Monday, February 28, 2005
The Winners and Losers on Oscar Night
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Million Dollar Baby" director Clint Eastwood was the big winner at the Oscars on Sunday, but spare a thought for Martin Scorsese and Annette Bening, forced once again to smile through their disappointment.
Following is a list of some of the night's movers and shakers, losers and heart-breakers.
AND THE WINNERS ARE...
- Eastwood was the undisputed champion of the night. He won best director, and his boxing drama also won best picture, best actress and best supporting actor. The only disappointment for the 74-year-old is that he did not make it a personal treble; Jamie Foxx won the best actor category for "Ray."
- Hilary Swank won her second Oscar for playing a woman who convinces a grizzled boxing trainer, played by Eastwood, to take her to the top in "Million Dollar Baby."
- Jamie Foxx was overwhelming favorite to take the best actor Oscar for "Ray," his widely acclaimed portrayal of soul music legend Ray Charles, and the pundits proved right.
- Many felt Morgan Freeman was long overdue a golden statuette, and he finally won with his fourth attempt. He played Eastwood's aging sidekick in "Million Dollar Baby."
AND THE LOSERS ARE...
- Martin Scorsese, the respected director of leading Oscar contender "The Aviator," has picked up seven nominations during a groundbreaking career, but has yet to win anything.
Not only did Eastwood pip him to the post for best director, but "Million Dollar Baby" also eclipsed "The Aviator" for best film. His consolation? Five Oscars for "The Aviator," but mostly in minor categories.
- Bening lost out to Swank for best actress for the second time. Some had expected Bening to take the award for her portrayal of fading stage diva Julia Lambert in "Being Julia," but Swank prevailed. In 2000, Bening was up for best actress in "American Beauty," but lost to Swank for "Boys Don't Cry." This year was Bening's third Oscar nomination.
- Brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein, poised to leave the Miramax Films studio they founded, went out with more of a whimper than a bang. Miramax got 20 nominations for films it distributed last year, including "The Aviator" and "Finding Neverland," but missed out on the coveted best picture prize.
