You never know exactly who you’re going to run into on the surprise-a-minute Oscar red carpet. Okay, yeah, you’re expecting the big nominees like George Clooney, Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal and Rachel Weisz, but then there’s the random encounters, like Golden Ager Mickey Rooney, Lee “The Six Million Dollar Man” Majors and Dancing With the Stars’ Lisa Rinna. It’s all part of the madness that is the Academy Awards arrivals scene.
Early on, there was little celebrity sparkle, with comedian and Oscar joke writer Bruce Vilanch schmoozing with the press, pointing out that his team and host Jon Stewart had whittled the “1,256 Brokeback Mountain jokes down to 500,” while Oscar nominated but anonymous-in-appearance folks like Tsotsi director Gavin Hood worked the crowd and the producers of March of the Penguins stirred up the crowd by toting giant stuffed penguins in black sik bowties–one of them actually sported a diamond choker owned by one of the female producers.
Dolly Parton, nominated for Best Original Song for Transamerica’s “Travelin’ Thru,” provided the first real burst of star power, waving to just about everybody as she sashayed down the carpet. But the crowd erupted when, suddenly, a perfectly sunglassed Jack Nicholson slipped in through a secret side entrance and struck a triumphant pose to rally them as he stood just a foot in front of me, his teenage kids Ray and Lorraine giggling at Dad’s showmanship. “Who do you like tonight,” I asked him. “EVERYBODY!” Jack grinned with that trademark killer smile. “I’m not nominated!”
And with Jack’s blessing, the carpet kicked into high gear. The fashion parade was on early: the seven-months-pregnant Rachel Weisz, draped in a luxurious Narcisso Rodriguez and Chopard, needed to get inside after braving the press for as long as she could because, she said, her baby “was kicking like crazy through all the build-up,” while Amy Adams, in a billowy chocolate brown Carolina Herrera ball gown accentuated by big blue diamond drop earrings from Herrera’s personal collection, bounded inside to find her seat. Nominated couple Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams (adorable in a chiffony yellow confection) did their familiar press line drive-by without a peep, but showed they’re not all that too-cool-for-school: Michelle brought her Dawson’s Creek buddy Busy Phillips in her entourage.
Also making yellow one of the hot colors of the night was Naomi Watts in an elegant Givency gown with a romantic ambiance which she accented with a blast of David Yerman jewels. “It gives me a waistline and I don’t have one,” said the corseted star. “It’s not good for sitting. It’s for standing.” Naomi previously told me she liked to pick fashion themes for the red carpets she walks, but not for the Oscars: “No, no theme–I like it because it was classic and had a modern edge.” Then she graciously blew me a kiss as her publicist tugged her into the Kodak Theater.
“I CAN’T HEAR YOU!” Will Smith bellowed into the loudspeaker, whipping the crowd into a frenzy before getting all up in Will Farrell’s face for, he claimed, “spreading rumors that I would be starring in Brokeback Mountian 2.” His wife Jada Pinkett, dressed in curve-hugging electric blue in Cavalli, was unfazed by the near-throwdown: “I’m just having a good time hanging out with my husband.” Meanwhile, Steve Carell invited the crowd to join him on Hollywood Boulevard again tomorrow night to do it all over again.
Ever-stylish Terrence Howard outfitted his sleek black tux with a white rose on his lapel, and while dressing his son in a shiny white tux didn’t seem all that odd of an accessory, the alligator bag Terrence clutched definitely did—but then, it was the year of Brokeback, Capote, et al.
Just as the queen of the Oscars herself—Meryl Streep—glided by, a possible Oscar princess appeared: Keira Knightley, in a resplendent, shoulder-baring Vera Wang gown and an eye-popping Bulgari necklace that may have weighed more that the Pride and Prejudice star herself. Plucky Keira said she had no plans to celebrate, however: “I don’t think that I’m going to win, so I have no idea!”
Lysa Heslov, the wife of George Clooney’s Good Night, And Good Luck co-screenwriter Grant Heslov, showed off her black and white gown, which was originally worn by screen legend Audrey Hepburn in the film Sabrina. “It’s a tribute to my husband, because it’s in black-and-white and from the ‘50s, like his film,” she told Hollywood.com. Her hubby Grant told me he and George had to bypass their planned early morning basketball game before leaving for Oscars, because “we did a little too much celebrating last night” at the Independent Spirit Awards. Grant said his wife’s dress “cost more than I got to spend on wardrobe for the entire movie.”
George himself was in a rush to get inside, perhaps sensing that his would be the first hands to clutch an award on Oscar night (he snared the Best Supporting Actor trophy right off the bat), but couldn’t resist one more bit with me about his continuing claim throughout awards season that he’s been wearing the same tux for the last five years. “Did you finally cave and get a new one?” I asked. “NO!” George cried. “Are you crazy?” He nearly created a traffic jam of epic proportions as he just missed colliding with a beaming Jennifer Aniston, who swept by in a sleek black Rochas gown with a gliding train.
Singer Kathleen “Bird” York, nominated for Best Song for Crash’s “In the Deep,” showed off her ultra-luxe Stuart Weitzman shoes, which were adorned by earrings that were given to Rita Hayworth by Ali Khan. “I just met Jane Russell, and she knew Rita,” Kathleen said. We asked who was her escort for the evening, and she smiled: “I’m hoping my date will be this little gold guy, but who knows?”
Absolutely nobody brought more stylish good luck than Jane Seymour (in Pamela Rowland) and her husband, Walk the Line producer James Keach. Jane toted a glittery, bejweled Catherine Bauman bag in shape of black guitar like the Man in Black might have played, while James quietly showed me a faded personal photo in his tux pocket of himself with Johnny Cash and June Carter.
The red carpet runway continued. There was Salma Hayek looking sexy in Versace, Sandra Bullock appearing angelic in Angel Sanchez, Queen Latifah in bold black Carmen Marc Valvo, Judi Dench in age-appropriate aqua Abu Sandeep, Penelope Cruz in chic Cavalli and Jennifer Garner in a sparkling Michael Kors creation with earrings to die for. When we asked nominee Catherine Keener why she chose her flowing strapless Monique Lhullier gown, she looked herself up and down and said, “HELLO!!” Now that’s a woman who’s feeling beautiful.
Meeting Jack had made my red carpet night, but there was a close second moment: watching Felicity Huffman stomping and shaking with joy as she rounded the corner and saw the actual entrance to the Kodak Theater, proclaiming in disbelief, “I’m actually at the Oscars!” as her husband William H. Macy held her hand and grinned lovingly at her.
Jennifer Lopez proved herself to be the ultimate celebrity fashion diva when she stolled down the carpet arm-in-arm with husband Marc Anthony. She arrived a bit late and had to be hustled in, but made sure we all knew who made her fabulous green gown as her publicist handed me a business card with all the info. For the record: J-Lo’s draped bias cut gown in laurel silk chiffon was designed by Rita Watnick for Lily et Cie, paired with a platinum-and-diamond bracelet also from the designer.
I knew who looked fabulous, but as I prepared to leave the carpet I was still looking for a Worst Dressed candidate. I thought I’d have to settle for Helena Bonham Carter’s not-so-awful Vivienne Westwood gown, but I felt bad because her husband Tim Burton had given her the Fred Leighton pin that held up her badly-bouffanted hair. Then, suddenly, the equally badly-bouffanted Charlize Theron loomed before me in an ungodly green creation with a giant ribbon on her shoulder, looking like a present you’d return without even opening it. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner.
A blown kiss from Naomi, a joke from George, a major fashion faux pas from the usually flawless Charlize and a rare moment with Jack…Yeah, my Oscar red carpet experience felt pretty complete.
