Hollywood’s biggest night draws big stars for the Oscars

“Black Swan”

Hollywood’s biggest stars will descend on the red carpet at the 83rd annual Academy Awards, with box-office films like western remake “True Grit,” sexually-charged ballet thriller “Black Swan” and British drama “The King’s Speech” vying for top Oscars victory. The ceremony, which honors filmmakers and performers with the most prestigious award in the movie industry, will be presented Sunday night at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. According to ABC News, frantic final preparations are underway and workers have already sealed off the stretch of Hollywood Boulevard outside the venue. Actors Anne Hathaway and James Franco, who is the first nominee to host the ceremony in 24 years, will be the youngest ever to host movie’s biggest night. “Young and hip seemed to be the buzzwords that keep getting thrown around,” Hathaway told ABC News. “I’m trying to figure out which one I am. “ The presenters for Oscars include Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Jude Law, Oprah Winfrey amongst others. Even the list of performers is impressive. Mandy Moore, Indian composer and singer A. R. Rahman, Gwyneth Paltrow, actor/singer Zachary Levi and others will be performing live. “The King’s Speech,” which tells the friendship of King George VI and speech therapist Lionel Logue hired to help overcome the king’s stutter, is nominated in 12 categories, including Best Picture, Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design. Following close behind is “True Grit” with 10 nominations and eight nods each for “The Social Network” and the hi-tech blockbuster “Inception.” Colin Firth, who has already won British Academy Film, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Awards for his portrayal of King George VI in “The King’s Speech,” will be battling for best actor with Spanish actor Javier Bardem in “Biutiful,” veteran Jeff Bridges in “True Grit,” Jesse Eisenberg in “The Social Network” and Franco in “127 Hours.” Newly-engaged Natalie Portman, who is expecting her first child with “Black Swan” choreographer Benjamin Millepied, is one of the hopefuls to take home an Oscar. Like Firth, Portman recently won a string of awards for her portrayal of Nina Sayers, a ballerina in the psychological thriller. She will be fighting for the best actress spot with Annette Bening in ‘The Kids Are All Right,” Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole,” Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine” and Hollywood’s newest “it-girl” Jennifer Lawrence in “Winter’s Bone.” ABC, which just announced that it has extended a broadcast deal with Oscar organizers for another six years on the current contract, will kick off its coverage of the 83rd Academy Awards at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. “Project Runway” mentor Tim Gunn, Vanity Fair editor Krista Smith, and journalists Maria Menounos and Robin Roberts will be interviewing celebrities and comment on red carpet fashions during the Oscar pre-show.

Johnny Depp Voted The #1 Money-Making Star Of 2010.

Johnny Depp Voted The #1 Money-Making Star Of 2010. After starring in one of the biggest box-office hits of the year, Johnny Depp was voted the #1 Money-Making Star of 2010. Voted on by motion picture exhibitors, this was the third year Depp was considered the star responsible for bring the most people into theaters. Depp starred in this year’s “Alice in Wonderland,” which earned over $1 billion at the global box office, while “The Tourist” with Angelina Jolie has pulled in about $77 million at the box-office world-wide. It’s the third year Depp has come in at #1 on the poll, which has been conducted each year since 1932. Depp also topped the list in 2006 and 2007, when “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” were among the biggest box-office hits of the year. Next year, he’ll voice the animated comedy “Rango” and star in the fourth installment in the “Pirates” series, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” affording him the chance to come in at #1 yet again. His “Tourist” co-star Angelina Jolie comes in at #2 on the list. Along with “The Tourist,” she also led “Salt” to a gross of $293 million worldwide. Robert Downey, Jr. is at #3, thanks to his work in “Iron Man 2” and “Due Date,” while Matt Damon scores the #4 spot for “Green Zone,” “Hereafter,” and “True Grit.” At #5 on the list is Steve Carell, who starred in “Date Night,” “Dinner for Schmucks,” and voice Gru in the Universal hit “Despicable Me,” while Tom Hanks scored #6 for his voice work in “Toy Story 3” alone.
Top Ten Money-Making Stars of 2010:

1. Johnny Depp

2. Angelina Jolie

3. Robert Downey, Jr.

4. Matt Damon

5. Steve Carell

6. Tom Hanks

7. Denzel Washington

8. Leonardo DiCaprio

9. George Clooney

10. Anne Hathaway

Conan O’Brien’s Long-Awaited Return to Late-Night Television Attracts Younger Viewers

Conan O’Brien’s Long-Awaited Return to Late-Night Television Attracts Younger Viewers. Conan O’Brien’s new TBS talk show was a hit with young viewers Monday night, and it’s reported that the audience had a median age of 30 years old. This late night TV talk show is definitely not “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno.
“Conan,” which featured guests Seth Rogen, Lea Michele and Jack White, was watched by 2,451,000 adults ages 18 to 34; 3,285,000 adults 18-49; and 4,155,000 viewers. O’Brien has a strong following among younger viewers, and social media has proven to be a key way for him to connect with his fans. “Conan’s audience has been very vocal online, and he clearly made a smooth transition from Twitter to TBS,” said Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks, in a statement. “Conan delivered an extraordinary audience and stands out as the youngest late-night talk show on television.” Tonight, “Conan’s” second episode will feature Tom Hanks, Jack McBrayer and Soundgarden as guests. Upcoming guests include Jon Hamm of “Mad Men,” Fistful of Mercy and “Paper Heart” actress Charlyne Yi on Wednesday; and actor Michael Cera, “Modern Family’s” Julie Bowen and Canadian comedian Jon Dore on Thursday.