Melissa Leo's Oscar acceptance speech

Oh my, oh my God. Oh wow really, really, really, really, really, truly wow. I know there's a lot of people that said a lotta real real nice things to me for several months now, but I'm just shaking in my boots here. Ok, alright. Thank you David O. Russell. I want to thank the actors, Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, he might run out for a second, Amy, my sweet sister Adams, Jack, our lovely daughters. OK. Yeah, I am kind of speechless. Golly sakes, there's people up there too. When I watched Kate two years ago, it looked so [EXPLETIVE DELETED] easy. Alice Ward, your beautiful family that opened your hearts. I saw Mick here earlier. Dick, a shout out for Nana? Alright Dick's not in the room. Thank you so much, opening your hearts to all of us to make this film. I thanked David, I'll thank him again. My family, my beautiful son who is traveling right now in South America and can't join me. It's ok, I'm ok Jack. My Mom and my Dad and my brother and my friends and my family. I want to thank the very most of all, the Academy of Motion Picture Sciences, the Board of Governors, and all their members, whom many of you are here today. This has been a extraordinary journey in getting to know what the Academy is about and first and foremost, thank you Academy, because it's about selling motion pictures and respecting the work! Thank you so much.

Did Melissa Leo change her story on the Oscar ads?

The Huffington Post is reporting in a story titled "Melissa Leo Changes Her Story On Oscar Ads" that the Stone Ridge actress and Academy-nominee "went along with Paramount's agenda."

This stems from the now controversial ads that she took and paid to have in the Hollywood trade press, promoting herself.

The Huffington Post bases its conclusion on a story reported by The Daily Beast, "Melissa Leo Breaks Oscar Silence," by Jacob Bernstein, in which Leo says:

“I’ve been busting my ass, trying to get the movie sold and seen, and now I show up where they ask, get put into hair and makeup that they pay for, so I can promote this thing [and campaign]. So I’m a little confused. I thought this is what we’re doing. This is what all the girls are doing.”

The Huffington Post uses the aforementioned quote, but fails to notice THE VERY NEXT SENTENCE:

Leo adds that she conceived the ads before she was nominated—and if she had known she would wind up in contention for Best Supporting Actress, she might have done things differently. “It didn’t seem so nomination oriented,” she said. “It was fun.”

Emphasis mine. FAIL by Huffington Post.

However, note that the both the Huffington Post and the Daily Beast write that Leo was a frontrunner, and that things are not so clear anymore. Bottom line is, we'll find out on Sunday.

Yet, one comment on the Huffington Post sums up all this pretty neatly:

“I thought the Academy Awards were supposed to be about talent, not good or ill-concei­ved ad campaigns? Why is the focus on her ads and not on the quality of her acting in her role?”

Why, indeed.

Melissa Leo criticized for promoting Melissa Leo

Deadline Hollywood reported on Friday that Stone Ridge actress and Oscar favorite Melissa Leo personally paid for ads in the Hollywood trade press.

“I took matters into my own hands. I knew what I was doing and told my representation how earnest I was about this idea. I had never heard of any actor taking out an ad as themselves and I wanted to give it a shot."

“I am quite certain I have not overstepped any boundaries of the Academy," Leo told Deadline's Pete Hammond.

The snarky guys at Gawker are not happy, though: "she seems like a secretly vain person who now finally has a reason to go public with it," wrote Richard Lawson.

Ouch.

Leo also has a website now.

UPDATE: The New York Times chimes in: "as the front-runner in her category, why did she risk overreaching?"
Her response to the gray lady?

"This entire awards process to some degree is about pimping yourself out."

Melissa Leo talks to LA times about 'silly' things

Melissa Leo's Golden Globe acceptance speech

Melissa Leo wins Golden Globe award, becomes hashtag

Did Melissa Leo really say that, 'greed might undo the budding film industry in our area'?

Note to Kingston politicians who want to impose a fee to filmmakers shooting in Kingston: Yes, she did.

The Oscar nominated actress' e-mail, quoted in "Faults found with flimsy film fee," also had, "Sent from my Verizon Wireless Blackberry." But I have a sneaking suspicion she didn't actually write that.

Melissa Leo, Vera Farmiga in Toronto ahead of Woodstock Film Festival

Oscar-nominated Stone Ridge actress Melissa Leo marks a milestone today as she celebrates her 50th birthday today. She will be at the Woodstock Film Festival in early October. She stars in "Welcome to the Rileys" with James Gandolfini ("The Sopranos") and Kristin Stewart ("Twilight").

Another Ulster County star roaming in Toronto is Oscar-nominated actress Vera Farmiga, who, as you can see from the picture below, likes to rub her pregnant belly. Farmiga was there to promote "Henry's Crime" with Keanu Reeves. Both are scheduled to be at the Woodstock festival, though Farmiga is due with her second child in October.

Here's the Woodstock Film Festival schedule.

2010 Wff Prefest Program

Monday morning blips

* The Rosendale Theatre Collective is number 2 on the Pepsi Challenge, which would give it $50,000 to buy the theater.

* The Hudson Valley Youth Wind Ensembles is 6th.

* The Queens Galley's oven is no more and the soup kitchen is makings its appeal for donations on Facebook.

* We're looking for bloggers! Send me a line at ilajara@freemanonline.com.

* Stone Ridge actress Melissa Leo's new HBO series, "Treme," had its debut Sunday.

* Talking about Oscar-nominated actresses, Ulster County's Vera Farmiga is going to direct a movie somewhere Upstate in June.

"Treme" trivia: How many locals appear on HBO's show?

Can you spot a certain Stone Ridge resident and Academy Award nominee next to John Goodman? Melissa Leo talked to us, just in time for the "Treme" premier Sunday at 10 p.m. on HBO.

A certain musician and Woodstock resident who goes by the name of Steve Earle will appear in a future episode as well.

Check out this "Making of" feature:

Arrivals — Melissa Leo

Melissa Leo, nominated for an Oscar for best actress in a leading role for her work in "Frozen River," arrives for the 81st Academy Awards Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.

All AP photos, by the way.

UPDATE: The award went to Kate Winslet, for "The Reader." Leo herself kind-of called that one when he talked to the Freeman last Friday.

Stone Ridge resident Leo wins Spirit Award

Stone Ridge actress Melissa Leo holds her award for best female lead for "Frozen River" backstage at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., Saturday. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

The Freeman has the details.