Oscar Photos

Kate Winslet (Best Actress)
Sean Penn (Best Actor)
Penelope Cruz (Best Supporting Actress)

Heath Ledger (Best Supporting Actor) posthumously awarded
2009

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Oscar Photos

Kate Winslet (Best Actress winner for "The Reader")

walks off stage with past Best Actress winners

Nicole Kidman and Sophia Loren, 2009

Biggest Oscar Snubs

Since the start of the SAG Awards in 1995, "The Big 4", as it's known here at SFH, have become the most sought-after awards in the business (these are the Golden Globe, the SAG, the BAFTA, and... of course, the Oscar). The Oscar nomination is the creme de la creme of film acting accolades. It's the end-all, be-all of Hollywood distinction... but, sometimes, a well-deserving actor is left out. Let's be serious... the word 'snub' is thrown around a lot during awards season, and often it's not truly earned (i.e. Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe, The Social Network's Justin Timberlake, and Black Swan's Mila Kunis). These few performers, however, were truly snubbed, when they were nominated for 3 of the Big 4.

1998

Jane Horrocks

Film: "Little Voice"

The Snub: Best Actress

It was a pitch-perfect role, in a little known film. Horrocks was outstanding as a meek lady, who comes out of her shell onstage.

The Thief: Julie Christie in "Afterglow"

Our Verdict: She was robbed. Her costar, Brenda Blethyn, scored a well-deserved nod, but somehow Horrocks missed the cut.

2000

Cameron Diaz

Film: "Being John Malkovich"

The Snub: Best Supporting Actress

"Ugly-ing" yourself up usually does the Oscar trick (see Charlize Theron, Halle Berry, Hilary Swank), but it didn't do the deed this time.

The Thief: Toni Collette in "The Sixth Sense"

Our Verdict: We agreed with the Academy 100% when they ruled that Collette deserved the nod. Makeup and hair changes do not a great actress make.

2006

Ziyi Zhang

Film: "Memoirs of a Geisha"

The Snub: Best Actress

She was exceptional as a young girl who grows to be the most famous Geisha in Japan.

The Thief: Keira Knightley in "Pride & Prejudice"

Our Verdict: While we do believe Ziyi deserved the nod, we also think Knightley was worthy of the nom. We know this will be controversial, but we actually think the nod... and subsequently win for Reese Witherspoon in "Walk the Line"... was the mistake. Although she was good, the performance didn't stand up to the other nominees... or to Joaquin's stellar 'Johnny Cash'.

2009

Kate Winslet

Film: "Revolutionary Road"

The Snub: Best Actress

She was remarkable as a torn 50's housewife and her courage and horrible 3rd act mistake were heart-wrenching

The Thief: none other than Kate Winslet herself... in "The Reader"

Our Verdict: in the other races, she was actually nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her great work in "The Reader", but for some reason, her people decided to submit her name for Best Actress in the Oscar consideration race. Though two noms in the same category has happened twice before (Norma Shearer and Greta Garbo in 1931), it is highly unlikely. She managed to bump herself off. Good news though... she took home the Best Actress statue anyway.

2012

Tilda Swinton

Film: "We Need to Talk About Kevin"

The Snub: Best Actress

A gut-wrenching and wonderful performance by the queen of subtlety.

The Thief: Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Our Verdict: this is a tough one. Both Swinton and Mara were amazing. Also, all the other nominees were definitely Oscar-worthy. So, we're gonna have to agree with the Academy because, well... there were just too many great performances by leading actresses in 2011.

2013

Helen Mirren

Film: "Hitchcock"

The Snub: Best Actress

The always amazing Dame Helen Mirren did a marvelous job portraying the complex wife of legendary director, Alfred Hitchcock.

The Thief: Emmanuelle Riva in "Amour"

Our Verdict: It really was a toss-up. Riva was wonderful and Mirren is always outstanding. I'd give the edge to Riva because it's always nice to see newbies nominated (Mirren has been nominated four times with one Best Actress win)

Marion Cotillard

Film: "Rust and Bone"

The Snub: Best Actress

Marion is astounding as a whale trainer who loses both her legs during a show.

The Thief: Quvenzhané Wallis in "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Our Verdict: This is very difficult. Wallis is absolutely alluring, but Cotillard's performance is heartbreaking. In the end, I'm gonna lean towards Cotillard.

Oscar Trivia

The record for the most nominations for a film belongs to:

"All About Eve" (1950)

and

"Titanic" (1997)

... which both received 14 nominations. "All About Eve" won 6 Oscars and "Titanic" took home 11 awards (it is tied with "Ben-Hur" and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" for most wins in a ceremony)

Fun Shoots

"Killers Kill, Dead Men Die": PART 1

Alec Baldwin (as the Homicide Detective),

Jennifer Connelly (as the Informer), Aaron Eckhart (as the Cop)

Jack Nicholson (as the Killer)

Helen Mirren (as the Aristocrat),

Kate Winslet (as the Undercover Lady Cop)

Jessica Biel (as the Lady in Red), Djimon Hounsou (as the Champ),

Sylvester Stallone (as the Trainer), Tobey Maguire (as Jimmy),

Forest Whitaker (as the Corner Man), and Robert Downey Jr. (as the Boxer)

Best Dressed - 2011 Emmy Awards

The trends of the evening were... stunning reds, elegant creams, and brilliant blues. It was so fourth of July up in here!

Best Overall Look:

Sofia Vergara (#1 best look of the night. Sexy Sofia was perfect in a flowing salmon-colored gown. Perfect hair, perfect dress, perfect jewels... or as she would say 'yewels'), Kerry Washington (loved this look. Her hair was sleek and the dress was gorgeous and slightly see-through in just the right places),

Kate Winslet (she's used to be on the best dressed list and this year was no different. The Emmy winner had the right color and cut for her slammin' body), Emily Blunt (looking very fabulous in this flapper-esq gown)

Best Dress:

Nina Dobrev (not sure exactly who this person is yet, but the dress boosts a beautiful silhouette and color), Sarah Hyland (the hair highlights are ughhh, but the dress is very goddess-like and sweet),

Evan Rachel Wood (love the black sequins and the cut of this gown), Christine Baranski (this looks a lot like Winslet's dress, but the deep blue is gorgeous. Definitely the best over-50 look of the night... hell, she even got best over-40)

Best Hair:

Julie Bowen (I like a good ponytail and Emmy winner Bowen is doing this one pretty well), Christina Hendricks (although she is still stuffing her body into too-small dresses, the hair always looks fierce), Gwyneth Paltrow (she was doing the white-blonde thing for awhile, but obviously someone told her it looked like shit. Love the simple, straight, down-do)

Worst Overall Look:

Heidi Klum and Seal (these two have been giving Tim Burton/Helena Bonham Carter a run for their money for years. It's cheap carnations meets Euro-trash), Taraji P. Henson (I'm very upset that she did this... she's usually on the best dressed list. Her hair looks as though it was done in the car and the dress is ill-fitting and see-through in the worst way)

Worst Dress:

Gwyneth Paltrow (critics seemed to love this look, but it makes the rail-thin Paltrow look like a muffin-top. She could have loosened it just a tad), Dianna Agron (it looks like she took a ton of ugly blue satin fabric and cut holes for her head and arms)

Worst Hair:

Heather Morris (this up-do is horrendous... this isn't prom 1999), Anna Paquin (this might have worked with jeans and a cute top, but for the Emmys? Me no likey), Elisabeth Moss (I thought I asked Moss to lay off the football helmets)

Honorable Mention:

Katie Holmes (I'm not in love with the fabric... or her hair, but the cut and color are doing her long, lean body good), Kristen Wiig (the cut is great on her and doing a brown dress with her beautiful chestnut hair is good, but I don't dig the two-toned look),

Claire Danes (a lot of critics didn't like this look. They think there's too much going on. I actually think it works), Lea Michele (she would have made best overall, but this dress is far better from the back... the front is too much)

Fun Shoots

Actors and their Directors

Meryl Streep hangs with the director of

"Doubt", John Patrick Shanley

Sean Penn and "Milk" director Gus Van Sant chill out

Darren Aronofsky spends some time with

"The Wrestler" star Mickey Rourke

Danny Boyle and Dev Patel reminisce about

their time making "Slumdog Millionaire"

"The Dark Knight" director Christopher Nolan

and the late Heath Ledger

Penelope Cruz has a soft spot in her heart for

"Vicky Cristina Barcelona" director Woody Allen

"Revolutionary Road" director Sam Mendes

and his ex-wife Kate Winslet

Ginger of the Week

Evan Rachel Wood was born in North Carolina to actor parents. She began her career in plays (some even directed by her father). She soon landed several small roles in a few made-for-television-movies and appeared in the show "American Gothic". She landed a recurring role on the Sela Ward show, "Once and Again". From there she was cast in films like, "Practical Magic", "Little Secrets", and "Simone", but it was her lead role in the edgy flick "Thirteen" that garnered her a bit of fame. She was nominated for a Golden Globe and SAG award. After that she landed lead roles in "The Upside of Anger", "Pretty Persuasions", "Running with Scissors", "Across the Universe", and a recurring role as the Vampire Queen in "True Blood". Next up: "Mildred Pierce" (with Kate Winslet and Melissa Leo), "The Conspirator" (with Robin Wright and James McAvoy), and "The Ides of March" (with Ryan Gosling, Marisa Tomei, and George Clooney).

25 Most Beautiful Actresses

25.) FREIDA PINTO

The 'it' girl of 2008, Freida Pinto rose from obsqurity to star in the biggest "little" film of the year; "Slumdog Millionaire".

see full list

HONORABLE MENTION:

Greta Garbo

Tuesday Weld

Sharon Tate

Brigitte Bardot

Cybil Shepard

Diane Lane

Jennifer Connelly

Monica Bellucci

Kate Winslet

Audrey Tautou

Zoe Saldana

Natalie Portman

You Say It's Your Birthday!

Happy 49th Birthday, Jim Carrey!!!!!

at the Academy Awards, where he presented

Blake Edwards with an honorary Oscar, 2008

playing 'the Riddler' in "Batman Forever", 1995

channeling his inner rock star

on the set of "The Truman Show", 1998

on the beach with former girlfriend Jenny McCarthy

with "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless

Mind" costar Kate Winslet, 2004

with his look-alike daughter Jane, 2008