My Favorite Season is Here... Awards.

By Emily Vogel

Much like Moira Rose, Awards Season is also my favorite season. While some prefer flannel pajamas in the winter or the feeling of sandy toes in the summer, I’d choose a gown and a bag of popcorn any day. Who needs a crazy family to go home to for the holidays when you have a front row seat to Hollywood’s elite battling it out for a title and a trophy. Click here to checkout TheWrap’s Complete Guide to the 2023 Nominees.

Whether you love watching “Angela Bassett do the thing” or just want to sound like a film buff on your next date, here is a look at the women who will be rocking the Oscars this Sunday, and those who have paved the way.

Stephanie Hsu Feels Everything Everywhere All at Once About Her Role in Representation

(Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap)

Oscar-nominated “Everything Everywhere All at Once” actress Stephanie Hsu feels a lot of different things about her role in increasing representation, especially as she steps further into the spotlight.

“It’s hard enough to be an artist and it’s very hard to be an artist who’s marginalized in any way,” Hsu told TheWrap in our new interview series The Impact Report, focused on marginalized artists who are making an impact in their craft.

“I remember seeing ‘Crazy Rich Asians,’ I was kind of late to seeing it and everyone was going, ‘You have to see it, you have to see it,'” Hsu said. “I think I was nervous to see it because I knew how emotional I would get, and literally the moment that the movie started I just started weeping because everyone was beautiful. Everyone was epic on this big screen.”

Read the full article on TheWrap.com

Oscar Nominee Diane Warren Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: ‘I See Obstacles as Something to Get Through’

(TheWrap.com)

As the recipient of 14 Oscar nominations, Diane Warren knows a thing or two about persistence. The songwriter behind Oscar-nominated hits like “Because You Loved Me,” “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” and most recently “Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman” contends that the only way to become good at what you do is by doing it a lot.

“I never wanted to be on the stage or singing the song, I just wanted to write the songs,” Warren said in the latest installment of How She Did It, presented by Johnnie Walker. “It’s hard to make a living as a songwriter, it’s hard to break through. It was knocking on publishers’ doors, it was constantly if you close a door on me, I’ll find another way. But ultimately, I believe that you create your own life by hard work.”

In 2022 Warren received an honorary Academy Award, and she credits her perseverance with her fruitful career so far.

“You just got to take your own journey. Work hard. Put yourself out there. Be great, not good, because that doesn’t really cut it,” she said. “Nothing’s more powerful than music, because it bypasses your brain. It goes right to your heart. The right song used in the right way is pretty powerful.”

Read full article on TheWrap.com

How 3 Oscar-Nominated Women Sparked a Burning Love for ‘Elvis’

(Photographed by Jeff Vespa for TheWrap)

While primarily known for his lavish productions and over-the-top techniques, it's "Elvis" director Baz Luhrmann's collaboration with women throughout his production team that caught our attention.

“We all stand there shoulder to shoulder with him,” said his lifelong costume designer, production designer, producer (and wife) Catherine Martin.

At TheWrap’s Screening Series Q&A for “Elvis,” Martin was joined with producer Gail Berman and cinematographer Mandy Walker for a spirited conversation about the making of the film.

“Elvis” is nominated for eight Oscars and all three women are nominated in their respective categories: Berman for Best Picture, Walker for Best Cinematography (only the third women ever nominated), and Martin for Best Picture, Best Production Design, and Best Costume Design.

“I was particularly excited for two nominations,” said Martin. “Mandy’s historic nomination, one of only three women ever to be nominated for cinematography. It makes me feel emotional every time I think about it... And then also Best Picture, because I’m being nominated with another fellow woman, Gail, who is an extraordinary producer with an incredible career.”

Read full article on TheWrap.com

Andrea Riseborough Says Heated Conversation Surrounding Her Oscar Nomination Is ‘Necessary’

(Getty Images)

Andrea Riseborough called the commotion surrounding her grassroots Oscar campaign and subsequent nomination “necessary,” saying “it makes sense” given inequality in the film industry.

“It not only makes sense that this conversation would be sparked, but it is necessary. The film industry is abhorrently unequal in terms of opportunity,” she said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.“I’m mindful not to speak for the experience of other people because they are better placed to speak, and I want to listen.”

“I am grateful for the conversation because it must be had,” she continued. “It has deeply impacted me.”

The actress received a Best Lead Actress nod for “To Leslie,” a low-budget indie film with a small marketing budget, after A-listers like Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet and Sarah Paulson began praising the performance on social media. Though backed by major studios and awards campaigns, Black actresses Danielle Deadwyler and Viola Davis were shut out, generating heated discussions about the role of misogynoir in this year’s race and Hollywood generally.

Shortly after, the Academy launched an investigation into campaign procedures concerning this year’s nominees. 

Read full article on TheWrap.com

10 Women With the Most Wins in Oscar History

(Collider)

For 94 years, the Academy Awards, or the Oscars, have celebrated and honored some of the greatest artists of our time. It is no secret that film is a male-dominated industry and that there is a lack of recognition for many female actors and artists then and now. Here are 10 talented women who have the most wins in Oscar history. 

1. Edith Head, Costume Designer (8 Oscars): "The Heiress," "All About Eve," "A Place in the Sun," "Roman Holiday," "Sabrina," "The Facts of Life," and "The Sting."
2. Katharine Hepburn, Actress (4 Oscars): "Morning Glory," "Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner," "The Lion in Winter" and "On Golden Pond."
3. Frances McDormand, Actress (3 Oscars): "Fargo," "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" and "Nomadland"
4. Ingrid Bergman, Actress (3 Oscars): "Gaslight," "Anastasia" and "Murder on the Orient Express."
5. Meryl Streep, Actress (3 Oscars): "Kramer vs. Kramer," "Sophie’s Choice" and "The Iron Lady."
6. Thelma Schoonmaker, Editor (3 Oscars): "Raging Bull," "The Aviator," and "The Departed."
7. Elizabeth Taylor, Actress (3 Oscars): "Butterfield 8" and "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
8. Maggie Smith, Actress (2 Oscars): "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" and "California Suite."
9. Jane Fonda, Actress (2 Oscars): "Klute" and "Coming Home"
10. Cate Blanchett, Actress (2 Oscars): "The Aviator" and "Blue Jasmine."

Ready full Collider article here.  

March Film Festival InFocus:
Female Cinema

(NewFilmmakers Los Angeles)

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (@NFMLA) is hosting its March Monthly Film Festival and celebrating Women’s History Month with their annual InFocus: Female Cinema Program!

Come and celebrate up-and-coming female talent in front of and behind the camera across two shorts programs, along with the Los Angeles premiere of ‘Mother of Color,’ the debut feature from award-winning filmmaker Dawn Jones Redstone.

With an eclectic mix of films exploring themes of motherhood, reproductive choice, activism, body image, and the many struggles of labor, this Festival is a phenomenal way to celebrate the many talents, diverse backgrounds, and enduring stories of women!

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.NFMLA.org/events.

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In the meantime, stay safe and stay fabulous.

Xoxo,
Emily Vogel on behalf of WrapWomen
Director of Programming, TheWrap