By Bob Tourtellotte
LOS ANGELES, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Rags-to-riches romance 'Slumdog Millionaire' scooped up six early Oscar awards on Sunday including best adapted screenplay and original score and was expected to garner the best movie prize.
Other early honors went to Penelope Cruz who became the first Spanish actress to win an Academy Award for her supporting role in 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona.' Heath Ledger was posthumously named best supporting actor for his villainous role as The Joker in Batman movie 'The Dark Knight.'
But it was 'Slumdog,' an often dark but ultimately hopeful tale about a poor Indian boy who competes for love and money on a TV game show, that seemed to be cruising to a big night.
Among the Oscars it earned were best adapted screenplay for its writer Simon Beaufoy, best cinematography, sound mixing, film editing and original score for composer A.R. Rahman.
'The essence of the film is about optimism and the power of hope in our lives,' he said.
Holding back tears when her award was announced, Cruz thanked Woody Allen, director of 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona,' and Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, who was instrumental in putting her on a track to stardom. She dedicated the Oscar to her family and 'everyone who has helped me from the beginning.'
The award for Ledger, who died last year of an accidental prescription drug overdose, brought the crowd to its feet. He became only the second actor after Peter Finch to win posthumously.
The Oscar was accepted by his father, Kim Ledger, sister Kate and mother Sally Bell. 'This award tonight would have humbly validated his quiet determination to be truly accepted by you all here, his peers, in an industry he truly loved,' Kim Ledger said.
In other awards, Dustin Lance Black won the best original screenplay Oscar for writing 'Milk,' about slain gay activist Harvey Milk, and 'Wall-E,' telling of a futuristic robot who finds love while on a polluted Earth, was best animated film.
'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' walked off with two statuettes for best art direction and makeup, and 'The Duchess' won for best costume design.
'Man on Wire' about a tightrope walker who dared to walk between New York's Twin Towers was named best documentary.
JACKMAN PUTS ON A SHOW
As the ceremony began, host Hugh Jackman put the show in full musical mode with an opening routine that drew a standing ovation from the star-studded crowd that included nominees Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Mickey Rourke and Anne Hathaway.
The number covered all five of the best film nominees and had Jackman dancing hip hop, hitting high notes in a duet with Hathaway for 'Frost/Nixon' and climbing to the top rope of a fake wrestling ring to crescendo his song with 'The Wrestler.'
Later, he performed an old-style number in top hat and tails with Beyonce, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. Among the funnier acts was Ben Stiller doing an impersonation of a wacky Joaquin Phoenix, who has quit acting to take up hip hop music.
But the major awards were still to come.
In the best picture category, 'Slumdog' is widely expected to walk off with the best film Oscar. Its key competition comes from 'Milk,' starring Penn as gay activist Harvey Milk, and 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' with Pitt as a man who ages backward.
The other nominees are 'Frost/Nixon,' which recounts the historic interviews of disgraced former U.S. President Richard Nixon by British TV host David Frost, and 'The Reader.'
The competition for best-actor appears to be a two-way battle between Penn and Mickey Rourke as a faded athlete in 'The Wrestler.'
Kate Winslet is tipped for best actress playing a German Nazi-era prison guard in 'The Reader' over Meryl Streep as a nun who suspects sex abuse in a Catholic school in 'Doubt.
(Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
((To read more about our entertainment news, visit our blog 'Fan Fare' online at http://blogs.reuters.com/fanfare/) ((For Full coverage of the Oscars, double click on )) Keywords: OSCARS/ (bob.tourtellotte@thomsonreuters.com; +1-213-955-6754; Reuters Messaging: bob.tourtellotte.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
LOS ANGELES, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Rags-to-riches romance 'Slumdog Millionaire' scooped up six early Oscar awards on Sunday including best adapted screenplay and original score and was expected to garner the best movie prize.
Other early honors went to Penelope Cruz who became the first Spanish actress to win an Academy Award for her supporting role in 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona.' Heath Ledger was posthumously named best supporting actor for his villainous role as The Joker in Batman movie 'The Dark Knight.'
But it was 'Slumdog,' an often dark but ultimately hopeful tale about a poor Indian boy who competes for love and money on a TV game show, that seemed to be cruising to a big night.
Among the Oscars it earned were best adapted screenplay for its writer Simon Beaufoy, best cinematography, sound mixing, film editing and original score for composer A.R. Rahman.
'The essence of the film is about optimism and the power of hope in our lives,' he said.
Holding back tears when her award was announced, Cruz thanked Woody Allen, director of 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona,' and Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, who was instrumental in putting her on a track to stardom. She dedicated the Oscar to her family and 'everyone who has helped me from the beginning.'
The award for Ledger, who died last year of an accidental prescription drug overdose, brought the crowd to its feet. He became only the second actor after Peter Finch to win posthumously.
The Oscar was accepted by his father, Kim Ledger, sister Kate and mother Sally Bell. 'This award tonight would have humbly validated his quiet determination to be truly accepted by you all here, his peers, in an industry he truly loved,' Kim Ledger said.
In other awards, Dustin Lance Black won the best original screenplay Oscar for writing 'Milk,' about slain gay activist Harvey Milk, and 'Wall-E,' telling of a futuristic robot who finds love while on a polluted Earth, was best animated film.
'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' walked off with two statuettes for best art direction and makeup, and 'The Duchess' won for best costume design.
'Man on Wire' about a tightrope walker who dared to walk between New York's Twin Towers was named best documentary.
JACKMAN PUTS ON A SHOW
As the ceremony began, host Hugh Jackman put the show in full musical mode with an opening routine that drew a standing ovation from the star-studded crowd that included nominees Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Mickey Rourke and Anne Hathaway.
The number covered all five of the best film nominees and had Jackman dancing hip hop, hitting high notes in a duet with Hathaway for 'Frost/Nixon' and climbing to the top rope of a fake wrestling ring to crescendo his song with 'The Wrestler.'
Later, he performed an old-style number in top hat and tails with Beyonce, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. Among the funnier acts was Ben Stiller doing an impersonation of a wacky Joaquin Phoenix, who has quit acting to take up hip hop music.
But the major awards were still to come.
In the best picture category, 'Slumdog' is widely expected to walk off with the best film Oscar. Its key competition comes from 'Milk,' starring Penn as gay activist Harvey Milk, and 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' with Pitt as a man who ages backward.
The other nominees are 'Frost/Nixon,' which recounts the historic interviews of disgraced former U.S. President Richard Nixon by British TV host David Frost, and 'The Reader.'
The competition for best-actor appears to be a two-way battle between Penn and Mickey Rourke as a faded athlete in 'The Wrestler.'
Kate Winslet is tipped for best actress playing a German Nazi-era prison guard in 'The Reader' over Meryl Streep as a nun who suspects sex abuse in a Catholic school in 'Doubt.
(Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
((To read more about our entertainment news, visit our blog 'Fan Fare' online at http://blogs.reuters.com/fanfare/) ((For Full coverage of the Oscars, double click on )) Keywords: OSCARS/ (bob.tourtellotte@thomsonreuters.com; +1-213-955-6754; Reuters Messaging: bob.tourtellotte.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.