Often referred to as “Hollywood’s Biggest Night”, the Academy Awards brings out various opinions about which movies should win which awards and who should receive them. Though it is truly an honor just to be nominated, there’s nothing quite actually earning the win. Despite their fame and popularity, the winners of these awards are frequently surprised when it is their name that is spoken when the envelope is opened.
In his new book, 50 OSCAR NIGHTS: Iconic Stars & Filmmakers on Their Career-Defining Wins, entertainment media journalist Dave Karger has compiled a collection of interviews from some of the biggest stars and successful filmmakers. The pages are filled with exclusive interviews from a bunch of A-list actors, filmmakers, musicians, and craftspeople which span a total of 60 years.
“Here these artists reflect on their winning work and recount all the details of how they got ready, how they felt when they heard their name and got up on stage to accept their award, what they wore, how the entire experience impacted their life, and more,” states Hachette Book Group who publishes the book.
Each story follows a formula of topics including:
- The Backstory
- The Productions
- The Big Day
- The Winning Moment
- The Speech
- The Celebration
- The Perspective
And
- Where The Oscars Live Now
“Some interviews bring to light fun stories—like why Hilary Swank decided to celebrate her Academy Award at the Astro Burger in West Hollywood—or insight into the work—as Elton John explains why he was convinced he won his Best Original Song award for the wrong tune. Other interviews illuminate why for some honorees, such as Julia Roberts, John Legend, and Octavia Spencer, the day remains a life highlight to be treasured, while for Marlee Matlin, Mira Sorvino, and Barry Jenkins, complex emotions cloud what most think would be a purely celebratory moment.”
The full list of interviewees include: Nicole Kidman, Elton John, Jennifer Hudson, Steven Spielberg, Jane Fonda, Barry Jenkins, Halle Berry, J. K. Simmons, Julia Roberts, John Legend, Rita Moreno, Martin Scorsese, Marlee Matlin, Dustin Hoffman, Hannah Beachler, Cameron Crowe, Mira Sorvino, Kevin O’Connell, Sally Field, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, Eddie Redmayne, Lee Grant, Louis Gossett Jr., Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, Jessica Yu, Michael Douglas, Catherine Martin, Francis Ford Coppola, Allison Janney, Mel Brooks, Emma Thompson, Peter Jackson, Marcia Gay Harden, Mark Bridges, Sofia Coppola, Joel Grey, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, Olivia Colman, Rob Epstein, Whoopi Goldberg, Alan Menken, Melissa Etheridge, Sissy Spacek, Keith Carradine, Estelle Parsons, Geoffrey Fletcher, Octavia Spencer, Aaron Sorkin and Meryl Streep.
Dave Karger is good at his job. He is a host on Turner Classic Movies and he has been NBC’s Today’s resident expert on the topic of the Oscars since 2000. He has spent over 15 years writing for Entertainment Weekly, cohosted ABC’s Live from the Red Carpet pre-show, and served as the Academy’s official red-carpet greeter on Oscar night. The Wrap likes him too. He has been called “this generation’s mass-media cinematic ambassador” and The Hollywood Reporter calls him a “beloved entertainment guru”.
Fittingly, 50 OSCAR NIGHTS: Iconic Stars & Filmmakers on Their Career-Defining Wins will be on store shelves on January, 23, 2024 – the same day as the nominations for the 2024 Oscars will be announced. The 272-page hardcover book will retail at $30 and will also be available as an e-book – but what’s the fun in that?
Main Image: Horst Burbella/Wikimedia
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