By Jon Gripton
Online news editor, at The Oscars in Los Angeles
I'm standing in the rain on the blue carpet outside a party celebrating the 'spirit of independent film' in Santa Monica.
That's right, blue carpet - not red. But then these are independent types!
Suddenly there's a small ripple of excitement when someone says they think Brad and Angelina might be coming to talk to us.
They're definitely inside the beach-front venue for the 'Spirit' awards, and they've been showing off their 'bump'.
But will they come outside? We cross our fingers.
So far - with respect to the great and good of the indie film world - the guests paraded in front of us by the army of PR girls wearing headsets hasn't exactly been 'A' list.
Admittedly there was an Oscar nominee to talk to: Diablo Cody, the former stripper turned screenwriter nominated for Juno spoke to me. But she's not exactly a huge name - yet.
So we stand and wait... Welcome to the wild whirl of madness that is Oscars weekend in Los Angeles.
There are thousands of OScars reporters and photographers in town, I'm told from some 200 countries, all zig-zagging across town from event to party to briefing to soiree in the hope of a word or a picture with someone famous.
We're all after the same thing: a word, a whisper, a smile or a scandal - something, ANYTHING, from a star. Preferably a big one. But first we have to find them...
So before each of these events, journalists and photographers are handed 'tip sheets' by the PR women in headsets, which tease us with the names of the celebrities expected to attend their "you must be here" bash.
Yesterday it could have been Ellen Page, the star of Juno, or Paul Haggis, Oscar winning director of Crash who is nominated for In the Valley of Elah. Both were on the tip list at a bash organised by the Canadian film board. Neither showed.
Or Lucy Davis from The Office, and Ioan Gruffudd from the Fantastic Four at another party. Again my hopes were dashed.
Tonight's event listed Kate Beckinsale, Steve Buscemi, Matt Dillon, John Malkovich, Sienna Miller and Tom Wilkinson plus a couple of dozen more. And the Pitts.
Just one of them - any of them - would have been nice. But no, after more than two hours trapped next to the man who might be LA's smelliest photographer, we're told the "blue carpet is closing" and we can leave.
I reckon the film stars find it tough going too: Oscar winner Julie Christie told me she hates all the publicity and marketing machine and finds Oscars weekend "too commercial"; James McAvoy and his wife told us the party weekend was a near endless round of gatherings "where you are constantly introduced to people you don't know."
So now it's off to chase a rumour that a leading actress might be seriously ill.... Plus there's the whisper that the Beckhams might be out partying tonight; and Madonna's decided to hold a party. But will we see her, or is this another 'tip' too far..?
It's going to be a long night...
And no, Brad and Ange didn't come out to talk, despite the 'tip'. Now that is the pits.
:: Take a look behind the scenes of the Kodak theatre red carpet by clicking on the video link below:
Just as well there was'nt any [Grease] on the carpet, other wise your [Summer Nights] would have turned red. Anyway, was it exciting? Did Brad take a Pitt stop? Who won as I was asleep........
Posted by: Khalid 25 Feb 2008 14:11:06