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2012 Academy Awards

February 27, 2012 by · Comments Off on 2012 Academy Awards 

2012 Academy Awards, The 84th Annual Academy Awards were broadcast on Sunday, February 26, and “The Artist” took home Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director, among other awards, including Best Original Score and Costume Design. The last time a silent film won was in 1927/1928, when “Wings” picked up the first Best Picture statue ever awarded.

Among the top winners of the evening were:

Best Picture
• “The Artist”

Best Actor
• Jean Dujardin – “The Artist”

Best Actress
• Meryl Streep – “The Iron Lady”

Best Supporting Actor
• Christopher Plummer – “Beginners”

Best Supporting Actress
• Octavia Spencer – “The Help”

Best Director
• Michel Hazanavicius – “The Artist”

Original Song
• “Man or Muppet” – “The Muppets” – Bret McKenzie

The producer of “The Artist,” Thomas Langmann, as well as director Hazanavicius, accepted the award for Best Picture, as an effusive Hazanavicius thanked just three people, “Billy Wilder, Billy Wilder and Billy Wilder.”

With 17 nominations, more than anyone in Oscar history, Streep gave a thoughtful acceptance speech by thanking her husband first, as she revealed “If you wait to the end to thank your loved ones the music will cut you off.” This is Streep’s third Oscar in a career that has spanned four decades. She won Best Actress in both 1980 for “Kramer vs. Kramer,” and again in 1983 for “Sophie’s Choice.”

Plummer, who won his first Oscar is also the oldest actor to receive an Academy Award at 82. Plummer caressed the little gold man and announced “You’re only two years older than me, darling. Where have you been all my life?” and went on to graciously thank his wife of more than 40 years.

There were no surprises during the evening, and host Billy Crystal kept the evening moving smoothly with an expected opening montage dedicated to the nine nominated films. For his ninth appearance as host, Crystal certainly knows how to keep the Hollywood elite entertained with tasteful humor and good-hearted ribbing.

However, for those watching E!’s red carpet coverage before the broadcast, a startled Ryan Seacrest handled the childish behavior of actor Sacha Baron Cohen, who managed to spill an urn of ashes all over the tuxedo clad Seacrest before being escorted off the red carpet, with panache and grace. Cohen should have considered other outlets for his shameless promotion of “Dictator” as he was asked by the Academy not to appear in character on the red carpet – a lame move from a silly man.

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