In Los Angeles, this Academy Awards season seems all over but the coronation. The King's Speech won top prizes over the weekend from Hollywood actors and directors, securing its standing as the film to beat at the Feb 27 Oscars.
Front-runners coasted to victory at Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards. Awards for lead performers went to Colin Firth as Queen Elizabeth II's stuttering dad in The King's Speech and Natalie Portman as a ballerina going off her rocker in Black Swan. Supporting actor awards went to Christian Bale as a boxer on the skids and Melissa Leo as his domineering mother in The Fighter.
The King's Speech also won the Screen Actor’s Guild award for overall acting ensemble. A day earlier, the film was an upset winner at the Directors Guild of America Awards, where its filmmaker Tom Hooper triumphed over David Fincher, who had been considered the favorite for The Social Network.
Fincher's movie about Facebook dominated at the Golden Globes.
Only six times in the 62-year history of the Directors Guild awards has the winner there failed to go on to claim the best-director Oscar. And whatever film claims best director at the Oscars usually takes best picture, too.
Questions:
1. What is film favorite “The King’s Speech” about?
2. Who did the Screen Actor’s Guild pick for best actress and for what role?
3. When is the Academy Awards and where will it be held?
Answers:
1. The King’s Speech is about Queen Elizabeth II’s father, who stuttered.
2. Natalie Portman was picked for her role as a ballerina in The Black Swan.
3. The Academy Awards ceremony will be held Feb 27 in Los Angeles.
(中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑)
About the broadcaster:
Renee Haines is an editor and broadcaster at China Daily. Renee has more than 15 years of experience as a newspaper editor, radio station anchor and news director, news-wire service reporter and bureau chief, magazine writer, book editor and website consultant. She came to China from the United States.