Hollywood’s Gold Rush Ends
The Governors Ball had barely begun and Sissy Spacek, looking elegant in a Maggie Norris couture ivory jacket and black floor-length skirt, was on her way out. But the best actress nominee wasn’t leaving because she didn’t win an Oscar. She was “on the prowl for food” with her daughters, Schuyler, 19, and Madison, 13.
Apparently, there weren’t enough seats at her assigned table, which had plenty of room for a centerpiece of goldfish, koi and other fancy fish swimming in elevated tanks. So the trio was off “to the next party” she said, wondering on the way out if the goldfish were party favors.
They weren’t. They were part of the feng shui motif at the official Academy Awards post-show party in the Grand Ballroom above the Kodak Theatre. Decorations included beaded chandeliers with lighted candles--yes, the fire marshal said they were OK--10,000 orchids and a massive water wall.
The show’s mistress of ceremonies, Whoopi Goldberg, was a popular guest, with the likes of Kate Winslet and Nathan Lane queuing to chat her up.
“This is the first time I’ve ever gone to the Governors Ball and it is quite beautiful and classy. But I just had to get back into my normal clothes,” Goldberg said, referring to her baggy nonglam look as she dined on salmon and steak.
A well-heeled crowd of 1,650 noshed on 14,000 hors d’oeuvres, 60 pounds of caviar, 480 bottles of Laurent Perrier champagne and 2,000 bottles of wine. They later danced to the sounds of the 30-piece Gregg Field Orchestra conducted by Patrick Williams. Gov. Gray Davis, LAPD Chief Bernard Parks and Ted Turner mingled with Sting, Judi Dench, Ron Howard, Ian McKellen, Peter Jackson, Randy Newman, Kathy Bates, John Goodman, Ben Kingsley, Sidney Poitier and Enya.
Glenn Close congratulated Russell Crowe, who discreetly held court on a terrace overlooking Hollywood Boulevard. Close, who changed from her red-carpet Vera Wang gown into a embroidered coat over a top and trousers, said she was especially moved by speeches from Poitier and Robert Redford.
Some who went home without the gold still managed to distinguish themselves. Dody Dorn, a film editing nominee for “Memento”--a movie about a man who writes notes on himself because he has no short-term memory--was temporarily tattooed with messages that paid homage to the film.
“I have a fear of speaking in public and so I thought that physical comedy would help me,” said Dorn, wearing a strapless red gown.
If only best supporting actress winner Jennifer Connelly had thought of something like that. Seated with her entourage, Connelly had her publicist shoo away reporters because the actress “just wanted to eat and be left alone.”
Just before midnight, Oscar’s favorite princess walked in. Glowing with gratitude, Halle Berry sat with her husband, Eric Benet, and mother, Judy, as Wolfgang Puck popped open Dom Perignon and served a warm meal. Berry, in an Elie Saab gown, had been granting nonstop interviews for three hours, but was gracious enough to speak to the press. She only asked if she could be allowed to eat first.
The best actress winner was still a bit in shock, she said, adding that “the first 30 seconds after hearing my name is gone from my memory.” She regretted excluding two important people from her long list of thank-yous onstage: “I didn’t thank [leading man] Billy Bob Thornton and Jeff Wolman, my business manager,” Berry said as the band started a brassy J. Lo tune. With that, the actress put her hands on her mother’s hips and, along with Benet, formed a conga line out of the ballroom.
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Judy, Judi, Judy
If you didn’t know any better, you’d think that Judi Dench and Halle Berry were hanging out all night because Halle’s mom--as many noticed--bears a remarkable resemblance to the “Iris” actress. Making matters more coincidental, her name is also Judy--with a “y.” And, apparently, Judy and Judi favor designer Escada, which they wore Sunday. The only difference was that Berry helped her mom select her outfit.
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The $2.5-Million Woman
In theory, it started out as a $5-million dress covered with 5,000 quarter-carat diamonds valued at $1,000 each from the Boston-based Hearts on Fire company. Jules Asner, host of E! TV’s “Revealed” program, was picked as the lucky lady to don the gown.
Well, she soon learned the dress had been devalued. Only half the diamonds made it onto the dress, making it a $2.5-million creation by New York couture designer Anne Bowen.
Still, that’s plenty of loot to consider when the dress is either put up for auction or each diamond is sold, with half of the proceeds donated to charity, according to Glenn Rothman, Hearts on Fire boss.
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Security Alert
Leave it to Sally Kirkland to set off every metal detector she walked through on her way to the Kodak Theatre. She was even told, jokingly, that she might have to remove her gown for a thorough inspection after setting off several alarms twice.
“It’s made of silk metal alloy,” Kirkland said about Los Angeles designer Julia Gerard’s creation. Like a performance artist, Kirkland then stepped back and demonstrated how several ruched panels in the front of the gown could be pulled up like mini-blinds for a short or long look. Kirkland then admitted that her deceased mother, also named Sally, and a former fashion editor at Vogue and Life magazines “channeled” her to wear the gown.
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Lucky Charms
Bad boy Russell Crowe stopped on the red carpet not only to show off his Armani vested tuxedo but to reveal what was in his pockets--several miniature lucky charms that included a rubber ducky the size of a thimble and a pewter wizard. “My underpants are even on a particular way” for good luck, he said.
Peter Jackson, too, showed off a lucky green leafy pin on his lapel and songwriter Enya revealed her lucky piece of jewelry was her grandmother’s wedding ring “that I wear all the time.” The three went home empty-handed.
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Parody Party
Miramax decided to celebrate the Academy Awards with a pre-Oscar party Saturday at the Mondrian Hotel. The mood among 800 guests packed into the SkyBar was pure summer camp. There were skits, songs and short films, including a “Behind the Music”-type bio of Oscar himself, and a parody of “Project Greenlight” in which Ben Affleck and Matt Damon select Martin Scorsese’s “Gangs of New York” script for the show’s second season.
Studio heads Harvey and Bob Weinstein presented the Max awards, where everyone was a winner--at least those from Oscar-nominated Miramax films--and got chocolate statuettes.
Diminished seating at the Kodak Theatre was a hot topic. “I don’t see any reason to go to the awards unless you’re up for one,” author Salman Rushdie said to a female guest. “Now that would be a small theater,” she retorted.
The good-natured fun culminated in a mock summit between rivals Harvey Weinstein and DreamWorks honcho Jeffrey Katzenberg in gladiator garb. Weinstein tore the head off a teddy bear and Katzenberg hurled fat jokes before the two admitted they love each other.
