Issue Date: January 15, 2006
Who's News Extra
AN INSIDER'S LOOK AT THE GOLDEN GLOBES
By Lorrie Lynch
GOLDEN MOMENTS
The Golden Globes are upon us. In this special edition of Who's News, Lorrie Lynch answers your questions -- and does a little asking of her own.
"There's a very specific energy that goes along with it. I've had agents where I've felt this energy, and it's so interesting."
-- Jeremy Piven, nominated for his "Entourage" role as über-agent Ari Gold
|
The awards show, beginning at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, airs from a refurbished Beverly Hilton Hotel in the heart of Beverly Hills, Calif. It will be party central all night. Gatherings of any consequence take place there. Party-givers -- studios, production companies and media outlets -- wine and dine and show the satellite feed to execs, stars and others to whom they want to cozy up. It makes for major crowding but also means people don't have to trek across town to get to alternative soirees, as they do on other awards occasions. HBO has the pool area. InStyle has the Oasis Court. The Weinstein Co. has Trader Vic's, and NBC's post-show bash is on the hotel roof.
Go to top
I have wished for years that the press would discover David Strathairn, who plays Edward R. Murrow in "Good Night, and Good Luck." I hope he gets a Golden Globe and an Oscar.
Sherrill L. Mercer, Grove, Okla.
He's on his way, with a Golden Globe nod for Best Actor. We'll have to wait until month's end to see about Oscar nods. Strathairn, 56, may not be so eager to be "discovered." He lives in upstate New York with his wife and two children. And he changed his mind and decided not to do an interview with us after his Globe nom came out. Certainly he'll be in demand now. The San Francisco native, who was once a circus clown, already has at least two movies coming in 2006: "Heavens Fall" and "The Sensation of Sight."
Welsh actor Sir Anthony Hopkins, 69, who says his best quality is "I'm reliable," will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement at the Golden Globes on Monday, but don't think it signals retirement. He's got three new films coming, and since his third marriage nearly three years ago to antiques dealer Stella Arroyave, Hopkins is a different kind of workaholic. "Stella encouraged me to find a life beyond acting," Hopkins says. So he has become a painter, and he also composes music.
I predicted Joaquin Phoenix would get a Golden Globe nomination for playing Johnny Cash in "Walk the Line." Now I'm wondering: Any plans for a sequel?
Kerri Sullivan, Old Bridge, N.J.
"I'm taking smaller roles than I would have 10 or 15 years ago. It's just the nature of aging in Hollywood. It's always harder for women."
-- Elizabeth Perkins, nominated for Showtime's "Weeds"
|
No.
Go to top
Dakota Johnson, 16, daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, is this year's Miss Golden Globe, who waits upstage for winners. It's an antiquated tradition, naming a pretty young thing to assist in the ceremonies, but Hollywood needs to hang on to a few of those. Besides, the list of previous Miss GGs is a lesson in Tinseltown nepotism. Last year it was Clint Eastwood's daughter; the year before, Kevin Costner's; the year before that, Andy Garcia's. You get the picture. Griffith was a Miss Golden Globe herself, and Dakota is the first Miss GG offspring to have the honor, too. And in Dakota's case, both Mom and Dad have won Golden Globes.
"The Constant Gardener"
Go to top
Why isn't anyone talking about Rachel Weisz as an Oscar contender? She is riveting in "The Constant Gardener."
Bob Cloney, South Amboy, N.J.
They're talking about her now, Bob. Her Globe nod for Best Supporting Actress should make Oscar voters take notice. Weisz (pronounced "Vice") is now exploring her lighter side. "I'm a bit of a Buster Keaton," she says. First, though, is "The Fountain," written and directed by her fiancé, Darren Aronofsky ("Pi," "Requiem for a Dream"). "I never got to see what he does [before]," says Weisz, 34, of working with him. "It's very sexy to see someone good at something, to see talent."
"The Constant Gardener:" Jaap Buitendijk, Focus Features;
Go to top
I saw photos of director Peter Jackson promoting "King Kong" and, wow, what a difference from his "Lord of the Rings" days. He's lost weight, and the glasses are gone. How did he trim down, and by how much? Is he wearing contacts?
Ann Garrison, Warren, Mich.
Jackson, 44, is down 70 pounds. He achieved that, we're told, by substituting healthier fare, like muesli and yogurt, for the junk food he used to eat. Stress also played a part. He worked 21-hour days for 10 months to finish "Kong" in addition to long hours on the promotion trail. He ditched the glasses after Lasik eye surgery. Next up for the brilliant director: a much-needed rest. Then an adaptation of Alice Sebold's novel "The Lovely Bones."
Do you know what happened to Johnny Depp's new movie, "The Libertine?" As one of his many devoted fans, I'm glad to see his Globe nomination for "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," but I've been eagerly awaiting this new film.
Linda Richards, Vincennes, Ind.
The movie, starring Depp as 17th-century poet John Wilmot (Earl of Rochester), opens nationally this weekend. Thinking it worthy, the Weinstein Co. opened it limited in November for award consideration, but it failed to get a Globe nod.
"I've seen one photograph where she's smiling. She seemed very sad and depressed because she could see her son slipping out of her fingers, yet she loved him so much."
-- Camryn Manheim, nominated for playing Elvis Presley's mother in Elvis
|
Did Golden Globe voters actually see all the movies released in 2005? I saw The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio, in which Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson gave excellent performances. How could they ever be nominated if none of the judges saw it?
Rich Tomasko, Hazleton, Pa.
Here's the thing about Golden Globes: There's no way to tell and no requirement that voters -- 84 journalists who are members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association -- actually see anything. An HFPA rep says members watch as many movies and TV shows as they can. DVDs are available to them; there are free screenings all over L.A. Defiance was available to the HFPA, but its limited release and underwhelming box office hurt awareness.
I'm glad to see a Globe nom for "House" star Hugh Laurie, who also got an Emmy nod. How is he adjusting to all the notice?
Delores Burnham, Phoenix
He has taken up boxing. About nominations, Laurie, 46, tells us via e-mail, "I don't think it's something I will ever get used to." He admires Dr. House, saying: "To watch someone who's free of that gravity -- of caring what people think -- you're watching somebody who's flying." Laurie, a Brit, thinks that "L.A. runs on optimism, enthusiasm and flattery. It's just too damn sunny in every dimension -- weatherwise, socially and professionally."
Go to top
Nancy O'Dell and I agree: If we had to pick one person to win a Golden Globe Monday, it would be George Clooney. Why him? "He's a great interview and a friend," O'Dell says. "I don't think he gets the credit he deserves." I, too, find Clooney to be a lively interview and a true gentleman. But we also want him to win so it sets the stage for an Oscar. Clooney, 44, has never attended the Academy Awards. He has this thing about not going to award ceremonies unless he's nominated. So, Academy voters, give George a proper invite: Nominate him for supporting actor ("Syriana"), director ("Good Night, and Good Luck") or both.
Watch O'Dell and company on "Access Hollywood's" Golden Globe pre-show, starting at 7 p.m. ET Monday.
|
BACKSTAGE PASS
Nancy O'Dell and I work in different mediums, but we've learned the same lesson about red carpet duty: It's not as glamorous as it seems.
"I wouldn't trade my job," says O'Dell, 39, who is celebrating 10 years with "Access Hollywood." "But it's a lot more hours and a lot more demanding than people realize."
For the past couple of months we've been screening movies thought to be award contenders. We've been boning up on the stars, their significant others, their latest jobs. We have been sharpening questions and, in O'Dell's case, preparing for live broadcasts. "Last year for the Golden Globes pre-show I had my [then] new husband pasting things on index cards. I had my little stepchildren helping me cut out [celebrity] pictures. ... I have a whole study program. The last thing you want to do is go out there and say, 'Who are you wearing tonight?' or 'Are you excited?' "
I want to know how O'Dell, who is in place in full make-up and an evening gown by 2 p.m., manages to look beautiful, always. She tells me she often wears a Pamela Dennis gown: "Knowing you are going to have to stand next to Halle Berry is a little daunting. There's a lot of pressure to find a beautiful dress." Ah, the advantages of print!
Cover illustration by Patrick Faricy for USA WEEKEND
Contributing: Bridget Byrne, Gayle Jo Carter, Kevin Maynard, Nancy Mills
|
