2008 Oscars® Spotlight

Lainey Lui is stationed backstage at the Kodak Theatre for the night, and from there she'll dish all the juiciest Oscar dirt, like only she can.

Lainey's Backstage Blog

Javier Bardem has turned every woman in the press room, and some men too, into quivering messes. He is so hot. And a giant of a man too.

Have no idea what he's saying. Too busy admiring his hair.

posted by Lainey at 11:57 pm EST

Is it just me or are the Coen brothers just a little... glib?

posted by Lainey at 11:51 pm EST

Daniel Day-Lewis retired to become a shoe cobbler a few years ago. Bet you George Clooney wishes his comeback never happened. But I'm telling you - Daniel Day-Lewis in a trilby? Hottest.Thing.Ever.

posted by Lainey at 11:43 pm EST

Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová in the press room - the underdogs of Once! Except he won't shut up and let her get a word in edgewise. Hello attention whore.

posted by Lainey at 11:23 pm EST

OK. We get it. John Travolta is a pilot and can fly himself everywhere. Did we really have to be reminded of it tonight? Really??? At the very least, his wife didn't wear an ugly animal tonight like she did last year. Remember that?

posted by Lainey at 11:12 pm EST

Marion is backstage now. I want to marry her. She is still shellshocked and trembling and overwhelmed and GORGEOUS. She say she is a big fan of Peter Sellers and wanted to be his wife when she was young. Hee.

Marion says she loves Meryl Streep and Daniel Day-Lewis and Cate Blanchett and Toni Collette. She says she's going "bong, bong, bong - I ate fireworks and they are going on in here" - pointing to her stomach.

Adorable.

And now she's singing for us. Padam Padam. We are all cheering.

I Love Her.

posted by Lainey at 10:50 pm EST

Renee Zellweger - was she actually posing up there? Like for paparazzi? How come she can't find foundation that matches her skin? Just asking...

posted by Lainey at 10:31 pm EST

OK, Jon Stewart's joke about "the baby goes to... Angelina Jolie - GOLD. All his baby/pregnancy jokes, in fact, have been gold. MUCH better than the flat monologue...thoughts?

posted by Lainey at 10:26 pm EST

Marion!!! YES!!!

posted by Lainey at 10:15 pm EST

Tilda Swinton is in the press room now... her Oscar is perched on her hip. She says she's "stoked" about winning. And is certainly "not complaining". She also says she is a "man of my word" - verbatim - and WILL give away her Oscar. How honourable of her. If that were me, I'd have no problem reneging on that promise. Wouldn't lose a minute of sleep.

posted by Lainey at 10:09 pm EST

Tilda Swinton is a spectacular looking woman. I know it's easy to say she's a freak, but at the same time, how refreshing to find a non-conventional woman on the carpet and winning on stage.

They don't always have to be blonde Miss Americas you know. You listening Katherine Heigl?

posted by Lainey at 9:59 pm EST

Yeah, so, Javier Bardem can speak Spanish all night long as far as I'm concerned. Maybe we can bump one of the musical performances just to watch him talk to his mom?

posted by Lainey at 9:38 pm EST

OK, so the Ratatouille dude won't get OFF the press room stage. And we are waiting for Javier Bardem. Like, dude... MOVE!

posted by Lainey at 9:20 pm EST

Ummmm...who's impressed with Amy Adams? A Disney song live in front of the most judgmental people in Hollywood. Well played, Amy. Well played.

posted by Lainey at 9:03 pm EST

Katherine Heigl needs to sit DOWN. Who cares if you're nervous??? It's not about you! Oh wait... it's always about you, isn't it? Ugh.

posted by Lainey at 9:00 pm EST

Why am I crying over the Oscar montage? See? It's that Celine Dion. So cheesy, and you know it's cheesy...but she gets you every time!

posted by Lainey at 8:58 pm EST

Seriously... Miley Cyrus scares me. Dressed appropriately enough but the posing and the posturing and the puckering of the lips - it was jailbait for the camera. Creepy.

posted by Lainey at 8:42 pm EST

Cate Blanchett loves Marion Cotillard. She made a beeline for her on the carpet just to pay her respects. Pregnant and running down the carpet just to make sure to congratulation a fellow actor. Love.

posted by Lainey at 8:40 pm EST

How about Patrick Dempsey's wife? She needs some happy pills, non?

posted by Lainey at 8:21 pm EST

Ummmm.... Gary Busey??? I could smell the fumes from up here on the carpet!

posted by Lainey at 7:17 pm EST

John Travolta and The Rock have matching hairlines!

posted by Lainey at 7:07 pm EST

One of my favourite movies of 2007 was Once. And Glen Hansard came with his guitar! Amazing!

Better accessory than diamonds if you ask me.

posted by Lainey at 6:50 pm EST

Clooney Crazy - George just arrived and everyone went bananas. With girlfriend Sarah Larsen - bringing her to the Oscarsa which means he is fullu committed. Sadness.

posted by Lainey at 6:43 pm EST

I have a feeling the theme of the night is going to be child-feeding breasts. Nancy O'Dell could nourish a small island.

posted by Lainey at 5:42 pm EST

Ryan Seacrest has just discovered a new shade of orange...on his face. This is breaking news.

posted by Lainey at 5:37 pm EST

Seriously, what is he doing here? Is he going to make like his sister Marie during "Dancing With The Stars and pass out during the musical performance???

posted by Lainey at 5:42 pm EST

We're an hour away from arrivals and everyone is talking about...

The weather!

Was pouring last night and this morning and then suddenly it stopped and the sun is trying to come out...which is why the entire carpet is hoping it'll stay this way throughout.

There hasn't been rain during the Oscar red carpet ever - so they say.

Given that Hollywood manipulates just about everything else... Can they control the weather as well?

Stay tuned!

Counting down!

Yours in Oscar gossip,
Lainey

posted by Lainey at 5:07 pm EST

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