83rd Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon

The Beverly Hilton was once again host when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored this year’s Oscar contenders at its annual Nominees Luncheon. The LIVESTREAM event began on Monday afternoon with a Q & A. Here’s some of what the nominees had to say .

Best Actor Nominee Javier Bardem (BIUTIFUL) said, “I feel honored…a 3rd time to be nominated and in a Spanish performance.”

Best Actor Nominee Jesse Eisenberg (THE SOCIAL NETWORK) said he didn’t know the Nominees Luncheon existed and joked, “When I was 13 I had to go to bar mitzvahs every weekend, and this is the same feeling; I have to put on a suit to go meet with a lot of Jews.” Best Director Nominee David Fincher was not at today’s lunch.

On this Oscar season, Best Supporting Actress Nominee Melissa Leo (THE FIGHTER) mentioned, “It’s quite a race this year and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

Mark Ruffalo (THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT) sounded very surprised on his Best Supporting Actor nomination. “I get to do everything I like to do as an actor and it’s rare.” Plus with a grin he added, “I love free lunches.”

Best Supporting Actor Nominee Jeremy Renner said, “My mom is really proud, I certainly feel very, very lucky.” In preparing for the role in THE TOWN, Renner said he didn’t look at any old James Cagney type films, but he did watch heist movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” Renner’s been in Vancouver working on Mission Impossible.

Geoffrey Rush (THE KING’S SPEECH) said on a possible Best Supporting Actor win, “it would be an overload but I wouldn’t mind it, I grew up in an era where we (Australia) didn’t have an industry. If it doesn’t happen, fine, but I’m very proud of the work.”

Best Actor Nominee Colin Firth followed Rush by remarking, “Thanks Geoffrey for using all my material.” On all the Oscar buzz, it all seems like an “out-of-body experience and one has to interview the other one to see how one’s feeling.” Rush said he will crack open the champagne in September when it all sinks in.

Helena Bonham Carter, while taking off her high heels at the podium, said with a snark, “I could do a BLACK SWAN.” Then she playfully added, “When they first approached her she honestly wanted to play King George or Lionel Logue,” but on taking on the role of the Queen Mother, “daunting.” Whatever the Best Supporting Actress Nominee wears to the Oscars will be, “a catastrophe, but I will wear the same color shoes.” God Save Queen Helena!

On her role and Best Supporting Actress nomination for ANIMAL KINGDOM, Jacki Weaver said it “Seems like the twilight of my career but its only mid-afternoon.” She’s concentrating on just enjoying the moment knowing that it may never happen again.

Best Supporting Actress Nominee Amy Adams (THE FIGHTER) on what happens between action and cut acting alongside Christian Bale, “he was 100% there, amazing and committed.” Bale was not at today’s lunch due to filming in China.

Best Supporting Actress Nominee Hailee Steinfeld (TRUE GRIT) is so looking forward and excited about this year’s Awards Season and the Oscars. “I’m so honored to be a part of it now.”

Jeff Bridges on his back-to-back nomination for Best Actor said, “From my side there’s no competition…it’s an honor. I’m here to have fun and not take it too seriously.” He proudly mentioned that the Oscars are “a commercial way for us and the studios to say, ca’mon and see our movie.”

Best ACtor Nominee and Host James Franco on what we can expect to see on the telecast is “a little bit of the old and a little bit of the new.” He also found it amusing when he heard that people were wondering if it was an obvious ploy by the Academy to bring in younger viewers with he and Anne Hathaway as this year’s hosts – he found it a “duh” moment. He said the Academy Awards is all about, “bringing in a fresh crop of movie viewers and appreciating the history of film – to try to bridge the older generation and newer generation. The whole show is geared around that.”

All the 151 nominees at the 30th Nominees Luncheon were welcomed by AMPAS President Tom Sherak. “Give yourselves a round of applause. 2010 was a great year for film. Audience must see documentaries and foreign films. All the nominees are equal at the luncheon – everyone is spread throughout the room equally.”

Sherak said that the producers of the 83rd Academy Awards, Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer, were committed to bringing in the show at 3 hrs and 10 mins. They showed the nominees the new 45 second countdown graphic and a dvd to bring home to practice their speech with.

After mentioning that it’s the 36th consecutive year on ABC, he introduced the other various producers of the show and then followed by saying that 208 engraved name plates will be present at the Governor’s Ball to offer to the Oscar winners. Sherak said, “all winners are encouraged to bring their naked Oscars where the plates will be put on for them. Last year, with the exception of two, went home completely dressed.”

The event moved right along to the 2010 Nominees Class photo and presentation of certificates and nominees sweatshirt. Best Supporting Actress Nominee Amy Adams was the first one called up and Mary Zophres, costume designer of TRUE GRIT, was the last certificate recipient. It was interesting listening and watching how each nominee was greeted when their name was called – the volume, or lack, of applause by their peers can be quite telling.

At the end of the final dress rehearsal to Oscar’s big night, as Mark Ruffalo said earlier, every actor sat down to their “free lunch.”

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

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Photos Courtesy:

• Kevin Winter © 2011.
• Getty Images courtesy gettyimages.com.
• Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times.