Tami, you’ve got one heck of a consolation prize.

Sadly, The Hobbit did not take home any trophies from the Academy Awards. I was particularly pulling for Tami Lane, the makeup artist who transformed RA into Thorin each day, not to mention all the other actors for whom she performed stellar makeup magic.

Ah well, two more films, more opportunities.

However, I think Tami is already a winner and in a big way.  She’s earned the admiration of millions of fans around the world for her work. Not only that,  she seems to have won the true friendship of one amazingly talented, kind, generous, warm-hearted and absolutely gorgeous actor turned bad-ass dwarf named Richard Armitage.

I’d say that was made of “winning,” wouldn’t you?  (And she gets to do more bonding with him starting in May! Lucky girl.)

She’s already got one Oscar on her shelf.

While gold statuettes make good door stops or book ends, they DON’T give you big, cuddly hugs like this.

Why do you think she’s smiling so gleefully?!

Related articles

• Nourishing, Nurturing Dwarf: TAE Words for the Day (thearmitageeffect.wordpress.com)
• Peoria native up for second Oscar (cinewsnow.com)

RA always dazzles on red carpet *sigh* Fanart, vids, fashion advice!

Tomorrow night the stars will shine at the Oscars in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, we won’t get to see Mr. A on the red carpet at this year’s Academy Awards, but fingers crossed for next year. Because what that man does for a tux ain’t nobody’s business. Or, for that matter, for a suit. Every girl’s crazy ’bout a sharp-dressed man, right?

And a sharp-dressed man needs to know how to work it, just like the ladies do. Here’s some advice the lovely Ilaria Urbinati, who styled our Richard for his Hobbit press junket and red carpet appearances, gave in an article for the Hollywood Reporter:

Men can’t be slouches, either. Notes stylist Ilaria Urbinati, who works with best actor nominee Bradley Cooper: “For a suit to look its best, it’s all about creating angles with your limbs. So a little bend in the knee and a little bend in the elbow with hand in pocket is always good. But the hand can’t be shoved too deep in the pocket or it creates bulk. Also, a little bit of lean to one side adds shape and movement, which always photographs best. A good example is Eddie Redmayne — he’s got his stance down.”

Love ya, Eddie, but I prefer RA’s stance. And, well–everything else! *sigh*

My imaginary Leap Year letter to RA

Dear Richard,

.

I suppose it’s already well into your extra day this year. I keep forgetting exactly how far you are ahead of me in time zones ( although having several readers from Down Under, I should be more knowledgeable). My insomnia troubles mean that some of my Aussie friends and I are on the blog at the same time.

Will your Leap Wednesday be just another long work day? Or will Sir Peter have some sort of surprise, something special planned to mark the sort of occasion that only happens every four years?  It sounds as if you are having such a wonderful adventure with this once-in-a-lifetime experience. You are committing a bit chunk of your time and plenty of energy to this project; may it benefit you in a myriad of ways.

Speaking of insomnia, I hope you are no longer plagued by it. Your schedule requires lots of stamina which means proper rest and proper refueling to keep your mind, body and soul strong and well.  I hope you have plenty of good food, a comfortable bed long enough for that frame and dreams that are sweet and invigorating;  I wish you many opportunities for laughter and comraderie, time to reflect, time to simply–be.

And I admit I do hope you’ve found someone special.  Oh, overlook me if I become too personal; it’s simply that I want the people who mean a great deal to me, the people who have positively impacted my own life to  love and be loved in return by someone truly worthy of them. And I think you are very worthy.

Goodness knows, your characters rarely seem to experience those sorts of relationships; I would like real life to be much better for you. I am the fairy godmother of my fanfic; deep down inside, I wish I could be one in real life.

I just finished watching  Lawrence of Arabia. I don’t believe I have ever seen the entire movie and certainly did not see it in its fully restored wide-screen glory as it was meant to be seen. Watching it made me think of you.

The cast had to commit more than a year to shooting the film; O’Toole said that when a portion of a scene taking place on a staircase had to be reshot, he  was fully one year older at the bottom of the stairs than he was when he started walking down the steps.

Lawrence was the movie and the role that made Peter O’Toole an international star. Interestingly he was also a lot taller in real life than the character he was playing; Lawrence was nine inches shorter than O’Toole. And, while a few female characters will appear in your film, LOA had no female speaking roles at all, just some women milling around in the background of a few scenes.

The film was a box office success that won many awards and earned O’Toole an Oscar nomination. We know it is unlikely a fantasy film such as The Hobbit will receive a high number of Oscar nominations even though I’m sure it will richly deserve them.  But we have no doubt these two films will be huge successes financially and very likely critically.  PJ is no slouch and there’s a ton of talent working on this film in every aspect. And I  believe Richard Armitage will be a name known by millions.

I hope you are ready for, as John Rhys-Davies said, the women all over the world who will be chasing you. Ready for audiences everywhere thinking that guy playing Thorin was terrific.  Of course, some of us will take a certain pleasure in the fact we knew you were “one to watch” long before others did.  We are pretty proud of having these Good Taste Genes.

Anyway, I have rambled on long enough. Just know that I am proud and happy to be a part of  “our little community.”

With love from your devoted admirer from LA,

Fedoralady

Early start: Movie Star Monday

Just a few shots of the man who has the magnetism, charisma, sex appeal, good looks and incredible talent to be a true movie star. A man who looks great on the red carpet and seems made to wear a tux. He hasn’t won an Oscar or a Golden Globe or a Bafta yet. But he will. His time is coming . . .  (screencaps courtesy RANet)

Jonas, Lucy and Richard . . . doesn't RA look gawjus??