Posts Tagged ‘Actress’

There’s a running joke that there’s more award shows than there are days in a year. That is a lot. Plus, with that many it might be hard to keep track of what’s the difference between the Golden Globes and the Oscars.  What does SAG stand for? Or is the Oscars the only award show worth paying attention to?

If you don’t know the answer to these questions but love award shows, read on. Here’s Positively Celebrity’s A – Z guide to the awards show season.

Academy Awards aka. the Oscars:

Widely considered to be the most prestigious awards show, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences selects winners in the film industry. Major categories include best director, actor and actress, supporting actor and actress, writers, and picture.

Hugh Jackman hosts the 81st annual show on Feb. 22, 2009 on ABC. The nominations will be announced on Jan. 22, 2009.

The Golden Globe Awards:

Unlike the Academy Awards, this show honors the best in movies and television. Whereas the Academy Awards honors just one best picture, actor, actress, etc., the Golden Globes honors the best picture, television show, actors, and actresses, etc., in both the drama and comedy categories. The winners are selected by The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which is made up of a group of 90 international journalists. 

This show is also unlike most other awards shows because there is no host. The nominations were announced Dec. 11, and the show airs Jan. 11, 2009 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Visit this site for the complete list of nominations.

The SAG (Screen Actors Guild Awards):

In this awards show, actors award other actors. This show is unique because only actors and actresses are honored. Like the Golden Globes, this show honors peformances in both movies and television. Besides individual awards, the SAG Awards also honor ensemble casts in a TV drama, TV comedy and movie. 

Nominations were announced Dec. 18, and the 15th annual show will air on TNT and TBS on January 25, 2009.

Visit this site for the complete list of nominations. 

Independent Spirit Awards:

This awards show differs from the others because It is generally laid back and only honors independent movies and performances in independent movies. The awards are presented by Film Independent, a non-profit organization dedicated to independent film and independent filmmakers. 

It takes place in a tent on a Santa Monica, CA beach the day before the Academy Awards and airs on the Independent Film Channel. The nominations were announced Dec. 2, and the show will take place on Feb. 21 at 5 pm ET.

Visit this site for the complete list of nominations.

Broadcast Film Critics Awards aka Critics’ Choice Awards:

Like the Academy Awards, this show just honors the best in filmmaking. The winners are selected by the Broadcast Film Critics Association, which is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada and is made up of 199 television, radio and online critics.

The nominations were announced Dec. 9, 2008, and the 14th annual show airs Jan. 8, 2009 on VH1 at 9 p.m. ET.

Visit this site for the complete list of nominations.

People’s Choice Awards:

This is your awards show because everyday people like you get to vote. So instead of films like “The Reader” and “Slumdog Millionaire” going at it for Best Picture, films like “The Dark Knight” and ”Iron Man” are the leading contenders. 

This year, Queen Latifah hosts the 35th annual show on Jan. 7 airing on CBS from 9-11 p.m., ET.

The People’s Choice don’t just honor movies or TV – they also award your favorite talk-show host, rock song and on-screen matchup. New categories include favorite movie cast, TV drama diva and superhero. Vote at PCAvote.com. The nominations were announced on Nov. 10. 

Visit this site for the complete list of nominations.

With “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” setting a box office record opening for a musical with $42 million last weekend, it doesn’t look like movie musicals are dead.

The all-time best movie musicals like “The Sound of Music,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Grease,” and “West Side Story,” thrived in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s; but, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been any movies worth singing about lately. Read on for the best movie musicals to be made within the last decade.

5. Sweeney Todd (2007) Sure most musicals are uplifting, but Sweeney Todd does not lack in musical quality. Based on the Broadway musical, Tim Burton’s dark drama set in Victorian England about a murderous barber out to revenge the man who exiled him and stole away his wife and daughter boasts soaring, melodramatic songs sung by Johnny Depp whose singing is as good as his acting.

4. Walk the Line (2005) Not only does this biography of Johnny Cash tell a moving story, it has the music to match it. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon – as Johnny and June Cash – not only portray the country duo to a hilt; they perfectly capture their singing styles. All together this makes great storytelling and a great soundtrack. Witherspoon won an Oscar for Best Actress.

3. Once (2006) This low-budget film starring real life performers, rather than professional actors, wasn’t a hit at the box office, but the Academy noticed it. Earlier this year, Markéta Irglová and Glen Hansard were awarded with Best Song with the titular “Once.” It’s a simple film that tells the love story of two characters who aren’t even given names through the songs they write, rehearse and record in the course of a week.

2. Moulin Rouge! (2001) Unlike “Once,” this movie musical is stylish, glitzy, and over-the-top, which is what makes it so much fun. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor play star-crossed lovers in 1899 Paris. Kidman is Satine, a prostitute at the underworld night club (the titular Moulin Rouge) and McGregor is the idealistic, romantic poet who sings beautifully heartbreaking songs to his beloved Satine in a film reminiscent of “Romeo & Juliet.”

1. Chicago (2002) One of a handful of movie musicals to win Best Picture, “Chicago” boasts an all-star cast of Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, John C. Reilly and Queen Latifah; spectacular, jazzy songs and dance numbers, and an intricate, tantalizing story of love and murder set in 1920s Chicago. Zeta-Jones won Best Supporting Actress.

After three long days of intense search throughout Chicago, the family Jennifer Hudson received the worst possible news: that the body of a 7-year-old male found in a white SUV on Chicago’s Southside was indeed the nephew of the Oscar-winning actress.

Julian Hudson was taken from his grandmother’s home on Friday, following what police termed a “domestic disturbance.” Inside the home was the body of Hudson’s mother and older brother. Julia Hudson, Jennifer’s sister and Julian’s mother, discovered the bodies and immediately notified authorities, having realized her son was nowhere to be found.

A statewide search quickly ensued, and Jennifer Hudson offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of her beloved nephew.

What a tragic end to a young life, an entire family, and to its community, which stood in support of the Hudson family throughout this entire ordeal.

Our thoughts are with those who mourn over this senseless tragedy, and certainly with the Hudson family, while we respect their privacy during what is bound to be a difficult healing process.

Helen Mirren’s publicist must have had the day off when she gave an interview for the September British GQ. The Oscar star’s candid remarks on date rape and drug use has prompted scores of negative media attention.

Mirren took a somewhat non-chalant stance on the subject of date rape saying it was a “tricky subject”, having been a victim herself as a student. Her definition of rape occurred in a situation “of a couple engaged in sexual activity but the woman said ‘no’ at the last second.”

To further aggravate anti-rape campaigners Mirren commented, “I don’t think she can have that man into court under those circumstances. I guess it is one of the subtle parts of the men/women relationship that has to be negotiated and worked out between them.”

If that wasn’t enough raise eyebrows, Mirren talked about her former love of cocaine.

In a positive light, Mirren is a well-respected and Academy Award winning actress who is speaking out on touchy-subjects, unlike many celebrities. I applaud her honesty. At least she doesn’t sugarcoat or avoid private issues during an interview. Perhaps this media attention can summon further conversations on date rape and awareness. 

ABC announced on Monday the new lineup of celebs who will be shimmying and waltzing onto Dancing with the Star’s seventh season starting Sept. 22.

We’ve got the oldest and youngest contestants to ever compete, athletes who want to add the mirror ball trophy to their gold medal collection, a former boy bander, a Soap diva and more.

Read on for the complete line-up and my commentary on who might win and who might get voted off faster than a quickstep.  

Susan Lucci: This daytime diva will have plenty of votes from her devoted allegiance of soap fans; yet, she’s notoriously known for not winning the Emmy 18 years in a row before finally winning in 1999. On DWTS, she’s only got one chance to win! 

Lance Bass: The former ’N Sync member’s chances look pretty good because he has dance skills from his boy band days. Plus, fellow ’N Syncer Joey Fatone is a previous runner-up.

Cloris Leachman: The 82-year-old Oscar-winning actress is DWTS oldest ever star to compete (the previous eldest star was George Hamilton who was 66 in Season Two). We all love Mary Tyler Moore’s Phyllis and no disrespect to her, but she will have very stiff competition with the younger stars.

Toni Braxton: The Grammy-winning singer has a heart condition, but it is unknown if it will affect her rigorous dancing regimes. Season One champ Alec Mazo as her partner could help her odds.

Misty May-Treanor and Maurice Green: With four of the past six DWTS winners being athletes, the two-time gold medal-winning Olympic athletes could face off on the dance floor. Green has an extra edge being partnered with two-time winner Cheryl Burke.

Kim Kardashian: The reality star and celebutante recently injured her foot, which may give her an early disadvantage. Also, the young and pretty don’t always have the right moves. Just ask previous young and pretty stars, Willa Ford and Shannon Elizabeth, who got voted off early.

Brooke Burke: Speaking of young and pretty contestants, this TV host/model might have the same low chances as Kardashian. 

Cody Linley: The 18-year-old Hannah Montana star is the youngest star to ever compete. With two-time winning Julianne Hough as his partner, Linley could make the final cut.

Ted McGinley: The actor from Married With Children and Hope and Faith is notorious for being on shows right before they get cancelled, so here’s just hoping he doesn’t get DWTS cancelled.  

Warren Sapp: The former NFL star has the athlete DWTS winning streak increasing his odds. Plus, partner Kym Johnson, who helped Joey Fatone place second in Season 4, is a serious contender

Rocco DiSpirito: DWTS has had actors, athletes, singers and comedians, but DiSpirito is the first chef to compete. He’s good in the kitchen, but the dance floor… who knows?   

Jeffrey Ross: The comedian might not be laughing on the dance floor. Comedians generally have two left feet (see Adam Corolla and Steve Guttenberg). Plus, partner Edyta Sliwinska is the only professional dancer to compete in every season but is yet to win.

Emmy winner Christina Applegate of ABC’s Samantha Who? was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Publicists for the actress, best known as teenage siren Kelly Bundy on Married…With Children, say Ms. Applegate is expected to make a full recovery since being diagnosed in the early stages of the disease.

She’s scheduled to make an appearance on Stand Up to Cancer, a TV special which will be aired on ABC, CBS and NBC simultaneously on Sept. 5.