And Finally...the Big Night!

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Hilary Swank and Jamie Foxx

PHOTO GALLERY

And Finally...the Big Night!
by Stella Monroe

After the endless barrage of award ceremonies over the past two months, we finally reached the pinnacle on Sunday, Feb. 27 with the Academy Awards. After a week of pampering at the Oscar® suites and partying at Oscar®soirees, the stars stepped onto the red carpet looking their most glamorous.

Now when it comes to the infamous red carpet, there’s only one thing on our minds—the fashion!

POWER’s Best Dressed List
“And the award goes to…”

1) Hilary Swank in Guy Laroche
2) Halle Berry in Atelier Versace
3) Charlize Theron in John Galliano for Dior
4) Gwyneth Paltrow in Stella McCartney
5) Cate Blanchett in Valentino Couture

Long, solid-colored gowns marked the style of this year’s Oscars®, with no big surprises or shocks on the red carpet. The name of the game was elegance, simplicity, and beautiful jewelry.

Inside the Kodak Theater, Chris Rock entertained the audience with his ability to poke fun at anything and everything. In a year with numerous acclaimed films, the decision for Best Picture seemed to be a toss up. The Academy, however, chose Million Dollar Baby, Clint Eastwood’s knockout that follows a bull-headed female prizefighter from triumph to tragedy. Eastwood also received Best Director for the boxing saga. Eastwood, who won Best Director for Unforgiven, is now part of an exclusive club of dual-directing recipients that includes Billy Wilder and Steven Spielberg. Hilary Swank also won her second Academy Award for Best Actress with Million Dollar Baby and Morgan Freeman won Best Supporting Actor in the film as well for his portrayal of a worldly wise ex-prizefighter. Jamie Foxx took home Best Actor for his renowned portrayal of Ray Charles in Ray. The wins for Freeman and Foxx made it only the second time in Academy history (since Halle Berry and Denzel Washington) that African-Americans won two of the four acting prizes. Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator led the Oscars® with five awards including Best Supporting Actress for Cate Blanchett’s depiction of Katherine Hepburn. The all-around favorite Sideways took home Best Writing - Adapted Screenplay while Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind won for Best Writing - Original Screenplay.

Here is a summary of the winners:

Actor in a Leading Role
Jamie Foxx
RAY

Actor in a Supporting Role
Morgan Freeman
MILLION DOLLAR BABY

Actress in a Leading Role
Hilary Swank
MILLION DOLLAR BABY

Actress in a Supporting Role
Cate Blanchett
THE AVIATOR

Animated Feature Film
Brad Bird

THE INCREDIBLES

Art Direction
Dante Ferretti (Art Direction); Francesca Lo Schiavo (Set Decoration)

THE AVIATOR

Best Picture
Clint Eastwood, Albert S. Ruddy and Tom Rosenberg

MILLION DOLLAR BABY

Cinematography
Robert Richardson