Bradley Cooper and Anne Hathaway. (Photo by AFI)
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" director Benh Zeitlin (right), with Steven Spielberg, told TheWrap that being pulled away from his work to work full time on awards season is a good problem. (Photo by AFI)
Anybody need a greenlight? The chiefs pow-wowed: Barry Meyer, Anne Sweeney, Ron Meyer and Jim Gianopulos.
A hunky embrace between Don Johnson and George Clooney. (Photo by AFI)
Eddie Redmayne and Christina Hendricks.
Jason Clarke reverses his chilling line, "I am not your friend" for his "Zero Dark Thirty," director Kathryn Bigelow. (Photo by AFI)
Tommy Lee Jones and Alan Horn.
Judd Apatow (with Matthew Weiner) was one of the first to arrive, saying that he loves to come early to watch everyone else arrive. He arrived early last year too.
With one of the few intimate rooms of the year with both film and TV talent at the top of their games, the ballroom was a petri dish for fantasy guest-star bookings. Part I: "Girls" team Apatow and Lena Dunham with Ben Affleck.
Part II: Bradley Cooper and "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner
Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day-Lewis.
Ben Karlin and Julie Bowen. "Modern Family" was the only one of the 10 TV honorees from a broadcast network.
Damian Lewis shows off his award.
The networking was heavy in the ballroom for an hour, before an incredible "March Through Time" package showcasing the best film moments from each year of the last century ending in a "2", culminating with 2012. In a refreshing break from routine, there were almost no speeches, and a graceful integration of AFI partner Audi and lunch sponsor Verizon, respectively represented by Michael Patrick and Bob Toohey.
A Directors' huddle: Christopher Nolan, Tom Hooper, and Benh Zeitlin. (Photo by AFI)
Best Supporting Actress nominees Sally Field and Jacki Weaver.
AFI President Bob Gazzale and David O. Russell. The "Louie" package got the biggest laughs in the room overall, with Russell enjoying the selected clip -- Melissa Leo and Louis C.K. arguing over oral sex in a car.
"Lincoln" producer Kathleen Kennedy and Warner Bros. Marketing President Sue Kroll.
Anne Hathaway meets "Life of Pi's" Suraj Sharma as Ang Lee and Jim Gianopolus look on.
AFI Chariman Bob Daly and Hugh Jackman.
HBO Programming President Michael Lombardo, manager-producer Dave Becky, and Louis C.K.
"I learned to Tivo so that I can record your show," Jennifer Lawrence told Lena Dunham. The 2 "it" girls of the year talked for about 20 minutes as Judd Apatow hung back, taking pictures on his iPhone.
Is this awkward? Tom Rothman, the recently departed Co-Chairman and CEO of Fox's film studio and Wendi Deng Murdoch.
Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow, and MPAA Chairman Chris Dodd. Dodd, back in a flash from a Thursday night meeting in Washington with Vice President Joe Biden on the entertainment industry and gun violence, told TheWrap that it had not been a rough week.
Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick and Jay Roach. Anne Hathaway snuck up on Zwick, giving him a bear hug/choke from behind while he was sitting during the lunch.
"Game of Thrones" stars John Bradley, Emilia Clarke and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
AFI Fest's Jacqueline Lyanga, Leonard Maltin (who delivered tight and eloquent descriptions of each movie in 30 words for posterity) and Jennifer Lawrence.
Overachiever alert! Anne Hathaway double-fisted her certificates for playing in both "The Dark Knight Rises" and "Les Miserables." Somewhere, James Franco is not amused.
You couldn't take a step without bumping in to someone of worldwide fame (or famous within the studio system) at the intimate AFI Awards 2012 on the Friday afternoon before the Golden Globes. "When we honor you, we don't ask you to pay for your table to be honored," AFI President Bob Gazzale told the 250-person crowd. "This is a respite from the noise. No envelopes, no winners, no losers." Stars, directors, and producers from 2012's top 10 Films and TV Shows seized on the safe environment at the Verizon-hosted lunch.
