At the Oscars: Best actor upsets

By RUSSELL BAILLIE, entertainment editor

KODAK THEATRE, HOLLYWOOD

5.45pm: The ceremony ends, setting a record for the longest awards ever.

The final tally:

A Beautiful Mind: 4 (best picture, best director, best supporting actress, best adapted screenplay)

Lord of Rings: 4 (best make-up, best visual effects, best original score, best cinematography)

Moulin Rouge: 2 (best art direction, best costume)

Black Hawk Down: 2 (best editing, best sound design)

Gosford Park: 1 (best original screenplay)

Monster's Ball: 1 (best actress)

Training Day: 1 (best actor)

Shrek: 1 (best animated feature)

Pearl Harbor: 1 (best sound editing)

Iris: 1 (best supporting actor)

* * *

5.40pm: Tom Hanks introduces the best picture category.

A Beautiful Mind wins.

* * *

5.35pm: Mel Gibson introduces the best director category.

Ron Howard wins for A Beautiful Mind

* * *

5.30pm: Julia Roberts introduces the best actor category.

"This is so much harder than last year."

Another upset -- Denzel Washington wins for Training Day, taking the award over the favoured Russell Crowe and the first African-American actor to win since Sydney Poitier.

It makes an African-American double with Halle Berry's win for best actress.

Washington: "Two birds in one night huh? Forty years I've been chasing Sydney and what do they do to me they give it to him and they give it to me on the same night."

* * *

5.10pm: After greeting the audience with an antipodean "Good evening folks" Russell Crowe introduces the best actress category mis-pronouncing Sissy Spacek, "Spas-sick".

And it's the biggest upset of the evening so far - Halle Berry wins for Monster's Ball.

Berry is overcome and can barely get the words out initially, but proceeds to deliver an impassioned, tear-streaked speech in which she possibly sets a new world record for awards ceremony thank-yous.

"This moment is so much bigger than me. This is for Dorothy Dandrige, Lena Horne, and Dinah Carroll... and for every nameless faceless woman of colour who now has a chance now that his door has been opened."

* * *

5pm: Barbra Streisand introduces a tribute to Robert Redford who observes: "Much of what happens here tonight is going to be forgotten in a week or so. But it's not going to be forgotten by those who have received awards and those close to them."

* * *

4.45pm: Actor Kevin Spacey introduces the traditional tribute to those the movie business has lost in the past year.

"But since September 11 we must remember more than that," says Spacey and he asks the audience to rise for a moment's silence to honour the American heroes of the terrorist attack.

* * *

4.40pm: John Travolta and Sharon Stone introduce the Best Foreign Language Film category noting that two of the films are in the official languages of Norway and France and the three other films -- from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Argentina, and India - "are in the official languages of Los Angeles."

The Bosnia-Herzegovina film No Man's Land, by Danis Tanovic wins.

* * *

4.30pm: Gywneth Paltrow and Ethan Hawke introduce the best adapted screenplay awards - his nomination in the adapted screenplay category with Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens is the first of Peter Jackson's three nominations.

The predictable winner of adapted screenplay is Alkiva Goldsman for A Beautiful Mind.

The winner of original screenplay is Julian Fellowes for Gosford Park, the first award to go to the Robert Altman film.

Running total among the leading contenders: LOTR 4, Beautiful Mind 2, Moulin Rouge 2.

* * *

4.20pm: After sometime-singer Jennifer Lopez reads the nominees the winner is … Randy Newman who finally takes the Oscar for best song after 16 nominations and no wins.

"I don't want your pity," he begins his acceptance speech. "I want to thank the music branch for so many chances to be humiliated."

* * *

4.10pm: The medley of best songs nominees has tag-team performances from Sting (Until from Kate & Leopold), Paul McCartney (Vanilla Sky from Vanilla Sky), Faith Hill (There You'll Be from Pearl Harbor), Enya (May It Be from Lord of the Rings) and a duet by Randy Newman and John Goodman (If I Didn't Have You from Monsters, Inc.)

* * *

3.45pm: Denzel Washington introduces a tribute to Sidney Poitier.

Poitier delivers a stirring acceptance speech, thanking all the directors and producers that helped him break the Hollywood colour bar.

* * *

3.40pm: The best original score goes to Canadian composer Howard Shore for Lord of the Rings, the film's fourth award so far.

Running total Moulin Rouge 2, LOTR 4, Beautiful Mind 1, Black Hawk Down 2, Pearl Harbor 1, Iris 1

* * *

3.25pm: To introduce the visual effects award, performers from Cirque Du Soleil take the stage and create an acrobatic fiesta in tribute to the nominees.

Trapeze performers swing from the ceiling. The show is swingin'.

Spiderman stars Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire introduce the category - Lord of the Rings wins, giving the film its third statuette and giving Weta boss Richard Taylor his second Oscar of the night.

Running total Moulin Rouge 2, LOTR 3, Beautiful Mind 1, Black Hawk Down 1.

* * *

3.15pm: A barefoot Whoopi Goldberg introduces Lord of the Rings in the best picture category, joking there wasn't room in the movie for Black Hobbits - "or as we call them the Blobbits."

* * *

3.05pm: Marcia Gay Harden introduces the supporting actor category.

Peter Jackson can be seen beaming over the shoulder of nominee Sir Ian McKellen.

The Oscar goes to Brit Jim Broadbent for Iris.

He ends his thank you speech by wishing Moulin Rouge - the other Oscar-nominated film he appears in this year -good luck.

Running total Moulin Rouge 2, LOTR 3, Beautiful Mind 1, Black Hawk Down 2, Pearl Harbor 1, Iris 1

* * *

3pm: Halle Berry introduces the best sound and best sound editing categories in Seuss-like verse.

Black Hawk Down wins best sound, Pearl Harbor wins best sound editing. (If you want to win a sound prize it pays to have a lot of loud military aircraft in your movie, it seems.)

* * *

2.55pm: Nathan Lane introduces the inaugural Animated Feature catergory.

"I know dear old Walt Disney would be smiling now if he wasn't frozen solid."

The characters from the films are "seen" in the audience but Lane says only real people are allowed to accept the award.

Shrek wins.

Producer Aron Warner thanks Kiwi animator and co-director Andrew Adamson among others.

* * *

2.45pm: Cameron Diaz introduces the Art Direction category. Catherine Martin of Moulin Rouge takes the award, winning her second Oscar of the night.

* * *

2.35pm: Helen Hunt introduces a tribute to documentaries followed by Samuel L. Jackson who presents the documentary nominations.

Murder on a Sunday Morning wins documentary feature, Thoth wins documentary short subject.

* * *

2.25pm: Jodie Foster introduces the cinematography category.

Australian cinematographer Andrew Lesnie wins for the Lord of the Rings. In his thank-you speech he dedicates the award to the LOTR crew members, and the late Brian Bansgrove.

Running total: Beautiful Mind 1, Black Hawk Down 1, LOTR 2, Moulin Rouge 1.

* * *

2.20pm: Woody Allen introduces a cinematic valentine to New York.

* * *

2.10pm: Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller offer a guide to movie costume design. Stiller emerges dressed as Gimli, from the Lord of the Rings: "Look at me, I look like a freaking ZZ Top troll boy."

The Oscar goes to Moulin Rouge. Director Baz Luhrmann's wife designer Catherine Martin accepts the award.

* * *

2pm: Young Hollywood marrieds Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon present best makeup.

"Without submitting to his daily ordeal actors would also look just like people in documentaries," offers Phillippe.

And the Oscar goes to -- New Zealander Richard Taylor and English wig maker Peter Owen for Lord of the Rings.

Taylor's thank-you speech is effusive.

Running total: Beautiful Mind 1, Lord of the Rings 1, Black Hawk Down 1

* * *

1.55: Will Smith presents the best editing award with a description of the art of editing penned by David Mamet.

"The editor serves only the film and as such they are the best friend of the audience."

Among the nominees are John Gilbert for Lord of the Rings but Black Hawk Down wins.

* * *

1.45pm: Benicio Del Toro, last year's supporting actor winner, presented the best supporting actress award.

Unsurprisingly, Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind) wins.

* * *

1.40pm: Tom Cruise, who wasn't meant to be here, opens the speech on a sober note with a personal tribute to the movies which also touches upon September 11.

"Should we celebrate the joy and magic movies bring? Dare I say it, more than ever."

* * *

1.35pm: Whoopi Goldberg descends from above in Moulin Rouge regalia and generally brings the house down.

She begins her opening monologue, skewering the nasty pre-Oscar campaign and Hollywood in general.

* * *

1.30pm: It's showtime.

* * *

1.15pm: It's an A-list avalanche. Frocks to die for, all areas. Even Jennifer Lopez is in something tasteful this year.

Russell Crowe, accompanied by regular awards date Danielle Spencer, flashes peace signs as he ambles laconically up the boulevard.

* * *

1.10pm: John Nash Jr - the man played by Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind wanders past largely unnoticed. But his presence might be an omen for the film's chances later in the evening.

* * *

1.10pm: It's getting weird, everywhere you look you see somebody who likes like someone. And it is that someone.

Or someone who used to be someone and is still a member of the Academy.

* * *

1.05pm: Director Peter Jackson arrives and spends a lot of time talking to journalists on the red carpet. He has a quick word with the Herald.

So how do you stay calm on days like this?

"The only reason not to be calm is if you think you've got to go up on stage and collect an Oscar in front of people. But I am psychologically prepared myself for the fact that I am not.

"I've figured that some Kiwis are going to go up so I am just going to enjoy that. That's going to be amazing."

Jackson says people watching the awards in New Zealand should try and stay calm.

"They should do what we're trying to do - not be too nervous, just enjoy the show, see a few Kiwis pick up a few gold statues."

Are we even a little star struck?

"I'm getting used to it. I used to but honestly I've become a bit blasé with it now."

Look over there Peter, Paul McCartney!

"Now I would be star struck at that."

* * *

1.00pm: And Look! It's Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood - looking taller.

So Elijah, whadda yah reckon?

"You know I think its got a lot of chances in terms of visual effects and the more technical awards. I think its got great chances."

"I hear there's going to be a group of people from the film watching it somewhere in Courtney Place [Wellington]. I wish I was there."

* * *

12.55pm: The red carpet traffic jam begins.

Past Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine walks past looking like, hey Ernest Borgnine only older.

Sidney Poitier arrives with his family to collect his honourary Oscar looking distinguished. The cast of Gosford Park file past looking like an English stately home and Sally Kirkland looks like the theatre in Moulin Rouge.

Robert Redford has great teeth, even in person.

* * *

11.55am: The first Lord of the Rings nominees to arrive are writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. The Kiwi nominees have just had a haka done for them at their hotel.

"Everyone freaked," said Boyens, "it was fantastic."

Neither Boyens, Walsh nor co-writer Peter Jackson have prepared a speech should they win, Boyens said.

"We don't have any expectation of winning, and we're not going to be disappointed because this is so much fun."

Boyens said she and Walsh had spent the entire morning getting ready.

"It drove me insane.

"I feel like a million dollars and this necklace is worth more than a million dollars," she said of the borrowed diamond jewellery around her neck.

* * *

11.35am: Under overcast skies and a chilly wind the 74th Academy Awards have begun.

The red carpet, taking up a block of Hollywood Boulevard, is under the glare of a hundred arc lights including many strobes to give that camera flash effect.

It's America the beautiful meeting the kinda normal looking - the 400 ordinary folk who applied for the privilege to sit in the fan bleachers alongside the red carpet.

Oscar nominees and winners (full list)

nzherald.co.nz/oscars