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American Morning
Oscars Big Night For 'A Beautiful Mind', Berry, Washington
Aired March 25, 2002 - 09:01 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: "Up Front" this morning: it was a beautiful night for Hollywood to make history. The movie "A Beautiful Mind" won the Oscar for best picture, but the night belonged to two of the other big winners. Denzel Washington took home the best actor award for his role in the film "Training Day," becoming just the second African-American to win in this category, and Halle Berry stopped the show when she accepted her best actress Oscar for "Monster's Ball," the first African-American woman to win for a leading role.
Let's go back to Los Angeles, Daryn Kagan standing by after being awake many, many hours but you had a very good night last night. You had a lot of access. Did you have fun?
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I did, I did. Actually something you said kind of made an interesting point there, that reminded me. I kind of felt sorry for Ron Howard and the "Beautiful Mind" people, because it is like, Oh, yeah. By the way, Ron Howard won best director.
ZAHN: Particularly after that campaign. Absolutely.
KAGAN: It won for best picture. Yes, after one of the nastiest campaigns.
But, really today Hollywood, Paula, is just aglow with the news of -- this historic news of Denzel Washington, as you mentioned, winning best actor, and Halle Berry winning at best actress. I want to explain to you, I was back stage while most of you were at home watching the Oscars on television, I was back stage with a lot of reporters and I want to explain to you how it works back there. As the show was going on, the winners are brought back, and it is a chance for reporters like me to ask questions of the winners, but this could be kind of distracting and multi-tasking because the show is on big monitors, and we're allowed to listen while we're talking to winners. This could cause a problem, as it kind of did, I am going to show you Robert Redford who, of course, was honored with a lifetime achievement, and his contribution to the film industry. He was back there answering reporters' questions when Denzel Washington was announced as the winner for best actor. Let's take a look at how that played out, and then some sound from Denzel Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT REDFORD, ACTOR: ...and the idea was to increase, as I said earlier, to keep diversity alive in the industry...
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Denzel -- Denzel Washington just won for best actor.
REDFORD: I think it's a great. I'm a friend of Denzel's, and he's on the board at Sun Dance.
QUESTION: Is it better the second time around?
DENZEL WASHINGTON, ACTOR: You know what, I think it is more exciting, or surreal the first time. I was just taking pictures with Halle Berry, and she doesn't where she is. She's gone. She's out there. Yeah, I know the feeling. When I won 10, 11 years ago, I ran into Kevin Kline, because I think he had won the year before, and as soon as I went off stage, I was like -- I just didn't know if I had actually won, or if I just ran up there and -- it is surreal.
...do I what? No, seriously.
QUESTION: Do you feel that there will be a time where we will not have headlines saying "Black Actor Wins," and do you think...
WASHINGTON: Well, do you write for a newspaper?
QUESTION: Unfortunately, yes.
WASHINGTON: Well, then make sure it doesn't happen tomorrow. Just say "Actor Wins."
QUESTION: That is very fair.
WASHINGTON: What a chance you have. What an opportunity. What an opportunity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: So positive, that's what Denzel Washington is. And also, of course, this happening on a night when not only Robert Redford, but Sidney Poitier being honored for his contribution, and his lifetime achievement to film. So, really, really, and incredible night in Hollywood.
Now that we have the history part aside, of course, the other big news was fashion news, and Halle Berry not just making history, but making a fashion statement, choosing to wear a designer that most people have never heard of. I had a chance to ask her why she picked this gown to wear on this night when she made history, and here's a little bit of that one on one interview. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HALLE BERRY, ACTRESS: It's about the clothes. Trust me, I know. i know.
KAGAN: How many dresses did it come down between, and how did you know this was the one.
BERRY: I didn't -- I saw tons of them, I won't lie to you.
KAGAN: If there's a dress out there, you've seen it.
BERRY: I have seen it. But this was one of my early favorites. When I first saw this dress, I didn't even have a reason to wear it. I wasn't even nominated, but I saw that dress...
KAGAN: You saw this before you ever were nominated?
BERRY: I saw it months ago. Months. And I said to Phillip Bloch, my stylist, I would love to wear that if I had somewhere really fabulous to go, but since I don't, send it back. And when I got nominated this was in my mind, and I thought, what about that dress? And I saw many others, but this always spoke to me for some reason.
KAGAN: And tell me again, who did the dress?
BERRY: Elie Saab.
KAGAN: Which is not a very well-known designer?
BERRY: No.
KAGAN: Now he is.
BERRY: I hope I have done something wonderful for him. That would make me feel good, if now he is able to reap the the benefits.
KAGAN: You made history in this dress.
BERRY: Yes, and he's a fine designer, and so this will be good for him.
KAGAN: And just have to ask a girlfriend thing, how do you get everything placed in the right place, so that when you are making history up on the stage, everything is still in the right place?
BERRY: Well, this is really secure. No matter what I do, nothing is coming out. I tested it. Personally. I practically did gymnastics in this dress before I was going to wear it. I'm in there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: That she was, and a dress that was even more beautiful in person. And Paula, just real quickly, one comment about my dress...
ZAHN: Yes.
KAGAN: When the crawl wasn't there, there was a dress there.
ZAHN: I know. For a while, they were worried about you, Daryn.
KAGAN: I know, it looked like -- I went naked to the Oscars, but trust me, the dress was very much there, and it was a fun night to get all dressed up.
ZAHN: Well, you know what, I think most of the guys, in fact all of the guys in the crew would agree, as lovely as Halle Berry looked last night, she had nothing on you. You looked terrific.
KAGAN: Oh, Paula. Well, thank you very much.
ZAHN: But I am glad you made the banner distinction, because we were worried about you, Daryn.
KAGAN: I told them to shoot it wide, but that's what you get.
ZAHN: I know you had a good time, and had great access. Thanks for that report.
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