The a-list have shuffled their way down the red carpet and finally settled themselves into their seats at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles for the 86th Annual Academy Awards. It's the biggest night of awards season (but I still prefer the BAFTAs…) and all eyes are on the toast of the film industry. This year I'm managed to see virtually all the films up for the major awards (save Blue Jasmine which I am gutted not to have seen) and for once feel like I can actually offer a proper opinion on the nominees and who I'd like to win.
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In the acting categories Cate Blanchett and Jared Leto are pretty much guaranteed the Lead Actress and Supporting Actor awards respectively, and I completely agree - Leto was astonishing in Dallas Buyers Club. Although Matthew McConaughey has dominated the Lead Actor category thus far throughout the season I'm hoping beyond measure that Chiwetel Ejiofor can scope the top prize. I wasn't too impressed by McConaughey at all but I know he's practically a shoo-in to walk away with the award. It's a tight race between Lupita Nyong'o and JLaw for Supporting Actress, and I love them both but my fingers and toes are crossed for Nyong'o tonight - her beautiful performance in 12 Years a Slave seriously deserves recognition from the Academy.
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I'm routing for The Great Beauty (Foreign Language Film), Frozen (Animated Film), and Philomena (Adapted Screenplay). Gravity deserves to sweep up the technical categories but I think it has stiff competition from The Grandmaster for Cinematography (although Gravity will invariably win). I also really hope that if Steve McQueen loses out on Best Directing to Alfonso Cuarón (as I suspect he will) then 12 Years a Slave takes home the most anticipated award of the evening: Best Picture. Despite all nine nominees in the category having their virtues, none of them came close to 12 Years a Slave, and it would be completely amiss for the Academy to overlook such a poignant and important film.
While the show is underway and the winners are revealed, here's a look at the Best Dressed on the red carpet this evening. Retaining her crown as the undisputed Queen of the Red Carpet is the ethereal and resplendent Lupita Nyong'o. She lit up the red carpet with this gorgeous custom Prada ice blue gown with a plunging neckline, accessorised with a Fred Leighton headband and jewellery. Nyong'o is incapable of putting a sartorial foot wrong and this look is the icing on top of a perfect season for her. Now all she needs is the ultimate accessory: a Best Actress in a Supporting Role award…
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CATE BLANCHETT
Armani Privé gown with Chopard jewellery
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AMY ADAMS
Gucci Première gown with Tiffany & Co. jewellery
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JARED LETO
Saint Laurent
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JENNIFER LAWRENCE
Dior gown with Neil Lane jewellery
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SANDRA BULLOCK
Alexander McQueen
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ANNE HATHAWAY
Gucci
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LEONARDO DICAPRIO
Giorgio Armani
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NAOMI WATTS
Calvin Klein Collection with Bulgari jewellery
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JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT
Calvin Klein Collection
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JULIA ROBERTS
Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci
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BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH
Spencer Hart (?)
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KERRY WASHINGTON
Jason Wu
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MICHAEL FASSBENDER
Tom Ford
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SARAH PAULSON
Elie Saab
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CHRISTOPH WALTZ
Prada
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IDINA MENZEL
Vera Wang
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BRADLEY COOPER
Tom Ford
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CALISTA FLOCKHART
Andrew Gn gown with Jacob & Co. earrings
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EMMA WATSON
Vera Wang
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BRAD PITT & ANGELINA JOLIE
Tom Ford tuxedo // Elie Saab gown
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OLIVIA WILDE & JASON SUDEIKIS
Valentino gown with Lorraine Schwartz jewellery // Prada suit
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They've well and truly stolen the Best Couple crown from Brangelina with this adorable display on the red carpet:
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Overall, and from what I've seen so far, I'm a little disappointed this year. Apart from Lupita Nyong'o achieving Cinderella-esque perfection in Prada and perhaps JLaw's bold red Dior, no other women really stood out for me. The red carpet was a sea of column dresses - looks I'd normally love - but tonight it all seemed a little boring as there was very little diversity. Every other celebrity was wearing either a bejewelled nude/white gown or navy blue/black, accessorised with ridiculously expensive jewellery (see Charlize Theron in $15 million of Harry Winston diamonds). Similarly with the men: gone are the awards shows this season where they've taken risks with colours and textures, and once again it's a monotonous crowd of plain black tuxedoes. I know it's the Oscars, but still! Thank goodness for Jared Leto and his flowing locks for injecting a bit of variety into the mix.
I'm sorry, but for me it's all a bit 'meh' this year. The majority of those on the red carpet have definitely had better looks this season which is a shame as everything seems to build to the Academy Awards. This should be the crowning jewel in the arduous slog of awards shows and publicity circuits, but instead it's been a bit of a fashion letdown.
Fingers crossed the awards themselves make up for it, and after all there's always new looks from the Vanity Fair after-party to look forward to as well. Here's to a better red carpet in a few hours time...
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