WILL THE OSCAR GO TO MIRREN OR SMITH?

The Queen and director Stephen Frears are nominated for Academy Awards. Keywords:Helen Mirren, The Grifters, Princess Diana, Prince Charles.

Helen Mirren and Will Smith are nominated for Oscars for their leading role performances, bringing to life the stories of real people. Helen Mirren was already crowned with a Golden Globe for her regal portrayal of her madgesty Queen Elizabeth II.

She talks about how she became royalty.

“It came upon me that you have to actually think of yourself as a portrait painter. You’re doing a portrait of the Queen, so that kind of relaxed me about it. But then having said that obviously you have to get certain things right, the hair, the stance, the hands, the walk, the voice; all of those things. You can’t fall down. You’ve got to try to obey what’s there in those elements.”

Will Smith is being honored for his portrayal of Chris Gardner who he sees as the personification of the American Dream because he went from being homeless to becoming the CEO of his own brokerage firm.

“The power of the story and there was a look in his eyes and a confidence and a strength in his eyes after having traveled that journey. He personified the American dream. It felt to me that the reason that America has been successful in this world is based on the idea that Chris Gardner is possible.”

Anything is possible as the ballots are in for the 79th Annual Academy Awards hosted by Ellen DeGeneres live on February 25th.