strong>Huffman Close to Realizing Her Dreams
Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman is close to realizing her lifelong dream of winning an Oscar, after already achieving her goal of marrying William H Macy. The blonde actress learned of her nomination for a Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance as a transsexual in Transamerica in the early hours of the morning. Huffman says, “I was in bed with my husband, Bill Macy, when the phone rang. He chuckled and said, ‘Ha ha, don’t answer it.’ I said, ‘I have to answer it!’ I screamed, and I was hopping around the bathroom talking to Harvey (Weinstein). It’s like unalloyed steel. It’s an Academy Award nomination–there’s no substitute. It’s just the top. I’ve only had two dreams in my life–to marry Bill Macy and to win an Academy Award, something I gave up on after I didn’t work for two years straight. I feel pretty swell.” Huffman admits she couldn’t wait to share her news with her fellow Desperate Housewives, after arriving on the set yesterday morning. She explains, “I saw Teri (Hatcher) in the make-up trailer and we screamed and hugged.”
Dench Delighted by Oscar Nomination
British actress Dame Judi Dench is delighted by her Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance in Mrs. Henderson Presents, because she thoroughly enjoyed filming the saucy movie. The 71-year-old won the 1999 Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in hit movie Shakespeare In Love–and she would love to add the Best Actress statuette to her collection. She says, “It’s absolutely wonderful! I’m absolutely thrilled! I’m so happy to be nominated for something I loved filming every single day.”
Clooney Couldn’t Sleep Over Oscar Nods
Triple-Oscar nominated George Clooney set his alarm for 5am yesterday morning, so he could watch the nominations unveiled live on TV. Clooney is up for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Good Night, And Good Luck, as well as Best Supporting Actor for Syriana at the March 5 ceremony. He says, “I’d love to say that I was sound asleep and didn’t notice them, but I woke up for them. Nobody does (admit it), but the truth is, I seriously doubt anyone actually slept through it. I’m happy because you can put on the DVD box that Good Night is nominated for six Academy Awards, and that’s a pretty big thing for a seven-and-a-half-million-dollar, black-and-white film. It will help get it out there. And it also means that we’ll get another crack to do more films like that.”
Knightley Drifts Off After Oscar Nomination
Keira Knightley was thrilled to hear of her Best Actress Oscar nomination after a night’s filming in the Bahamas–but promptly went back to sleep. The Pride and Prejudice star is currently in the West Indies shooting the sequels to the swashbuckling film Pirates of the Caribbean. She says, “Suddenly I heard what can only be described as yelping and then my mum and assistant running into my room saying ‘You’ve been nominated!’ At which point, I have to say that I promptly said ‘that’s wicked’ and went back to sleep. I couldn’t sleep properly anyway because people have been squealing all morning. I think it’s going to be a squealy kind of day.”
Giamatti to Celebrate Oscar Nod with Pistols
Academy Award-nominee Paul Giamatti can’t wait to return to his native America after filming in Canada, so he can celebrate his Oscar nod at a shooting range. The pistol-loving actor is up against George Clooney (Syriana), Matt Dillon (Crash), Jake Gyllenhaal(Brokeback Mountain) and William Hurt (A History of Violence) in the Best Supporting Actor category at the March awards for his performance in Cinderella Man. After learning of his nomination, Giamatti admits his celebrations have been rather tame because he is far away from friends and family. Giamatti says, “If I was home, I’d be having a high old time, but I’m in Canada, man. I have to go to a pistol range and fire some handguns off. That’ll be a good energy release. I can get my ya-yas out doing that. It (the nomination) doesn’t add up for me. I never put these things together. I figure it’s just one lucky step as it goes along each step of the way. I don’t usually tie them together.”
Weisz Unsure About Oscar
British actress Rachel Weisz is lacking confidence about her recent Academy Award nomination for her role in The Constant Gardener. The modest star is nominated for the Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar, but fears contenders Michelle Williams, Amy Adams, Catherine Keener and Frances McDormand are equally talented. She says, “I’ve seen all the films, and they’re all great performances.” The same role has already earned Weisz an Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role trophy at Sunday’s Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards.
Witherspoon Almost Missed Oscar Nomination
Reese Witherspoon almost missed her Oscar nomination, because she was sleeping. The actress, who was in Berlin, Germany, to promote new movie Walk the Line, has been nominated for Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, for her portrayal of June Carter Cash in the Johnny Cash biopic. She says, “I was sleeping, they had to wake me up. I am really happy. It feels really good to be nominated. I am so proud of this movie.”
Ledger and Williams Slept Through Oscar Nominations
Hollywood couple Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams were too tired from nursing their baby to celebrate their Oscar nominations. By the time the nominations were announced at 5.30am (PST) the Australian heart-throb and former Dawson’s Creek star were exhausted because their three-month-old baby Matilda had repeatedly woken them up throughout the night. Ledger and Williams have been nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress respectively for their performances as husband and wife in Brokeback Mountain. Ledger was woken by his publicist telling them the good news shortly after the early morning nominations announcement was made in Los Angeles. He says, “We gave each other a little kiss and fell back asleep.” Despite being installed as an early favorite for the Best Actor statuette, Ledger is still taken aback to receive a nomination in the coveted Best Actor category. He adds, “I never really have great expectations for my work or the movies I’m in. It’s a wonderful surprise.”
Dillon Sad for ‘Crash’ Co-Stars
Hollywood heart-throb Matt Dillon found his Oscar nomination bittersweet–because he is the only member of the Crash cast to be nominated for a performance in Paul Haggis‘ acclaimed deconstruction of racial tension in Los Angeles. Dillon says, “I’m very excited about it, but at the same time, part of me wishes that some more of my fellow cast members could have gotten nominated, too, ‘cos there certainly were worthy performances. I wouldn’t say overlooked because it’s not a competitive sport, but Terrence (Howard) was certainly worthy. Don (Cheadle), Thandie (Newton). Ryan (Phillippe) was terrific. Michael Pena, Sandra Bullock. I really feel that. So I’m proud to represent the cast. But we all did it together. It’s the best ensemble I’ve worked with.” Howard is nominated for Best Actor for his performance in Hustle & Flow.
Howard Preparing for Friendly Battle
Oscar-nominee Terrence Howard is apprehensive about his chances of winning an Academy Award next month, because his “friends” Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman are also nominated for Best Actor. The Hustle & Flow star believes he is the “underdog” in the prestigious category, where he will compete with Walk The Line actor Phoenix and Capote star Hoffman, as well as Heath Ledger for Brokeback Mountain and David Strathairn for Good Night, And Good Luck. Howard says, “I’m still over the moon, and I ain’t coming down. I didn’t think it would happen. You just gotta think of the talent in this category – powerful pieces and powerful people. And three of them are real-life stories. Philip Seymour Hoffman is my friend, and Joaquin Phoenix is my friend. It’s going to be a battle of friends up there. And we’re going to be happy no matter who wins. I’m hoping it’s me. I don’t mind being the underdog. I’ve always been the underdog. I’m so looking forward to how they respond to our howling.”
Baumbach Thought He’d Missed Out on Nomination
The Squid and the Whale writer/director Noah Baumbach was terrified when he woke up at 8.50am (PST) on Tuesday without any news of an Oscar nomination–because he thought he’d been overlooked. But Baumbachs mood quickly changed when he checked his mobile phone and heard a high-pitched message from actress Laura Linney telling him he’d received a Best Original Screenplay nomination. He says, “I looked at the clock and realized I wasn’t being woken up by the phone, which indicated to me that maybe it wasn’t great news. In every one of these I’ve read, the person always seems to be woken by the phone. Laura Linney was the first one. She was incoherent because she was yelling so loud. But it was great. What’s been amazing is this film has hit every hurdle that we had to hit. A year ago, we were just coming out of Sundance. A year before that, we were making this movie in 23 days. It has all been gravy after we finished it. I feel like every little victory has been a victory for the whole movie.”
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