Oscars live blog: Red carpet, winners best speeches and more

The Razzies, the annual roundup of the year’s worst movies and performances, handed out their non-prizes over the weekend.

Melissa McCarthy “won” in the lead actress category for her turns in the puppet noir “The Happytime Murders” and the back-to-school comedy “Life of the Party.” Let’s just say that neither movie killed it on Rotten Tomatoes.

But don’t feel too bad. McCarthy is up for an Oscar tonight for her widely acclaimed portrayal of cantankerous literary forger Lee Israel in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” 

The best actress Oscar is most likely going to Glenn Close (“The Wife) or maybe, just maybe, Lady Gaga (“A Star Is Born”) — but McCarthy’s nod could help her land more substantive dramatic roles.

Speaking of talent, our culture writer Daniel is basically an Oscars encyclopedia and so I made him recount the best picture winners of the last 40598 years. He did it in under a minute!

In what I can only hope is a preview of the award ceremony itself, the Oscar red carpet is perfectly extra this year. (Translation: it’s actually fun.) Gemma Chan showed up in an electric pink piece by Maison Valentino, while Best Actress nominee Glenn Close appeared in a perfect amount of Carolina Herrera gold. Meanwhile, Angela Bassett blessed us with a one-sleeved fuchsia gown by Reem Acra, and Kacey Musgraves was a vision in pink tulle. Me? I’m wearing overalls. And I assume every actor I just named is a little bit jealous.

Best drama of the night not having to do with movies goes to The New York Times and Vanity Fair.

It all started on Thursday, when The Times’ styles section published a story entitled “It Was the Hottest Oscar Night Party. What Happened?” detailing how Vanity Fair’s exclusive Oscars party had lost some of its luster.

“Stars still care about being photographed as they walk in. But the hysterical frenzy that once surrounded the event has been fading for some time, at least among top celebrities, three longtime publicists said in interviews,” The Times declared.

The story raised a few eyebrows in the media world but did not have gain all that much attention until Friday, when Choire Sicha, editors of the Times’ styles section, tweeted that the paper had been disinvited from covering the Vanity Fair party.

“Just got word that Vanity Fair has disinvited The New York Times from covering their annual Oscars party,” Sicha wrote. “They said it ‘feels like the Times has already run their coverage of the VF party this year,’ they said. I guess we did!”

That, of course, triggered plenty of coverage in the entertainment press. Director Ava DuVernay came to Vanity Fair’s defense, tweeting: “This is the magazine and editor who put @LenaWaithe on a solo cover and invited a beautiful array of black and brown people last year. We had a helluva time. Funny how now it’s suddenly “lost its luster.” Luster for some. Closed doors now open for others.”

The Times, however, is far from the first to claim that the party had become a bit less exclusive. President Donald Trump made a similar claim… back in 2014.

Melissa McCarthy opted for a sleek black-and-white jumpsuit featuring a floor-length cape in arguably one of her best red carpet looks to date. 

McCarthy is up for best actress in a leading role for her portrayal of lesbian writer-turned-criminal Lee Israel in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”  



Image: Melissa McCarthy


Melissa McCarthy arrives at the Oscars, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Feb. 24, 2019.