatre. The show will be televised live on ABC.

"Jon was a terrific host for the 78th Awards," said Cates. "He is smart, quick, funny, loves movies and is a great guy. What else could one ask for?" "I'm thrilled to be asked to host the Academy Awards for the second time because, as they say, the third time's a charm, he quipped.

Jon is our favorite Oscar host, by far. We don't care what the naysayers say, we thought his last outing as Oscar host was hilarious and we can't wait to see him again. Because we'll be in the middle of a presidential race, there should be plenty of material for Jon to sink his teeth into.

Posted on September 14, 2007
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Ang Lee Wins Golden Lion

Ang Lee has won the prestigious Golden Lion for best picture at the Venice film festival today. His win was his second, after Brokeback Mountain won two years ago. A surprise winner, Lust, Caution is a sexually explicit and violent thriller set in Shanghai during World War Two.

It is overwhelming, because this movie has taken me to some very difficult places," Lee told the red carpet award ceremony on the Lido waterfront. "I have invited you to come along with me and in the end to stay down there with me ... You are the seven samurais, I needed your help," he added, addressing the seven-member jury.

Brian De Palma, whose "Redacted" shocked audiences in Venice with its brutal reconstruction of the real-life rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl by U.S. soldiers, won the Silver Lion award for best director. Tunisian-born director Abdellatif Kechiche and his drama "La Graine et le mulet" ("The Secret of the Grain"), was one of two runner-up jury prize winners, and was described by the jury as the "revelation" of the 2007 edition of the festival.

*****

Todd Haynes' "I'm Not There," one of six U.S. productions in the 23-strong main competition, took the other runner-up prize for his conceptual biopic about singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. In a bold piece of casting, Australian-born Cate Blanchett was one of six performers to play the singer at various stages of his life, and it paid off when she was named best actress in Venice this year. Hollywood star Brad Pitt was the surprise winner of the best actor award for his portrayal of outlaw Jesse James in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford."

It's interesting that Brad Pitt won an award, considering how he's been talking about the film in interviews. He really is downplaying the film's appeal. So, either he thinks the film isn't any good or he's decided to try the negative sell with movie goers.

Posted on September 8, 2007
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Pan's Labyrinth Website Wins Webby Award

Pan's Labyrinth's website from Picturehouse/Deep Focus has won this year's Webby movie award. The film's website includes everything you can imagine a film's website should contain: downloads, trailers, screenplay, buddy icons, avatars, casting information, behind-the-scenes gallery, a podcast and more. The website also contains a digital version of Guillermo Del Toro's fascinating sketchbook with commentary from Guillermo Del Toro.

Other movie Webby nominees included A Scanner Darkly, AtomFilms, Shortbus Offical Movie Site and The Show: Pirates of the Caribbean 2. You can find the full Webby winners list for all categories here.

Posted on May 2, 2007
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2007 Oscar Winners List

Here is the list of the Oscar award winners for the 79th annual Academy Awards. It was a big night for The Departed which won four awards including Best Picture. One of The Departed's Oscars went to Martin Scorsese who finally won a much deserved Oscar for Best Director. Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth also had a big night winning two awards: one for Best Documentary and one for Original Song.

I can reveal another secret which the Academy is keeping -- that Tom Cruise will be presenting the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to ex-Paramount mogul Sherry Lansing. (This year, the Academy took the unusual step of not announcing which awards the celeb presenters will give out. This was done supposedly to heighten the suspense. As if...) Having Tom and Sherry do this together is an inside joke for Hollywood. Because both were shown the door at Paramount by parent company boss, Viacom's Sumner Redstone. Trust me, Hollywood is going to get a kick out of this, even if the folks watching at home may not understand its significance. (Then again, the Oscars are always filled with inside jokes enjoyed by the Industry alone.) Of course, Lansing greenlighted many Cruise films during her years at Paramount, where Tom's production company used to have its home. So the choice makes sense. But it's also a corporate laugh riot.

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The 2006 Razzie Award Nominations

Everyone is feeling the Oscar buzz these days as the big award night draws closer but for comic relief it is always worth taking a look at the nominations for the Razzies. The Razzies are film awards that go to the very worst films and the very worst acting. The Razzies ceremonies will be held at 7:30pm/PST on Oscar eve, Saturday, February 24 at Hollywood's Ivar Theatre. Here is a list of the nominations in Worst Picture, Worst Actor and Worst Actress.

Worst Picture Nominees: