Hollywood Abuzz With Oscar Preps

We can’t all be at the Oscar festivities, but at least we can live vicariously through press reports. Here are a few from The Associated Press:

• Don’t expect to see Allison Janney, who plays Juno’s stepmother in the Best Picture nominee at the gala. At a Friday night cocktail party hosted by Women in Film and Perrier-Jouet at a Bel Air mansion, the actress says she plans to watch the show at a viewing party and celebrate any “Juno” wins at a Fox Searchlight after-party. “I’d rather not go unless I’m nominated,” she told the AP. “I’ve been to enough award shows to know it’s not a lot of fun.”

More after the jump!

• Sergei Bodrov, the Russian director of “Mongol,” Kazakhstan’s entry in the Oscars’ Best Foreign Language Film category, spent Friday afternoon browsing luxurious swag at the Main Event Red Carpet Lounge and Green Suite at the 9900 Club in Beverly Hills. The booty: jewelry from Alyse Ziede and Heather Hyde, bottles of Icelandic Glacial H20, desserts from Nothing Bundt Cakes, and watches from Curtis and Co.
• Producer Gil Cates, director Louis J. Horvitz, and Academy President Sid Ganis took questions from the press about Sunday’s show. Though the weather was drizzly, Cates promised a dry Oscar day (wow, they’re powerful, aren’t they?). “I’m confident the weather is going to be OK Sunday,” he said. Ganis added, “If it rains, it’ll be good for the flowers,” referencing a bucket of yellow roses beside him.
• Jack Nicholson and Keri Russell have been added as presenters, and the telecast will open with a 90-second film “that is arguably the most exciting piece of film that has ever opened an Oscar show,” said Cates. Ganis added, “Not only have there not been any awards shows, but I think there’s a good solid buzz about the strike being over (and) everybody back to work.”
• After running through his lines on the Kodak Theatre stage Friday morning, Colin Farrell joined stand-ins to watch a rehearsal of “Falling Slowly,” nominated for Best Original Song from the Irish indie film “Once.” Wearing a torn T-shirt, vest, blazer and gray fedora, the Irish actor tapped his toes as the film’s stars, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, rehearsed the tune. When the song ended, Farrell jumped on stage to give Hansard a hug.