Jackie's Star Rises

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Jackie Weaver is planning to re-locate to Los Angeles to take advantage of the numerous offers of work that have flowed in since she was nominated for an Academy Award for her role as the tough matriarch of a crime family in the film Animal Kingdom.

Despite not winning, Jackie says the experience has been a life changing force just at a time-she is 64, when she thought she would be retiring.

"All the best roles really are here in the States and I've always loved American films" said Jackie who is still in the US with her husband Sean Taylor.

"I've been offered several projects , three film roles, three TV series and one mini-series and my agent says he has a pile of credible scripts for me to read".

Jackie attended the Awards on Monday wearing a especially made Collette Dinnigan gown and $800,000 worth of diamonds which she reluctantly handed back the following day.

"I was amazed by the offers of outfits to wear to the awards  but I wanted to wear something uniquely Australian" she said. " I would have loved to have kept some of the jewels but I've got by to date without them."

Meanwhile Jackie's former husband broadcaster Derryn Hinch revealed today on ABC Radio 702 that he has been diagnosed again with liver cancer. Hinch said he had was given 12 months to live after the first bout which he successfully fought off but will now be once again be receiving chemotherapy.

Hinch said he had no regrets about a lifetime of boozing :"I enjoyed it at the time. I've had a wonderful life-no matter what happens in the future."

Our Jackie is Up For An Oscar !

It took the Shuttle team some time to realise why one of our favourite thespians, Jackie Weaver wasn't appearing at the local supermarket in Kings Cross where we would always retire to the local coffee shop for a natter after our shopping.

Jackie is in the USA on a promotional tour in which she was swept up after the film Animal Kingdom won a few film festival awards. An email from LA informed us of the fact. With an always present minder, a publicist and a tour of US cities in the manner that only Hollywood knows how to do.

Weaver has been doing an endless round of TV chat shows, magazine and newspaper interviews and is loving every minute of it. Top Hollywood agents are lining up to take her on and everyday brings a pile of film scripts for Jackie to sift through.

Some of the offers, as Jackie says :"have been really bizarre and the more bizarre the more money they offer. The latest is for more money than I have earned in a lifetime of film and theatres and that is for 10 days work !"

Yet Animal Kingdom hasn't done too well at the box office even here in Jackie's home country. All that changes today as  Weaver is nominated for an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actress category, as the Shuttle predicted she would be weeks ago and which we confidently predict she will win, or at least she deserves to for her superb  performance as the matriach of a crime family.

Also nominated, Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech is a worthy rival. The only hic-cup could be-and the Oscars are pure Hollywood politics-is if those who vote are determined The King's Speech sweeps the board, which it may well do.

Geoffrey Rush is also up for Best Supporting Actor  against Christian Bales' superb performance in The Fighter.

For the full list of nominees for the 83rd Academy Awards go to their website here

Will Jackie Weaver win an Academy Award ?

The small independent film Animal Kingdom is already a runaway success and looks like winning some Oscars if the latest awards from the prestige National Board of Review in the USA are anything to go by. These awards are a good indication of how voting will go in the Academy Awards.

The movie has won best Independent Film and a star of the film, Jackie Weaver (right)  has won Best Supporting Actress in her role as the matriach of a blue collar crime family in the locally made drama that has already won a swag of AFI Awards.

The Social Network, the drama based on facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg has picked up the Best Film with director David Fincher picking up the  gong for direction and Jesse Eisenberg getting Best Actor for his role as Zuckerberg.

And the documentary about Social Shuttle favourite Joan Rivers has come in amongst the top five !