The Academy held its traditional luncheon for this year’s Oscar nominees at the Beverly Hilton – and what better opportunity for this sometime-actress to ask the world’s best actors about… acting. Unlike Brett’s experience at the Oscar Nominations ceremony, it was pretty easy for me to snag a third row seat between a Japanese reporter and a freelancer for BET. Yes! At my very first Oscar luncheon press conference, I, Ellen Fox, was going to geek out and gather the pearls of wisdom from what I saw as an impromptu Master Class – and for that, Woody Harrelson, I do apologize. First up was Gabourey Sidibe, who immediately loosened thing up by sassing: After sharing that her role as a sexually-abused teen in Precious has inspired many people to confide in her, she was asked which of her scenes from the film she’d like shown at the Oscars: Ah! Proof that Sidibe’s knack for humor is what saved Precious from becoming the downer we were expecting it to be. Then we swung from Sidibe's charm to the arrival of Certified Movie Star, Sandra Bullock. In person, she comes across way more savvy and Type-A (like her character in The Proposal) than America’s Sweetheart. I was surprised how candid she was talking about the business end of show biz: Lee Daniels, director of Precious,was a love: emotional when fielding Frenchy questions about the power of art and ebullient when lauding the “bad-ass” actresses who brought the film’s classroom scenes to life: Vera Farmiga looked the frickin’ Hollywood knockout in a blue dress, updo and red lipstick! There's talk of Madonna directing her in the role of Wallis Simpson. Here’s how she responded to my question about playing Up in the Air’s frequently frisky flyer, Alex: Carey Mulligan popped in with a golden pixie cut a la Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby. She seemed relaxed but kept herself in check: Jeff Bridges strolled in and the room, and probably the world, smiled. When I asked how he was able to make Crazy Heart’s country singer Bad Blake so toxic but so likeable, the word “adorable” just popped out, I swear! Now, here’s what happened to Woody Harrelson when I decided to ask him about craft. Now who wants Burrito? (Image) added by: Ellen_Fox
