Oscar hopefuls become luminaries at lunch

The term power lunch took on a new meaning when 140 Hollywood stars including Clint Eastwood, Leonardo DiCaprio, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Will Smith and Penelope Cruz tucked in at the 26th annual Oscar Nominees Luncheon.

The glitzy event was held at the International ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

“There are no power tables in this room,” academy president Sid Ganis told the crowd, noting the luncheon’s “relentlessly democratic” seating process. “This is a power room.”

The contenders for the 79th Academy Awards celebrated their elite status together – cinematographers and costume designers, screenwriters and song writers, art directors and actors.

They drank wine, broke bread, collected their nominee certificates and posed for the annual “class photo”, all the honourees, side by side.

“Here in this room, all the nominees are equal,” Ganis said.

Everyone congratulated each other as they stood on risers for the class picture and cheered loudly as each one’s name was called.

Double-nominee Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, the Mexican director and producer of best-picture nominee Babel, took photos of his colleagues with a pocket-sized digital camera.

DiCaprio smiled with Scorsese as Melissa Etheridge talked with Spielberg. Peter O’Toole looked pleased, sitting happily in the front row with his arms around Cruz and former Paramount chief Sherry Lansing, who will receive the academy’s Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

Helen Mirren chatted with Abigail Breslin, the 10-year-old star of Little Miss Sunshine, who was so small in her chair that her cowboy boots did not touch the floor. Eddie Murphy, who left the luncheon before the main course was served, offered a modest bow when applause erupted after his name was called. Scorsese and O’Toole also enjoyed standing ovations.

Of course, there will be a winner for every category on show night, February 25, and telecast producer Laura Ziskin had a message for them: leave the list of names at home.

In addition to their certificates and official Oscar sweatshirts, the nominees were given tape recorders – each with a 45-second tape – to practise their acceptance speeches, Ziskin pointed out.

This day, though, was about enjoying the nomination and not worrying about who might win.

Adriana Barraza, the Mexican actress nominated for her supporting role in Babel, revelled in the recognition.

“This is beautiful, wonderful, perfect,” she said.

And sound mixer Kevin O’Connell celebrated his unique achievement: 19 nominations, no wins.

“It’s a record,” he said, giving two thumbs up.