Tag: James Earl Jones

2011 Governors Awards Arrival & Ceremony Photos

Last night, the Academy presented Honorary Awards to actor James Earl Jones and makeup artist Dick Smith and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to philanthropist Oprah Winfrey at the 3rd Annual Governors Awards dinner at the Grand Ballroom at the Hollywood & Highland Center in California.

Click HERE to watch the 2011 Governors Awards Video Highlights.

To honor James Earl Jones, aka Darth Vader, Star Wars stormtroopers and Academy President Tom Sherak introduced the 2011 Governors Awards in the Grand Ballroom. Sherak remarked, “How was your week?” in reference to the exit of producer Brett Ratner and host Eddie Murphy and the replacement of new host Billy Crystal and producer Brian Grazer.

Oscar®-nominated Actress Glenn Close spoke as part of the award presentation to Honorary Award recipient James Earl Jones. The actor was presented with his award on stage in London at the Wyndham Theater, where he is starring in “Driving Miss Daisy” with Vanessa Redgrave. Jones said, “What the heck else would you call that but an actor’s wet dream?” after receiving the award from Sir Ben Kingsley.

Born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, Jones made his film debut in 1964 in Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.” In 1970, he earned an Academy Award® nomination for his role as boxer Jack Jefferson in “The Great White Hope.” Jones has appeared in more than 50 feature films including “Claudine,” “Conan the Barbarian,” “Field of Dreams,” “Coming to America” and, as Vice Admiral James Greer, “The Hunt for Red October,” “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger.” Additionally, Jones has also voiced some of the most iconic characters in motion pictures including Darth Vader in the Star Wars trilogy and Mufasa in “The Lion King.”

Oscar®-nominated Actress Linda Blair, Producer/Director J.J. Abrams, and Oscar-winning Makeup Artist Rick Baker spoke as part of the award presentation to Honorary Award recipient Dick Smith. In his speech, a choked-up Dick Smith said, “I have loved being a makeup artist so much, but this puts a crown on all of that. I am so grateful.”

Known as the “godfather of makeup,” Smith began his career in 1945 as NBC’s first makeup man. He is known for his makeup artistry on such films as “The Godfather,” “The Exorcist” and “Taxi Driver.” In 1984 he won an Oscar® for his work on “Amadeus,” and received a nomination for “Dad” (1989). As an educator, Smith helped train many of today’s Academy Award-winning and nominated makeup artists including Rick Baker, Greg Cannom, Kevin Haney, Kazuhiro Tsuji, Mike Elizalde and Carl Fullerton.

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award recipient Oprah Winfrey (left) and Honorary Oscar® Recipient Dick Smith

Maria Shriver, Quincy Jones and John Travolta introduced the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award recipient Oprah Winfrey. Travolta said,”I don’t think the world is big enough to reflect your spirit.” In her acceptance speech, Winfrey said, “To be here tonight, it is unimaginable if… you are a black, “colored girl,” born in Mississippi in 1954.”

Since receiving her Oscar nomination for her debut film performance in “The Color Purple,” actress, television host and producer Winfrey has gone on to establish herself as one of the most influential figures in entertainment and philanthropy. She has been especially dedicated to supporting educational initiatives and raising awareness of issues that affect women and children, both in the United States and around the globe. Her philanthropic efforts have included Oprah’s Angel Network, the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, and the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, which opened in South Africa in 2007.

The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is given to an individual for “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.” The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, an Oscar statuette, is given to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.

RED CARPET ARRIVALS:

Actress Octavia Spencer (left), Producer Tate Taylor (center) and Oscar®-nominated Actress Viola Davis (THE HELP)

Actor Julius Tennon (left), Oscar®-nominated Actress Viola Davis (center) and Producer Tate Taylor

Actress Octavia Spencer

Actress Octavia Spencer (left) and Oscar®-nominated Actress Viola Davis

Actor Michael Fassbender (left) and screenwriter Steve McQueen (SHAME)

Actress Evan Rachel Wood (THE IDES OF MARCH)

Actor Gary Oldman (right) and guest (TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY)

Oscar®-winning Actress Tilda Swinton (WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN)

Oscar®-nominated Actress Sharon Stone

Oscar®-winning Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (J. EDGAR)

Actress Melissa McCarthy (BRIDESMAIDS)

Actress Melissa McCarthy (right) and Actor Ben Falcone

Actress Ellen Barkin

Actor Malcolm McDowell (left) and guest

Actress Janet McTeer (left) and Oscar®-nominated Actress Glenn Close (ALBERT NOBBS)

Actress Shailene Woodley (THE DESCENDANTS)

Actress Andrea Riseborough (W.E.)

Oscar®-nominated Actor John Travolta (left) and Actress Kelly Preston

Director/Screenwriter Michel Hazanavicius (left), Actress Bérénice Bejo (center) and Actor Jean Dujardin (THE ARTIST)

Actress Rita Wilson (left) and Author Maria Shriver

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James Earl Jones, Dick Smith and Oprah Winfrey To Receive Academy’s Governors Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

James Earl Jones, Dick Smith and Oprah Winfrey
To Receive Academy’s Governors Awards

Beverly Hills, CA – The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted tonight to present Honorary Awards to actor James Earl Jones and makeup artist Dick Smith and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to philanthropist Oprah Winfrey. All three awards will be presented at the Academy’s 3rd Annual Governors Awards dinner on Saturday, November 12, at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center®.

Born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, Jones made his film debut in 1964 in Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.” In 1970, he earned an Academy Award® nomination for his role as boxer Jack Jefferson in “The Great White Hope.” Jones has appeared in more than 50 feature films including “Claudine,” “Conan the Barbarian,” “Field of Dreams,” “Coming to America” and, as Vice Admiral James Greer, “The Hunt for Red October,” “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger.” Additionally, Jones has also voiced some of the most iconic characters in motion pictures including Darth Vader in the Star Wars trilogy and Mustafa in “The Lion King.”

Known as the “godfather of makeup,” Smith began his career in 1945 as NBC’s first makeup man. He is known for his makeup artistry on such films as “The Godfather,” “The Exorcist” and “Taxi Driver.” In 1984 he won an Oscar® for his work on “Amadeus,” and received a nomination for “Dad” (1989). As an educator, Smith helped train many of today’s Academy Award-winning and nominated makeup artists including Rick Baker, Greg Cannom, Kevin Haney, Kazuhiro Tsuji, Mike Elizalde and Carl Fullerton.

Since receiving her Oscar nomination for her debut film performance in “The Color Purple,” actress, television host and producer Winfrey has gone on to establish herself as one of the most influential figures in entertainment and philanthropy. She has been especially dedicated to supporting educational initiatives and raising awareness of issues that affect women and children, both in the United States and around the globe. Her philanthropic efforts have included Oprah’s Angel Network, the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, and the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, which opened in South Africa in 2007.

The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is given to an individual for “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, an Oscar statuette, is given to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.

The Governors Awards presentation will be produced for the Academy by writer-director Phil Robinson with Charlie Haykel and Juliane Hare of Don Mischer Productions.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

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Review: ‘Earth’

shark

Earth… the final frontier… oops, wrong movie!   No, this is the new film from Disney’s nature division called ‘Earth’. I was very apprehensive about this film after seeing the trailer a few months back. It seemed like Disney was just reusing footage from the BBC mini-series ‘Planet Earth’ to make a quick buck at the box office.   After seeing the film, my opinion was slightly changed.

Yes, 70% of the footage in ‘Earth’ is taken right out of the ‘Planet Earth’ mini series, but they did change the narration of the film. Disney swapped out Sigourney Weaver for the great James Earl Jones. They also altered the dialog and information so that it would be entertaining for kids 7-17. Jones add some humor during some of the scenes with the monkeys and woodland ducks.

‘Earth’ concentrates on following three species of animals, Polar Bears, Elephants and  Humpback Whales through a year on the planet. Earth shows the struggles they go through to find food, water and to evade predators to survive the year. This is Disney so the only animal in the film seen killing another one is the Great White Shark (seen above) leaping from the ocean with a seal in his mouth.

‘Earth’ is educational and entertaining for older kids. But in this critic’s opinion ‘Earth’ is a “cliff notes” version of the BBC mini-series ‘Planet Earth’. If you have seen the mini-series, you have seen everything in this film. If you haven’t seen ‘Planet Earth’ it airs regularly on the Discovery Channel and is available on DVD.   But if you have grade school kids that you would have to chain to a chair to watch a 6 hour series, ‘Earth’ is just for you and your kids.   ***Earth Day Alert*** If you see this film  between April 22nd (Opening Day) and April 29th,   Disney will plant a tree for every ticket sold! I can beathe the new oxygen as I am writing this.

Rated G

Running Time: 90 minutes

[Overall: 2.75 stars out of 5]

Disney’s ‘Earth’ is revealed…

Can I first say that James Earl Jones is BACK!!!! Okay the movie Earth is how Walt Disney Studios will  celebrate Earth Day 2009.  This is the  first feature length nature documentary from its new production banner, Disneynature. This amazing new  film from award winning British producer/director Alastair Fothergill, whose credits include the Emmy and Peabody award-winning “Planet Earth† series   and “The Blue Planet.† The movie will take audience viewers  on an extraordinary tour of our home planet as its never been seen before. The film is narrated by my favorite person who has the voice of God James Earl Jones. I am totally on board for this movie hits theaters. To get a better look at this new movie click on the URL to check out. http://www.canmag.com/nw/12854-disney-earth-poster-trailer

Source: www.canmag.com