Established 1961 31 Lifestyle Awards Wednesday, February 7, 2018 Oscar nominees including Steven Spielberg, Guillermo del Toro, Gary Oldman, Timothee Chalamet, Daniel Kaluuya, Sally Hawkins, Margot Robbie, Saoirse Ronan, Greta Gerwig, Meryl Streep, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Sam Rockwell, Kobe Bryant, Mary J Blige, Allison Janney, Laurie Metcalf, Jordan Peele, and Octavia Spencer attend the 90th Annual Academy Awards Nominee Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 5, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. — AFP photos High Fives and a black eye: Scenes from Oscar Nominees Lunch he Oscar nominees luncheon brings we’re the ones laughing along the most,” Paul Unlike many of the nominees, her film was together A-listers and rising stars - artists said Monday. released by Netflix on the streaming platform. Tfrom every aspect of filmmaking - for an “La La Land” was mistakenly announced as Rees says it proves that audiences are interest- afternoon of celebration and mutual fandom. the best picture winner at last year’s Oscars ed in content and not business models. She says With little on the agenda other than posing for a before the error was caught and “Moonlight” watching Indiana Jones on television growing group photo, Monday’s gathering was a chance was named the winner of the evening’s top up didn’t impact her awe of the filmmaking. for nominees to bask together in their exalted prize. Paul and Benj Pasek are nominated year status together before the Academy Awards are for “The Greatest Showman” song “This is Me.” Oh, I get it now presented on March 4. They said that they’re able to enjoy awards sea- “The Shape of Water” director Guillermo First-time acting nominees Timothee son a little more this time and are five percent del Toro was still riding high Monday from his Chalamet and Daniel Kaluuya high-fived at less terrified at every event. Directors Guild Award win on Saturday night. every opportunity. Greta Gerwig and Meryl The Mexican director was all smiles thinking Streep chatted on the risers before the class about the evening with his peers. Del Toro photo next to a cardboard cutout of Agnes said the night was fun and praised Judd Varda brought to the event by her “Faces Monday’s Apatow’s hosting skills, although he admitted Places” co-director JR. that one joke aimed at him went over his head Gerwig playfully choked best supporting gathering was at the time. actor nominee Sam Rockwell on the red carpet, Apatow poked fun during Saturday’s cere- and many of the stars and filmmakers mony at del Toro’s director’s photo, quipping exchanged laughs as they assembled - all 170 of a chance for that it was like an eHarmony profile picture. Del them - for the class photo. The nominee having Toro said Monday that he didn’t actually know the most fun was Kobe Bryant, whose “Dear nominees to what eHarmony was when Apatow made the Actor Sam Rockwell (left) attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards Nominee Luncheon at The Basketball” is up for animated short. Bryant joke and that he had to look it up. He thinks it’s Beverly Hilton Hotel. wore a permanent grin and posed for photos bask together quite funny now. with anyone who asked. The event includes some pointers about giving good speeches , and Bruised, but not giving up on basketball also a chance for nominees to reflect on their Common was looking so dapper Monday for place in this Oscars season. Here are some more Dee Rees looks behind her historic nomination the nominees’ luncheon you could hardly tell he moments from interviews with nominees con- “Mudbound” director and co-writer Dee was trying to hide a black eye. The musician and ducted by The Associated Press at the nomi- Rees said Monday she is more interested in the producer said he was trying to look good after nees’ luncheon event: future than she is excited about making history. getting beat up on the basketball court this Rees recently became the first black woman to weekend. Common donned a pair of glasses in Best picture mistake still stings get nominated for a best adapted screenplay hopes of hiding the little remaining bruise, Returning Academy Awards host Jimmy Academy Award. “Mudbound” also scored although he was quick to pull out his phone and Kimmel has been poking fun at last year’s best another historic nomination for cinematograph- show photos of how his face looked after the picture mix up in promotional spots for this er Rachel Morrison, who became that category’s accidental hit. year’s Oscars, but it’s not a laughing matter for first female nominee. Common laughed that might have gotten a some. “La La Land” lyricist Justin Paul says the Rees said she wants the entertainment mild concussion from it. It certainly didn’t sour envelope gaffe was a bit of a soft spot for some industry to get to a place where this is an him on basketball: he was one of numerous stars of his friends and colleagues involved in the film. everyday occurrence and not news. “I think it’s who posed for photos with retired Lakers star Paul says that he understands why it’s still being like cause for reflection and to really ask our- Kobe Bryant, who is nominated for his short talked about and to not mention it at all would selves you know could there have been other animated film “Dear Basketball.” Common is be awkward. moments and why is this the first time,” Rees nominated for a best original song alongside “We have some wonderful, brilliant friends said. “And again I think it’s more about using Diane Warren for “Stand Up for Something” and colleagues who you know, it was a little bit the moment to think how do we make the from the film “Marshall.”—AP of a soft spot, a sore spot in that moment, so we future a place where this isn’t news making or can totally understand it but I don’t know if this is an everyday occurrence.” Actress Octavia Spencer Actor/singer Mary J. Blige Actress Saoirse Ronan Actor Laura Dern speaks onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards Nominee Luncheon. Director Firas Fayyad Actor Timothee Chalamet Actor Meryl Streep (left) and director Greta Gerwig. Actor Willem Dafoe Actor Gary Oldman Daniel Kaluuya Agnes Varda is happy, but not proud, of her Oscar nomination ocumentarian Agnes Varda is not only the oldest one week a month. “I could not shoot more than one person ever nominated for an Academy Award, week a month,” she said. “Because it leaves me tired, you Dshe’s the first woman to receive an honorary Oscar know. I’m old!” “Faces Places” was released in US the- and a competitive nomination in the same season. And aters in October. while she’s quite delighted by the recognition, the 89- She did not attend Monday’s luncheon for nominees, year-old notes that she is “not proud.” She is so not but JR made sure she was in the class photo: he brought proud that she mentions it several times during a brief a cardboard cutout of Varda holding a cat that he dis- telephone interview from her home in France last month played on the red carpet and on the risers with the rest of after learning that “Faces Places” was nominated for best the assembled nominees. In November, Varda danced documentary feature. “There is nothing to be proud of, with Angelina Jolie at the film academy’s Governors but happy,” Varda said. “Happy because we make films to Awards, where Varda received an honorary Academy love. We make films so that you love the film.” She sees Award recognizing her decades of filmmaking. herself as more modest than proud. “I love my own work French film director Agnes Varda, nominated for her docu- “Everyone was there in the room, so I was very wel- and I’ve done it for so many years, so I didn’t do it for mentary ‘Faces Places’ poses as she receives an award comed and I felt very good,” she recalled of the untele- honor or money,” she said. “My films never made money.” while attending the 23rd Lumieres Awards ceremony at the vised ceremony. The honor came with an invitation to the Varda shares the Oscar nod with her co-director, JR, and Institut du Monde Arabe (Arab World Institute) in Paris. 90th Academy Awards on March 4, so Varda was already her daughter, Rosalie Varda, who produced “Faces planning to attend with her daughter, even before they Places.” pair of water tanks. The film follows the French New were nominated. “But I won’t change my hair, my double- Streetartist JR (center) poses with a cutout of French film- The film was inspired by the elder Varda’s connection Wave pioneer and journeyman photographer as they color hair,” Varda said, though no one has suggested she maker Agnes Varda and John Bailey (right), President of with JR, a 34-year-old street artist known for installing travel through France, meeting people, capturing their should. “We are happy. Nothing to be proud of.” — AP the Academy of Motion Pictures on arrival the Annual massive portraits on real-world landscapes: a boy peer- images and talking about art. Varda said they spent more Academy Awards Nominee Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton ing over a border wall in Mexico, a pair of giant eyes on a than a year and a half making the film, diligently shooting Hotel.