- Title: USA: FINAL PREPARATIONS MADE FOR THE 74TH ACADEMY OSCAR FILM AWARDS
- Date: 20th March 2002
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA (MARCH 20, 2002) (REUTERS) PAN FROM CRANE TO OSCAR STATUE OUTSIDE THE KODAK THEATRE VARIOUS, WORKERS PREPARING RED CARPET (2 SHOTS) WIDE/ PAN OF EXTERIOR OF KODAK THEATER LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA (MARCH 19, 2002) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF INTERIOR OF KODAK THEATRE FROM CHANDELIER WITH PREPARATIONS (2 SHOTS) SCU SOUNDBITE (English) CHERYL CECCH
- Embargoed: 4th April 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATION
- Country: USA
- Topics: Entertainment,General
- Reuters ID: LVA7HYW8BS2KB5IIRJKAPD28FS0B
- Story Text: Just days out from the 74th Academy Awards show, Reuters takes a look at the months of preparation leading up to Hollywood's biggest night.
Preparations are intensifying at the new home of the Oscars, the Kodak Theater, located deep in the heart of Hollywood. The red carpet is being laid out and the Oscar statues are preparing to be lifted high above Hollywood Boulevard. Once the show is all over, many of the winners will go to the Governor's Ball, which is the official after party put on by the Academy and it will be held within the same complex as the show is over.
The event itself follows months of work behind the scenes, the Oscar poster being designed and unveiled. This year's event will be even more interesting as it's being held for the first time in the new Hollywood and Highland complex in the heart of Hollywood. The Kodak theater was opened with a gala celebration, marking the Academy Award's return to the heart of Hollywood.
The race for the statues really began warming up when Nominees were announced in February. Insiders claim the race is wide open in key categories, including best picture. In Oscar's top category, best motion picture, "Beautiful Mind"
takes on downbeat family drama "In the Bedroom," musical "Moulin Rouge," British class warfare tale "Gosford Park" and epic fantasy "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" with its near-record 13 nominations. Each film has won prestigious pre-Oscar awards, leading to a confused picture for industry professionals.
Australian-raised actor Russell Crowe, who plays Nash, is hoping for a second consecutive best actor Oscar, a feat previously accomplished by only Tom Hanks and Spencer Tracy.
Crowe is up against Denzel Washington, who is acting against type in a bravado performance as a corrupt cop in "Training Day," Will Smith in "Ali," the understated Tom Wilkinson in "In the Bedroom" and Sean Penn in "I am Sam."
Washington, a leading African American actor, has long been ignored by the Academy in the best actor category, although he did win a best supporting actor Oscar for 1989's "Glory."
Likewise, among actresses, a win by Halle Berry as a waitress in race drama "Monster's Ball" would make her the first African American woman ever to claim best actress honors. Whoopi Goldberg and Hattie McDaniel earned supporting actress Oscars. Only two weeks ago, Sissy Spacek playing a grieving mom in "In the Bedroom" was the clear front-runner for best actress, having raked in the lion's share of pre-Oscar honors. Berry surprised Oscar watchers, however, with best female actor honors from the Screen Actors Guild, and in five of seven years, the SAG winner has also claimed the Oscar. Nicole Kidman has an outside chance as the nightclub singer Satine in "Moulin Rouge," and farther back are Judi Dench for "Iris" and Renee Zellweger in "Bridget Jones's Diary."
For the first time since 1960, the big show takes place in Hollywood inside the spanking new, 3,100-seat Kodak Theatre and security in this post Sept. 11 world will be the tightest in Oscar history. Show host Whoopi Goldberg is expected to skewer the Oscar campaigns that have been waged this year, most prominently the action surrounding "Beautiful Mind."
But it's not just in Hollywood that preparations are taking place. In jewelers, beauty salons and hotels deep in Beverly Hills, the stars are coming to choose their special adornments for the big day. Many top designers have opened their doors to celebrities hoping a nominee or presenter may choose to wear their label on the red carpet. Jewelers also show their generosity, offering millions of dollars worth of diamonds and other jewels to the ladies attending.
For beauty trends the hot look this year is in fake eyelashes. Eyebrow shaper to the stars Valerie, has launched a range of mink and squirrel eyebrows as well as sending "Winner Wears Red" lipstick cases to each of the nominees.
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