Academy Presenters & Our Annual Academy Nudging
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 7:41AM 
Will Anne & Hugh sing together again this year?UPDATED WITH NEW PRESENTERS
We're getting so close to the big night. Here's who we know will be lighting up the Oscar stage on February 27th thus far for various reasons, mostly as presenters.
Alphabetically speaking...
- Annette Bening
- Halle Berry
- Cate Blanchett NEW
- Russell Brand NEW
- Jeff Bridges
- Sandra Bullock
- Celine Dion (perforrming) NEW
- Robert Downey Jr.
- Florence and the Machine (performing)
- James Franco (host)
- Tom Hanks
- Anne Hathaway (host)
- Hugh Jackman
- Nicole Kidman
- Jude Law
- Zachary Levi (performing)
- Alan Menken (performing)
- Helen Mirren NEW
- Mandy Moore (performing)
- Randy Newman (performing)
- Gwyneth Paltrow (performing)
- A.R. Rahman (performing)
- Marisa Tomei
- Oprah Winfrey
- Reese Witherspoon NEW
Some of those names are gimmes of course. We all knew this time last year that Sandra Bullock and Jeff Bridges would be asked back and more power to them. They're fun celebrities and completely worthy of our collective eyeballs. The inclusion of both Marisa Tomei and Jude Law fills my heart with joy. Not only because I love them both but because they belong to that small class of celebrity that are far more famous and far more talented than people ever remember them to be. When people (i.e. Academy producers) think on the Household Name set, they don't often go to this unique group of perpetual surprises like... 'oh yeah, THEM, love!' As we've seen in several previous years, the Academy is loathe to have only mildly famous people on the stage unless there is a very very specific reason that they're there (usually performing or because they won an Oscar the previous year.) They'd rather have someone who has no business being equated with the movies who happens to be very famous than someone like Pedro Almodovar or who contributes so much to the cinema.
When they announced the Hallowed name of Hanks two weeks back my heart sank a little. Not only because it's so so predictable but because I immediately assumed that that meant "Best Picture" and as I've stated annually and will continue to state annually in the absurd hope that someone in the Academy will listen just once, they really and truly need to break out of their ruts when bestowing this particular honor. Other awards shows sometimes throw a curveball or allow a woman to do it but the Academy is notoriously samey-samey in regards to Best Picture, regularly choosing the same people year after year hoping perhaps that their dwindling viewing audience will be so comatose with boredom that they are physically unable to change the channel.
Herewith a completely sensible generous reminder /suggestion list of Household Names that have never had the honor so how the hell you gonna have Nicholson-Hanks-Streisand-Spielberg do it AGAIN? There's no excuse for such laziness when Hollywood has abundant glitterati available!
THEY'VE NEVER PRESENTED BEST PICTURE
Kidman, Cruise and Streep at the Oscars in the 1990s. None have ever presented Best Picture.
- Meryl Streep
- Jane Fonda
- Michelle Pfeiffer
- Julia Roberts
- Nicole Kidman
- Tom Cruise
- Kate Winslet & Leonardo DiCaprio
- Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie
- Dame Maggie Smith (give the Harry Potter fans, the anglophiles, the Oscar buffs and the cinephiles a thrill! You've covered a lot of audience base there.)
- Goldie Hawn
- Jodie Foster & Anthony Hopkins (20th reunion of Silence of the Lambs, why not?)
- Will Smith
- George Clooney
- Liza Minnelli
- Drew Barrymore
- Johnny Depp
- Susan Sarandon
- Matt Damon with Ben Affleck
George & Julia have never presented Best Pic either.I could go on. But do I need to? The point is Step Away from the Nicholsons, Hanks, Spielbergs and Streisands who have all done it multiple times.
ENOUGH.
(P.S. My guess as to who it's going to be? I think Michael Douglas. He's done it before and they love the repeats. He'll be a sentimental favorite.)
Reader Comments (47)
Well, I for one would LOVE to see Dame Maggie present anything, anywhere. So Best Picture? Hell yeah, bring it on.
I love the Jodie Foster/Tony Hopkins idea. For some reason it always seems right to me for the Best Picture presentation to recognize some anniversary - draw past to present. 50 years ago The Apartment won Best Picture. How about Shirley MacLaine?
Sadly, i doubt the Oscars would ever be that cool. But imagine the surprise and the response. And with Harry Potter she's undoubtedly famous for the kids now too. Plus all the old people love her. Plus all the middel life people love her. It's the full deck!
can you beleive sience of the lambs was 20 years ago. yikes.
What about Michael Douglas AND Kathleen Turner?
I can't believe they've never asked Meryl Streep. I guess they've already got Babs, so why ask another woman?
My favorite presenter is still Harrison Ford who definitely expected to give it to Spielberg's movie ... and then Shakespeare in Love. HA-HA!
I can't remember Meryl Streep ever presenting anything except honorary Oscars to Robert Altman and Peter O'Toole. Can anyone else?
please, dont put tomhanks again to present best picture, he's such an idiot to present it
I'd love if they invited a beloved legend such as julie andrews, lauren bacall or peter o'toole, some old hollywood vet such as donald sutherland or christopher plummer, respected thespians such as sir ian mckellen or dame maggie herself, or some foreign iconic godess such as sophia loren or catheribe deneuve.
Since they are now desperatly seeking the younger audience, people such as miley cyrus, taylor lautner, robert pattison and justin bieber have a bigger chance of doing so.
Hanks will probably do it. What else would he do?
February 10, 2011 | Amanda
What about mo'nique and waltz?
cal -- i would die on the spot so we'd perhaps best not wish it.
another pairing i would basically die from BRIDGES & PFEIFFER but last year was pretty heavenly on that front so i shan't ask for something that incredible this year.
Somebody needs to intervene w/ Hanks et al. and tell them they need to stop presenting BP. Like Oprah taking herself out of the Emmys, they need to volutarily stop presenting the big one, because the Academy will never ever ever learn by itself.
If we are going by former co-stars, why not julie andrews and christopher plummer or streisand and redford-though she has done it already -has he? Not sure.
We've just celebrated the sound of music's 45th anniversary just last year so bring k. The captain and fraulein maria!!!!
Amanda - Waltz is filming Carnage so maybe he won't be there.
Here's an idea. How about getting the stars from last year's Best Picture to present this year's Best Picture. In this case, Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty. I would have loved to see that in the past few years. We could have had Tommy Lee Jones present to Slumdog Millionaire, or Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon present to No Country for Old Men, or if last year's film had too many acting winners, get one of the supporting actors from the film to do it. I can see how the idea might e a little problematic, but I would love to see it as kind of a passing of the torch (like the acting presentations are).
I guess the problem you're referring to is actors who are in nominees in successive years. If The Town were nominated for Best Picture, though, and were actually a contender, it would be awkward having Jeremy Renner present the award. Then again, they apparently didn't think twice about asking Tom Hanks to present Best Picture even though he voiced the main character in Toy Story 3.
Richter, what would be even more awesome would be if they did it in character. Can you imagine Nurse Ratched presenting to Rocky or Rocky Balboa presenting to Annie Hall?
If we're going to do anniversaries:
1991: Hopkins & Foster
1981: Beatty & Keaton
1976: Shire & Stallone, de Niro & Foster
1961: Chakiris & Moreno (50 Years later, reuniting Bernardo & Anita)
I would love a "50 years later" West Side Story tribute.
And wait-- Carnage is filming? Does that mean Kate Winslet won't be there?!?
The Drew Barrymore inclusion makes me shudder...why in god's name would you hand over the best picture envelope to her??? LOL, I'm sorry, I've just never understood the love for this girl.
I think Meryl should definitely present best picture. She deserves it, after 16 nominations. Most likely she's still in England finishing up the Iron Lady (which she'll be rewarded for at the Oscars for next year :) )
I'm so happy Marisa Tomei will be there. Jude Law is a cutie, but I'm not a ginormous fan of his. I would love to see stars like Juliette Binoche or Kevin Spacey or Jessica Lange...people who are very famous and have been rewarded by Oscar and have substantially contributed to cinema, but seem to only be invited if they're nominated. I'm so over the staple celebrities who are invited every year, regardless of their achievement---aka Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Garner...
...good point does anybody as ANY idea WHY Jennifer Garner is there EVERY YEAR!!!!!!!
I imagine they're going to pick someone with some kind of King's Speech connection to present best pic -- you know, so he or she can open the Envelope and read the name full of genuine Anglo excitement. (Like when they had Michael and Kirk Douglas present to presumptive winner Chicago.)
Would that mean Helen Mirren? (No, she just did best pic at some other awards show..) Michael Caine? (No... too Inceptiony.) O'Toole or M. Smith? (Not household namey enough.) Dame Judi? (She won't show.)
It's got to be .. Anthony Hopkins.
Best Picture could theoretically be Oprah Winfrey, considering we are in the midst of the year of Oprah. Though she's basically only acted in 5 movies, let's not pretend that if she asked to present the category, they would refuse. Oprah doesn't get a "no." Plus, I wonder if she'll return to acting in some fashion once the show wraps up-an Oscar seems like something that's on her list.
Hmmm maybe Tom Hanks will be there to present Toy Story 3 as a Best Pic nominee ? Please no Julia Robers presenting anything, after the whole 'I love my life' debacle, she needs to be barred from presenting awards :-)
If TSN was a frontrunner I would have liked to see Martin Sheen presenting Best Pic, with the Sorkin connection and all
I didn't like the whole someone saying something for someone else thing the first time they did it, because they got some random people reading random things for some other random people they had no connection to whatsoever. It felt forced, artificial, unnatural and dragged for waaaaaaaay too long. I liked last years way better, but I desliked the fact that they only did it for the lead actors and actresses and not for the supporting ones as well, because it makes it seem as iif the supporting oscar is less worthy than a leading one.the first time they did it they hinired everyone and it was more fair and elegant. But I'm not a can of even more ass kissing in a night that's already all about ass kissing and it only makes the night dragged even longer.
If oprah presents best picture, what would tom hanks do there?
Yes there are people who are there everyone year and shouldnt be, like garner, diaz and J-lo, but it seems to me the oscar have become more of a b list event over the years. The really really big stars- julia, brangelina, denzel,will smith, clooney,de niro, hoffman, dont show up as much anymore unless they have something to promote. So they fill their spots with the liked of the less important stars who will show up and play the game anyway. Ass thatbto the fact that they seem to forget that beloved and respected veterans exist, so we dont get julie andrews peter o toole tommy lee jones or robert redford but get taylor lautner, hannah montana and kirsten stewart caughing on stage!!
How's elizabeth taylor's current health condition? They could get her. I'd die!!!!!
If Taylor Lautner is there again this year I will SCREAM!
I vote for Meryl and the Dames - Judi, Maggie and Helen - presenting Best Picture together in a huge, glorious supernova of acting brilliance and general classiness.
Or George & Julia.
If they're going to invite new members into that club, Clooney and Roberts are the most likely.
What about Nicole & Ewan ???
:)
Florence and the Machine? NICE.
@ Amanda:
"GLAAAAADIATOR!"
I think I might go into anaphylactic shock if Dame Maggie Smith came out to present ANYTHING at the Oscars let alone Best Picture. That would bring so much happiness to me.
Ryan T -- i mean, well why shouldn't she? She's a two time winner and she's awesome and kids and adults love her and time is running out. grrrrrr. stupid oscar!
Amanda =-- Liz Taylor has done it 3 times already (the last time in 1991) but even LIZ TAYLOR, immortal screen goddes... i bet they'd even shun HER now, they're so "let's get Miley Cyrusy!"
ARGH.
Douglas would be a likely choice except he just did the Globes' best pic. The Oscars won't take the GG's sloppy seconds!
Obviously Streep would be outstanding. How can it be that the most-nominated actor/actress ever has never presented this? They should be embarrassed.
I'll die if Liz Taylor shows up!
What about Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway?
They'll never let Julia Roberts present another award. Everyone un-offended by her Best Actress acceptance speech ("stick-man") was offended when she presented Best Actor to Denzel ("I love my life").
According to press reports up here, Céline Dion is going to be performing (not presenting) at the Oscars...for the sixth time. She's supposed to be singing "Shine," the Charlie Chaplin song, which makes it sound as if they're doing some sort of salute to great old movie songs.
Liz is at the hospital, she wont be there, unfortunatly. Just more room for the Biebers and Cyrus' of the world.
According to EW, Russell Brand and Helen Mirren will present.
I don’t get the big deal in who presents best picture. No matter what film wins it’s usually a disappointment because your personal best picture of the year wasn’t even nominated.
I would like to add Kathy Bates’ name to a presenter’s list for best director. Not because she too is also a director but this is an overt tactic to get important directors of the moment to notice her.
I love the idea of a West SideStory reunion... So George Chikaris and Rita Moreno! Imagine the ovation they'll get when they walk out to the strands of America!! Wishful thinking :)
I bet it is gonna be Warren Beatty and/or Robert Redford. Beatty is gonna be at the party already, and Redford had one of the new revival years at Sundance. Plus, some hollywood royalty with all those young presenters and hosts?
Scarlett Johansson is confirmed to present at the 83rd Academy Awards,
Nat, who do you expect to present at the awards that isnt already announced? And who would your ten dream presenters be and what would they present?
Hilary Swank and Josh Brolin are also confirmed presenters.
More presenters announced. Javier Bardem, Jennifer Hudson, Matthew McConaughey and Justin Timberlake.
And OF COURSE it's Spielberg again....... grrrrrr....