Red was the color of the night: Red-hot celebrities, that is. And it wouldn’t be a red carpet without a red, flame emblazoned Chopper and red-headed model in high heels. And for those of you who are getting excited, hang up those leather pants. No, we’re not at a Motley Crue concert.
Hollywood.com had a VIP pass to the “Movieline’s Hollywood Life” 7th annual Young Hollywood Awards at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, California. So move over old Hollywood, these young Hollywood stars and starlets are coming through–and they’re hot!
Hosted by Aisha Tyler, who arrived in a pretty little Sass and Bide black dress, the awards were presented by today’s top stars in recognition of the true accomplishments of the younger “players” of today. This year’s recipients included Anne-Margret (Hollywood Legend), newly-bottled blonde Lindsay Lohan (Today’s Superstar), Ryan Merriman (One to Watch), Jamie Lynn Spears (One to Watch), Sean Faris (One to Watch), Jenny McCarthy (Hottest New Filmmaker), Jesse Metcalfe (Exciting New Face), America Ferrera (Breakthrough Performance), Bryan Greenberg (Breakthrough Performance), Hayden Panettiere (Exciting New Face), Gavin Rossdale (Standout Performance), Amber Tamblyn (Standout Performance), Jessica Alba (Superstar of Tomorrow), Chris Evans (Superstar of Tomorrow), Frankie Muniz (Hottest Coolest Young Veteran), and Pierce Brosnan (Young Hollywood Role Model).
The first to stop by Hollywood.com’s ultra hot spot on the carpet has been in “the biz” for decades, but ask anyone who’s seen the movie 10 and they’d probably tell you that even today she could still pass for ‘young’ Hollywood. It was none other than Bo Derek, looking ever so fit and glam in a sheer blouse and hip-hugging camel colored pants. I don’t know anyone at 48 who could pull off leopard print like her. In fact, just by looking at her, you’d never know the role that shot her to stardome (and you know what scene I’m talking about) was filmed over 20 years ago.
Bo called the young talent Hollywood has to offer today “so talented, fantastic, brilliant.”
And even with 20 films under her belt, ranging from nail-biting thrillers like “Orca” to side-splitting comedies like Tommy Boy, Bo doesn’t think her younger counterparts need any guidance from her.
“None– don’t take any advice from someone like me,” she laughed.
Just by coincidence, Bo’s ex Young Hollywood Award presenter and Sex and the City’s John Corbett, followed her, looking very un-Aiden-like in a smart black suit. Only stopping to pose for the photogs and talk to a few TV reporters, John dashed past the crowd to the dismay of many who didn’t get a chance to snag him for a few soundbites. But John didn’t make his exit without a few departing words to the clamoring reporters: “I’m done,” he shouted, laughing.
And even if the reporters felt a little dissed by their favorite Sex character, Exciting New Face honoree Hayden Panettiere couldn’t help but gush about her Raising Helen co-star.
“Oh, the hottest man in the world is giving me the award, and I will just like trip and fall on my face I’m sure,” she said.
Hayden, decked out head-to-toe in DKNY, said even as a teenager she’s learned from so many people in show business and it’s all in their actions, not words.
“The unspoken advice is the best advice. To be able to watch, to be able to look, to be able to just sit back and just be able to take from them and perfect your craft is amazing,” said Hayden.
But if there was that one Hollywood heavyweight she could ask for some of those helpful words of advice, it would be Mrs. Smith herself.
“Angelina Jolie. Oh, I love her. I’m in love with her. She’s amazing,” said Hayden.
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Titanic director James Cameron compared the 21st century young Hollywood to the young Hollywood of the thirties and sixties.
“The rules haven’t changed,” he said, adding that it takes more than just a pretty face to make it in this business.
“You gotta be patient, but you gotta recognize opportunity, you gotta listen to people. Surround yourself with people you trust-advisors– and listen to them. Don’t just make knee-jerk decisions and don’t try to just cheat it all on your looks,” said James.
And whether or not the man behind the The Terminator, The Abyss, True Lies (should I go on?) has ever learned anything from his younger thespians, his response, “No, they learn from me,” James said with a chuckle. Then remembering what award show he was at, James decided to say something a bit more PC. “Yeah, sure, of course it does. That’s the politically correct answer right,” he said, with a wink.
Even though James has been out of the Hollywood spotlight in recent years, with the exception of TV’s Dark Angel and Jessica Alba‘s foray into fame, he still considers himself part of the young Hollywood scene: “Oh, young at heart. You know, when I was starting out as a director a guy like me would have been the guy that I had to like topple; I had to show him how it was done. You know what I mean? So knowing that keeps me playing the game.”
Grey’s Anatomy’s Katherine Heigl, in a flirty flapper-like pink and sparkly Sass & Bide dress, got a little nostalgic for the young Hollywood legends of the past.
“I think if you look at years past there’s something classy about the Jean Harlow‘s and the Audrey Hepburn‘s and the restaurants they’d go to and the clubs they’d show up at. And I think now it’s a little more of a hard core party scene, where everybody is just looking for a really good time,” said Katherine.
Still young herself at 26, Katherine thinks striking a balance between her professional and personal life is important when you’re young, but she isn’t ashamed to admit that she and her remote control have a very close relationship.
“It’s fun to every once and a while have that experience and just go out and live it up, but I spend a lot of time with friends and family and a lot of time in front of my TiVo, which is probably really sad, but I have a program for every night. So you gotta watch TV,” she laughed.
And watching all that TV inspires her in her rising career. The actresses she looks up to most are Meryl Streep and Cate Blanchett.
“[They are] two of the most amazing actresses of our time and just in the sense that they are so classy, so talented and just sort of emit such confidence that I think it’s admirable,” said Katherine.
Breakthrough Performance winner America Ferrera said the advice she receives from acting veterans like her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-star Bradley Whitford, she takes to heart.
“I’m a full-time student at USC and I remember him telling me, ‘look, your experience and your journey as a person is so much more important than anything that Hollywood has to offer you, and you need to go to school and you need to keep in mind what’s truly important because this will always be here. And you know, that’s really great advice; to be able to say this acting and Hollywood and movies is what I do, not who I am,” America said.
America added that she looks up to the old Hollywood she hopes one day to work alongside, but doesn’t deny how much fun it is to work with other young actors like herself.
“It feels good. It’s fun. It’s really wonderful. You know, you look up to a lot of people you really want to work with but it’s also really great and exciting to work with other young actors too. Your careers are going to grow together and in 20 years we’re going to play two old women,” said America.
But before that day comes, America wants to know how new mom and mega moviestar Julia Roberts handles it all.
“I love Julia Roberts so much and she has such a long career that I respect. And she’s found a way to keep her talent the focus of what people see, you know what I mean? Try as everyone might to make her life a scandal and make it about who’s she’s dating and who’s she’s sleeping with and all that crap, she’s found a way to like always have her talent be what people see. And I respect that and envy that and I hope one day she gets to tell me how I can do the same thing,” she said.
Hollywood.com also tried to snag a few celebs who snuck inside ducking the press along the way including Gwen Stefani (who left hubby Gavin Rossdale to fend for himself on the red carpet) and Jason Seahorn (who browsed his cell phone at the other end of the carpet to keep himself busy while his wife Angie Harmon was busy with reporters.)
Other presenters at the show included Dennis Quaid, Celine-clad Eva Longoria, Carmen Electra, Krista Allen, Josie Maran in a sexy long red stain dress, John Singleton, Shia LaBeouf, Halle Berry, and Greg Kinnear.
And at the end of the night maybe that Chopper wasn’t such a red hot idea for the red carpet after all-at least if you were one of the actors blinded by the sea of reporters and flashing light bulbs like presenter Marcia Cross. On her way inside the theatre, Marcia’s backside had a little run-in with the handlebar. Not looking too pleased, but a la her Desperate Housewives character Bree Van De Kamp, Marcia politely grinned and bared it for the cameras.
