EFTA01735393.pdf

Tre addafi is hunkering down in Tripoli, giving press interviews, denying that rebels are taking over Eastern Libya. Oil Society of Lincoln Center. One of America's most important and prolific producers, Scott Rudin, along with Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Aaron Sorkin, are in a brightly lit box waving down to their equally hysterical audience who have just seen The Social Network. The film Gory prices are shooting up over one hundred opens the next day to rave reviews and endless publicity. dollars a barrel. The U.S. government is on the David Fincher is off making The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. verge of a shutdown. These are not the top- Aaron Sorkin becomes the face of the film and an immediate secret opening lines of Aaron Sorkin's new shoo-in for the adapted screenplay Oscar. script, but the global headlines of a world The (tampions International Film Festival in October spinning out of control as I head to Los suddenly becomes a launching pad for 127 Hours, where Angeles like an overdressed lemming to attend star-cum-Yale/NYU student James Franco appears. More of Go the 83rd Academy Awards and attempt to Oscar buzz. Producer/director Danny Boyle (Oscar winner for make sense of artists thrust into combat. Shandy: Millionaire) stays in London all fall directing the play For the second year, nearly 6,000 Academy Frankenstein. Black Swan also unspools there in a tiny theater as members have nominated 10 films and the Madonna, Alec Baldwin and Harvey Weinstein slip in the battle seems to be pared down to 2. The back Darren Aronofsky is hailed a genius. Natalie Portman is beloved instant classic, The King's Speech, instantly the hot nominee for Best Actress. Both films are sen- marches into the arena as the frontrunner, but sations, but it's The King's Speech that wins The Audience Prize. passionate supporters of the edgier (critics' Mid-November: David O. Russell and Mark Wahlberg Ober publicist Peggy Siegal has been darling) The Social Network have not conceded. sneak The Fighter in Manhattan. As their audience erupts in The ballots are counted, the party invites arc cheers, I tell producer/actor Wahlberg, "Clint Eastwood is attending the Academy Awards for three out and still the feelings are raw. Nominees arc going to kill himself for not directing this." He says, "You're decades—not to mention the oodles of exhausted from campaigning. wrong. He turned it down because he's done it. Hc's seen it Woody Allen and George Lucas tell me they and he loves it." David O. Russell becomes my new Clint parties and sensational events leading arc no longer members of the Academy Eastwood. Christian Bale and Melissa Leo are hailed the because pitting artists against each other to supporting actors to beat. up to the ceremony—and chronicling determine the quality of their work is insane. True Grit, directed by the Coen Brothers and also produced her escapades with They are right. My event and publicity company by Scott Rudin, finally throws its cowboy hat in the ring in is considered Switzerland by the studios, as mid-December at the Ziegfeld as the last serious Oscar stars and star-makers we help every filmmaker to present his work. contender for Best Picture. It gallops off to box office gold. However, this year, against my better judgment, The Social Network now cements its battle cry with one for AVENUE has I am somewhat emotionally sucked in. word: relevance. Mark Zuckerberg lands on the cover of become a tradition. In 2005, I met the unknown 32-year-old Time Magazine as "Person of the Year." A smart and extensive English director Tom Hooper on his first film ad campaign positions the film in the lead. Critics and This year, she sets for HBO, Elizabeth I starring Helen Mirren. pundits proclaim the race is over. Everyone goes on holiday. the stage for the big Helen later wins an Oscar for portraying This is one of the few times in Harvey Weinstein's life that Queen Elizabeth in The Queen. Queen he's caught off guard. He quickly mobilizes an inner team of night with the behind- Elizabeth is the daughter of King George VI, 15 and conducts strategy meetings 7 days a week, including portrayed by Oscar-winner Conn Firth in The Christmas. They're like a Chinese restaurant: always open. He the-scenes scoop on King's Speech directed by Hooper. No degrees sends screenwriter David Seidler and Tom Hooper to every the fierce competition of separation. corner of the country doing Q&As until they are both blue in At the Telluride Film Festival, Tom Hooper the face from "finding their voice." SAG voters begin seeing that ends when Oscar bathed in the glory of a hysterical standing the film two and three times. ovation alongside Colin Firth and Geoffrey In January at the Golden Globes, about 88 foreign journalists is presented. Here, she reports on the Rush at the very first public screening of that give awards to The Social Network for Best Drama, Director Hollywood glamour, excitement and social film. Two weeks later at The Toronto Film and Screenplay. The film is still perceived as the Oscar winner Festival, Harvey Weinstein stood with his and nobody can stop the steamroller. Only Academy voters shenanigans, including celebrating with filmmakers witnessing the same reaction. The disregard these awards. Colin Firth, Jesse Eisenberg, Elton John, film won The Audience Prize. Their strategy The King's Speech wins the PGA in LA. Everyone is totally was to say nothing, do nothing. They have a surprised when Tom Hooper goes on to win the DGA. After Oprah Winfrey and many more. possible Oscar winner—four out of five past a tremendous amount of hard work by team Weinstein, the Best Pictures have premiered in Toronto. actors win for the SAG Ensemble. The BAFTAs reinforced Cut to New York City at the end of their lead; the film is now the frontrunner. It takes the media photographs by PATRICK MCMULLAN September. It's opening night at The Film a few weeks to catch on. 64 \ NUI Mkt. 111 I APRIL 2011 EFTA_R1_00017939 EFTA01735393  I whisper to Harrison mai Steinfeld is there with her parents. I am trying to fix her up with Justin Bieber. She giggles, "Peg, I am only le [Ford], "That looks just like I am face to face with Harrison Ford and stupidly tell him I love him in Morning Glory. He's looking at me in utter ohnny Depp." Harrison rolls mil disbelief, but I will not shut up. A gorgeous guy is inches away in a hat and glasses. I whisper to Harrison, "That looks just his eyes and reluctantly like Johnny Depp.” Harrison rolls his eyes and reluctantly introduces me to his friend ... Johnny Depp. I babble a bit introduces me to his about his great work then run for cover in a corner next to my friend . . . Johnny Depp. buddy, Jerry Bruckheimer. I head over to the CAA/Bryan Lourd's "Friday Night Party." 'Torrential rains and horrific winds cause a traffic jam that makes it impossible to get near the house. The world's I he Daily Mail announces Her Royal Highness Queen most famous faces cower under black umbrellas and make a Elizabeth has enjoyed a private screening of The King's run for it. Bryan Lourd and Bruce Boni receive friends at the speech and is "moved" by the film. With no proof the Queen door all night. has actually seen the film, press agents send out a global press Inside, Uma Thurman tells me she finally moved into a Kevin Spacey release thanking her Majesty for the endorsement. doorman building in New York after being terrorized by stalkers for years. Ben Walker talks about Abraham Lincoln; FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24 Vampire Hunter, which he is about to shoot, while his fiancé, Mid-day, I arrive at The Beverly Hills Hotel. As the house- Mamie Gummer, looks sexy shivering in a white satin gown. keepers unpack my bags upstairs I peek into the Polo Lounge Producer Jon Kilik mentions he oversaw a new cut of Julian and find Warren Beatty in a booth. I tell him I'm rooting for Schnabel's Mind, to be released in March. Bennett Miller, his wife, Annette Benning, and love her film, The Kids Are All standing with Kristin Gore, says Sony loves his new film, Right. Warren says The Social Network will win. Moneybag and Brad Pitt is terrific. (When is Brad Pitt not This year I am two days late arriving to Oscar weekend. I terrific?) Sandy Gallin tells me he has an actual job am shown to a very, very small room—the size of a broom decorating Jeffrey Katzenberg's home. I congratulate Barry Jennifer closet. Uncharacteristically, I have a slight melt down. I am Levinson's son Sam, a director, for winning the writing Lawrence moved. The housekeepers run down the hall with my clothes award at Sundance for his first film, Another Happy Day. flying. The hotel is sold out, so I get someone else's room. Also seen floating around arc Taylor Swift and Jake Another unsuspecting victim checking in downstairs will get Gyllenhaal—but not together—Sean Penn, Tom Cruise and the broom closet. Katie Holmes, Anderson Cooper, Hilary Swank, Kelly Ripa, It is cold, grey and rainy. Taffeta, organdy and embroidered Paul Haggis, Marisa Tomei, Kate Beckinsale, Demi Moore silk evening clothes hang in my closet. I stay in my sweaters and Ashton Kutcher, Kate Hudson, Gerard Butler, Renee and fur coat, and head to Arianna Huffington's home in Zellweger with Bradley Cooper, &wiled director Alejandro Beverly Hills where she and Wendi Murdoch arc hosting a Gonzalez-Inarritu, Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boat,- lie Mann party for Tom Freston's wife, the beautiful, blonde Kathy. ' (who is headed to Broadway in The Normal Heart this nd Judd Apatow Her book is called Veganist: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Change spring) and CAA's Kevin Huvane, Richard Lovett and Hylda the World—perfect for monks. Queally. Sony Classic's Michael Barker tells me The Social Arianna has just sold the Huffington Post to AOL for $315 Network will win. million dollars and is rumored to have personally landed Tired celebs try to go home, but limo lock is at a standstill. around 520 million. She is euphoric as she greets Nicole Cell phones don't work in the area. Two hundred swells Kidman and Keith Urban at the door. Other drenched power become party prisoners and happily hang out till 5 a.m. players include Disney's Bob Iger and wife Willow Bay, Fox's George Hamilton and Jim Gianopulos, Candice Bergen and journalist daughter SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26 Kimberly Blackford Chloe Malle, Google's Eric Schmidt, Oliver Stone escorting Out comes the sun and dries up all the rain. 1AC chair- _tit • . - his daughter Tara and avoiding questions about Charlie men and owner of NewstveekIThe Daily Beast Barry Diller o. S. Sheen, Moby, Jamie Niven, Brian Grazer, Vivi Nevo, CBS's and his wife Diane Von Furstenberg (with her kids Alex Les Moonves and Julie Chen, Rob Reiner, Paramount's Brad and Tatiana) host their 15th annual lunch for Graydon Grey and fiance Cassandra Huysentruyt and Jeff Bezos. Carter in their Coldwater Canyon home. Barry introduces Hors d'oeuvres include pigs in blankets—a food group not me to his star guest, Gov. Jerry Brown, just elected to his mentioned in Kathy's book. third (nonconsecutive) term as California governor. The action migrates to UTA Jim Burkus' home for a party Like last year, enormous clear plastic tents are erected TLoamei for True Grit's Ethan and Joel Coen. I pass Ron Howard on on the hill near the house. Long wooden picnic tables sit the way in and he says, "Keep me on your list." Is he kidding? on oriental rugs covering the soggy ground. VIPs wears Sunrise and Mark Buffalo, Focus Feature's James Shamus, winter clothes, comfy sweaters and sensible shoes. I arrive Nancy Meyers and John Goldwyn mingle. Adorable Hallie in a fur coat. EFTA_R1_00017940 EFTA01735394  Everybody knows everybody, and it doesn't matter if hotel. This is Jeffrey Katzenberis 9th annual A-lister event Adrian you have a hit film or T.V. show this season. Oprah benefiting The Motion Picture & Television Fund where they Brody Winfrey kisses David Geffen, casually chats with former raise $6.5 million dollars in I night. I walk into Valentino, Disney C.E.O. Michael Eisner and current Sony Chief Sir who gives me an approving once-over. I tell him and Howard Stringer and Rob Weisenthal. Brett Ratner Giancarlo Giammetti that Woody Allen's new film, arrives with his houseguest Jean Pigozzi, who is allowed to Midnight in Paris, is opening the Cannes Film Festival and take photographs. Graydon greets people with chic wife they must bring the yacht. Anna by his side. Elton John and David Furnish join our conversation so of Ingrid Sischy and Sandy Brant, Rupert Murdoch. course we ask for intimate details about baby Zachary. I Ron Meyer, Francesco Clemente with his twin boys and segue over to Amy Adams. who, like them, mentions she Tom Ford chat each other up. People to watch include hates leaving her baby in the hotel room. Next stop is Kate pregnant Victoria and David Beckham with Lynn Capshaw in a black bowler hat chatting with Steven Wyatt, Fran Lebowitz, Larry Gagosian and Shah Spielberg's god-daughter, Gwyneth Paltrow. I have known Monroque, Ben Silverman, Debbie and Allen Steven for years (in 1982 I was a publicist on ET.). I now tell him I'm going to the Lincoln Center opening of War Hone Claire Dane nd Wendl Murdoch. Kathy Freston and with Kathy Kennedy and Frank Marshall and cannot wait to Hugh Dacy Arianna Huffington see his movie version. • I head over to the CAA/Bryan I meet sweet Jennifer Aniston, her new haircut and her perfect little body. Her date tells me her secret is a half-hour is Lourd's "Friday Night Party." on the treadmill everyday—such an understatement. I tell Jesse Eisenberg I was on his plane home from the Baftas last Torrential rains and horrific week, but he was hiding under his hoodie. He says innocently. -a inds cause a traffic jam that "You should have said `hello. I always cover my head because I think my curls make me look like a girl: , .. • makes it impossible to get The charity gives us a coupon booklet redeemable at :;.• • various booths. Rich people run around like lunatics, collect- near the house. The world's ing gifts for their housekeepers. Among the shoppers arc Steven and Heather Mnuchin, Viacom's Deborah and most famous faces cower Philippe Dauman, Tamara Mellon, Christine Taylor and under black umbrellas and Ben Stiller, Cate Blanchet, Susan and Robert Downey Ir. and Debra and Hugh Jackman. make a run for it. Next stop is The Weinstein Company's party at the Soho House sponsored by MontBlanc. Long gone arc the funky Miramax Saturday night soirees where nominees spoofed Vera their own films in homemade costumes and ad-libbed FarmIga Grubman, Sotheby's Tobias Meyer and Mark Fletcher and hilarious skits. No more grown men dressed as Anna Paquin Stephen Gaghan and Mini Mortimer wearing her over- playing the piano in hopes of winning a Max Award. sized cat glasses. As I come in, a 400-pound gorilla refuses to let me on the Bruce Cohen has invited me to the Oscar broadcast elevator. Once on, I see Jennifer Lopez in the corner and rehearsal. Inside the Kodak Theater's massive audi- remind her we met on Len Blavatnik's yacht in Cannes. She St, CI; torium, I find a seat next to his proud parents. I graciously pretends to remember me. Her manager, Benny watch Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem come out in Medina, is kicking me. ' 1. white dinner jackets and flub their lines as they I slip into Colin Firth's booth to have a tete-a-tare with him pretend to present Best Adapted Screenplay and and his wife Livia Giuggio6. Jokingly, I suggest he say "I'm Best Original Screenplay. Josh will later tell me speechless" when he wins. Colin patiently assures me mans that their acting methods are completely opposite: people, far more clever than I, thought of this. He then says that he's a quick study and is very creative and others are waging bets on whether he might subconscious!) comfortable ad-libbing; Javier, whose mother stutter. I grill him about his wardrobe, assuming he will he tongue is Spanish, likes to have every syllable wearing a new Tom Ford tuxedo. He tells me both he and 4 printed out to study with a dialect coach. Life-size Ford will be in older Ford models. I tell him I made rich-but - photos on cardboard plaques are taped to each thrifty Charles Ferguson, director of Inside Job, spend $6,000 Hilary nominee's chair. I memorize their location so when I dollars for a new Tom Ford tux. Swank return Sunday I can quickly kiss them all. In the back room, Jennifer Lopez is now seated with Brian Grazer and Jeff Bezos Back at the Beverly Hills hotel I slip into my black Weinstein's wife, Georgina Chapman. Helena Bonham Cameron tulle Dennis Basso cocktail dress with a plunging Carter, her live-in-lover Tim Burton and her mother Elena Torn Diaz Ford neckline and put on my mother's jewels. Jim circulate. Star power includes Adrien Brody, Mary-Kate Coleman takes me to the "Night Before Party" in the and Ashley Olsen. Cameron Diaz, Camilla Belle, Chace Oliver Stone and Tara Stone I EFTA_R1_00017941 EFTA01735395  Donald end Melanla Trump Crawford, Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy, Darren Kevin Spacey, Charlize Theron, Anne Hathaway, Winter's Aronofsky, director John Wells, Kerry Washington, Piers Bone star-of-tomorrow Jennifer Lawrence, Taylor Hackford Fran Lebowitz Morgan, Rachel Zoe, Sean Parker, Zack Braff and Leonardo and Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, Isla Fischer and Dicaprio with Bar Rafaeli. Speech filmmakers are function- Sasha Baron Cohen, Tom Hanks, Sean Penn, Renee ing on high anxiety. Zellweger and Bradley Cooper and Jane Fonda after her play. 33 Variations. I introduce Melania and Donald Trump SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27 to David O. Russell as The Trumpster gushes about The Producer Donna Gigliotti is my date to the awards. We are Fighter. David tells Donald he used to be a waiter/bar tender both so nervous we arrive at the Kodak Theater at 3 p.m. and at many of Trump's parties. Donald smiles as if looking at yet nobody is there. We are driven around for an hour. When we another apprentice. Ile then offers me a ride home on his arrive back at the world's most famous red carpet, I guide plane; he's leaving in 10 minutes. Too bad James Franco Donna through security check-in to the extreme right to didn't know because he is presently sitting on a commercial make sure we get on camera. I teach her the red carpet flight back to school, skipping his own after-party. The rest of hustle, which is five steps forward, three steps back, one inch the guests' social standings are determined by half-hour Chloe Malle and Candice Bergen behind a couture-clad nominee. We greet Kevin Huvane as increments. VPs Beth Kseniak, Matt Ullian and Jane Sorkin Air um Sandra Bullock is talking to ABC-TV and a billion people see tell me the list is cut down to 800 this year. Minna me wearing a black Marchesa gown. Five steps forward, three At 11:30 p.m. there is another celebrity migration up the Karen steps back, we next meet Gwyneth Paltrow, and I hook up the hill to Madonna manager Guy Oseary's house. Earlier in the • back of her dress while another billion people see me correct . • the fashion malfunction. Five steps forward, three steps back, we're now posing behind Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. aoml arts Our Blackberrys begin buzzing; the world has seen us. James Franco and Anne Hathaway arc hip hosts. This is the I introduce Melania and year of no surprises. But it isn't until Hilary Swank yells out Donald Trump to David 0. Hooper's name for Best Director that Harvey's gang finally realizes they arc getting the Oscar for Best Picture after all. Russell . . . David tells Donald Harvey is sitting in Spielberg's scat as Spielberg announces the win from the stage. Producers lain Canning, Emile he used to be a waiter/bar • Joan Collins Sherman and Gareth Unwin leap up and kiss each other. Six months of grueling work have finally paid off. King George tender at many of Trump's VI and Harvey Weinstein now share the journey of a single parties. Donald smiles as if man who triumphs over adversity. At the Governor's ball, held above the Kodak Theater, looking at yet another Chace the winners triumphantly sachet around the room holding their heavy eight-pound gold statues. apprentice. I Crawford An hour later there is a migration to the Vanity Fair party ay. hosted by Graydon Carter at Jeff Klein's Sunset Tower 4 Hotel. The invitation features a gold hologram that trans- mits a radio frequency of a photo and details about the guest to VF staff as they arrive. The next day "Page Six" will evening, Madonna came down the hill to pose in a risque report that the backup private security firm is run by a see-thru outfit with daughter Lourdes. Madonna and co-host former Israeli operative, when in fact they are Irish Demi Moore arc able to lure the crème de la crème with the Catholics from Staten Island. promise of dancing and no cameras. •• There's a hierarchy of arrival times. At 5 p.m. the inner circle of Graydon's 141 best friends attend a seated dinner. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28 They include Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg, A winner's work is never done. Colin Firth, Tom Hooper Francis Ford Coppola, Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt, and David Seidler show up at 4:30 a.m. at The Four Betsey Bloomingdale, Tory Burch and Lyor Cohen, Seasons Hotel (or a live broadcast on "The Today Show." Carolina and Reinaldo Herrera, L'Wren Scott and Sir Functioning on an adrenalin rush, they return to the 1' Mick Jagger, Naomi Watts and hey Schreiber, Wendi Kodak Theater with Geoffrey Rush to appear on Oprah's Stark, George Hamilton, Judd Apatow, Jackie and Joan live broadcast. Collins, Donna Karan and Steve Martin. By the end of this year's thrilling race between two The best and the brightest talent in town arrive at 9 p.m. great producers—Scott Rudin and Harvey Weinstein— Julie Chen Every single winner shows up. Also there are Justin Facebook and Twitter are credited for aiding political Bieber and his date Selena Gomez, Michelle Williams, justice from the streets of Cairo to But the British Emma Stone, Steve Tyler and Liv Tyler, Andrew film with the most heart wins as one single human voice can Hamm nd fer We eldt Garfield, Jude Law, Armie Hammer, Vera Farmiga, still make a difference. The king has spoken. • Tory Lynn Burch Wyatt Ise EFTA_R1_00017942 EFTA01735396