Stars to Express War Feelings at Oscars
Bombs fell from the sky, the United States was at war --- and still the Oscars went on.
That was Feb. 26, 1942, the first Oscar ceremony held during wartime.
The Academy Awards have never been canceled and have been delayed only three times in 74 years (in 1938 in the wake of Los Angeles flooding, in 1968 after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and in 1981 after the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan).
While the 75th annual Academy Awards show is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Oscar organizers have said they are prepared to postpone up to the last minute, depending on developments in the war with Iraq. It is also possible that the Hollywood event could proceed and ABC break away for war coverage.
Academy executives said Friday they expect the show to go on. They also squelched rumors that best actress nominee Nicole Kidman and two-time best actor winner Tom Hanks would not appear. Both are expected at the ceremony.
The Oscars this year will be more subdued. Many stars are expected to wear black, the red-carpet entrance has been canceled, and the usual fashion frenzy will be reduced to a few photographers taking pictures of stars inside the Kodak Theatre.
Some stars have decided on one thing --- what special ribbon or pin they'll be wearing.
Dustin Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Jim Carrey, Ben Affleck, Michael Moore and Kirsten Dunst will attach peace-sign pins from the group Artists United to Win Without War on their clothing. Others are expected to wear silver ribbons from the anti-land mine group Roots of Peace.
Variety reported that other celebs have said they plan to wear peace doves or a swatch of duct tape. The Los Angeles Times suggested some stars might show up in gas-electric cars to protest U.S. dependence on foreign oil.
Only three celebrities --- Will Smith, "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" director Peter Jackson and Angelina Jolie --- have canceled scheduled Oscar show appearances so far. That's a typical number of no-shows for any Oscar year. Meanwhile, actress Zhang Ziyi, who stars in Academy Award contender "Hero," told the Beijing Youth Daily the "bloodshed and death" in Iraq have left her in no mood to attend the ceremony.
Past best actress winner Julia Roberts is still planning to attend and present an award, her publicity office confirmed Friday afternoon.
In addition to handing out awards, the show's 75th anniversary will include a tribute to past Oscar winners. They include Elizabeth Taylor ("Butterfield 8" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"), Anjelica Huston ("Prizzi's Honor") and Patricia Neal ("Hud"), who earlier this month appeared at a special tribute to Oscar's best actress winners at the Rialto.
Taylor said her appearance will be her last in show business, adding she will spend her time raising money to fight AIDS.
One anti-Bush political speech may come from filmmaker Michael Moore, if his "Bowling for Columbine" wins best documentary.
Moore never minces words. On Thursday he accepted an award from a liberal activist group in Los Angeles and lashed out at President Bush.
Among presenters planning to attend: Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jennifer Connelly, Meg Ryan and Harrison Ford.
