Oscar Greats
Four-time Oscar® nominee Diane Keaton won Oscar gold for her 1977 Best Actress performance in Annie Hall—just five years after her breakthrough role as Kay Adams in The Godfather. Since then, Diane has wowed audiences in dozens of films, including Reds in 1981, Marvin's Room in 1996 and Something's Gotta Give in 2003—performances which earned her three Oscar nods!
Diane admits she keeps her Oscar® statuette stored in the closet, but that's no reflection of how much she values the enormous opportunities it's afforded her. Some golden benefits that are close to her heart are the friendships she's formed over the years with co-stars, such as the great Walter Matthau and one of her favorite leading men of all time, Jack Nicholson.
Diane says winning the Oscar has also allowed her to pursue an off-screen passion—restoring the Spanish colonial architecture of southern California. One home Diane refurbished was featured in Architectural Digest, and she's currently writing a book on the subject. "Do you think that would have happened to me if I hadn't been in Annie Hall and won the Academy Award?" she asks. "Of course not. Never!"
Diane says winning the Oscar has also allowed her to pursue an off-screen passion—restoring the Spanish colonial architecture of southern California. One home Diane refurbished was featured in Architectural Digest, and she's currently writing a book on the subject. "Do you think that would have happened to me if I hadn't been in Annie Hall and won the Academy Award?" she asks. "Of course not. Never!"
The men's shirts and ties Diane wore in Annie Hall started a unisex fashion craze—a suitable legacy for an actress known for her eclectic style, on and off the red carpet.
Diane says Oscar® attendees have always put a lot of thought into their dress—but it's only recently that the red carpet has become a production of such "machine"-like proportions. Diane says designers in 1977 weren't beating down actress's doors with dozens of gowns—she remembers going to the store to pick out her own outfit.
Two years earlier, when Diane was presenting the 1975 Best Director Oscar to Milos Forman for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, she drove herself to the Oscars and parked her Volkswagen in the garage!
Diane says Oscar® attendees have always put a lot of thought into their dress—but it's only recently that the red carpet has become a production of such "machine"-like proportions. Diane says designers in 1977 weren't beating down actress's doors with dozens of gowns—she remembers going to the store to pick out her own outfit.
Two years earlier, when Diane was presenting the 1975 Best Director Oscar to Milos Forman for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, she drove herself to the Oscars and parked her Volkswagen in the garage!
Diane is the proud mother of two, a 5-year-old son, Duke, and a 10-year-old daughter, Dexter, both of whom she adopted in her 50s. She says she's more concerned with how aging will affect her children—not her career. "I think about [aging] in relation to my kids a lot," she says. "I've got to be healthy. ... I worry about them if something happens. I'm a single parent like so many women in this world, and all the responsibility falls on me."
Hollywood pressures weigh less heavily on Diane—she says she's wary of jumping on the plastic surgery bandwagon. "The reason I haven't is because I'd like to go out authentic," she says.
Hollywood pressures weigh less heavily on Diane—she says she's wary of jumping on the plastic surgery bandwagon. "The reason I haven't is because I'd like to go out authentic," she says.
One of the perks of being an Oscar®-winning actress is getting to work with some of Hollywood's hottest leading men. During her distinguished career, Diane has starred opposite actors like Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, Mel Gibson and Keanu Reeves.
When Oprah asks Diane to describe Jack Nicholson, her co-star in Something's Gotta Give, she just can't hide her true feelings. "Here's the thing about Jack. I love him. He's the man I love...but he doesn't feel that way about me," she laughs.
More than 20 years ago, Diane worked with screen legend Warren Beatty on the film Reds. During that time, she says Warren really figured her out. Once Warren told her, "'Diane, you are a late developer.' And that's exactly what I am!" she says.
As for Keanu Reeves, who played her younger love interest in Something's Gotta Give, "I'm going to marry him," Diane says with a grin.
One of Diane's most memorable movie kisses was from Mel Gibson during the 1984 filming of Mrs. Soffel. "I kept playing that [kiss] over and over in my mind for a year," she says. "Let me tell you about movie kisses, okay? ... They're why I became an actress!"
When Oprah asks Diane to describe Jack Nicholson, her co-star in Something's Gotta Give, she just can't hide her true feelings. "Here's the thing about Jack. I love him. He's the man I love...but he doesn't feel that way about me," she laughs.
More than 20 years ago, Diane worked with screen legend Warren Beatty on the film Reds. During that time, she says Warren really figured her out. Once Warren told her, "'Diane, you are a late developer.' And that's exactly what I am!" she says.
As for Keanu Reeves, who played her younger love interest in Something's Gotta Give, "I'm going to marry him," Diane says with a grin.
One of Diane's most memorable movie kisses was from Mel Gibson during the 1984 filming of Mrs. Soffel. "I kept playing that [kiss] over and over in my mind for a year," she says. "Let me tell you about movie kisses, okay? ... They're why I became an actress!"
Like millions of movie buffs around the world, Diane says she's always excited to watch the Oscars®—even when she's not nominated. On the big night, Diane predicts a win for Best Actress nominee Reese Witherspoon, who she directed in the TV movie Wildflower in the early '90s. "[Reese is] a vulnerable, sexy, amazing, deeply realized, beautiful woman in [Walk the Line]," she says. "The thing about Walk the Line is it makes you really feel that love can conquer all."
When you tune into the 78th Annual Academy Awards, don't expect to see Diane walking the red carpet or schmoozing with celebrities at a glitzy gala. Diane plans to watch the drama unfold on television like everyone else! "I like to share it with my very close friends and really have fun," she says.
When you tune into the 78th Annual Academy Awards, don't expect to see Diane walking the red carpet or schmoozing with celebrities at a glitzy gala. Diane plans to watch the drama unfold on television like everyone else! "I like to share it with my very close friends and really have fun," she says.
Acclaimed English actress Emma Thompson holds the distinction of being the only person to win an Oscar® for both writing and acting! Emma's first win came in 1992 for her leading role in Howard's End. In 1995, she received the Best Screenplay statuette for the movie Sense and Sensibility.
Emma's impressive resumé also includes three Oscar nominations for her acting roles in The Remains of the Day, In the Name of the Father and Sense and Sensibility.
Though Emma's proud of her Oscar wins, her houseguests shouldn't expect to see the golden statuettes in an elaborate display case. Her Oscars can be found in a very unlikely location.
Emma's impressive resumé also includes three Oscar nominations for her acting roles in The Remains of the Day, In the Name of the Father and Sense and Sensibility.
Though Emma's proud of her Oscar wins, her houseguests shouldn't expect to see the golden statuettes in an elaborate display case. Her Oscars can be found in a very unlikely location.
Emma keeps her Oscars®...in her guest bathroom! In the privacy of the "loo," guests can pick up her Oscars without having to ask permission, she says. Plus, the brass bath fixtures and golden statuettes are a perfect match!
Emma believes these awards changed her life and career. Growing up in England, Emma says she never realized how important the Academy Awards were because they weren't broadcast in Britain. In 1992, when she arrived in Los Angeles as a first-time nominee, the significance began to sink in. During the awards, Emma's own mother said she didn't have a "snowball's chance in hell" of winning...but she did! "I was totally shocked," Emma tells Oprah.
After the awards show, Emma says she wrapped her Oscar in a pair of socks and put it in her purse for the flight home. The gold-plated statue set off airport security alarms, and the screeners asked to unwrap the mysterious cargo from its sock casing. "It was as though they had unveiled the Ark of the Covenant," Emma remembers. "They all passed it around saying, 'Oh, look! Can we hold it?' ... It was very, very moving to me."
Across the pond, Emma says she was removed from the Hollywood hoopla, and her first Oscar win didn't seem to change her life much. It wasn't until her second win for Best Screenplay that the offers started pouring in. "Everyone asked me to write every single script," she says. "They want screenwriters who have a profile. ... But, of course, I'm the sort of writer that can only write when I really, really feel passionate."
Emma believes these awards changed her life and career. Growing up in England, Emma says she never realized how important the Academy Awards were because they weren't broadcast in Britain. In 1992, when she arrived in Los Angeles as a first-time nominee, the significance began to sink in. During the awards, Emma's own mother said she didn't have a "snowball's chance in hell" of winning...but she did! "I was totally shocked," Emma tells Oprah.
After the awards show, Emma says she wrapped her Oscar in a pair of socks and put it in her purse for the flight home. The gold-plated statue set off airport security alarms, and the screeners asked to unwrap the mysterious cargo from its sock casing. "It was as though they had unveiled the Ark of the Covenant," Emma remembers. "They all passed it around saying, 'Oh, look! Can we hold it?' ... It was very, very moving to me."
Across the pond, Emma says she was removed from the Hollywood hoopla, and her first Oscar win didn't seem to change her life much. It wasn't until her second win for Best Screenplay that the offers started pouring in. "Everyone asked me to write every single script," she says. "They want screenwriters who have a profile. ... But, of course, I'm the sort of writer that can only write when I really, really feel passionate."
When Emma is asked to write a screenplay, she says one of the first questions she asks is, "How many years do you have?" Though she writes four hours a day, Emma says she goes through hundreds of drafts before her scripts are ready for production. Emma also doesn't like using computers—she writes everything long hand with a pen her late father gave her years ago. "It's like my magic pen," she says. "I've written all my scripts with it."
It took Emma five years to complete the award-winning screenplay for Sense and Sensibility, and she spent nine years working on her most recent film, Nanny McPhee. Not only did Emma write the film, she also took on the snaggle-toothed title role!
As Nanny McPhee, Emma uses magical powers to wrangle seven unruly children into shape, but in real life, she has to rely on old-fashioned parenting methods to teach her daughter proper manners. "I'm strict about manners," she says. "I think that kids have a horrible time [with other people] if they have bad manners. ... The one thing you've got to be prepared to do as a parent is not to be liked from time to time."
It took Emma five years to complete the award-winning screenplay for Sense and Sensibility, and she spent nine years working on her most recent film, Nanny McPhee. Not only did Emma write the film, she also took on the snaggle-toothed title role!
As Nanny McPhee, Emma uses magical powers to wrangle seven unruly children into shape, but in real life, she has to rely on old-fashioned parenting methods to teach her daughter proper manners. "I'm strict about manners," she says. "I think that kids have a horrible time [with other people] if they have bad manners. ... The one thing you've got to be prepared to do as a parent is not to be liked from time to time."
While Oscar® nominees walk the red carpet in designer duds and wait anxiously for a statuette of their own, Emma says she'll be sleeping soundly. In London, the Academy Awards are on in the middle of the night, so Emma plans to watch the next day.
Like Diane, Emma predicts that Reese Witherspoon will walk away with the Best Actress award. She's also rooting for her old friend Ang Lee to win the Best Director honor for his work on Brokeback Mountain.
Emma and the billion people expected to tune in to the Oscars will have to wait and see!
Like Diane, Emma predicts that Reese Witherspoon will walk away with the Best Actress award. She's also rooting for her old friend Ang Lee to win the Best Director honor for his work on Brokeback Mountain.
Emma and the billion people expected to tune in to the Oscars will have to wait and see!
Published 03/03/2006