LOS ANGELES (AP) - Show Bits brings you the 85th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles through the eyes of Associated Press journalists. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.
___
OSCAR IS TRIP FOR LAWRENCE
Jennifer Lawrence’s performance in “Silver Linings Playbook” was flawless enough to capture the best actress Oscar. She wasn’t so adroit in claiming the trophy.
Lawrence stumbled as she took the steps to the Oscar stage, falling to her knees in her flowing Dior gown. That drew a sympathetic ovation from the auditorium.
She remained endearingly flustered during her acceptance speech, thanking her family, those who worked with her on the film and wishing a “Happy Birthday” to a fellow nominee, Emmanuelle Riva of “Amour,” who turned 86.
“Look at this dress. I tried to walk up stairs in this dress,” Lawrence said of her white, floor-length gown. “I think I stepped on the fabric and they wax the stairs.”
Lawrence said she thought of a “bad word” to say when she tumbled but kept it to herself.
She had already been bleeped by ABC when she let loose with a four-letter word while joking with Kristin Chenoweth on the red carpet.
Asked how she got ready for the day, Lawrence said it was “chaotic” from the start, with her family taking over the house to prepare for the big evening.
After fumbling for a more descriptive answer, she apologized: “I’m sorry. I did a shot.”
_ Lynn Elber _ Twitter https://twitter.com/lynnelber
___
QUICKQUOTE: BEN AFFLECK
“I want to thank you for working on our marriage for 10 Christmases. It’s good, it is work, but it’s the best kind of work. There’s no one I’d rather work with.” _ Ben Affleck, thanking his wife, Jennifer Garner, as he accepted the best picture Oscar for “Argo.”
_ Christina Hoag.
___
ACTING GODS, TOGETHER
For a moment, it looked the Oscar stage had turned into the Mount Olympus of acting.
There stood the two reigning gods of the art, the man and the woman generally considered to be at the very top in the field today: Daniel Day-Lewis and Meryl Streep.
Though he’s not known for comedy, Day-Lewis got a big laugh when he turned to Streep, who had just presented him his third best-actor trophy, and said he’d actually originally been slated to play Margaret Thatcher, the role Streep won the Oscar for last year in “The Iron Lady.”
And, he added, Streep had actually been director Steven Spielberg’s original choice for Abraham Lincoln.
“I’d like to see that version,” Day-Lewis quipped.
With his win for “Lincoln,” Day-Lewis became the first person to win three best-actor Oscars. Streep has won three Oscars too, one of them as supporting actress.
_ Jocelyn Noveck _ Twitter https://twitter.com/JocelynNoveckAP
___
QUICKQUOTE: DANIEL DAY-LEWIS
“I love it when people are completely inarticulate giving speeches because it says the same thing in a different way”_ Daniel Day-Lewis backstage, discussing the unpolished thank you’s he gave after winning the lead actor award for “Lincoln.”
_ Hannah Dreier _ https://www.twitter.com/hannahdreier
___
ONION CRITICIZED FOR JOKE
A tweet from The Onion about the 9-year-old star of “Beasts of the Southern Wild” is drawing criticism for being tasteless, even amid the constant social media satire of the Oscars.
The satirical newspaper called Quvenzhane (kwuh-VEHN’-juh-nay) Wallis an expletive intended to denigrate women. The joke was meant to parody how beloved Quvenzhane is, but many thought the language inappropriate for discussing a child.
The Onion deleted the tweet about an hour after it was posted. Still, that was enough time to create a firestorm online, with many saying the remark crossed a line.
A spokeswoman for The Onion didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Not everyone thought the tweet went too far: It was retweeted more than 500 times and favorited by some 400 before being deleted.
_ Jake Coyle _ https://twitter.com/jake_coyle
___
MASTER-FUL EXIT
In recent years, everyone would head for the door as soon as the best picture winner _ the last Oscar category in the show _ was announced, leaving the winner with an empty room to thank.
This year, organizers hoped to get attendees to stick around until the end of the show for a closing performance from Seth MacFarlane and Kristin Chenoweth, which was dedicated to all the evening’s Oscar losers.
“Ladies and gentleman, we ask that you remain in your seats after the last award for a very special closing number,” a female announcer calmly announced during the show’s final commercial break.
Well, one pair of “losers” weren’t interested. “The Master” stars Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman bolted for the door at the beginning of the song.
_ Derrik J. Lang _ Twitter https://twitter.com/derrikjlang
___
THANKING THE `MOVIE GOD’
Ang Lee had his priorities in order when he gave one of his first thank you’s to the “movie god.”
The Taiwanese director pulled off a huge upset when he won an Academy Award for directing “Life of Pi.” He beat out front-runner and two-time Oscar winner Steven Spielberg.
Lee also gave a shoutout to the shipwreck story’s lead actor, Suraj Sharma, but didn’t thank the rest of the cast by name.
“I cannot waste this time talking about them,” he said sheepishly.
He did slip in a quick mention of his agent, his lawyer and of course his wife.
“I have to do that,” he said.
_ Hannah Dreier _ Twitter https://twitter.com/hannahdreier
___
THE AVENGERS REUNITE
Just like the superheroes they played in the movie, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson huddled together backstage to get a plan together and of course joke around.
Downey suggested the stars of “The Avengers” bow as they headed onstage to make Oscar presentations. Or perhaps curtsy.
When a show worker asked Jackson to stand still so he could be wired with a microphone, the actor faced a backstage wall and pretended he was being frisked by police.
To pass the time, the superheroes watched Melissa McCarthy and Paul Rudd from a backstage monitor.
Suddenly Ruffalo asked, “Did we miss our cue?”
“You want to go out there with them?” asked Jackson.
After presenting two awards, the actors returned backstage, where Downey quipped, “Avengers disassemble.”
_ Sandy Cohen _ https://www.twitter.com/apsandy
___
QUICKQUOTE: QUENTIN TARANTINO
“I’m not an American filmmaker. I’m American and I’m a filmmaker, but I make movies for planet Earth”_ Quentin Tarantino, tie loosened, talking with his hands and, at one point, drifting into an Australian accent while speaking with reporters backstage after winning the Oscar for original screenplay for “Django Unchained.”
_ Hannah Dreier _ https://www.twitter.com/hannahdreier
___
KRISTEN STEWART HOBBLED
Kristen Stewart ditched her crutches to hobble onstage as an Oscar presenter, appearing bored and disheveled in the process.
She and Daniel Radcliffe handled one of the less glamorous awards for production design. Stewart read her lines with a slouchy insouciance.
Just before going on, Stewart left a pair of crutches in the wings and apparently the backstage hairstylists didn’t get ahold of her for a brushing. Her long brunette hair looked stringy.
The reaction on Twitter was swift and severe.
“Kristen stewart are you ok? And by that I mean where were the hash brownies before u got hit by bus (hash)bruise (hash)limp,” tweeted comedian-actor David Spade.
Actor Joel McHale tweeted, “Kristen Stewart is limping because she sprained her ankle from being excessively disinterested.”
Backstage, Stewart ran into supporting actress winner Anne Hathaway, who noted her crutches.
“I know, I’m an idiot,” Stewart replied. “But congratulations!”
“Please tell me you’re going on stage with those,” Hathaway said, pointing to the crutches.
“Nope. I’m gonna hobble,” said Stewart, explaining that she had stepped on glass.
_ Beth Harris _ https://www.twitter.com/bethharrisap
___
TONYS OR OSCARS?
Did the Oscars intentionally turn into the Tonys?
All those song-and-dance numbers weren’t lost on Twitter.
“Sucks for the actors at the Oscars who can’t sing … (hash)TONYS? (hash)HollywoodGoesBroadway,” Nylon magazine tweeted after a tribute to the musical “Chicago.”
“Am I watching the (hash)Oscars or the (hash)Tonys? Either way I’m happy:) lol,” tweeted a belter herself, Lea Michele.
_ Leanne Italie _ Twitter https://twitter.com/litalie
___
NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON
As soon as Adele stepped off the stage after singing the Oscar-winning theme from “Skyfall,” she kicked off her sparkly Louboutin platforms.
“I’m sorry. (Forget) that,” she said, flinging the shoes onto the floor. A stagehand quickly swooped them up.
“I’d pick them up but I can’t bend over,” she said, motioning toward her tight beaded dress.
_ Sandy Cohen _ https://www.twitter.com/APSandy .
___
CELEBRITY SCHMOOZING
It was maybe the next best thing to being there.
Down the road from the Academy Awards, musicians and models found common schmoozing ground at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Oscar viewing dinner in West Hollywood.
Lithe supermodel Naomi Campbell sat next to music mogul Quincy Jones then gripped hands and chatted with Steven Tyler and the party host himself, Elton John.
Bono, wearing his customary tinted shades, gleefully kissed Jones on the top of his head, then hugged statuesque model Petra Nemcova.
“Elton’s a warrior on the HIV, AIDS scourge, since before anyone can remember,” Bono told The Associated Press. “Like Bruce Springsteen is `the Boss’, Quincy is `the President.’ He is so unique. And Elton is both `the king’ AND `the queen.’”
_ Solvej Schou _ Twitter https://www.twitter.com/Solvej_Schou
___
BASSEY HITS IT OUTTA THE PARK
For all the sparkling young starlets and the edgy new host, it was none other than Dame Shirley Bassey who truly set the joint on fire early in the Oscar telecast.
The 76-year-old singer’s rendition of the theme from “Goldfinger” _ or, as she sang so memorably, “GoldfinGAH” _ was a feel-good moment that won what was at the time the biggest ovation of the night.
Bassey, who recorded the song in the ’60s to great acclaim, reprised it as part of the Academy’s 50th anniversary tribute to the James Bond franchise.
On social networks, as people were debating vigorously how the telecast was going, there was no question as to how Bassey did: She was an unqualified hit.
Minutes after the performance, the singer and her song were trending on Twitter.
_ Jocelyn Noveck _ Twitter https://twitter.com/JocelynNoveckAP
___
QUICKQUOTE: CHRISTOPH WALTZ
“Quentin writes poetry and I like poetry.” _ Supporting actor winner Christoph Waltz of “Django Unchained” about working with writer-director Quentin Tarantino.
_ Beth Harris _ https://www.twitter.com/bethharrisap
___
MAYBE IT LOOKED EASY …
Charlize Theron, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were one big bundle of nerves before they took the stage for their opening song-and-dance numbers.
Radcliffe danced by himself. Theron dabbed at her eyes and Gordon-Levitt stood silently as Oscar host Seth MacFarlane delivered the Oscar show’s opening monologue.
Then it was time to hit the stage.
“Thank God!” Theron said afterward as she let out a sigh of relief.
“You stepped on my dress,” she told Tatum.
Radcliffe and Gordon-Levitt bear-hugged after their dance routine.
“We did all right! We did all right,” they told each other.
“It felt good! How did it look?” Gordon-Levitt asked.
“Well done,” Radcliffe told him.
_ Sandy Cohen _ https://www.twittermcom/APSandy
___
AMY ADAMS SITTING PRETTY
To slide, plop or shimmy?
That’s the dilemma that faced Amy Adams in her flowing Oscar de la Renta gown when she approached her front-row seat inside the Dolby Theatre before the Oscars began.
After greeting fellow nominee Phillip Seymour Hoffman in the row behind her with a big hug, “The Master” co-star tilted to her right side and sort of shimmied down into her seat.
While Jennifer Aniston and Samuel L. Jackson mingled with attendees nearby, Adams held court in her fluffy dove grey fabric cloud.
Across the aisle, Bradley Cooper rushed his mother to meet Jean Dujardin, who took home the best actor Oscar last year.
_ Derrik J. Lang _ Twitter https://twitter.com/derrikjlang
Please read our comment policy before commenting.