Today, a roundup of awards-show news from the people who put on the shows.
The Academy issued a batch of press releases on Wednesday, beginning with the news that Jude Law will be a presenter on the show. Oscar-wise, Law is probably best known for being the subject of jokes in 2005 by Oscar host Chris Rock, who wanted to know why Law was in every movie that had been released the previous year – and the subject of a rebuttal by Sean Penn, who called Law "one of our finest actors." And now he's one of the 83rd Academy Awards' finest presenters. (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
AMPAS also filled in a few details about the Governors Ball that will follow the show. Academy governor Jeffrey Kurland will serve as the chair, and also design costumes that will be worn "by the evening's performers and selected staff"; Cheryl Cecchetto of Sequoia Productions will produce the ball, something she's now done for 22 consecutive years; and Wolfgang Puck will create the Latin-themed menu (left), reprising a role he's done for the last 17 years, ever since the death of agent Irving "Swifty" Lazar, who used to host a legendary Oscar-night party at Puck's restaurant Spago. None of this came as much of a surprise, since before the release went out the Academy had already hosted a Wednesday morning preview of the ball's food and décor, with both Puck and Ceccheto present. (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) (Photo by Matt Petit/AMPAS)
While the Academy is still worrying about this year's show and after-party, the Screen Actors Guild is way ahead of the game. SAG has already set the date for next year's show: it'll take place on Sunday, January 29 at the Shrine Exposition Center, and once again it'll be broadcast live on TNT and TBS. Mark your calendar, if you're so organized that you already have a 2012 calendar. (Screen Actors Guild Awards)
And while we're on the subject of announcements by awards shows, the Film Independent Spirit Awards also got into the swing of things on Wednesday, revealing the names of the sponsors on which the Independent Spirit Awards are dependent. The roster of premier sponsors: IFC, Elle, Netflix, Piaget, Acura, Jameson Irish Whiskey, LG Cinema and HTC. They also have principal sponsors, official host hotels, and a bunch of other official things of one sort or another. (Smartwater, for instance, is the Official Water of the Spirit Awards. (Film Independent Spirit Awards)
Finally, here are some real independent spirits: the London Evening Standard had its film awards ceremony this week, with a jury of critics picking a slate of winners that is guaranteed not to influence the Oscars because none of them are even nominated. (Hell, most of 'em aren't even nominated for this weekend's BAFTA Awards.) Best Picture: "Neds," which doesn't have U.S. distribution. Best Actor: sorry Colin, it's Andrew Garfield for his (supporting) work in "The Social Network" and "Never Let Me Go." Best Actress: Kristin Scott Thomas in the French film "Leaving," Best Screenplay: "The Arbor" – which is made up, says Guy Lodge, of actors lip-syncing to "recorded true-life testimonies." They also gave one award to somebody who'll visit the Kodak Theater this month: "Inception" writer-director Chris Nolan, who received the Alexander Walker Special Award. Lodge was there and has the report. (In Contention)
