LITTLE ROCK — Actors Anne Hathaway and James Franco will co-host the 83rd Academy Awards telecast, to be broadcast live from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on Feb. 27, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences said in an e-mailed statement. The academy and Walt Disney Co.’s ABC are looking to continue growth that began with the 2009 show, when 36.3 million viewers tuned in to see Slumdog Millionaire win the best-picture Oscar. The 2010 telecast rose to 41.7 million with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin as hosts and The Hurt Locker taking the best-movie award. Franco is the star of 127 Hours, director Danny Boyle’s drama based on the true story of a hiker who amputates his own arm after becoming trapped in a remote desert canyon. Hathaway’s Love and Other Drugs, about a woman who falls in love with a pharmaceuticals salesman, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, also is in theaters. Oscar nominations will be announced Jan. 25 in Beverly Hills, Calif.
What does octogenarian funny lady Betty White share with teen singing sensation Justin Bieber? What do film star Sandra Bullock and hoops star LeBron James have in common? All are among this year’s crop of The 10 Most Fascinating People, as harvested by Barbara Walters from the fields of entertainment, sports and world affairs. Also on the list: GOP superstar Sarah Palin, incoming American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez, royal fiancee Kate Middleton and the entire cast of MTV’s Jersey Shore. Two more people are yet to be disclosed, and, as usual, the 10th name will be kept under wraps until the ABC News special airs Dec. 9 at 9 p.m. CST. This is the 18thyear Walters has presented her roundup of the biggest and most buzzworthy. But this year, there’s more: She’s got a companion special the same night. An hour earlier, Walters is hosting Oprah, The Next Chapter. It’s an indepth visit with Winfrey as she readies OWN, her new cable network launching Jan. 1, and roars down the home stretch of her daytime talk show’s final season. On the program, Winfrey will discuss her new network, the reason she’s doing it and concerns she has for its success - “it’s a huge leap of faith,” Walters said. Winfrey also talks “very personally” about her relationships with best friend Gayle King and longtime partner Stedman Graham. “This is an interview about Oprah’s life at this turning point,” Walters said.
Front Section, Pages 2 on 11/30/2010