Oscar ballots are due back Monday at 5pm, so the last minute campaigning is at an 11 this weekend.
Is this the real life, or is it just fantasy? The spectacular Ross House overlooking Laurel Canyon and all of L.A. has been Oscar campaign central this week: a recent “Bohemian Rhapsody” event was hosted by producer Graham King and Golden Globe winner and the always-gracious Rami Malek, who by the way should teaching Hollywood classes on how to campaign as he’s been handling it all flawlessly… A “Green Book” event followed the next night featuring the terrific composer Kris Bowers and a modestly comported director Peter Farrelly. The negative publicity seems not to have affected this brilliant film at all; the place was teeming with VIP’s.
Across town at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, pop star Troye Sivan of “Boy Erased” was campaigning for his song, “Revelation” with a Q & A from songwriter Alan Rich. The next night none other then 84 year old still sexy siren Sophia Loren held movie icon court at the Montage in Beverly Hills for her pal Rob Marshall’s “Mary Poppins Returns.” Loren got the flashbulbs poppin’ although it’s unclear what connection she has to the film. She and Marshall are friends from the ill=fated movie musical, “Nine.” (But where is Julie Andrews?)
Seems like the selfies have gotten out of control, there was a line out the door of Academy members wanting their pics with Sophia. Can’t blame them really and Loren, the gorgeous pro she is, posed with them all.
Actress/filmmaker and popular hostess Colleen Camp held a packed soiree at her home for Amazon’s esteemed “Cold War.” The film has tons of Academy love as a potential nominee for best foreign film. Fans included Dustin Hoffman and David O Russell in the same house (unclear if they ran into or over each other), Alexander Payne, famed “Chinatown” writer Robert Towne, Catherine Hardwicke, CAA’s Josh Lieberman, Cassian Elwes and artist Susan Carter Hall, Diane Warren, Lysa Heslov, Frances Fisher, Helen Hunt, Marc Forster, Catherine O”Hara as well as industry folk who were all under the tent as well.
The film’s director Pawel Pawlikowski and co-star Joanna Kulig were front and center, she’s nine months pregnant and about to pop. Joanna being the cheery trooper she is, sang impromptu numbers at the piano to the delight and surprise of the crowd. Bluesy and pop combined, wow she is crazy good. Colleen has the eye and knows the business like no one else…
… Peggy Siegal is in from New York throwing a “Beautiful Boy” event at Mike and Irena Medavoy’s. Timothee Chalamet’s best supporting actor nod seems to the only one that film will receive…
“First Man,” had an event at the London with the always lovely Claire Foy, Ryan Gosling, director Damien Chazelle and the film’s composer Justin Hurwitz. The writer, Josh Singer, brought along “West Wing,” pal MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell…
Now for today, there’s a “BlackKlansman”event (the film is boasting DGA, PGA, SAG and WGA nominations) at the Harmony Gold with Jason Blum and director Spike Lee hosting a reception afterwards…
… “Black Panther” makes a last minute pitch to overcome DGA and BAFTA snubs at a brunch at Raleigh Studios for below-the-line voters, with director Ryan Coogler and Marvel honcho Kevin Feige wooing the crowd…
Brad Pitt is hosting a “Beale Street” early evening event for director Barry Jenkins and the talented composer Nicholas Britell at the Ross House, his Plan B Production Company made the film with Annapurna… At the same time Charlize Theron and Diego Luna are hosting a “Roma” event at the Chateau. Another “Mary Poppins” event will also be held at the same time on the Disney lot, where guests are invited to meet the cast and get a tour of Walt Disney’s office. No word on whether Walt will be there. But he won’t mind. He’s very chill.
