A Simple Lass

Barely a soul took notice of the blond lady clinking through the various bottles of reasonably priced Chardonnay in a Kings Cross bottle shoppe last night, but she's Hollywood Royalty these days : Jackie Weaver winner of an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, Screen Actor's Guild Award, endless AFIs and a host of others. The Shuttle often runs into Jackie shopping at the local supermarket picking through the grocery bargains and not a head turns. This night she was pondering over a nice white for dinner with hubby Sean. He was next door in the local community medical centre waiting for a check -up.
Said Jackie later to writer Mandy Sayer ( another Cross resident) :  "I've been thinking that, now we're grown ups, maybe we should start seeing a regular doctor in a private practice?"

The Look at the ACCTAs

Jackie Weaver                               Delta Goodrem                            Cate Blanchet                    Lara Bingle

Our Jackie Does it Again !

She's one of our favourite actors and a friendly sight around Sydney. No airs or graces, down to earth and always happy for a chat :
 Jackie Weaver has done it again and been nominated for an Academy Award for her 'performance by an actress in a supporting role' in Silver Linings Playbook.
Jackie appears opposite heartthrob Bradley Cooper and the legendary Robert Di Niro. 

Hugh Jackman has been nominated for best actor in  "Les Misérables" and Naomi Watts as best actress in "The Impossible".

Cate Blanchett :"Slugfest, With Pratfalls"

The New York Times is heaping priase on Andrew Upton's production of Uncle Vanya which stars Cate Blanchett, Richard Roxburgh, Hugo Weaving and the Shuttle's favourite Oscar nominee Jackie Weaver.

Andrew & Cate on opening night

Says reviewer Ben Brantley :" I consider the three hours I spent on Saturday night watching them complain about how bored they are among the happiest of my theatergoing life."..."this “Uncle Vanya” gets under your skin like no other I have seen."
 "With her movie star credentials and fashion-magazine looks, Ms. Blanchett (a dazzling Blanche in the Sydney Theater Company’s touring “Streetcar Named Desire” two years ago) is the obvious popular draw here. And she confirms her status as one of the best and bravest actresses on the planet, with a go-for-broke yet artfully contained performance that keeps sabotaging her own natural elegance."
 Brantley not only raves about our Cate but the all-Australian cast gets the thumbs up in this Tamas Ascher directed play. Read the full review here.
Uncle Vanya is a Sydney Theater Company production, presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,

Magic : Miriam Margolyes & Barry Humphries

It's usually a political grab fest with a variety of politicians going head to head: ABC TVs Q&A.

Tonight it was pure cabaret with a Barry Humphries and Miriam Margolyes dominating a panel that consisted of host Tony Jones and fellow panelists, former politician John Hewson, Oscar nominee Jackie Weaver and journalist David Marr.
Miriam spoke of her lesbianism, her anti-Zionism, her Canberra born partner and her wish to take out Australian citizenship.(she knows Don Bradman's batting average in anticipation of the citizenship test).
There are still tickets available for her Dickens' Women show at the Sydney Opera House this Thursday and after watching her performance as Ruth Pinch from Dicken's Martin Chuzzlewit at the end of Q&A , it's a must see.

Q&A can be watched now on the ABC Q&A website.

## In 1991 David Marr published his best selling biography of Australia's Nobel Prize winning author Patrick White. Today is the 100th year anniversary since White was born in Knighstbridge in London in 1912. He emigrated with his parents to Australia when he was 6 months old, living in a Sydney flat with servants and a nanny while his parents lived in the next door apartment.

This Sunday ABC TV screens In The Eye Of The Storm. Fred Schepisi's adaption of White's 1973 book of the same name. The film stars Charlotte Rampling, Judy Davis and Geoffrey Rush. Not to be missed.

Partying in Hollywood

Guy Pearce & Kate Mestitz (UPI)

Abbie Cornish

HOLLYWOOD'S GUM LEAF Mafia were out in force at the annual G'Day USA Ball in Hollywood. 

Miranda Kerr, Guy Pearce, Paul Hogan, Jackie Weaver, Abbie Cornish , Olivia Newton John and Rachel Taylor joined Priscilla Presley, John Travolta and Kate Winslet last night at the Hollywood & Highland Grand Ballroom

The menu was prepared by popular Australian chef Guy Grossi in collaboration with Wolfgang Puck. A selection of premium Aussie wines served and awards given to notable Australians who have made significant contributions to the entertainment industry including Air Supply and Guy Pearce-who is up for a Golden Globe at tomorrow's awards.
And the entertainment
 ..young Jack Vidgen of course. G'Day USA is an annual program designed to showcase Australian business capabilities in the USA - Australia's largest trading and investment partner.

Kate Winslet

Rachel Taylor

Cate Blanchett, Jackie Weaver a Hit in Washington

Cate Blanchett * Hugo Weaving * Jackie Weaver * Richard Roxborgh

 Another US hit for the Sydney Theatre Company under the auspices of Cate Blanchett. The latest production Uncle Vanya has received high praise.

Starring a host of Australian theatre heavyweights- Blanchett, Jackie Weaver, Hugo Weaving and Richard Roxburgh ( currently starring in Sunday's ABC TV hit Rake) one can only hold high expectations for staging of Anton Chekov's Uncle Vanya, currently running at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

Ben Brantley of the New York Times  describes the production as''outrageously funny and heartbreaking''  and the three hours watching it as among the happiest of my theater going life''.

Peter Marks in the Washington Post says :"The Sydney company, run jointly by Blanchett and (Andrew) Upton, came to town two years ago with an astonishing version of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” which was anchored by the actress. In its way, this emotionally in-touch “Uncle Vanya,” buoyed by its entire cast, is just as extraordinary. On the basis of this “Vanya,” no one should ever again try to convince you that Chekhov is a delicate flower. As Ascher shows us in his transformative production, the playwright’s pen could contain dynamite."

The Kings Cross Harlot's Ball

We didn't make it to the Harlot's Ball but more of that later.

writers Louis Nowra & Mandy Sawyer

The Shuttle did however attend the launch of Mandy Sayer's latest work of fiction : Love In The Year Of Lunacy. It was held at an appropriate venue, the re-vamped Swans Club in Kings Cross in their bar, a haven of leather arm chairs and zebra print cushions.Mandy Sayer was brought up around the Cross and Darlinghurst-her dad was a jazz musician. She's married to writer Louis Nowra and together they make one of Australia's most formidable writing teams.

Nowra is the author of some of our most respected plays  The Marvellous Boy and The Emperor of Sydney and he's either won a host of awards or been nominated for them including the Miles Franklin. He's also written quite a few screenplays including the Hollywood epic K19 The Widow Maker and 2 of the top Australian films Cosi and Map of The Human Heart.

The Shuttle has only read one of Mandy's books-Velocity published in 2005-but it was hard to put down once started. Velocity was her second no-holds barred memoir and detailed life with her mother and her mum's abusive relationships and attempted suicides tinged with some wonderful and tender moments.

Love In The Year Of Lunacy is set in and around Kings Cross and Woolloomooloo during the 1940s and is described as:  "a moving, tender and compelling story of forbidden love set amid the devastation of war". After snapping up a copy at the launch we're looking forward to a jolly good read.

And the Harlots ?.

Our latest Hollywood discovery Jackie Weaver who is a pal of Sayer was to launch the book but got a sudden call to Los Angeles to sign for her first leading role starring opposite Rhys Ifans.

Into the breach stepped Australian folklore historian and musician Warren Fahey who can liven up any setting. As Mandy's book is set in the '40s Fahey sang us a ditty which he swore is from the era. It's full of dirty words but good fun. Listen below:

Love In The Year Of Lunacy is published by Allen & Unwin and is in book stores now.

Jackie's Star Rises

Getty

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."

Will Oscar Be Kind to Emile ?




Emile Sherman (second left) collects a Bafta for The Kings Speech

 

While the hopes of locals are centred on Geoffrey Rush and Jackie Weaver at today's Academy Awards event, one family is hoping The King's Speech comes up trumps for their boy.

Emile Sherman produced the film and was behind a number of Australian films many of which sank from the box office without trace. While Rabbit Proof Fence did well in the European markets, others like $9.99, Candy, The Kings of Mykonos went straight to video after a short theatrical release.

The disastrous The Night We Called it A Day which starred Dennis Hopper as Frank Sinatra and was based on a real life incidence when Cranky Franky was holed up in a Sydney hotel unable to leave after unions put a blanket ban on his movements when he publicly insulted female journalists, was a major box office bomb.

Sherman is the son of noted Sydney philanthropists Brian and Gene Sherman and Emile runs his production office out of mum Gene's Sherman art gallery in Paddington.



Emile's parents- Gene & Brian Sherman



The family are all vegetarians, a trend begun by sister Ondine when she discovered at age 8 that meat came from animals. She refused point blank  to ever eat it again and the family soon followed suit.

Brian Sherman who sold his Equitlink, the biggest private investment company in Australia for billions of dollars  in 2000 now concentrates on charitable ventures and in particular animal causes. He donates millions of dollars to Animal Liberation.

Brian, Gene and Ondine will be watching this morning to see if Emile makes that winning walk to the Oscar's stage.

                                        ********************************
Stop Press : the whoops of joy emanating from the Sherman Galleries in Paddington could be heard from streets away this afternoon as a small family gathering watched the Academy Awards  as Emile Sherman proudly collected an Oscar for The King's Speech.

5 Australians collected Oscars and it's a toss up whether director Tom Hooper should be regarded as one-he collected an award for Best Film with The King's Speech -he's a dual citizen with an Australian mother -who, as in the tale he recounted at the ceremoney was the inspiration behind the film.

Stepping Out in the Big Apple



Rose Byrne



The delectable Aussie export Rose Byrne wearing a delicious pale pink Ralph Lauren  gown was at the uber smart Ciprianos on Wall Street, New York on Thursday evening for a ball to launch this year's New York Fashion Week. Rose arrived on the arm of honorary Aussie citizen actor Liev Shreiber.

No scandal here- Liev did the gentlemanly thing and escorted Rose a good pal of his wife Naomi Watts who had filming commitments and couldn't make the event. Rose is currently filming X-Men: First Class while Naomi is filming the bio-pic J.Edgar  which stars Leo DiCaprio as the famous cross dressing FBI boss J.Edgar Hoover.



On the same night in the same town Geoffrey Rush was being honoured for his role in The King's Speech at a dinner at the 5 star Mandarin Oriental hotel in Columbus Circle. Amongst the gum-leaf mafia were 2 of New York's newest residents Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin who moved to the Big Apple last September so Baz could work on his next project The Great Gastby.

 Luhrmann shot down in flames the recent claim that his movie had been shelved and told the Shuttle's mole that he had 2 studios after the project- Sony and Warner Brothers and that he would be making a decision on which studio to go with as early as the end of next week.The Great Gatsby also stars Leo DiCaprio in the lead role.                                                    

Meanwhile closer to home our gal Jackie Weaver who is being wined and dined from New York to Santa Monica and winning awards on the strength of her Oscar nomination for the film Animal Kingdom  is the recipient of another accolade.

Proudly displayed at the concierge counter at the smart Horizon building in East Sydney where any number of well known Sydneysiders lay their heads including Weaver, a large framed photograph of a beaming Jackie is displayed with a congratulatory note from the building's management.

Playwright David Williamson Honoured at US film Festival

With less than three weeks to go to the Academy Awards, tributes continue to flow in for Australian film identities.

Jackie & Hailee at Santa Barbara AP

On Sunday at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival David Williamson (right) was part of the team that received the prestige Panavison Spirit Award for Independent Cinema for the film he wrote, Face to Face directed by Michael Rymer-the first time in the festival's history a non-mainstream Hollywood film has received the award .  

Face to Face stars Vince Colisimo, Matthew Newton , Sigrid Thornton and Luke Ford.

And at the same festival Jackie Weaver received a Virtuoso Tribute Award for her performance in Animal Kingdom.

Phil Noyce & Jackie Weaver AP

Also honoured with a Virtuoso Award was newcomer Hailee Steinfeld for her role in True Grit. Both Jackie and Hailee will be competing for the Best Supporting Actress award at the Oscars.

On Monday Jackie was the guest of honour at a lunch at a Santa Monica restaurant with a host of Hollywood types-director Phil Noyce and actors John Lithgow and Billy Baldwin with director Quentin Tarantino paying a flying visit.

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

Some Joy For Geoffrey Rush & Sly Stallone Loves Jackie

Lucy Durack

Pippa Grandison & David Wenham

He may not have picked up a gong at the Golden Globe Awards but Geoffrey Rush scored some accolades at last night's Sydney Theatre Awards when the production of Diary of A Madman in which Geoffrey stars won 4 awards : Best Supporting Actress, Best Costume, Best Lighting Design and Best Score. 

A host of theatricals like David Wenham, Pippa Grandison, Gia Carrides and Susie Porter attended the awards at the Paddington RSL Club.

Rush is the executive producer of The King's Speech so he should feel some satisfaction in it's Best Film award last night at the Globes and Jackie Weaver, despite being a non-winner still  has a staggering nine nominations in various US  film awards for her role in Animal Kingdom and she is sure to be nominated for an Oscar

Adam Garcia at the awards

Jackie is drowning in compliments on her US promotional tour with a host of Globe attendees heaping praise upon her. She told the Shuttle this morning from LA that she had met Sylvester Stallone, Mel Brooks and Colin Firth who all approached her on the night to congratulate her. She has also received dozens of offers of work and is carting a pile of scripts around to read on her nationwide tour.

Diary of A Madman demonstrates Geoffrey Rush's extraordinary commitment to live theatre. He commands up to $5 million a picture but is working for union wages in the state subsidised Belvoir Street Theatre

The Shuttle watched Geoffrey's wonderful performance in the 150 seat theatre at last Sunday's matinee.

Within 3 hours of the curtain falling Rush was on a Qantas jet to Los Angeles to attend the Golden Globe Awards. At mid-day today, Rush was again in the air for the 18 hour trip back to Sydney to appear in Wednesday evening's production.

Now that is dedication !

"inspiration"

At the Sydney Theatre Awards, legendary Shakespearean actor and director John Bell  (left ) received a Lifetime Achievement award. John revealed the inspiration for his theatre career-as a child in the UK watching George Formby (right) performing.

Other awards received: Scott Rankin for Best New Production with Namatjira, the play about the Aboriginal artist with indigenous actor Derek Lynch receiving an award for Best Newcomer. Another indigenous performer Christine Anu won Best Performance in a Musical while Trevor Ashley received the award for Best Cabaret in his one-man show I'm Every Woman.

Aussie Actors Nominated For Golden Globe Awards

Geoffrey Rush : The King's Speech

3 stalwarts of the Australian film industry are up for Critics' Choice Awards-Nicole Kidman, Jackie Weaver and Geoffrey Rush  but the surprise choice is young teen actor  Kodi Smit-McPhee who excelled in the independent hit  Romulus My Father in 2007.

Kidman will be competing with Natalie Portman and Annette Bening in the Best Actress category for her performance in Rabbit Hole while Geoffrey Rush is sure to win for his terrific performance as the Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue who tutored a stuttering King George IV on how to handle public speaking.

Colin Firth who played the King has been nominated as Best Actor. The King's Speech has  Golden Globe and Oscar winner written all over it.

Jackie Weaver who cleaned up at the Australian Film Industry Awards ( AFI) for her role as the tough talking matriarch of a crime family in Animal Kingdom has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress (another certain Oscar nominee).

14 year old Kodi Smit-McPhee who may walk away with an award as the Best New Young Actor / Actress for his part in Let Me In will compete with his co-star Chloe Grace Moretz  for the same gong.

Kodi won an AFI award for Romulus playing the son of an Italian immigrant (Eric Bana).
For the full list of awards go to the Critic's Choice website.

An interview with Chloe & Kodi at the Sitges Festival:

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 !