Indications

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Deadline's Pete Hammond attended Monday's Oscar Nominee luncheon, and noted in his report that Max Von Sydow, Best Supporting Actor nominee for Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, got the biggest applause of all when he walked to the podium for his certificate of nomination. An indication of a possible upset victory over the favored Christopher Plummer, or a gesture of respect for a 50-year veteran?

The next two biggest-applause winners, says Hammond, were The Help's Best Actress nominee Viola Davis and A Better Life's Best Actor nominee Demian Bichir. I'm 94% convinced that Davis has the Best Actress Oscar in the bag, but Bichir's applause, I'm guessing, was about two things -- admiration for his performance and a backslap for having landed a nomination grass-roots style (i.e., on the cheap). I'll do backflips if Bichir wins. He probably won't, but what a nice dream.

Update: I've heard some disagreement about the level of Von Sydow's applause. The Hollywood Reporter's Scott Feinberg puts it as follows: "By my ear, the loudest applause of all went to The Help's best actress nominee Viola Davis and best supporting actress nominee Octavia Spencer, both of whom were already regarded as the favorites in their respective categories.

"Also greeted particularly loudly: Albert Nobbs' best actress nominee Glenn Close and best supporting actress nominee Janet McTeer; best actor nominee Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy); best actress nominee Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), best supporting actor nominee Nick Nolte (Warrior) and best original song nominee Sergio Mendes (Rio)."

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on February 6, 2012 at 8:45 PM

comment #1

Cerulean says ...

The applause for Demian Bichir is because he personally met almost every member of the academy. The guy worked for every one of his votes. His grassroots campaign is really inspiring. It's the only feel good story of the Oscar season.

Posted by Cerulean at February 6, 2012 11:43 PM

comment #2

EmilyDary says ...

The next two biggest-applause winners, says Hammond, were The Help's Best Actress nominee Viola Davis and A Better Life's Best Actor nominee Demian Bichir. For more details, all in golf sotre.

Posted by EmilyDary at February 6, 2012 11:43 PM

comment #3

LexG says ...

Is it really inspiring if you go around GLAD HANDING?

It'd be more impressive if someone just STAYED THE FUCK HOME and drank beer and watched AMERICAN IDOL and went to the 11am matinee at the AMC every day for the whole Oscar season, and STILL got nominated.

If you have to schmooze for it or work for it, you're kind of an asshole, sorry. I know this is becoming a recurring theme in my posts, but SELLING ONESELF is the most distasteful shit ever. You think Kurt Cobain would go around introducing himself to Grammy voters? If they don't make the effort to see the work, FUCK 'EM.

In general, all these actors should STAY THE FUCK HOME. Especially Viola and Clooney, who have no dignity at this point. It's like sucking dick for votes. Have some PRIDE and just let the WORK SPEAK FOR ITSELF. Brando and George C Scott didn't GLAD HAND and didn't want the award.

A model for others to follow. SALESMANSHIP is some bargain basement dick suckery that is like being a WHORE.

Posted by LexG at February 6, 2012 11:47 PM

comment #4

LexG says ...

If CLOONEY or VIOLA DAVIS were any kind of ARTIST, they'd make the movie, then NEVER do a single interview, junket, press tour, or feting Q and A.

That would be the RESPECTABLE, HONORABLE, Japanese way to behave.

Clooney and Viola Davis are the SAME THING as the Kardashians at this point.

I hope ANYBODY ELSE wins.

Posted by LexG at February 6, 2012 11:49 PM

comment #5

Markj74 says ...

Lex is 100% correct. The whole Oscar circus is kind of disgusting at this point. It would be awesome if Clooney and Davis lost.

Posted by Markj74 at February 7, 2012 12:30 AM

comment #6

BobbyLupo says ...

"I hope ANYBODY ELSE wins."

Who are the people who aren't campaigning and are thus pure enough to garner your support? Michael Shannon? Michael Fassbender? Charlize Theron?

Posted by BobbyLupo at February 7, 2012 3:33 AM

comment #7

royalonemn says ...

Wasn't Christopher Plummer a no-show? So unless he was there for people to compare claps, saying that Max got the loudest and now he's building momentum for an upset is disingenuous.

Posted by royalonemn at February 7, 2012 4:26 AM

comment #8

Ray says ...

"An indication of a possible upset victory over the favored Christopher Plummer, or a gesture of respect for a 50 year veteran?"

NEITHER. The Academy's huge fans of Skyrim!

MAX VON SYDOW GOTTA EAT.

Posted by Ray at February 7, 2012 5:38 AM

comment #9

Sasha Stone says ...

"Lex is 100% correct. The whole Oscar circus is kind of disgusting at this point. It would be awesome if Clooney and Davis lost."

Um, hi? I just fell off the back of a fucking truck and had no idea that to win Oscars you have to do publicity. Hi, I've decided to blame the whole circus on Viola Davis because god knows she isn't being blamed for anything else this season. And while I'm at it, let me reveal how little I know about EVERYTHING ELSE.

So by your own reasoning, there isn't a single contender in either category who should win. Oh and while you're at it, might as well tell Jeff he shouldn't have campaigned so hard for Olivia Coleman.

Yeah, smart guys.

Posted by Sasha Stone at February 7, 2012 6:16 AM

comment #10

Edward Havens says ...

Of course, Plummer also did a voice for Skyrim...

Posted by Edward Havens at February 7, 2012 7:05 AM

comment #11

Mark says ...

Lex is 100% being a child. You have to campaign for the Oscar or you hurt the crew, the box office, the studio, and legacy of the movie. Sure, there's individual gratification, but if I directed Clooney in an Oscar-caliber performance, and he chose to pull this suggested "true artists don't self promote" routine, I would punch him in the face and tell him to grow up and go get some free lunch. It's not just about him.

Posted by Mark at February 7, 2012 7:15 AM

comment #12

Kristopher Tapley says ...

Reporting on applause at the friggin' nominees luncheon like it's an indication of anything is so, so ridiculous. And everyone did it this year! Annette Bening got the most last year. I mean, Jesus, if you're a Hollywood actor and you have a chance to applaud Max von Sydow, I'm pretty sure you're gonna do it.

That said, von Sydow being in the supporting actor race has made that one interesting since the nominations were announced.

But yes, Plummer was absent.

Posted by Kristopher Tapley at February 7, 2012 8:56 AM

comment #13

115thDreamer says ...

You know who the real whore of the group is? Yep - Sergio Mendes. I hope he gets fucking crushed.

Posted by 115thDreamer at February 7, 2012 9:15 AM

comment #14

Ray says ...

"Of course, Plummer also did a voice for Skyrim..."

Wow you're right he did. Hadn't noticed him.

Holy crap, EVERYBODY does video game VO work nowadays.

If Jeff ever understood the extent of that work (and the extent of the popularity of video games like that), he'd probably give himself a Silkwood shower and cry.

Posted by Ray at February 7, 2012 9:38 AM

comment #15

LexG says ...

Sasha and Mark, doing any kind of publicity for a movie sounds horrible... Speaking personally as a FAILED ACTOR, I would just want to ACT then GO HOME. Do YOU want to TRAIPSE THE GLOBE with YOUR co-workers promoting YOUR JOB? Fuck that, FUCK THAT... Once the movie's done, all this PRESS TOUR BULLSHIT sounds like a NIGHTMARE... If you-- YOU-- spent SIX WEEKS, TWO MONTHS, WHATEVER-- FILMING A MOVIE, wouldn't you be freaking out about getting back to your family, or all the ballgames you missed, or your kids, or all the NEW RELEASE MOVIES you didn't get to see in a theater?

But then on top of that, you don't get to go home and catch up on the football season or your kid's ballet recital or go to the Arclight and watch the 10 or 12 movies you missed out on... NOPE, you have to go to JAPAN to promote your movie and STAY IN HOTELS and TALK TO PEOPLE and NOT BE AT HOME?

And then you have to go to OSCAR SOIREES and suck up to Mickey Rooney and Lou Gossett so you can get your stupid fucking award?

Asking again, would KURT COBAIN do that shit? Does BILL MURRAY do that? Murray has a PAY PHONE and a service so people won't interrupt his privacy... Can't see him champing at the bit to BEG FOR VOTES like Viola Davis.

I am asking you-- YOU SASHA STONE-- to put yourself in the position of the filmmakers. Would you leave your daughter behind 24/7 to go PROMOTE YOURSELF? Are you so far into the OSCAR GAME (answer: yes) to have lost ALL HUMANITY and reason?

Posted by LexG at February 7, 2012 1:14 PM

comment #16

BobbyLupo says ...

"Asking again, would KURT COBAIN do that shit? Does BILL MURRAY do that? Murray has a PAY PHONE and a service so people won't interrupt his privacy... "

It's funny to use that example -- Bill Murray puts shit like that out there when it isn't really true. Kind of the exact thing you're criticizing, except in reverse -- he's doing it to put out the image that he's too cool for it all. If you don't think Bill Murray was at every single Oscar luncheon and dinner the year he was nominated, you weren't paying attention. He has representation, same as any other actor, it's just that he fired his high-profile agent and decided he didn't need him anymore... because he's doing just fine with a manager and a lawyer and an accountant and a person to manage his money.

Posted by BobbyLupo at February 7, 2012 2:28 PM

comment #17

Unison says ...

Woody Allen is this year's, and every year's, King of Does Not Give a Shit.

He's probably the frontrunner in his category too... He shows that LexG is right. You don't need to shamelessly grovel for votes like Davis and Clooney and Birchir and the cast of The Artist.

Posted by Unison at February 7, 2012 4:16 PM

comment #18