Academy Of Motion Pictures And Sciences Page 7

Halle Berry made history back in 2002 when she won the best actress Oscar for her acclaimed role in Monster’s Ball – but, 15 years later, she has said that it has “meant nothing” for wider diversity in the movie industry.

She is still the only black woman to have scooped the main award for female actors at the Academy Awards, and during a new interview with Teen Vogue magazine, she recalled that when the nominations for the 2015 Oscars were announced, she was “profoundly hurt” that no ethnic minority actors or directors were up for any of the major prizes.

Halle Berry has claimed her historic 2002 Oscars win "meant nothing"

Continue reading: Halle Berry Claims Her Oscar Win "Meant Nothing" For Diversity

This year’s Oscars will inevitably go down in history for the infamous mix-up over who won Best Picture, but at least one element of the telecast went well enough to warrant being repeated next year, with Jimmy Kimmel confirmed as the host for the 2018 ceremony.

The late night talk show host, who has hosted ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ since 2003 on ABC, will emcee the 90th Academy Awards telecast for the second consecutive year on March 4th next year. The Academy and ABC network revealed that Kimmel will re-team with producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd as well, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Jimmy Kimmel and his wife Molly McNearney in 2016

Continue reading: Jimmy Kimmel To Return As Oscars Host In 2018

Warren Beatty has said he wants Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs “publicly clarify” what happened during the best picture presentation at Sunday night’s Oscars ceremony.

In what will go down as the biggest gaffe in Oscars history, Beatty and his presenting partner Faye Dunaway mistakenly read out La La Land as the best picture winner, after being given the wrong envelope.

Warren Beatty (pictured with wife Annette Bening) wants a public clarification from Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs

Continue reading: Warren Beatty Wants The Academy To "Publicly Clarify" What Led To Oscars Mix-Up

James Corden paid tribute to the catastrophic loss 'La La Land' suffered at the 89th Academy Awards last week, with his own rendition of the musical's song 'Audition (The Fools Who Dream)'. He dons a wig to echo the main character, and takes us back to that cringeworthy incident.

James Corden performs his own rendition of 'La La Land''s 'Audition'

Dressed as Emma Stone's character Mia, with Ryan Gosling also making an appearance reprising his role as Sebastian, he sang about how the film was accidentally named Best Picture at the Oscars on Sunday (February 26th 2017) in a segment on 'The Late Late Show with James Corden'.

Continue reading: James Corden Mocks 'La La Land' Best Picture Fiasco With 'Audition' Sketch

While the La La Land / Moonlight confusion inevitably stole the headlines at last night’s Oscars ceremony, the telecast’s host Jimmy Kimmel has come under fire for ‘mocking’ actor Mahershala Ali’s name and ‘devaluing’ his Best Supporting Actor win.

When the first Oscar of the evening went to the 43 year old American actor for his role in Moonlight, making him the first ever Muslim to win an academy award, Ali took the time to pay a heartfelt tribute to his wife Amatus, who had given birth to their first daughter just a few days previously.

“I just want to thank [my wife] for just being such a soldier through this process and for carrying me through it all,” the star said.

Continue reading: Oscars Host Jimmy Kimmel Under Fire For "Mocking" Mahershala Ali's Name

This week has been an amazing one for Mahershala Ali, who as well as becoming a father for the first time, became the first Muslim to win an Academy Award when he scooped the gong for Best Supporting Actor after his star turn in 'Moonlight'. 

Mahershala Ali stars as Juan in 'Moonlight'

Having already won the Screen Actors Guild Award for his role as Juan in Barry Jenkins' 'Moonlight', Mahershala Ali has made history by becoming the first ever Islamic Oscar winner. It also marks the very first time that both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress have gone to African-American artists in the same year, with Viola Davis landing the latter for her role in Denzel Washington's big screen adaptation of 'Fences'.

Continue reading: Fatherhood And An Academy Awards Victory: It's A Good Week To Be Mahershala Ali

Viola Davis has just landed Best Supporting Actress at the 89th Academy Awards for her role in the 1950s African-American drama 'Fences'. The win was almost too much for the star though, who looked and sounded deeply overwhelmed as she accepted her prize. 

Viola Davis and Denzel Washington star in 'Fences'

The actress is now a fully-fledged member of the Triple Crown Club having already won a Tony for 2001's 'King Hedley II' and an Emmy for 'How To Get Away With Murder' in 2015. Her Oscar has tied up those three gongs and made her one of the few people ever to manage the remarkable feat, and the second black person to do so after Whoopi Goldberg.

Continue reading: The Academy Awards Serve Up Viola Davis' Third Major Acting Gong

Although she’s pretty much the nailed-on favourite to win at The Oscars later this month, having swept the awards season in all the Best Actress categories for her role opposite Denzel Washington in Fences, Viola Davis has warned against a possible future backslide in the diversity seen in this year’s film awards nominations.

Having scooped the BAFTA for her role as the beleaguered Rose on Sunday night (February 12th), Davis sounded a note of caution at the press conference afterwards, as predictions for the 2018 awards season have already started “and very few African American names are in there.”

Viola Davis with her BAFTA on Sunday night

Continue reading: Viola Davis Unsure About '#OscarsSoWhite' Success

Iranian director Asghar Farhadi may not be able to attend this year’s Academy Awards due to the travel ban enacted by President Donald Trump on Friday, which prohibits entry to the U.S. from seven Muslim majority nations for the next 90 days.

Farhadi’s The Salesman is nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category, an award previously won by the director in 2012 for A Separation. The executive order signed by Trump on Friday affects citizens from Iran, as well as Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Asghar Farhadi may not be able to attend this year’s Oscars

Continue reading: Will Trump's Visa Ban Keep An Oscar Nominated Director From Attending The Ceremony?

The nominations for the 89th Academy Awards are finally in, and of course it's 'La La Land' that takes the biscuit. With no less than 14 nominations under its belt, it's matched the Oscars record! Plus, with the concerns about the 2016 Oscars being a whitewash, it appears the board have addressed these matters by welcoming diversity across each selection.

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling star in 'La La Land'

It hardly needs to be said, but Damien Chazelle's musical 'La La Land', starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, is leading this year's Oscar nominations with a record-tying 14 which puts them level with 'Titanic' and 'All About Eve'. Naturally, they have been named in the Best Picture, Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress and Director categories, but also Original Score, Original Song for both 'Audition (The Fools Who Dream)' and 'City Of Stars', Original Screenplay, as well as Cinematography, Costume Design, Film Editing, Production Design, Sound Editing and Sound Mixing.

Continue reading: Music And Diversity Are What's Hot At The 2017 Oscar Nominations [In-Depth]

Having broken records at the Golden Globes earlier this month, the widely acclaimed movie musical La La Land has performed as predicted and secured 14 nominations for the 2017 Oscars, equalling the record for most nominations.

Damien Chazelle’s movie was given the nod for best picture, director, actor, actress, original screenplay, cinematography, costume design, film editing, original score, original song (twice, for both ‘City of Stars’ and ‘Audition’), production design, sound editing and sound mixing.

“I’m a little speechless,” said the 32 year old director Chazelle of his movie and its impressive haul, incredibly only his second full-length feature film after Whiplash. “I’m filled with gratitude.” His next project is widely reported to be a biopic about astronaut Neil Armstrong, and is set to see him work again with Ryan Gosling, the lead in La La Land.

Continue reading: 'La La Land' Equals Oscars Record With 14 Nominations

Next year’s Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel has revealed the surprisingly low figure he’s being paid to present the telecast in two months’ time.

Speaking to KROQ’s ‘The Kevin & Bean Show’ on Wednesday (December 14th), the 49 year old ABC late-night talk show host revealed that he was receiving just $15,000 as a fee for hosting the Academy Awards in Los Angeles next month.

Jimmy Kimmel and his wife Molly McNearney

Continue reading: Jimmy Kimmel Reveals Surprisingly Low Oscars Fee

Late night chat show host Jimmy Kimmel has been selected to host the 2017 Oscars ceremony in February next year, it has been revealed.

It’s the first time that the 49 year old entertainer has been tapped to host the prestigious annual event, which will take place on February 26th at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and will be broadcast on the ABC network. He has previously hosted the Emmys and the American Music Awards on more than one occasion.

Jimmy Kimmel will be hosting the 89th Oscars ceremony in 2017

Continue reading: Jimmy Kimmel To Host 2017 Oscars Ceremony

Ben Affleck is returning to the director's seat for new film 'Live By Night' to work on another Dennis Lehane novel. The film, scheduled for a January 2017 release, set in prohibition era USA, follows Joe Coughlin (Affleck) -the son of a Boston police captain - as he turns into a notorious gangster.

Zoe Saldana and Ben Affleck in Live By Night

Lehane and Affleck first worked together when Affleck adapted 'Gone Baby Gone' in 2007; the neo-noir thriller gained good reviews and after two credits in panned films this year in Batman vs. Superman and Suicide Squad, Affleck is in need of a reputation restoring film. The film is already being tipped for an Oscar nod and with Affleck winning Best Producer and Best Film in 2012 for Argo it's understandable why.

Continue reading: Ben Affleck Reunites With Author Dennis Lehane In Oscar-Tipped Live By Night

In response to the avalanche of criticism the Oscars received this year, the Academy Awards has invited a large number of stars to join its membership so that they can vote ahead of next year’s awards – including British stars Emma Watson, Idris Elba and John Boyega.

A total of 683 people, including a large proportion of women and ethnic minorities, have been invited to join the Academy in order to head off criticism following the #OscarsSoWhite controversy that has dogged the awards for the last two years in a row, after no ethnic minority stars featuring in the list of nominees for all four of the main acting categories, or the directing category.

The four acting category winners at the Oscars 2016 (l-r) Mark Rylance, Brie Larson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alicia Vikander

Continue reading: Academy Announces 683 New Members In Massive Diversity Drive

The organisers of The Oscars have apologised for the “tone-deaf” portrayal of Asians in various jokes at this year’s ceremony, after a group of actors and filmmakers of Asian descent complained of being offended.

The Academy was embroiled in a vociferous diversity row in the run-up to the 2016 awards, which were held at the end of February, after all 20 acting nominees were white for the second year in a row. Though it subsequently pledged to double its number of women and minority members by the end of the decade, it has once again found itself at the centre of controversy.

Some members of the Asian community were outraged at one of Chris Rock's jokes at the Oscars

Continue reading: Academy Apologises For "Tone-Deaf" Asian Jokes During Telecast

Actress Jada Pinkett Smith has spoken for the first time since last weekend’s Oscar ceremony, where host Chris Rock took a swipe at her during his opening monologue. The wife of Will Smith had announced she was boycotting this year’s ceremony due to the lack of diversity among the nominees, but Rock joked that she hadn’t been invited anyway.

Jada Pinkett Smith has spoken out after Chris Rock’s Oscar joke.

“Jada [Pinkett Smith] said she’s not coming,” Rock said during the February 28th ceremony. “I was like, ‘Isn’t she on a TV show?’ Jada’s going to boycott The Oscars? Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited!”

Continue reading: Jada Pinkett Smith Addresses Chris Rock's Oscar Joke

Linda Dunn, the woman name-checked by Oscars host Chris Rock as he led his daughters in a competitive fund-raising effort by selling Girl Scout cookies to the assorted celebs at the ceremony on Sunday night, has spoken about being referenced in person on national TV.

After the stunt led to a massive 13,000 boxes of snacks being sold, and a reported (but unconfirmed!) $65,000 raised for his daughters Zahra and Lola’s troop, the New Jersey mom he name-dropped said that she has no hard feelings about what happened.

Chris Rock called out Linda Dunn during the Girl Scout cookie stunt during Sunday's Oscars

Continue reading: Chris Rock's Girl Scout Rival Mom Linda Dunn Responds To Oscar Cåookies Stunt

Inspired by Lady GaGa’s emotional performance at The Oscars where she was joined onstage by dozens of sexual assault survivors, actress Jaime King has shared her own story, saying that she too is a survivor of similar abuse.

The 36 year old star took to Twitter and Instagram on Monday (February 29th) to tell her followers of the abuse she suffered, which she says “started at 12 [years old]”.

“Thank you @ladygaga – I finally felt a true healing from years of abuse as a minor in the industry. Time to be brave,” she tweeted, hours after Gaga had performed her Oscar-nominated song ‘Til It Happens To You’, co-written with Diane Warren for the documentary The Hunting Ground aimed at raising awareness of sexual assaults and rape on college campuses.

Continue reading: Jaime King Inspired By Lady Gaga To Reveal Sexual Abuse In Her Past

Leonardo DiCaprio may have made most of the headlines with his first Oscar win after five nominations for Best Actor, but perhaps just as significant was the triumph of Ennio Morricone, the legendary soundtrack composer who won his first statuette at the age of 87.

The Italian maestro has notched up more than 500 movie credits throughout his lengthy career, but finally struck gold on Sunday night as he collected the Oscar for Best Original Score to add to the Golden Globe he picked up for the same work he did for Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight.

Ennio Morricone with his wife at the European premiere of 'The Hateful Eight'

Continue reading: Ennio Morricone Wins First Oscar Of His Career For Scoring T`arantino's 'The Hateful Eight'

It was generally agreed that Lady GaGa’s performance of ‘Til It Happens To You’ was the most moving moment of The Oscars, though the song itself failed to win in its category of Best Original Song, as Gaga was joined onstage by dozens of victims of sexual assault.

Vice President Joe Biden had already introduced the star on to the stage with an impassioned speech about ending sexual assault on college campuses in America.

Lady Gaga at the 2016 Oscars

Continue reading: Lady Gaga Performs With Sexual Assault Survivors At Oscars

As well as cracking a few zingers at the expense of the lack of diversity in the nominations list, Oscars host Chris Rock used the ceremony as a platform for his two daughters to sell Girl Scout cookies on Sunday night – and made a pretty impressive amount of money doing so.

“I have missed most of girls scout cookie season,” the 51 year old emcee explained as he led his two daughters, Zahra and Lola, up and down the aisles at the Dolby Theatre to sell Mint Thins and various treats to the audience – and taking the opportunity to guilt trip a few A-listers into coughing up contributions, including Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, Henry Cavill and Christian Bale.

Chris Rock used his power as Oscars host to let his daughters sell Girl Scout cookies

Continue reading: Chris Rock Uses Oscars To Help His Daughters Sell Girl Scout Cookies

That familiar anti-climactic feeling has hit following the 88th Academy Award winner announcements. That's the last we'll hear about last year's blockbusters and now we can look forward to another year of iconic filmmaking. Leonardo DiCaprio has finally landed his long overdue Oscar, but there's still a myriad of actors out there who are still patiently waiting. 

Winning an Academy Award for Best Actor or Actress is one of the highest (if not THE highest) honours a filmstar can attain in their career, save for winning several. Even receiving a nomination makes you forevermore an Oscar-nominated actor. But how many stars out there are yet to receive this prestigious honour, despite their remarkable filmographies? The answer is too many to count, but here's our top 12:

John Hurt was remarkable in 'The Elephant Man'

Continue reading: The Oscar Winners That Never Were: 12 Stars Who Are Still Waiting

Against the backdrop of the ongoing diversity debate in Hollywood, comedian Chris Rock did a stellar job of hosting this year’s Oscars ceremony. But one joke did fall noticeably flat at the Dolby Theatre last night, when actress Stacey Dash appeared to wish everyone a "Happy Black History Month!”

Stacey Dash appeared at last night’s Oscars, but no one got the joke.

After addressing the diversity debate head-on during his opening monologue, Rock later brought out Dash, jokingly introducing her as, “the director of our new minority outreach program.” "I cannot wait to help my people out," Dash then said onstage. "Happy Black History Month!”

Continue reading: Most Awkward Moment Of The Night: Why Was Stacey Dash At The Oscars?

It would no doubt have been a total travesty if Leonardo Dicaprio didn't win his long-awaited Academy Award for his role in 'The Revenant', but no doubt his very first Oscars victory is a huge cause for celebration. The movie won a further two accolades, but didn't come close to 'Mad Max: Fury Road''s success of no less than six prizes.

This year's winners [L-R] Mark Rylance, Brie Larson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alicia Vikander

So DiCaprio finally has a Best Actor Academy Award to add to his collection, while 'The Revenant' director Alejandro G. Iñárritu wins for the second year in a row. The movie, which explores the vengeful quest of 19th century explorer Hugh Glass after he was abandoned during a bear attack, also scooped the award for Best Cinematography, but it was beaten to Best Picture by 'Spotlight'; a drama about The Boston Globe's investigation of child abuse in the Catholic church. 'Spotlight' screenwriters Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy also took home Best Original Screenplay, whilst Best Adapted Screenplay went to Charles Randolph and Adam McKay for 'The Big Short'.

Continue reading: Leonardo DiCaprio Finally Gets His Oscar! But 'Mad Max' Was The Big Winner At The 2016 Academy Awards

Vice President Joe Biden is set to travel to Hollywood this weekend in order to formally introduce Lady GaGa to the stage during Sunday’s Oscars ceremony, according to the L.A. Times.

Citing to a White House spokesperson, the outgoing VP Biden is to be a special presenter at the big night, and will be introducing Gaga’s live performance of ‘’Til It Happens To You’, the Oscar-nominated song she released last year from Kirby Dick’s documentary movie The Hunting Ground, about campus sexual assault.

Lady Gaga will be introduced at The Oscars by Joe Biden

Continue reading: Vice President Joe Biden To Introduce Lady Gaga At Oscars

Oscar nominee Rooney Mara has admitted that she feels “bad and embarrassed” about being caught up in the ‘whitewashing’ debate in Hollywood after her role in Disney’s Pan last year, but has kept quiet until now because she doesn’t want her opinions to be “reduced to a soundbite”.

Mara, 30, played the role of Tiger Lily in the ill-fated live-action origin story last year, and it was a casting that drew a lot of criticism as it constituted a white woman portrayed a native American princess. However, she’s up for Best Supporting Actress for her part in Carol at The Oscars on Sunday, and was asked about her feelings on the diversity debate in Hollywood.

Rooney Mara has spoken about her casting as the native American princess Tiger Lily in 'Pan' last year

Continue reading: Rooney Mara Regrets Her "Whitewashing" Tiger Lily Role In 'Pan'

We're drawing ever closer to the eagerly anticipated 88th Academy Awards night and the bookmakers' odds are ever-changing. Of course, that Leonardo Dicaprio will finally land his Best Actor Oscar marks the stand-out odds of them all, but what else is being predicted for Sunday (February 28th 2016)?

Leonardo DiCaprio leads the Best Actor odds

At the moment, the highest odds that 'The Revenant' star will win his accolade stands at 1/100 with Matt Damon from 'The Martian' at the bottom. As for 'The Revenant' itself, it has predictably been made the favourite to win Best Picture with 'Bridge of Spies' as the least favourite. Consequently, it's Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu who's expected to win Best Director.

Continue reading: Bookmakers Predictions For Sunday's Academy Awards: Leonardo DiCaprio Still The Favourite

The Academy Awards is suing the manufacturers of a proposed “Oscars gift bag” after expressing concern at its contents, which reportedly include plastic surgery gift certificates and sex toys.

For various reasons to do with tax, the Academy Awards stopped making and distributing gift bags to nominees as a routine practice a decade ago, and has discouraged the practice of doing so from third-party manufacturers as promotions.

Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the president of the Academy

Continue reading: Oscars Suing Manufacturers Of Gift Bags Over Inappropriate Contents

We all know that Leonardo Dicaprio is long overdue an Oscar win, and if he doesn't take home the statue this year all faith in the Academy will be lost. So for those of us frustrated over Leo’s lack of Oscar recognition, a fantastic new online game has been created where you can help DiCaprio in his quest to bag that elusive gold statue.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s quest for an Oscar has inspired an online game.

Created by The Line, Leo's Red Carpet Rampage is an 8-bit, arcade style platform game, where you can play as DiCaprio and chase down that Oscar. As you run after the gold down the red carpet you can jump over Leo’s many obstacles, including paparazzi, Lady Gaga and of course that Titanic iceberg.

Continue reading: Leo's Red Carpet Rampage! Leonardo DiCaprio's Oscar Quest Inspires Online Game

Sylvester Stallone has admitted he considered boycotting this year’s Academy Awards because of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. The Creed star is nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category, but his co-star Michael B. Jordan and the film’s director Ryan Coogler both missed out on nominations.

Sylvester Stallone with Michael B. Jordan in Creed.

“Certainly, there is a universal law of existence. You either adapt or cease to exist. Adaptation and evolving were definitely necessary,” Stallone said when asked about the Academy’s new measures to diversify their membership (via Entertainment Weekly).

Continue reading: Sylvester Stallone Admits He Considered Oscars Boycott

With the #OscarsSoWhite debate still ongoing ahead of the 88th Academy Awards, there's now talk about the resurgence of the Tree of Life Awards, known informally as the Black Oscars. It was an event to celebrate the achievements of black stars who had been left out in the annual Oscar nominations.

Morgan Freeman thinks the problem runs deeper than the Oscars

We are yet to hear the end of this diversity issue, which has erupted over the lack of black candidates among this year's Academy Award nominations, a travesty echoing last year's situation. The likes of Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett-Smith have chosen to boycott the ceremony as even Smith himself failed to secure a nod for 'Concussion', while 'Chi-Raq' director Spike Lee will also avoid attendance. Does this mean it's time for black actors and filmmakers to recognise their own achievements separately?

Continue reading: Do The Black Oscars Really Need To Be Brought Back?

Former Oscar winner Dame Helen Mirren has mounted a defence of the Academy over its much publicised lack of diversity in its nominations, saying that it’s “unfair” to attack them when the real problem lies elsewhere in the industry.

The English screen icon, who stars in the Oscar-nominated movie Trumbo, was speaking to Jon Snow of Channel 4 News when she was asked whether the Academy and the industry were “behind the times” for not nominating a single black actor for the second year in a row.

Mirren said she felt it was “unfair to attack the Academy” and that “it just so happened it went that way” this year.

Continue reading: Dame Helen Mirren Says It's "Unfair" To Attack The Oscars Over Diversity Row

Halle Berry, the first and only black woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress, has spoken about the current controversy surrounding the lack of diversity in nominations process, describing the situation as “heartbreaking”.

The 49 year old actress, who picked up her Oscar for her role as a poor southern woman who falls for Billy Bob Thornton’s prison guard character in 2001’s Monster’s Ball, spoke at the Makers Conference on Tuesday night in Los Angeles about that win and what she felt it meant at the time.

Halle Berry, the only black winner of the Best Actress Oscar, had her say on the #OscarsSoWhite saga

Continue reading: Halle Berry Describes Oscars Diversity Row As "Heartbreaking"

Will Smith has spoken some more about his decision to join his wife Jada Pinkett Smith in boycotting this year’s Oscars ceremony, saying that he wants to be “part of the solution” to the diversity problem in the movie industry.

Smith is currently in Britain promoting Concussion, the movie which had seen him tipped to be in contention for the Best Actor trophy before the nominations were announced and he was left off the five-strong shortlist. For the second year in a row, all 20 acting nominations were taken up by white actors, much to the ire of social media.

Will Smith at the European premiere of 'Concussion' in January 2016

Continue reading: Will Smith Says His Decision To Boycott Oscars "Isn't About Me"

President Barack Obama has joined the #OscarsSoWhite debate which is currently dominating this year’s Academy Awards coverage. With a number of Hollywood stars speaking out on the controversy, the POTUS has said Hollywood could benefit by 'making sure everyone’s story is told'.

Barack Obama has joined the #OscarsSoWhite debate.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Obama described the outrage as “just an expression of this broader issue”, The Guardian reports. “I think that California is an example of the incredible diversity of this country. That’s a strength,” he said.

Continue reading: Barack Obama Joins #OscarsSoWhite Debate, Asks: 'Is Everybody Getting A Fair Shot?'

Chris Rock’s publicist has denied the comedian has rewritten his Oscars’ script to incorporate the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. Rock will host the ceremony on February 28th, but has faced pressure to step down as the awards' host, as the debate over the Academy’s lack of diversity continues.

Chris Rock’s rep has denied he’s made changes to his Oscars’ script.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight over the weekend, Academy Awards producer Reginald Hudlin insisted that Rock will not be stepping down as this year’s host and is instead working on a new script that will address the #OscarsSoWhite outrage.

Continue reading: Chris Rock's Rep Denies Oscars Host Has Rewritten Opening Monologue

Some have called for Chris Rock to step down as host of this year’s Oscar’s ceremony, as the debate over the lack of diversity among the nominees continues. But despite pressure, Rock isn’t planning to give up his hosting duties and instead will reportedly be addressing the issue during his opening monologue.

Chris Rock is expected to address #OscarsSoWhite when he hosts this year’s ceremony.

Academy Awards producer Reginald Hudlin told Entertainment Tonight that Rock will not be stepping down as this year’s host and is instead working on a new script that will address the #OscarsSoWhite outrage.

Continue reading: Chris Rock Planning To Address #OscarsSoWhite Controversy At Next Month's Ceremony

Michael Caine has given his thoughts on the diversity row which is currently dominating this year’s Oscars coverage. Speaking to Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4, the veteran actor said: “You can't vote for an actor because he's black,” when asked his opinion on the controversy which has seen a number of stars criticise the Academy for its lack of diversity.

Michael Caine has joined The Oscars’ diversity debate.

"There's loads of black actors. You can't vote for an actor because he's black,” Caine told Robinson. “You can't just say, 'I'm going to vote for him. He's not very good, but he's black. I'll vote for him.' You have to give a good performance.”

Continue reading: Michael Caine Joins Oscars' Diversity Debate: "You Can't Vote For An Actor Because He's Black"

As the debate over the lack of diversity among this year’s Oscar nominations continues, Reese Witherspoon has become the latest star to speak out. On Thursday the actress shared a Time magazine article about the Academy’s problem with diversity on her Facebook page and added that she would like to see ‘more diverse voting membership’.

Reese Witherspoon would like to see more diversity in the Academy’s membership.

‘I really appreciated this article in TIME on the lack of racial and gender diversity in this year's Oscar nominations,’ Witherspoon, who herself is an Academy member wrote. ‘So disappointed that some of 2015's best films, filmmakers and performances were not recognized.’

Continue reading: Reese Witherspoon Joins Oscars Debate And Calls For More Diversity

Will Smith has announced that he’s joining his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, in her protest at the absence of diversity in the Academy Awards nominations, and won’t be attending the February 28th ceremony.

Appearing on ‘Good Morning America’ on Thursday (January 21st), the Concussion star said: “My wife’s not going. It would be awkward for me to show up with Charlize [Theron]” he quipped, before saying seriously “we’ve discussed it and we’re a part of this community, but at this current time, we’re uncomfortable to stand there and say this is okay.”

Will Smith will be joining his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, in boycotting the Oscars

Continue reading: Will Smith Joining His Wife Jada Pinkett Smith In Boycotting Oscars

This year's Academy Awards season is turning out to be a pretty intense ride, with the uproar over the nominations' lack of cultural diversity causing a division in the entertainment world. While some people are saying that they're planning to boycott the ceremony when it was revealed that not one black actor or director had been nominated, others are saying that the situation has been blown way out of proportion.

Jada Pinkett-Smith and Will Smith are skipping the 2016 Oscars ceremony

So what exactly is the debate? This is year is the second year in a row that not one person of colour has been nominated for an Oscar in the major categories. It's not even that it hasn't been an option, especially when you look at the Golden Globe nominations and the calibre of movies featuring black lead actors in 2015 like 'Chi-Raq', 'Creed', 'Beasts of No Nation', 'Straight Outta Compton' and 'Concussion'. Last year, admittedly, did see fewer options. However, 'Selma' was one of the biggest movies of the year (and probably one of the most important in this decade) but still only managed to scoop a Best Original Song prize. Justin Simien's 'Dear White People' wasn't recognised at all and nor was Denzel Washington's 'The Equalizer'.

Continue reading: The Academy Awards Boycott: Both Sides Of The Debate

Oscars host Chris Rock is coming under increasing calls to boycott the awards ceremony in the aftermath of the controversial nominations last week, in which none of the 20 acting nominations went to a black or ethnic minority actor.

#OscarsSoWhite and #OscarsStillSoWhite have kept the furore going on social media since the announcement of the major acting and directing categories happened a week ago, and now a number of celebrities including Furious 7 star Tyrese Gibson are arguing that Rock ought to step down as host.

Chris Rock is under pressure to step down as Oscars host after the diversity row over nominations

Continue reading: Chris Rock Under Pressure To Step Down As Oscars Host In Diversity Row

Lupita Nyong’o and George Clooney have become the latest stars to speak out about this year’s Oscar nominations, which have been criticised for their lack of diversity. Already director Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett-Smith have said they’ll be boycotting this year’s ceremony which for the second year in a row features no non-white nominees in any of the major categories.

Lupita Nyong’o has joined the debate over this year’s Oscars.

Nyong’o, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2013, wrote on Instagram: "I am disappointed by the lack of inclusion in this year's Academy Awards nominations. It has me thinking about unconscious prejudice and what merits prestige in our culture."

Continue reading: Lupita Nyong'o And George Clooney Join Oscars' Diversity Debate

As the debate over the lack of diversity among this year’s Oscar nominees continues, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, has released a lengthly statement addressing the issue. The statement comes after director Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett-Smith announced they wound not be attending this year’s ceremony, which has been criticised for failing to recognise non-white actors and directors.

Academy preisdent Cheryl Boone Isaacs.

"I’d like to acknowledge the wonderful work of this year’s nominees," Isaacs wrote. "While we celebrate their extraordinary achievements, I am both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion. This is a difficult but important conversation, and it’s time for big changes.”

Continue reading: The Academy Speaks On Lack Of Diversity In Oscar Nominations, As Stars Call For Boycott

Director Spike Lee has announced he will not be attending this year’s Oscars, due to the lack of diversity among the nominees. For the second year in a row the Oscar’s was criticised for failing to honour non-white actors and directors, causing the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite to trend on social media.

Director Spike Lee will not be attending this year’s Oscars.

In a letter posted to Instagram, Lee began by thanking the Academy for awarding him an honorary Oscar in November, but stated that he and his wife Tonya Lewis Lee would not be in attendance at this year’s ceremony.

Continue reading: Spike Lee Will Not Be Attending 2016 Oscars Due To Lack Of Diversity Among Nominees

Actress Jada Pinkett-Smith has raised the question of whether or not people of colour should boycott The Oscars after this year’s nominations once again failed to recognise non-white actors and directors. When the nominations were announced on Thursday the hashtag #Oscarssowhite immediately began trending with the Academy being accused of ignoring non-white performers in the major categories.

Jada Pinkett-Smith has asked whether this year’s ‘so white’ Oscars should be boycotted.

‘At the Oscars...people of color are always welcomed to give out awards...even entertain,’ Pinkett-Smith tweeted. ‘But we are rarely recognized for our artistic accomplishments. Should people of color refrain from participating all together? People can only treat us in the way in which we allow. With much respect in the midst of deep disappointment.’

Continue reading: Jada Pinkett-Smith Asks If People Of Colour Should Boycott The 'So White' Oscars

This year’s Oscar nominations were announced on Thursday and immediately drew criticism for their lack of diversity, causing the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite to trend. But now the 2016 host Chris Rock has even referenced the controversy by referring to The Oscars as ‘The White BET Awards’ in a tweet.

This year’s Oscars host Chris Rock.

Sharing his new promo for the February 28th ceremony Rock tweeted, ‘The #Oscars. The White BET Awards.’ In the promo Rock gives us three reasons why we should tune into this year’s ceremony: "Presenter cleavage," "Check out who died this year" and "I might curse.”

Continue reading: Chris Rock Calls The Oscars 'The White BET Awards'

This year's race feels like the tightest in years, with no clear frontrunner. Instead, four very different films lead the pack. Two are true-life, issue-based movies: the tense Spotlight and the more comical The Big Short. And then there's the wild action of Mad Max: Fury Road and the wrenching adventure of The Revenant.

Meanwhile, in the acting fields, Leonardo Dicaprio looks like he'll finally win an Oscar with his fifth acting nomination. And the Academy surely won't be able to resist giving a trophy to Sylvester Stallone. For Best Actress, Brie Larson is the one to beat, although Saoirse Ronan has a lot of support. And it should be noted that, since the average age of an Oscar voter is 63, beloved veteran Charlotte Rampling shouldn't be ruled out. In Supporting Actress, two nominees (Alicia Vikander and Rooney Mara) have been named for what are actually lead roles, so they may have an edge to beat the formidable Kate Winslet or Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Continue reading: Oscar Nominations Both Refine And Muddle The Awards Race

Despite protests in 2015 that the Academy Awards nominations list lacked diversity, with the memorable hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, the 2016 line-up is likely to attract similar criticism, with no black directors or actors across all relevant categories.

Once again, there were no non-white nominees in any of the acting categories – Best Actor / Actress and Supporting Actor / Actress – or for the director award. This is despite well-received movies such as Creed, Concussion, Straight Outta Compton and Beasts of No Nation receiving nominations in other awards this year.

Reverend Al Sharpton led the criticism

Continue reading: Oscars Under Fire Once More For Lack Of Diversity In Nominations

The nominations for the 88th Academy Awards are finally in, and there's really not too many shockers in there. Predictably, 'The Revenant' starring Leonardo Dicaprio is leading with a total of 12 nominations. It's an exciting prospect - could DiCaprio really be about to land that long-awaited Oscar he deserves?

Could Leonardo DiCaprio finally win an Oscar for The Revenant?

So let's have a look at what to expect from the year's biggest cinema event. Firstly, Alejandro G. Iñárritu's 'The Revenant' - which is based on the death-defying explorations of frontiersman Hugh Glass - is very understandably up their for Best Picture. Consequently, Leonardo DiCaprio has been nominated for Best Actor, Tom Hardy for Best Supporting Actor and Iñárritu for Director. The other eight awards are for Costume Design, Makeup And Hair Styling, Sound Editing, Film Editing, Production Design, Visual Effects, Cinematography and Sound Mixing.

Continue reading: 'The Revenant' Reigns Over The 2016 Academy Award Nominations

Academy Award sceptics are expecting another white-washed year, with diversity in Hollywood still not as broad as we need it to be. If you're one of the cynics, you'd be right to think that way, because even going through the ton of blockbusters seen in 2015, only a handful have any actors of colour.

We thought we'd throw a few of our own suggestions into the mix, ahead of the official announcement of this year's Oscar nominations. They're all deserving of a nod, so fingers crossed for each one of these:

'Creed' landed one Golden Globe win this year

Continue reading: From Creed To Concussion: Culturally Diverse Suggestions For 2016 Oscar Nominations

Chris Rock is gearing up to host the Academy Awards for the second time and to him the Oscars is much like New Years Eve. In his first promo vid ahead of the 2016 ceremony Rock compares the annual awards to December 31st, saying it's full of ‘drunk, disappointed people’.

Chris Rock is hosting the 2106 Oscars.

In the clip, after introducing himself as the 2016 host, Rock goes on to say, “Much like New Year’s Eve, it’ll be a night that ends with a lot of drunk, disappointed people swearing they’ll do better next year.”

Continue reading: Chris Rock Compares The Oscars To NYE In First Promo

The odds are on for the predictions of the 88th Academy Award nominations, and it seems to be all about the biopics with four topping the odds for the Best Picture category and the same ones taking over the Best Director category.

There's been plenty of great movies this year but only five can be selected for a Best Picture nomination. Whilst there was unending hype for such flicks as 'Inside Out', 'Mad Max: Fury Road', 'Spectre' and 'The Hateful Eight', they fail to make the top five when it comes to the betting odds.

Spotlight is the top favourite for Best Picture

Continue reading: Spotlight, The Revenant And Steve Jobs Among Oscars 2016 Predictions

The reaction to this week's Oscar nominations was a loud one, because Academy voters played it so safe in a year when films expanded to explore a diverse array of themes. Throughout 2014, actors and filmmakers bravely took on big challenges, and many were recognised with nominations. But critics have been quick to point out that all of the acting and directing nominees are white, and #OscarsSoWhite was the trending hashtag on Twitter.

Neil Patrick Harris is hosting this year's Academy Awards

The most obvious snub was for Selma, which only received nods for Best Picture and Best Song (for Common and John Legend's 'Glory'), leaving out the acclaimed actor David Oyelowo and director Ava DuVernay, who would have been the first African-American woman ever nominated for Best Director.

Continue reading: Oscar Nominations Court Controversy

The shortlist for the Best Foreign Language Film award at next year’s Oscars have been announced with nine films from around the world competing for the golden statue. The list has been narrowed down from 83 titles and the winner will be revealed at the 87th Academy Awards, held next year.

Russia's Leviathan is among the titles shortlisted

The shortlist was chosen by a committee of several hundred Los Angeles-based Academy members who screened submissions over the past two months and voted. Their top six choices were then augmented by three additional selections voted on by the Academy's Executive Committee.

Continue reading: 'Ida' And 'Leviathan' Lead The Way As Best Foreign Language Oscar Shortlist Is Announced

Neil Patrick Harris, the recently announced host for the Academy Awards 2015, has revealed his dream musical guests for the ceremony. The star of 'How I Met Your Mother' sat down with Entertainment Weekly's Matt Bean for a Sirius XM interview and had plenty of ideas for his first Oscars show.

Neil Patrick Haris will host the Oscars for the first time, having helmed the Tony Awards four times and the Emmys twice

When asked who he would want as a dream duet partner for the sow, Harris brainstormed out loud, "Gaga?" he asked, "Adele. That would be cool", he added. "Pink? We could do circus things."

Continue reading: Neil Patrick Harris Wants Lady Gaga, Adele And Pink For Oscars 2015

Neil Patrick Harris is the latest personality entrusted with the difficult, risky and often downright stupid responsibility of hosting the biggest night in movies, the Oscars. Such is the emphasis placed on the host of the Academy Awards, it often shapes the reporting, live-blogging and most of the reaction to the ceremony, with the nominees left as an afterthought.

Neil Patrick Harris will host the Oscars in February

The Academy have struggled to find an appropriate host in recent years. Seth MacFarlane was smug, James Franco and Anne Hathaway were a disaster, Billy Crystal seemed past it and Ellen DeGeneres was.well, fine. And so Neil Patrick Harris - a notable stage performer with the likeability factor - is next up to try and replicate the likes of Jon Stewart, Whoopi Goldberg and Crystal of yesteryear. That is, to glide effortlessly in-and-out of the ceremony. To be funny when they need to be. To keep things moving.

Continue reading: Can Neil Patrick Harris Unlock The Secret To Hosting The Oscars?

Ellen DeGeneres' Oscars selfie - which was actually taken by Bradley Cooper - has been the talk of the net all week, but it looks as though the famous snapshot is going to run and run. Memes are already cropping up, mainly of Kevin Spacey's head, but Simpsons creator Matt Groening has got in on the action too.

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The ugly true story of that Oscar® selfie can finally be told! Let's break Twitter again. Look for Bart. pic.twitter.com/tdfr3Juhff

— Homer J. Simpson (@HomerJSimpson) March 5, 2014

How did Dior know that Jennifer Lawrence was going to continue being a darling of the awards season? They announced last October that she would be the face of a new campaign and this week the results of their photoshoot, the fruits of their labour, have been revealed. Just ahead of The Oscars in which she's nominated for Best Actress means they've arrived in perfect time!

In a statement reported by E! Lawrence said: "It's such a dream to represent an iconic brand that is synonymous with high fashion."  She said, continuing, "I'm so excited to be working with the fashion house and wear the new creations by Raf Simons. His most recent haute couture and ready-to-wear collections glamorously capture the modern era at Dior." 

The collection of photographs, which best highlights accessories and jewellery, are mostly shot in black and white. Lawrence's softly strong bone structure combined with her beautiful skin reflect the light in the most flattering way. Sleek hair and simple makeup (a splash of red on her lips and very lightly smokey eyes) make the era placeless and should certainly make the look timeless. 

Continue reading: Jennifer Lawrence And Raf Simon's Dior Photos Released Ahead Of The Oscars

For the nominees who were truly humbled by their Oscar nomination but know full well that they wont win, aside from an incredible night in Hollywood surrounded by their biggest inspirations, they'll also walk away with an incredible gift bag filled with $45k's worth of stuff. 

Indeed, who needs a golden statuette when you can get a vampire facelift for free? Or a bottle of windex? Or a pack of branded condoms? Yes, these really are some items in this year's goody bags. We can laugh at these while we pootle home from the birthday parties our children have been to, bringing back bags filled with some squashed cake and enough sugar-filled sweets to see the children bouncing off the walls for a few days. What is a 'vampire facelift', anyway? 

There are a few items included, however, that we can't laugh at... that, in fact, will induce an uncomfortable shade of green springing to our cheeks, matching the envy in our guts. The consolation gifts inspiring our jealousy this year are: a $12k trip to Australia, a $4k weight loss retreat and an $8,000 stay in Mexico. Even the slightly odd 'circus classes' and the $1,800 membership for the Heathrow luxury lounge wouldn't go a miss. 

Continue reading: Oscar Awards Losers Will All Receive An Incredible Consolation Prize Worth Over $45k

Anyone bothered to check The Oscars 2013 news today – the day before the ceremony – has seen both Argo and Lincoln. We have, and we loved them both. But there’s an air of controversy surrounding both stories, which are dramatizations of real life events.

As is the case with all ‘based on a true story’ films, there are scenes in which a certain amount of embellishment adds to the drama or tension. This is certainly true of the (SPOILER) last scenes in Argo, where the team escape Iran with police cars chasing the plane. This didn’t happen; they entered the airport at around 5am, when it was quiet, and enjoyed a peaceful passage onto the plane. That wouldn’t be a very exciting film, though, would it?

Continue reading: Argo And Lincoln – Two Oscars Favourites With Historical And Contextual Inaccuracies

Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe are all well-respected actors, who’ve carved out hugely successful careers. But that didn’t mean they got a free pass into Les Miserables – no – they had to audition, and by that we mean sing, like everybody else.

Hugh Jackman & Russell Crowe (left) and Les Mis Director, Tom Hooper

Continue reading: Oscars 2013 – Les Miserables Cast Sang For Their Roles In The Film

Never before has someone taken three Best Actor in a Leading Role awards. So for Daniel Day Lewis – a man with two, and a critically acclaimed performance as Abraham Lincoln under his belt - the stage is set for a record breaking evening in Hollywood tomorrow night.

Daniel Day Lewis clutches his Bafta for Lincoln

Continue reading: The Oscars 2013: Time For Daniel Day Lewis To Step Into Greatness

Attention swerves towards best film, and the male and female versions of best lead and supporting actors at The Oscars. They’re the big ones, and attract the largest pre-cermoney-buzz. But spare a thought for the daring set of animated films vying in the lesser-talked-of, Best Animation category.

See, while the Toy Stories and Ratatouilles of this world are undoubtedly works of genius, there are darker, more adult themes in animation today that can stir up debate and conjure emotion just like any traditional feature film. Only three animated features have ever been nominated in the best film category: Beauty and the Beast, Up and Toy Story 3. All fantastic films, but there should be more. "I think this year with these films - and so many more - the envelope for animation is being pushed," said Brave director Mark Andrews at an Academy Awards event Thursday night, according to Fox. "We keep seeing more risky, deep films that we wouldn't have seen 10 years ago coming out. I wanna be 1 of those guys pushing it more and more and more because it's not only an awesome medium, but there's so many more stories that we can tell."

This year sees Brave, Frankenweenie, Paranorman, Pirates! Band of Misfits and Wreck-it Ralph battle it out for best animated feature. We reckon Wreck it Ralph will receive the gong despite Brave being the bookie’s favourite to take home thr prize. They’re all fantastic films, though, as most animations tend to be. You can read our review for Wreck it Ralph here, and watch the trailer below.

Continue reading: The Oscars 2013 – Let’s Take The Animation Category Seriously, Okay?

It's less than two weeks until the most prestigious movie awards ceremony - the Academy Awards -takes place on February 24th 2013 and rumours are flying around everywhere about alleged appearances. One of the biggest is, in the wake of the 50th anniversary of the first James Bond movie 'Dr No', all six actors who have portrayed the British spy (from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig) will show up for one huge reunion on the Oscars stage. But just how likely is it happen?

Sean Connery has, according to the Daily Record, been invited to attend the so-called reunion, as sources reveal that they've 'not had a no from him'. 'Normally he is quick to turn things down', they said. 'Sean's relationship with the Oscars is good and we're hoping he'll appear.' The paper also went on to claim that Sean's 'issues' with the producers of James Bond may deter him from attending the event, although we've always thought of him as seeming rather proud of being the original 007 star so it would seem odd for him to refuse on that account. On the other hand, according to the Edinburgh Evening News, the Scottish actor didn't even know about the rumours, with his press agent claiming that no-one has yet asked him to get involved.

One who would be likely to attend is Sir Roger Moore; a man who was loved by so many that he played the role of Bond for 12 years, completing 7 movies between 1973 and 1985. He celebrated the 50th anniversary of the franchise last year by releasing his book 'Bond on Bond: The Ultimate Book On 50 Years Of Bond Movies' so it certainly seems like it's a part of his life he holds dear. He mentioned in an interview on the 'Today' show that it was like 'working with a family every 18 months' but regrets that he finished his book before he saw the latest 007 movie 'Skyfall'. 'I would write another chapter', he said. 'I think it is just the best Bond ever made.' However, as happy as he seems to be constantly associated with the fictional secret agent, he wasn't spotted at the 2013 BAFTAS on February 10th 2013 where 'Skyfall' won 'Best British Film'.

Continue reading: Will The Six Spies 'Bond' At The Oscars?

Christopher Nolan's epic conclusion to the celebrated Dark Knight trilogy was released in the summer of 2012, with many critics agreeing that it was already a viable contender for Oscar season, but of the 24 categories on offer, The Dark Knight Rises didn't receive a single nod.

Everyone seems to be up in arms over Ben Affleck's omission from the Best Director category, or over Skyfall's similarly unanimous snub (although, rightly so, it has been given the nod for Best Cinematography as well as nominations for its soundtrack and editing), but it does come as quite a surprise to see so few remarks about the lack of Batman at The Oscars.

Ok, we all agree that the film maybe wasn't overall as good as its predecessor The Dark Knight, but it was still one hell of a show (and how was Tom Hardy supposed to compete with Heath Ledger's Joker). From the colossal set designs (Bane's sewer-based lair), the quite brilliant costumes on show (Catwoman and Bane's mask) and the film's deep underlying messages reflecting our own world, raising questions about class, wealth and power, has a more deserving and appropriate for our time film been made this year? You'd have to say no, not really.

Continue reading: No Love For The Dark Knight Rises At This Year's Oscars

We're still in 2012, but already talk of who will win what at next years Oscar ceremony is widespread across the web. One picture that isn't feeling the love so much is period picture Anna Karenina, which hits US cinemas today.

Keira Knightley's latest costume drama has received relatively wide-spread acclaim so far, but that doesn't mean that she or the film itself will be given so much as a how-do-you-do when the shortlist of the Academy Awards is announced early next year. In terms of Best Picture, both The Dark Knight Rises and Disney Pixar's Brave are placed above the Leo Tolstoy adaptation and we all know how well superhero and animated films perform at the Oscars. Argo is currently the bookie's favourite to take home the top gong, with Lincoln a close second.

As for Knightley and her chances of getting hold of a Best Actress award, things aren't looking too great there either. Jennifer Lawrence's turn in Silver Linings Playlist looks like everyone's favourite to pick up the award at only her second time of asking, with Sally Field (Lincoln), Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables) and Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone) all placed above the Brit by bookmakers.

Continue reading: Anna Karenina Likely To Be Left Out At The Oscars?

Alfred Hitchcock biopic ‘Hitchcock’ is set to be in line for an Oscar this year as Fox Searchlight reveals the 2012 release date.

Fox Searchlight Pictures are known for producing and distributing independent, mainly British films many of which have been successful Oscar winners or nominees including ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, ‘Black Swan’, ‘The Full Monty’, ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ and ‘Juno’. ‘Hitchcock’ could be set to be their latest jewel as the previously expected 2013 release date has been moved to November 23rd 2012 making it a serious contender for an Academy Award this year.

Unlike the actual Alfred Hitchcock movies, which were largely suspense-driven thrillers, the film is comedy drama based on the making of Alfred Hitchcock’s hit 1960 blockbuster ‘Psycho’ and the relationship the director had with his wife Alma Reville. It focuses on the major controversy surrounding the film’s sexual and violent content and Hitchcock’s battle with financing and censorship. It has been adapted by screenwriter John McLaughlin (‘Black Swan’) from Stephen Rebello’s biography ‘Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho’ with Sacha Gervasi (‘Anvil: The Story of Anvil’) in his feature film directorial debut. If this wasn’t enough to make a big impression at The Oscars, then the flick’s all-star cast is bound to be a winner. With Academy Award sensations Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren playing Hitchcock and Alma, Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Biel playing ‘Psycho’ stars Janet Leigh and Vera Miles, the spectacular mix of both American and British actors is sure to appeal to most culturally singular film lovers.