Oscars Stocking Up on Big Name Presenters Hanks and Cruise

The Academy Awards are stocking up on big name presenters for the February 26th telecast. Already on the list are Tom Hanks, Jennifer Lopez, and Tom Cruise. Watch for more names, too, particularly heavy hitters that people don’t get to see all the time. The reason? The show is a little star-deprived, what with “The Artist”–French actors mostly, and then the other nominees for Best Picture are not as star studded as they could be. You can’t have Brad Pitt and George Clooney give out every award. So it will be a ratings boon to see some unusual faces, even if they weren’t Oscar nominated this year. Obviously, Hugh Jackman is at the top of every list. So is Daniel Craig. Julia Roberts is always a draw, and so are Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, and Sandra Bullock. From the “older” Hollywood set, it would be nice to see Warren Beatty, Goldie Hawn, Jack Nicholson, Jane Fonda, Shirley MacLaine, Clint Eastwood, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Sidney Poitier, Mel Brooks,  etc. And please, it doesn’t matter if they presented at some other show this season. These are the Oscars. It’s the only awards show that really counts in the end. Producer Brian Grazer has made so many hits, his Rolodex is bursting with possibilities!