Fun Shoots

For the past few years, Newsweek has done various interviews with possible Oscar nominees. Here are some of the shots from past Oscars Actors Roundtables. The Roundtables took place before Oscar nominations were announced for that particular year. These actors were asked to participate because they were all front-runners.

2007: Brad Pitt (Babel), Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland), Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond), Helen Mirren (The Queen), Penelope Cruz (Volver), and Cate Blanchett (Notes on a Scandal)

*Pitt did not receive a nomination that year

*Whitaker and Mirren won Oscars that year

2008: Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood), Ellen Page (Juno), Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose), Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart), James McAvoy (Atonement), and George Clooney (Michael Clayton)

*McAvoy and Jolie did not receive nominations that year

*Day-Lewis and Cotillard won Oscars that year

2009: Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler), Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), and Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)

Not pictured: Robert Downey, Jr.(Tropic Thunder), and Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky)

*Hawkins did not receive a nomination that year

2010: Woody Harrelson (The Messanger), Morgan Freeman (Invictus), Gaboruey Sidibe (Precious), Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart), Carey Mulligan (An Education), and Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)

*Bridges and Bullock won Oscars that year

2011: James Franco (127 Hours), Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole), Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine), Colin Firth (The King's Speech), Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right), and Natalie Portman (Black Swan)

*Firth and Portman won Oscars that year

2012: Michael Fassbender (Shame), Charlize Theron (Young Adult), Christopher Plummer (Beginners), Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin), George Clooney (The Descendants), and Viola Davis (The Help)

*Fassbender, Theron, and Swinton did not receive nominations that year

*Plummer won an Oscar that year

Candid of the Week

Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, Marilyn Monroe,
and playwright Arthur Miller before the filming of
"The Prince and the Showgirl", 1956

Dougray Scott (as Miller), Michelle Williams (as Monroe),

Kenneth Branagh (as Olivier), and Julia Ormond (as Leigh)

on the set of "My Week with Marilyn", 2011

Hollywood Awards (2011 films)

HOLLYWOOD DISCOVERY AWARDS

Best Short Film

Clear Blue: Eun Kyung Nam, Mattias Troelstrup,

S. Brent Martin, Lindsay Mackay

Best Feature

Fort McCoy: Andy Hirsch, Eric Stoltz, Kate Connor

HOLLYWOOD FILM AWARDS

Actor of the Year

George Clooney: The Descendants

Actress of the Year

Michelle Williams: My Week with Marilyn

Supporting Actor of the Year

Christopher Plummer: Beginners

Supporting Actress of the Year

Carey Mulligan: Drive and Shame

Ensemble of the Year

The Help: Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer,

Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain, Allison Janney,

Sissy Spacek, Cicely Tyson, Chris Lowell, Ahna O'Reilly,

Aunjanue Ellis, Mary Steenburgen

Animation of the Year

Rango: Gore Verbinski

NEW HOLLYWOOD AWARDS

Hollywood Breakthrough Award

Felicity Jones: Like Crazy

Actor of the Year

Joseph Gordon-Levitt: 50/50

Actress of the Year

Jessica Chastain: Take Shelter, The Help,

The Tree of Life, The Debt, Coriolanus

Spotlight Awards

Andrea Riseborough: W.E.

Anton Yelchin: Like Crazy

Shailene Woodley: The Descendants

Elle Fanning: Super 8

Amber Heard: The Rum Diary

Jean Dujardin: The Artist

Berenice Bejo: The Artist

Hollywood Career Achievement Award

Glenn Close: Albert Nobbs


You Say It's Your Birthday!

Happy 41st Birthday, Michael Showalter!!!!

oops

with Christopher Meloni in "Wet Hot American Summer"

as a youngster

with best friends David Wain and Michael Ian Black

with Michelle Williams in "The Baxter"

again with Michael Ian Black

Flick of the Day

Film: SHUTTER ISLAND
Director: Martin Scorsese
Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Michelle Williams, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer, Jackie Earle Haley, Max von Sydow, Elias Koteas
Year: 2010

Synopsis: Two US Marshals investigate the disappearance of a woman at a remote insane asylum.

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I started this film (which is why I won't give much away). I knew DiCaprio to be a very talented actor with a lot of, still, un-tapped potential and I heart spectacular indie-darlings Michelle Williams and Patricia Clarkson. So, it's no surprise that I very much enjoyed this film (so much I watched it... count 'em... three times). It's beautifully shot, from the lake house to the spooky halls of the asylum. Scorsese continues his path as one of the best directors in history. The script is fascinating and alluring, and the rest of the cast in stupendous.

Best Dressed - 2011 Academy Awards

Trends of the Evening: sequins (Amy, Hailee, Michelle, Mandy, Hilary, Halle), purples (Mila, Cate, Natalie, Scarlett), reds (Penelope, Jennifer, Sandra), emerald accessories (Reese, Amy, Annette), highlights (Penelope, Natalie, Anne, Mila), and bobs (Scarlett, Marisa, Michelle, Cate, Helen)

BEST OVERALL LOOK:

Michelle Williams (is the #1 look of the night with this beautiful sequins dress and fabulous short 'do), Jennifer Lawrence (after a terrible looking awards season, Lawrence nailed the show that really counts. She took Scarlett's look from the Globes a few years back and made it better), Reese Witherspoon (tones down the classic Barbie look and makes it her own. She looks so chic)

BEST DRESS:

Mila Kunis (she doesn't like to play it safe and it finally paid off. She looks perfect in this lilac number. The color goes so well with her olive skin), Natalie Portman (it's hard to find a great dress when you're pregnant, but Natalie picked the right one with this beautiful, flowy Rodarte gown)

Sandra Bullock (she hasn't worked in a year and a half, but she sure knows how to wear a great dress), Melissa Leo (I know many would disagree, but I love this dress. The cut works so well on Melissa's body and apparently the crochet look is in), Jennifer Hudson (try and pull your eyes away from that disgusting hair for a minute and take a look at this incredible dress. It shows off all of Jennifer's curves and the color looks great on her skin)

BEST HAIR:

Cate Blanchett (this is a wonderful cut for her. She looks gorgeous), Helen Mirren (she goes with a young, chic bob and it looks fabulous on her)

Scarlett Johansson (I know it's messy, but I love that she went back to her "Lost in Translation" color and it just works on her), Marisa Tomei (she did the cleaner version of Scarlett's hair and I think it looks great. Can you believe this lady is nearly 50?)

WORST OVERALL LOOK:

Sharon Stone (I don't know if it's the Snooki-poof or the homage to "Black Swan", but Sharon... I'm very disappointed. I expected more from you), Florence Welch (I only learned who this girl was a few weeks ago at the Grammy's, but she is obviously an odd-ball. She's wearing curtains), Helena Bonham Carter (our list wouldn't be complete without our favorite Queen of Bad. Keep on keeping on, Helena)

WORST DRESS:

Nicole Kidman (this is just so hideous. I don't know what Kidman has been thinking. I have heard of something called 'mommy brain', so maybe that explains it), Marisa Tomei (in some shots this doesn't look so bad, but you can see for yourself that this gown is horrid.), Cate Blanchett (I was on the fence about this one. Overall, I think Cate looks marvelous, but the dress by itself is so weird. She looks like a vanity table)

WORST HAIR:

Jennifer Hudson (and the #1 worst hair of the evening goes to the one who wore the terrible hairpiece/wig. I am so confused with this one. Jennifer looked stunning at the Grammy's... why would she go this route for the Oscars?)

Mila Kunis (I'm so sick of these stiff, odd 'dos. Mila should have learned from Kate Winslet's Oscar mistake. Don't wear a football helmet to the Oscars), Natalie Portman (I know that she's pregnant and probably very tired, but the half-assed style is not cutting it. You won an Oscar honey, kick it up a notch)

Hailee Steinfeld (She's completely adorable and I know she's only 14, but this isn't the prom. Ditch the headband and let your beautiful hair down), Amy Adams (so at this point in the evening, Amy's hair wasn't so bad. Fast forward to her presenting and you will see why this didn't work. It was messy and got very frizzy. Plus with that semi-high collar, she should have gone with an up 'do)

HONORABLE MENTION:

Penelope Cruz (This dress is pretty, but it treads a little too close to Vegas showgirl. She looks fabulous though, especially considering she had a baby a few weeks ago), Helen Mirren (Dame Helen never disappoints. She would have made best overall, but I'm not feeling the color of the gown), Scarlett Johansson (I love this. The cut of the dress is spectacular and she went with a crochet look, much like Melissa Leo. I'm not too excited about the color and the fact that you can kind of see through it. Cameron Diaz should take a note from her. This is how you do the messy 'do),

Gwyneth Paltrow (despite her heinous performance, she started out the night well. I like this simple, gold gown. She is sort of channeling Sandra Bullock from last year's Oscars though), Amy Adams (I like the dress a lot. Love that cut and the sequins. I hate her hair and the fact that she added the emerald necklace and bracelet. It clashes and why do you need jewelry with a sparkling gown such as this), Halle Berry (beautiful as always, but the bottom of the dress is yuck. She should have gone sans tulle)

Best Dressed - 2011 Golden Globes

Green seemed to be the color of the evening along with sparkling sequins and beautiful chiffon. Here's a look at our favorites and... least favorites from the 68th Golden Globe Awards.

OVERALL BEST LOOK:

Melissa Leo (stunning and perfect for her body and age), Halle Berry (this is her signature look and it always works), and Anne Hathaway (very chic and sexy)

BEST DRESS:

Mandy Moore (beautiful. Reminds me of a cross between Drew's baby blue number a couple of years back and Mary Louise Parker's blue stunner, which were both spectacular), Lea Michele (great color on her and great fit), Eva Longoria (very lovely cut and color)

BEST HAIR:

Olivia Wilde (best bangs look), Michelle Williams (best short look), Claire Danes (best up-do), January Jones (best classic style)

OVERALL WORST LOOK:

Helena Bonham Carter (the queen of bad), Christina Aguilera (ughhh), Jennifer Lopez (white eyeshadow... really?), Emma Stone (she's channeling Tilda Swinton's alien look. I hate when your dress, skin, and hair all match), Sandra Bullock (is she donning a wig?)

WORST DRESS:

Julianne Moore (the color is bad enough, but that damn puffy shoulder), Jennifer Lawrence (she did so well at the Critics' Choice Awards... what happened?), Amy Adams (she ALWAYS does this cut... boring and ugly and for goodness sake... change your hairdo every now and then), Angelina Jolie (why, Angie... why? Why didn't you have your hair done?), Natalie Portman (it would be great without that hideous flower and those red platform shoes)

WORST HAIR:

Mila Kunis (the big poof... I'm not a fan), Annette Bening (I think she is channeling Tim Burton), Scarlett Johansson (the slightly-to-the side look isn't working. Natalie tried that too and did it a little better. It just looks messy)

HONORABLE MENTION:

Catherine Zeta-Jones (would've won best overall if it weren't for the fabric of the dress. It's like a set of curtains.) and Katey Sagal (Best look over 50)

Piper Perabo (this would have looked perfect in a bold blue or red color) and Julia Stiles (very pretty dress that we've seen many times before. The hair is not working for me)