Sandra Bullock, the odds-on favourite to claim the best actress Oscar in Los Angeles tonight, has been awarded a much more dubious title: worst actress of 2009.
Bullock, the star of The Blind Side who joined a who’s who of Hollywood on stage at the Kodak Theatre for the final dress rehearsal ahead of the Academy Awards yesterday afternoon, was earlier given the not-so-prestigious Razzie Award for the comedy All About Steve. No performer has ever won a Razzie — the irreverent awards which honour the worst of Hollywood — and an Oscar in the same year.
Unlike most Razzie honourees, Bullock actually showed up to collect the award, dragging a cart of DVDs to hand out to members who she accused of never seeing the dud movie.
"Thank you for ruining my career with a very bad decision," the good-humoured Bullock told the group, while threatening to read her dialogue from the role "until 4 in the morning".
Meanwhile across town rehearsals took place inside the Kodak Theatre for tonight’s Academy Awards in what looked like a casual version of the Oscars.
Matt Damon wore a beanie, Kate Winslet wore jeans and Charlize Theron let slip that she wouldn’t be wearing any underwear as Hollywood stars including Robert Downey Jr, John Travolta, Jake Gyllenhaal, Penelope Cruz, Jennifer Lopez, Robin Williams, Tom Hanks, and Sarah Jessica Parker went through their lines at the show’s final rehearsal.
Instead of the glamorous gowns and tuxedoes they'll wear for the televised event, the stars were relaxed in jeans and sneakers. And instead of being live on air in front of millions, they performed their duties behind closed doors for a small crowd of production workers and volunteer stand-ins who filled the seats with cards bearing their famous names.
Damon wore a hooded sweatshirt and beanie as he rehearsed with two prop Oscars, pausing from time to time to marvel at the show's stunning set. Travolta was in jeans and a baseball cap, his credential tucked into his back pocket.
“Oh my God, it's tiny!” the Saturday Night Fever star exclaimed when he saw the size of the print on the teleprompter he was meant to read. Kathy Bates had the same issue, prompting producers to bump up the font size to save any embarrassment on the night.
A bearded, bespectacled Williams kept the rehearsal lively, using his usual quick-wit to keep the production staff entertained. Instead of opening the prop envelope, he held it against his forehead Johnny Carson-style and intuitively announced the winner.
“It's Sarah Palin, for 'I'm Still Here'," the US comedian quipped, and the crowd of production workers roared with laughter.
A makeup-free Theron held a cup of coffee as she practised her lines — and obviously had her red-carpet designer dress in mind. She chatted with a producer about camera angles, then said, “Well, I'm not wearing underwear”.
“Too much information,” a director's voice boomed over the loudspeaker.
Theron, who won an Oscar for Monster in 2004, laughed. “I didn't realize everyone could hear me,” she said, before thanking the crew and waving goodbye.
All eyes will be on the showdown between Avatar and The Hurt Locker tonight, which have nine nominations each. And the director and best picture categories are expected to be one of the biggest Oscar battles in years.
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