The Quest for "it"

Oscar's Best Acceptance Speeches for 2011

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The 83nd Annual Academy Awards boasted two Oscar nominated co-hosts this year.  Shared stage time between Actor James Franco and Actress Anne Hathaway became a reality that met with eventually mixed results, as the Academy hoped to appeal to a younger televison viewing audience.  More  fun than this year's hosts was the reality of at least one "eyebrow-raising" speech.  Early on, Best Supporting Actress Melissa Leo (The Fighter)  got everyone's attention as she dropped the F bomb not even a full sentence into her acceptance speech.  Cautious was cast mate Christian Bale, when he won for Best Supporting Actor (The Fighter), who clearly chose his words more carefully --referring to Leo's faux pas.  Sweet and poignant was best Actress Winner Natalie Portman (Black Swan) and "to the point" was Best Actor Colin Firth (The King's Speech); each were slated to be the evening's BIG WINNERS and they were.  To follow are select passages from the top 4 winners speeches.

Colin Firth-Best Actor, The King's Speech

"And all the people who have been rooting for me back home. Also Jessica Kolstad, my friend, Paul Lyon-Maris, and Chris Andrews for bearing with me through some of the less fortunate moments as well as the good ones and my very fortunate friendship with Tom Ford who to whom I owe a very big piece of this. And to the Anglo-Italian-American-Canadian axis, which makes up my family and Livia for putting up with my fleeting delusions of royalty and who I hold responsible for this and for really everything that's good that's happened since I met her. Now if you'll all excuse me, I have some impulses I have to tend to backstage. Thank you very much."

Christian Bale-Best Supporting Actor, The Fighter

"Bloody hell. Wow, what a room full of talented and inspirational people and what the hell am I doing here in the midst of you? It's such an honor. David O. Russell, what a great spirit, you know, on the set. Just fantastic, and thank you so much mate for making the work that all of us actors did actually mean something. You know, I mean that's the director's job of translating it to the audience and making it mean something. Thank you for that. Thank you to Pamela Martin, likewise, as our editor. The just incredible work of every actor. Melissa, I'm not going to drop the f-bomb like she did, I've done that plenty before."

Natalie Portman-Best Actress, Black Swan

"Thank you so much to the Academy this is insane and I truly sincerely wish that the prize tonight was to get to work with my fellow nominees. I'm so in awe of you. I'm so grateful to get to do the job that I do. I love it so much. I want to thank my parents, who are right there, first and foremost for giving me my life and for giving me the opportunity to work from such an early age and showing me everyday how to be a good human being by example."

Melissa Leo- Best Supporting Actress, The Fighter

"Oh my, oh my God. Oh wow really, really, really, really, really, truly wow. I know there's a lot of people that said a lotta real real nice things to me for several months now, but I'm just shaking in my boots here. Ok, alright. Thank you David O. Russell. I want to thank the actors, Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, he might run out for a second, Amy, my sweet sister Adams, Jack, our lovely daughters. OK. Yeah, I am kind of speechless. Golly sakes, there's people up there too. When I watched Kate two years ago, it looked so [EXPLETIVE DELETED]. Alice Ward, your beautiful family that opened your hearts. I saw Mick here earlier. Dick, a shout out for Nana? Alright Dick's not in the room."

*photo courtesy of Kevin Winter/ Getty Images North America

 

Melissa Leo in Marc Bouwer at Oscars

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Dressing an Oscar Winner is a huge job and an incredible honor, be it the decision of a savvy stylist or the celeb themselves. This year's Best Supporting Actress Winner Melissa Leo, who won for her role in The Fighter, wore a dress from New York based designer Marc Bouwer.  The dress, chosen by the actress herself, was a gold and beige lace gown made of taffeta lace over beading, retailing for $12,500  The specially selected dress comes from Marc Bouwer's Fall 2011 Collection.

*photo courtesy of Frazer Harrison/Getty Images North America

FIRST LOOK PHOTOS: The 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards, Sponsored by Jameson

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Last night's Independent Spirit Awards took place in Santa Monica Beach bringing out everyone from Natalie Portman and Mark Ruffalo to the countries most hopeful young stars. Jameson continues their support of the Film industry by supporting the 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards in L.A. 

The Jameson FIND Your Audience Award, a new filmmaker grant, was established this year to help make it possible for one Spirit Award-nominated film to find a broader audience. Spirit Award-nominated films in need of expanding their marketing and distribution efforts will be considered. The award includes a $50,000 marketing and distribution grant, funded by Jameson Irish Whiskey. The grant was designed to meet independent filmmakers' biggest challenge today: How to get their films out into the marketplace. A blue-ribbon committee will determine the winner.  

To follow are select photos from the event.

Left to Right: Mark Ruffalo (above left); Natalie Portman; Ewan McGregor; Jon Hamm & Jennifer Westfeldt; Eva Mendes

*photos courtesy of Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images with exception of Natalie Portman by Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Academy Awards Red Carpet Coverage on LIVEStream 6:00pm ET/3:00 PT pm Sunday....

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Are you ready for the stream?  In celebration of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards®,  AP Live will broadcast live from the red carpet event in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 27 at 6:00pm EST/3:00pm PST.  Featuring interviews with the Oscar® nominees and biggest stars in entertainment, Livestream powers this exclusive access to Hollywood's biggest night. Viewers are invited to submit questions and watch the star-studded event at www.livestream.com.