Vignettes from award night…
The red carpet buzz was a report that Academy Award winners live four years longer than those who don’t take home a statue – and that multiple winners live six more years.
“Here’s hoping for a win,” said Morgan Spurlock, whose film “Super Size Me” was nominated for best documentary. “I’ll take four more years.”
“Suddenly I want to win,” said Clive Owen, who was nominated for best supporting actor in “Closer.” “I didn’t realize it helped mortality.”
Dr. Donald Redelmeier, a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, researched actors and actresses who have an Oscar statue on the mantel.
He cited Katharine Hepburn as an example. Hepburn, who won four acting prizes, lived to 96.
“Four or 40?” joked Academy Award-winning actor Tim Robbins. “I’m shooting for 40.”
Walking the carpet
Leonardo DiCaprio slightly lifted the cloak of privacy he maintains over his personal life by walking the red carpet with girlfriend Gisele Bundchen.
The “Aviator” star escorted the Brazilian supermodel down the walkway before returning to do solo interviews.
The only thing he thought was unusual about being on the red carpet was getting to meet Joan Rivers, part of the TV Guide Channel’s preshow crew.
“I don’t even think I’ve ever done an interview with you,” he said.
DiCaprio only talked about his own career and the much-nominated film in which he stars as Howard Hughes.
“The reason the film really got made was because we focused on those younger years, the years where Hughes was the most successful at achieving his dreams and pursuing all these endeavors that he wanted to pursue in the world of aviation, women – of course – filmmaking,” he told Rivers.
Case of stage fright
Beyonce confessed to a brimming case of stage fright about having to sing three songs during the telecast.
“I will be terrified right before I go on,” Beyonce told Star Jones Reynolds during the E! preshow.
The songstress was chosen for a duet on “Believe” with Josh Groban from “The Polar Express,” to sing “Look to Your Path” in French with the American Boychoir from “Les Choristes,” and finally to deliver “Learn To Be Lonely” from “The Phantom of the Opera.”
“It’s so surreal to me,” she said. “I know it’s never been done to perform three times, and it’s going to be me. I’m not worthy.”
Hybrid accessories
Forget handbags and jewels. The hybrid was a popular accessory.
Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Charlize Theron, Morgan Freeman, Tim Robbins, Orlando Bloom, Robin Williams, Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz were to arrive in fuel-efficient cars and SUVs as part of “Red Carpet-Green Cars” campaign, according to the Global Green organization.
Scarlett Johansson described her hybrid SUV as “very sexy inside and hip.”