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CNN Live Today
Hollywood Gets Ready for Oscar Night
Aired March 22, 2002 - 14:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Some anxious jitters for Hollywood glitter on Sunday night, all-important awards night, just two days away now and counting. Daryn Kagan been out there all week. We're tracking here once again outside the Kodak Theater. You have got a lot of red behind you, hey, Daryn?
DARYN KAGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's a lot of red carpet, Bill. Incredible to be standing on -- actually in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard, which is usually one of the busiest streets in all of Los Angeles.
Let's give you a little tour here. Behind me, you can see a tent, I'm sure. That's the security tent. Everybody must go through that, including some of the biggest actors and actresses in the world. And then, they're going to sashay come down this red carpet. That's all going to start in about 50 hours from right now.
This area in front of me is where the media will be. In fact, I'm just about right in front of where I will be standing on Sunday as I try to wrangle the stars and bring them to you on our special. We'll talk about the special in just a moment.
Let's talk about one of the categories, and that's the category for best actress. This category, like so many of them, is a tough call this year. Some great performances, yet none that is necessarily a slam dunk. Let's take a list at who is nominated.
Halle Berry, nominated for "Monster's Ball", an incredibly unglamorous and raw performance from her. Judi Dench, nominated for "Iris", as she portrays author Iris Murdoch as she fell into the depths of Alzheimer's. Nicole Kidman had an incredible year. Of course, she survived the divorce with Tom Cruise but then also went on to give two great performances in "The Others" and then in this one, "Moulin Rouge", which is the one that she is nominated for. Sissy Spacek for "In The Bedroom", a lot of people consider her a favorite. And then Renee Zellweger, who defied the critics, managed to put on some extra pounds and put on a British accent and charmed audiences with "Bridget Jones' Diary."
But, Halle Berry, a woman making history, part of a historical year here, one of three African-American actors who is nominated. Let's go ahead and take a listen to what Halle Berry has to say about this opportunity and this honor in her own words.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "MONSTER'S BALL")
HALLE BERRY, ACTRESS: My name the Letitia Musgrove (ph) and me and Hank is friends.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Letitia was so well written. You know, and I liked here. I liked the fact that she was imperfect and flawed and that she was so angry but yet so vulnerable.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "MONSTER'S BALL")
BILLY BOB THORNTON, ACTOR: Hey. Where are you going? What happened?
BERRY: I met your daddy.
THORNTON: Listen, just get out and talk to me...
BERRY: Get your hands off me, Hank.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
I don't think the director, Mark Forster, who is a wonderful director, I don't think I was his first choice, absolutely not. I just wore him down. I just kept coming at him and I was really passionate about it and I was giving every reason why I thought I could and how I could connect to who this woman was and how I thought she could live in me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For best performance by an actress in a leading role, the nominees are...
BERRY: You never know how people are going to vote and what's in their hearts and what's in their heads.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Halle Berry in "Monster's Ball."
BERRY: I just am out of my head. You know, I never thought in my career that my name would ever be mentioned with Oscar.
Women of color aren't often there. So to be there and not only represent myself, but I represent all of us in a way, you know, all women of -- people, women of color. So it feels great.
I love fashion. I love clothes. I love dressing up. So that's the fun of. I know it sounds a bit shallow. but I'm focusing more on that part of it because the other part of it, you know, is not really up to me.
You know, actors know how scary it is to be on the other side of the camera. So this means so much. So, the question is how long will it before I like stop spinning out of control until the Oscars.
This is just unbelievable. I wouldn't -- I just didn't think this would be happening to me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: One of the big mysteries, not only who will win the best actress category, but as you heard Halle Berry talking about clothes and fashion, what will she be wearing on Sunday as she goes and walks down this red carpet. One of the big fashion questions and, Bill, as you know, fashion is as much a part of the big night on Sunday night as the awards themselves.
HEMMER: And you know how much of a guru I am on fashion.
KAGAN: Yes, exactly. I've worked with you, though.
HEMMER: By the way, how is your outfit coming together? You got it all lined up?
KAGAN: I'm all ready to go. Got the dress, got the shoes, got the jewels, just hopefully, just won't spill soup down the front of me before the awards begin.
HEMMER: Got to have the shoes. You showed us a very nice pair of shoes yesterday.
KAGAN: Yes, I know. You were thinking about the shoes. And the shoe models, Michaela Ingrid (ph), I'm sure you were thinking about that. I was looking around today for some eye candy for you. It's not here yet. But I'm sure by Sunday, there will be plenty.
HEMMER: Yes, 48 hours.
KAGAN: OK.
HEMMER: Thanks, Daryn. See you later.
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