Sandra Bullock, Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson, Jeff Bridges, Carey Mulligan, Gabourey Sidibe

In this video, they touch on certain acting career experiences, that every actor feels; but aren’t often shared:

• Experiencing the excitement of the first time on stage
• Realizing the calling
• That amazingly great feeling that becomes almost like an addiction
• Sense of power
• The fear, and befriending that fear, and as Jeff Bridges says: Coming out the other side of it
• Scarier doing stage, than film
• How music can be utilized in acting preparation, powerfully

Best!

;~Dana

Please pass this along to someone else. As long as you do, is as long as this blog will continue…and we may be expanding soon…

So please spread the value of this site to your friends. Thank you very much.

This Up In The Air Scene Wound Up On The Cutting Room Floor

It was in the script, filmed; and then completely edited out.

Please share with an actor that you know. Thanks much.

Best,
;~Dana

Corey Haim, As A Child Actor, Had A Huge Acting Career

…Then Haim encountered serious problems with drugs, with which he seemed to struggle with during much of his short adult life. Haim attributed the on-and-off drugs, and some related psychological issues, to a molestation in the 90’s; and although he never named who his molester was, he did say it was someone more powerful in some way, in the industry.

Photo ©NBC

When I saw him on the reality show, The Two Coreys, I was startled by the look in his eyes. I saw such a radical change in that look that he had as an adult. It was the same face, yet that the tragedy that radiated from his eyes was so strong, and so different, that it changed his appearance…Altered it, almost completely.

All actors are related somehow, by the unique calling that we all individually feel, that makes us actors. It separates us into our own group, those who live this acting life, and others. ["Acch", I just exhaled...] When something like this happens to one of our own, I feel it deeply. Do you?

I couldn’t bear to watch much of his reality show when it was on. I watched it at first, out of curiosity; then, I found it just too painful.

I guess that most of the world never sees the actors who aren’t working anymore. They seem to disappear off the face of the planet. We see them here, in Hollywood. They are a part of the general population, in super markets, just around.

Moments of suffering are never included in the promotional PR that you see about actors. Deep darkness is human, but such a private thing, even the papparazzi don’t usually get that type of photo.

Haim’s visage bore such clear long-term pain, I didn’t need to know the particulars, it was remarkably profound. Unusually.

Actors that no longer can get work, or have ruined lives, those who fall so far from grace, are very tough to see. For me. Especially, someone like Corey Haim…he set the paradigm of what a cute kid was in his ‘heyday’…As a child and teen, he seemed to not only have it all, but to have a bright future. He was extremely successful, and he had talent.

This is from a Roger Ebert review of Corey Haim’s acting performance, in the film Lucas:

He creates one of the most three-dimensional, complicated, interesting characters of any age in any recent movie. If he can continue to act this well, he will never become a half-forgotten child star, but will continue to grow into an important actor. He is that good.’

May you rest peacefully now, Corey Haim.

Seventy-What ? Television Pilots, All AFTRA?

Gee. The Acting world is sure changing. The actors union drama keeps on twisting and turning.

Keep up, if you can…I’ll do my best to post everything I can, and to make it as simplistic and succinct as possible. If you find SAG stuff that would be good to post, good for other actors to read and know about,  please do let me know. This actor unions-in-flux will majorly affect all actors’ futures.I, too, think it’s cumbersome to figure out, and keep up with. But, even if ignored, it does play out in every actors life. And the less actors are involved, the easier it is to be taken advantage of. To lose out on things that matter as life goes onward.

Even if you aren’t union, now. You will be. Anyway: The unions set precedent, and standards, for how all actors are treated; should be treated.

Especially now, that it seems like lots of industry (and surrounding) professionals are expected to work for free, not just actors anymore! Just this week, some of the critics at Variety were let go. (Variety says they can get freelancers for almost nothing to do same writing…Seem familiar?)

Hang on to your hats, actors. And your union, if you can…Even if you find it faulty, or too much about legal-mumbo-jumbo, to understand or to care about…

It’s there, just under the logo at the top, in case you have a hankering to check into the Actor Union News part of Hollywood Actor Prep every once in awhile.

Here’s a link to it  today, so that you can read about ”The Dire Situation”, as Anne-Marie Johnson wrote.  Click here: Hollywood Actor Prep Union News.

SAG's Anne-Marie Johnson

Best,

Dana

Printable Oscar winners from the 82nd Academy Awards with  nominees…Actor Categories, first.

Actor in a Leading Role

Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
• George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
• Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
• Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
• Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Matt Damon in “Invictus”
• Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
• Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
• Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
• Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

Actress in a Leading Role

• Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
• Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
• Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
• Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
• Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
• Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
• Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
• Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
• Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Animated Feature Film

• “Coraline” Henry Selick
• “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson
• “The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements
• “The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore
• “Up” Pete Docter

Art Direction

• “Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
• “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
• “Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
• “Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
• “The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

Cinematography

• “Avatar” Mauro Fiore
• “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
• “The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
• “Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
• “The White Ribbon” Christian Berger

Costume Design

• “Bright Star” Janet Patterson
• “Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
• “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
• “Nine” Colleen Atwood
• “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

Directing

• “Avatar” James Cameron
• “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow
• “Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino
• “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels
• “Up in the Air” Jason Reitman

Documentary (Feature)

• “Burma VJ” Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
• “The Cove” Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens
• “Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
• “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
• “Which Way Home” Rebecca Cammisa

Documentary (Short Subject)

• “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
• “The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner” Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
• “The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
• “Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
• “Rabbit à la Berlin” Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

Film Editing

• “Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
• “District 9” Julian Clarke
• “The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
• “Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke
• “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz

Q.      Hi, I’m sorry, I’m switching to English now.  I know you’ve been acting for many years.  What is the experience of being

A.      Where are you from?

Q.      Here.  What has the experience been like being involved in the whole American awards system from the start of this year?

A.      Dizzying.  It’s mind boggling, it’s fantastic, it’s very intense.  It takes a long time and I couldn’t have possibly imagined that it would be like that.  It was fantastic.  Tomorrow I’m probably sorry that it’s over.

Q.      I was wondering, what do you know now as an accomplished actor that you wish you knew at the beginning of your career?

A.      Everything, that when you start, that’s what you dream of, and then you don’t start for a long time because then you’ve done it and you get acquainted with reality, so you forget about that and then you get on with your job.  You meet someone like Quentin, he brings back a lot of what you initially intended to do.  That this would result, would be the result, that’s something that I never thought about.

Q.      [In German]  Sorry, switching back to German.

A.      We could have done that in German.

Q.      [In German]

Q.      This last question will be in Gaelic.  I’m just kidding, of course.  From the time you were hired by Quentin Tarantino to this point now, did you see this coming, did you ever think, man, this is    this is really good, we’re going to    I might get an Oscar here?

A.      That’s two different things.  I saw that this was really good.  This I did not see coming, definitely not.  I was too busy.  It was too much to do, I couldn’t think of awards.  Also, I would advise every beginning actor, if you allow me to, not to think of awards before starting the job.

Q.      Great.  Thank you so much and congratulations.

©AMPAS

Christoph Waltz, A German Television Actor, Won Another Award… An Academy Award For Acting Performance In A Supporting Role

Oscar and Penélope that’s an über bingo. I always wanted to discover some new continent and I thought I had to go this way, and then I was introduced to Quentin Tarantino, who was putting together an expedition that was equipped by Harvey Weinstein and Lawrence Bender and David Linde, and he put this script in front of me and he said, “This is where we’re going, but we’re going the other way.”

So Brad Pitt helped me on board and Diane Kruger was there Melanie Laurent and Denis Menochet and Bob Richardson and Sally Menke and Adam Schweitzer and Lisa Kasteler. Everybody helped me find a place. Universal and The Weinstein Company and ICM and Quentin, with his unorthodox methods of navigation, this fearless explorer, took this ship across and brought it in with flying colors and that’s why I’m here.

And this is your welcoming embrace and there’s no way I can ever thank you enough, but I can start right now. Thank you.

©AMPAS

Q.      Congratulations.

A.      Thank you.

Q.      You were talking about sitting on the bed, your dad giving you all the pointers of being an actor.  From that day to this moment, what kind of ride has this been?  And did you ever see this happening?

A.      Well, you know, ups and downs, what does the Dude say?  Strikes and gutters, man.  That’s about it.  That’s about it.

Q.      I just wanted to know what part of Bad Blake do you identify most with?  And also, will you and Colin Farrell please make a country band?

A.      Say that again.

Q.      What part of Bad Blake do you most identify with personally, and also, will you and Colin Farrell please form a country band?

A.      The music, that’s what I most identified with Bad.  I have been writing music, playing music since I was a kid.  Unlike Bad, I have    you know, I didn’t think he had great parents.  Certainly didn’t have    he had four, probably, great wives that he got rid of, you know.

But I have a very strong marriage, you know.  Bad didn’t have that.  There’s a lot of stuff he didn’t have.  But the music, I don’t know about forming a country band.  Sounds like a good idea.  I’ll talk with those guys, maybe.

Q.      Congratulations.

A.      Thank you so much.

Q.      One of the fascinating things about the Oscars in recent years, including this year, is that some of the acting, the key acting categories, are won by people in pictures that are not in the Best Picture category.  Very odd, but interesting.  And I am curious if you have any insight into that and what it means to be able to elevate the profile of a picture like Crazy Heart with this kind of triumph.

A.      Well, that’s the exciting thing to me, because this award brings some attention to that great movie.  I was kind of surprised.  We got 10 nominees and Crazy Heart didn’t make it.  Oh, God.  But, of course, Scott, you know, but…  bitch, bitch, bitch, right.  I mean, God.

Did I answer your question?  Say that again.  Yeah, yeah.  That’s, in a way, that’s one aspect of what these awards are all about to bring attention to all these great movies that we made, you know.  And so I’m all for this ten Best Pictures.  I think that’s wonderful.  And I hope a lot of people can see Crazy Heart because of this.

Q.      Jeff, over here.  Congratulations, I loved this film.  Loved it.

A.      Thank you so much.

Q.      What are you going to do with this newfound power?  Any projects you’ve been associated with or that you’re going to sprinkle this stardust on?

A.      Yeah.  Well, certainly, the music, that’s going to bloom for me.  That’s something that I’ve been doing for a long time.  And this is going to help me continue that.  But also, you know, there’s upsides and downsides of things.

The downsides, you lose some of your anonymity, and for an actor, that’s kind of tough.  But the upside is, you know, hopefully, this award will help bring peace and understanding and prosperity to our world, you know.  I think, because, really, movies are more than just entertainment, they are connecting us, you know.

And music is the same way.  We have, you know, a movie about music here, but music and movies are a common link for all of us.  And I am hoping that this will kind of raise my profile, and I am all about getting us, you know, getting us all together, getting the world healthy.

Sometimes I’ll think of movies as a great example for the way the world can work.  You have all these, you know, different opinions, and all these different ways we can work together.  And we can make the most beautiful movie we can make, and we have the opportunity to make this the most beautiful world too.  So I hope that furthers that idea.

Q.      As we see tonight, for a lot of your career you’ve been defined by one movie, The Big Lebowski.  Will this put that to rest?

A.      I’m digging the Dude.  You know, I love him.  That’s wonderful.  You know, the success that he’s had.  I was a little disappointed, when it first came out, it didn’t do much.  But now we have Lebowski fests and all kinds of things.

Q.      I was wondering what you were listening to on your iPod this morning when you were walking through Beverly Hills?

A.      I was digging a little Benji Hughes.  Do you know Benji Hughes?

Q.      I don’t.

A.      Check him out.

Q.      I’ll look him up right now.

A.      Good, good.

Q.      That’s all.

Q.      Everybody said tonight that you’re a successful man in every area.  Now you are the Best Actor of the year.  What would you say is your personal key for success?

A.      Oh, well, first thing that pops into my mind is my wife, my support, you know.  She holds that kite string.  Lets me go way out there, and then it’s so sweet being reeled back in.  I love coming home.  She pointed out the other day, we’ve been apart 11 of the last 14 months.  So I went, whoo, really far out there.  But my wife and my girls, I guess the girls are the tail of the kite, keep me centered like that.  My girl, my daughters.

Q.      Thank you so much, and congratulations.

Academy Award Winner Jeff Bridges, For Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role

Oh! Thank you, Academy members! Mom and dad, yeah, look! Whoo!

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for turning me on to such a groovy profession. Oh, my dad and my mom, they loved show biz so much. I remember my mom, getting all of us kids to entertain at her parties. You know, my dad sitting me on his bed and teaching me all of the basics of acting for a role in Sea Hunt.

They loved show biz so much and I feel an extension of them. You know, this, this is honoring them as much as it is me. I wanna, I wanna thank Scott Cooper, our wonderful director, for his knowledge of film and country music and for his ability to instill self-confidence in his actors. I thank you for that. Scott, where are you? Raise your hand, man. Yeah! Scotty! Thank you for that, Scott man! And thank you for assembling such a wonderful cast. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin, wherever he is backstage. And Bobby Duvall, so wonderful you guys brought your heart and soul. I want to thank Barry Markowitz, our wonderful DP, he did such a brilliant job. Judy Cairo, our producer, and Fox Searchlight, our wonderful, our wonderful distributor. Thank you guys for keeping us all together and for making it all happen. T Bone Burnett and Stephen Bruton for bringing all of that great music and those wonderful musicians to the party, man.

My wonderful team that’s kept me together. Jean Sievers, David Schiff, Rick Kurtzman, CAA, Bob Wallerstein, Loyd Catlett, Tarra Day and Roger Love, man.

Thank you, guys. And I especially want to thank my gorgeous wife, Sue, we’ve been married 33 years. We have a beautiful family. Three girls, Isabelle, Jessie and Hayley. Thank you, guys. I wouldn’t be up here without you. Thank you so much.

©AMPAS

Onstage Speech: Performance by an actress in a supporting role

CATEGORY: Performance by an actress in a supporting role

SPEECH BY: Mo’Nique

FILM: “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

First, I would like to thank the Academy for showing that it can be about the performance and not the politics. I want to thank Miss Hattie McDaniel for enduring all that she had to so that I would not have to. Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey because you touched it, the whole world saw it. Ricky Anderson, our attorney of Anderson & Smith, thank you for your hard work. My entire BET family, my Precious family, thank you so much. To my amazing husband Sidney, thank you for showing me that sometimes you have to forego doing what’s popular in order to do what’s right. And baby, you were so right. God bless us all.

Mo’Nique Had Just Won For Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role At The 82nd Academy Awards.

Here is the transcript of her backstage interview:

A.      Thank you very, very much, baby.  Hey.  Hey.

Q.      Hey, Mo’Nique.

A.      Hey, Sugar.

Q.      Right here.  It’s Sam from KTLA.

A.      Hey, Sam.

Q.      How are you?

A.      I am wonderful.

Q.      You’ve got all the time in the world now.  Everything you’ve wanted and what you said on stage was wonderful.  There was no red light or time pressure, and you could say anything you wanted to say.

what do you want to say, holding that in your hand?

A.      Everything I wanted to say and everything I needed to say, I said it.  Thank you, Sam.

117.  Is that how we do it?  Is this what they do at the Oscars?  117.

Q.      Mo’Nique?

A.      What we are going to do, sugar?  Who was 47?  Where is 47?

Q.      Right here on the right.

A.      After 160, we are going to do 117.  Okay?  Go ahead, sugar.

MODERATOR:  We are going to 117, then we will go to 147.

Q.      Mo’Nique, you’ve often said you are not an actress, you’re a standup comedienne.  That’s your baby, and you won’t call yourself an actress.

Now that you’ve won an Oscar, are things going to change?

A.      I am a standup comedienne who won an Oscar.

Q.      Okay.

A.      Oh, baby, I did it, me.

Q.      Thank you so much, my friend, Mo’Nique.  Congratulations.  We told you, you would be right here.  Okay.

I want you to just share the story with the audience and the world that you shared with us on the red carpet about Hattie McDaniel.  I don’t think people out there really got it?  Please explain the blue dress and the whole

A.      This is why I called your number, because I don’t know how many people would have taken out the time to ask about that dynamic woman.

The reason why I have on this royal blue dress is because it’s the color that Hattie McDaniel wore in 1940 when she accepted her Oscar.  The reason why I have this gardenia in my hair, it is the flower that Hattie McDaniel wore when she accepted her Oscar.

So, for you, Ms. Hattie McDaniel, I feel you all over me, and it’s about time that the world feels you all over them.  Thank you so much, baby.  I love you.

Q.      Congratulations.  Well deserved.

A.      Thank you, sugar.

Q.      Now, you are a very empowering woman.  So I want to ask you, what do you think would happen to Hollywood actresses if they had more natural figures and didn’t shave their legs?

A.      They’d win Oscars.

Oh, sugar, who is next?

Mickey, what question do you have, baby?  Do you have one?

Q.      Let’s go with 22.

A.      You know what, sugar, I am going to tell you why.  I have to go to the people I have to go to, because they were the ones that came to me when no one did.

You have a question for me, sugar?  Can we get a mic?  It’s as simple as walking.  Mickey, as soon as you get the mic, baby, we got you, sugar.

Q.      Congratulations.

A.      Thank you, sister.

Q.      So tell me, as awful as Mary Jones was, did you see any of yourself in her?

A.      Yes, in that last scene.  And I will ask you, have you ever had a dark moment when you were unlovable?  I am asking you the question.

Q.      Yes.

A.      Didn’t you want somebody to love you through it?

Q.      Yes.

A.      That was that same for me.  For as cruel as Mary Jones was, for the monster that she was, everybody    and I don’t care who you are and what crime you’ve committed, everybody deserves to be loved, even when they are unlovable.

Thank you, sugar.

Q.      Okay.  Does Mickey have a microphone?  Yes?  No?

A.      They are giving it to her, baby.  Thank you for your patience.

Q.      Hey Mo.

A.      Hey, sugar.

Q.      How’re you doing?

A.      I am good.  I’m a queen.

Q.      All right.  Did you and Sidney have a moment right when they announced your name?  Did anything go on between the two of you?  Did you say anything to each other?

A.      When they announced my name, Sidney and I went back to Ramblestown High School on the balcony, at 14 years old, in the 10th grade.

And I said, “One day we are going to be stars.”

And he said, “You first.”

That is the moment we went to.

Q.      Thank you.

A.      Thank you.

Q.      Hey, Mo’Nique, it’s

A.      Hey, sugar.

Q.      It’s Russ with BET News.

A.      Hey, Russ.  We love you, baby.

Q.      This moment culminates a very long career, and at your NAACP award, you dedicated it to all the Preciouses out there.

A.      Yes.

Q.      Can you tell us how it feels at this moment for that little girl from Baltimore who was told, “I can’t, you won’t, you will not, and you can’t,” what does it feel like in this moment?

A.      I feel like you can, you will, and I did.  God bless you, brother.

Q.      Thank you.

Q.      How has this powerful role shaped the rest of your acting career?

A.      You know what?  This role was not so    not about my acting career, this role has shaped my life to allow me not to judge and to love unconditionally.  Now, if that goes into my career, great.  But if it doesn’t and I am just a dynamic person that I strive to be every day, I’ve won, baby.

Q.      Congratulations.

A.      Thank you, brother.

Q.      Hi, Mo’Nique.  Congratulations.

A.      Thank you, sugar.  We are actually going to do this young lady.  Then, 85, then we can wrap it up with 244.

Q.      Uhm, thanks.  One of our viewers, Marilyn, wants to know about your technique:  ”How long did it take to you relax when you’d get home from Precious, in doing some of those really emotional scenes?”

A.      You know, and I have said this before, I am married to an angel, and oftentimes I tell him, “I can see your wings,” because the best advice he gave me was, “Don’t judge it, just be it, and leave it on the floor.”

So when Mr. Daniels said, “cut,” Mary Jones was left on the floor.  There was no deprogramming, there was no therapy where I had to be brought back.  Mary Jones was left on the studio floor, so when I went home, I was Mrs. Hicks, Sidney Hicks’ wife.  I was Mommy to David, Jonathan, Michael, and Shawann.

Thank you, baby.  85.

MODERATOR:  Okay.  And I am just going to add, unfortunately, we do have to end with 85.

Q.      First of all, congratulations.  I knew you were going to win it all along.  It was wonderful to see you up there.  I just wanted to ask you, you talked about, in your acceptance speech, the politics and talent, meting it out.

Can you talk a little bit more about that?

A.      Sure.

Q.      Thank you.

A.      Through this journey and process    and I’m sure some of you are sitting in this room right now    some journalist wrote, some reporters wrote, “Someone needs to teach Mo’Nique a lesson.  Someone needs to tell her how this game is played.”

And I am very proud to be part of an Academy that says, “We will not play that game.  We will judge her on her performance and not how many dinners she attended and how many pictures she took.  It’s on the screen.”

So I am proud to hold this Oscar in my hand because this Academy said, “We won’t play the game that the media wants to so readily put out there.”

Thank you, baby.  And God bless all of you.

Q.      Thank you, and congratulations.

Academy Award Winner Sandra Bullock Won For Performance By An Actress In A Leading Role, Playing Leigh Ann Tuohy In The Blind Side

Here is Sandra Bullock’s Acceptance Speech:

Did I really earn this or did I just wear you all down? I would like to thank the Academy for allowing me in the last month to have the most incredible ride with rooms full of artists that I see tonight and that I’ve worked with before and I hope to work with in the future, who inspire me and blaze trails for us. Four of them that I’ve fallen deeply in love with I share this night with and I share this award with.

Gabby, I love you so much. You are exquisite. You are beyond words to me. Carey, your grace and your elegance and your beauty and your talent makes me sick. Helen, I feel like we are family through family and I don’t have the words to express just what I think of you. And Meryl, you know what I think of you and you are such a good kisser.

I have so many people to thank for my good fortune in this lifetime and this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I know. To the family that allowed me to play them, the Tuohy family, I know they’re in here and you’ll probably hear her in a minute. Maybe not. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to… the family that made this film that gave me the opportunity to do something different. John Lee Hancock, Gil Netter, Alcon, Warner Bros., the actors, everyone who’s shown me kindness when it wasn’t fashionable, I thank you. To everyone who was mean to me when it wasn’t… George Clooney threw me in a pool years ago. I’m still holding a grudge. But there’s so many people to thank.

Not enough time, so I would like to thank what this film is about for me which are the moms that take care of the babies and the children no matter where they come from. Those moms and parents never get thanked. I, in particular, failed to thank one. So… if I can take this moment to thank Helga B. for not letting me ride in cars with boys until I was 18 because she was right. I would’ve done what she said I was gonna do. For making me practice every day when I got home. Piano, ballet, whatever it is I wanted to be. She said to be an artist, you had to practice every day, and for reminding her daughters that there’s no race, no religion, no class system, no color, nothing, no sexual orientation that makes us better than anyone else. We are all deserving of love. So, to that trailblazer, who allowed me to have that. And this. And this. I thank you so much for this opportunity that I share with these extraordinary women and my lover Meryl Streep. Thank you.

Backstage Interview: Performance by an actress in a leading role

BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW

CATEGORY: Performance by an actress in a leading role

INTERVIEW WITH: Sandra Bullock

FILM: “The Blind Side”

======BEGIN TRANSCRIPTION======

Q.      Hi, Sandra.  As a fellow southern woman and big Allman (sic) fan, I just wanted to say you’re making Delta women and strong mothers everywhere very, very proud.

A.      I’m glad I could represent.

Q.      I was wondering if you had any advice for students out there, acting students or just people who want to be in the entertainment industry who want to be in your shoes tonight?

A.      Well, don’t aspire to be in these shoes.  You know, walk in your own.  I mean everyone’s really good at telling everyone else how to live your life or how to be or how to do it.  Just don’t listen.  My mother beat it into our heads to be original, and I didn’t understand that until later on and just everyone’s unique and that’s what makes people exciting to watch, I think, so just savour what you are and not what everyone else wants you to be.

Q.      So last time I asked you a question at the SAG Awards I suggested you were the favorite for the Oscars and you shushed me.

A.      I’m going to shush you again.

Q.      What does this mean to you and did you sort of think you were the favorite?

A.      Are you joking?  No.  It’s    as I said up on that stage, you know, I questioned did I win it or did I just wear everyone down?  It’s if you hang in there the longest, it’s, you know    you know, I didn’t aspire to this.  I was in awe of it.  I admired it.  I got to watch it like everyone else did or present, but it wasn’t something that I said, One day when I get the Oscar.

I didn’t think it was something that was    the opportunity would ever present itself for me to rise to that occasion.  And I was okay with that and I was very happy working and this came out of left field, every pun intended.  Sorry.  I think everything’s going to be a metaphor tonight and I apologize.  This is the film I said “no” to.  If I thought this was going to be my, you know, golden ticket.  It just was such odd circumstances and things came together in a way that I just didn’t see coming.  No one saw coming.  And I think that’s what makes it so overwhelming and unexpected.  I look at the company I keep in this category and you can’t pick.  There’s not one that rises above the others, and I love these women that I got to spend this time with so much for who they are.  So I feel like I share it equally in five parts because we ladies need to stick together.

Q.      Here we go.  She speaks fluently German.  Fluently.  This speech was about family.  Of course your mother passed away like 2000, I think, it was.  Your family’s right now watching the film in Germany.  So many relatives of her, what would you say to them in German.  [In German.]

A.      Okay.  [In German.]

Q.      Picking up away from the camera, you’ve done a lot of work for Warren Easton High School.

A.      That’s right.  Hey.

Q.      And then    congratulations by the way.

A.      Thank you.

Q.      And then this picture as well there’s a tie in there.  I just want you to talk a little bit about what draws you to these projects that are youth oriented that are to do with

A.      It’s not that I consciously draw    I’m drawn to them.  You know, we’re presented with the opportunities we’re presented with in this business, and you’re able to make some of your own opportunities.  I didn’t    it’s not conscious, but I think it makes a great inspirational story when you can see it work, when you see what someone can rise to the occasion and do.  And you know, I’ve seen it happen day after day in New Orleans and that’s why I love that town so much, and it’s the people and the perseverance and the love of each other that makes that work.  And I think that’s what works so well in stories like that.  I love stories about passion and love.  Love of country, love of people.  Love of sport.  It’s just    it makes a good film.  But I don’t think I’ve ever consciously been drawn to it.  I just    I just end up, I guess, maybe loving it the most.

Q.      Hey, Sandra.  Congratulations.  I want to ask you about the power of the same sex kiss, which you mentioned a couple of times.

A.      Yes, yes, yes.

Q.      So why is it you can do, for instance, a really hot love scene naked with someone like Ryan Reynolds, yet all the headlines are about kissing Meryl Streep?

A.      Well, first of all, if you saw me in the scene with Ryan, no one noticed me because Ryan was in the scene naked as well.

Q.      You were naked in it, too.

A.      I know.  I looked fine but Ryan, who is my friend, is a freak of nature and it’s disgusting the way he looks and all I see is him, naked.  When I see him naked    on the film.  You know, but I think because no one expects Meryl to, you know, roll with the flow like that, I think no one realizes how much fun Meryl Streep is.  I mean, she    I’m not going to tell you half of what she’d do or what she’s done.  But she just is everything that Stanley Tucci said is right and then some.  I don’t think anyone expects her to do it.  That’s why it makes the headline.  She’s an awesome broad, and I think she’s an extraordinary actor but she’s also a really free, fun human being, so I think it’s because it was Meryl.  I kissed Meryl.  No one’s ever taken the bull by the horns like that before, but I did.

Q.      Sandra, congratulations.

A.      Thank you.

Q.      I just would love to hear the story about Clooney throwing you in a pool.

A.      Yeah.  See I could have taken that moment and gotten him back.  There was also Tom Cruise involved in that as well, and I told them one day, in a very public forum, I would get them back, but George looked so tired tonight.  I saw his little eyes and said, I can’t do it to him tonight.  Yeah.  It was    you might want to ask George about that.  See how much information he’ll give because it was funny to everyone else but me.  It was actually really funny, but not at the time.  Ask George.  It’s George Clooney.  It’s what George does well.

Q.      Sandra, in the back.  Sandra, firstly, thank you for the free All About Steve DVDs.

A.      You are more than welcome.  I want you to watch it.  No interruptions.  I want you to watch it.

Q.      I’ve already seen the film; I have to be honest.  You have both an Oscar and a Razzie.  How much are you enjoying the irony of that situation and what are you going to do with both awards?

A.      They’re going to sit side by side, as they should.  You know they’re both    we’re in the entertainment business.  That’s what we’re supposed to do.  You know, it’s    you take the good with the not so good.  But I had the best time at the Razzies last night.  It is what it is and, you know, it probably means more that both of them happened at the same time because it’s the great equalizer.  You know, nothing ever let’s me get too full of myself.  It quickly chops me off at the knees, and I like it that way because it just    it keeps things stable and they’ll sit side by side in a nice little shelf somewhere, the Razzie maybe on a different shelf, lower.

Q.      Congratulations.

A.      It’s like one of those kids’ games where you pick up the apple    do you remember where else you saw the apple?

Q.      Hi.  Congratulations.

A.      Thank you.

Q.      This might be a bit of a personal question, but you and your husband    your husband whispered something in your ear after you    your name was called and

A.      You expect me to tell you that?  I know, bless your heart for trying.  I mean you got to ask.

Q.      Well, the follow up is, what’s it like for him, to be able to make a tough guy like that cry on national television.  He was tearing up right in front of

A.      Did he cry?  He doesn’t cry.  He doesn’t cry.  No.

Q.      He

A.      He’s right there.  Don’t piss him off.  He had something in his eye.  It’s very dusty from the dance music.  I’d never divulge what Jesse says unless he divulges it first.  It’s between me and the man.  This is like an auction.  I feel like a baby grand.

Q.      Hi.  Congratulations.

A.      Thank you.

Q.      I want to know how you’re celebrating tonight?  What’s the first thing you’ll do?

A.      Food.  I just want a burger and I just want some food.  I want to sit down, take the shoes off.  You know, we got some friends that are all meeting.  I just want to eat.  I want to eat and not sweat it and not worry the dress will bust open.  I just want to relax and just eat.  I’m sorry.  That’s all I can give you.  And I’d like a nap.  I’d like a nap, too.

Q.      Hi.  Now that you’ve won the Oscar will you think twice about doing a more commercial fun film versus a

A.      No.

Q.         serious critically acclaimed film?

A.      I want to do everything.  I’ve always been one of those people that I don’t like when people tell me I can’t do something.  Just because, you know, I did commercial films doesn’t mean I couldn’t do wonderful small art house films.  Just because I won an Oscar, I don’t want to ever stop doing something that makes people laugh.  I love making people laugh.  I don’t know what I’m going to do next.  I sort of wanted this to sort of all die down, but I’m going make mistakes and I’m going to make everyone roll their eyes and I’m going to maybe do something that works, but I just want to keep working in every genre that I’m allowed to until I’m asked to not do it anymore.

Q.      Thank you.

A.      Thank you.

If You Need To Catch Up, Head Over To My Other Site: Oscar Prep…

I have put some last minute content up; and the PDF Downloadable Oscar Ballots are there, as well as lots of other interesting stuff.

Oscar Prep [link] only runs for two months, just before the Academy Awards, every year. For the rest of the year, I put all my focus back here.

Pete Hammond And Tom O’Neil Discuss The History Of Oscar® Acting Awards, And Deserving…

Two Oscar Pundits discuss a long history of actors winning Academy Awards for movie performances that were really because of earlier performances, in previous film,  or for longevity of acting career.

There is something to be said for longevity of career. Especially if an actor gives great performance after great performance. That, to me, says that is maestro level acting chops. Very high-level, to be held in high esteem. Longevity of acting career, with repeated  high-level acting, bears a message that the great acting that the actor did in one movie wasn’t a fluke, or because of a great director, or even a good casting fit.

I think there should be another Oscar for that. Separate from an individual acting Oscar, and in addition to the Lifetime Achievement Oscar for Acting.

Seriously. An Oscar  can be awarded to show that we do respect and revere our accomplished and high-level actors. To Actors, that show, repeatedly, a great artistry.

Should we also have an Oscar for being lovable? I am serious about this too. George Clooney and Sandra Bullock are so loved by the public. I love them too. Her a bit more than him, but that is just a personal thing because I think she’s a bit more real than him, more authentic.I think she works hard, very hard.  Movie star status is important to the movie business. The Academy Awards are a movie-star-affair. Maybe there should be an additional movie star award, at the Oscars.

That way, the great acting performances will be the only criteria that gets rewarded by the Best Actor and Best Actress awards, and the Supporting acting categories as well. Not get all muddied up with these other categories or past performances.

I find this video interesting, and I love the history. When I started Oscar Prep, I used vintage footage from past Academy Awards, but then they put the Academy kabosh on that.

This video goes Oscar Vintage, so I dig it. Pete Hammond and Tom O’Neil really know their stuff, their Oscar® history…

(By the way, I disagree a bit with what they say about Sandra Bullock’s acting choices. That, later in another post.)

You can find these two Oscarologists, Tom O’Neil and Pete Hammond at the LA Times.

Enjoy

Dana