Oscar watchers are all but guaranteeing that Natalie Portman will take home a little gold man for her work in 'Black Swan.' That $400 statuette may be the ultimate vanity prize in Hollywood, but it also carries some substantial clout in generating future value for an actor or an actress.
See, a little gold man tomorrow is actually worth more than a little gold man today.
Hollywood agents and managers estimate their clients get a 20 percent bump in their asking price for the next film they negotiate immediately following an Academy Award win for best actor or best actress.
An Oscar raises a performer's monetary quote, but also makes a difference in the types of material they are considered for. Directors and producers start to look at newer-to-the-scene actors, like last year's nominee Jeremy Renner, in a new light. It solidifies their brand as the gold standard of acting and, ideally, box office returns.
The Hollywood Reporter's Stephen Galloway predicts that a win for Portman will put her in the same circle as Reese Witherspoon and allow her to command one of the top salaries in Hollywood.
"For Portman, a best actress victory could propel her into the Reese Witherspoon stratosphere of $10 million-plus a picture, a lot more than the high-six figures she made on the $13 million 'Swan' -- just as Halle Berry's asking price shot up to more than $10 million after her win for 'Monster's Ball,'" Galloway writes in this week's issue of THR. Granted, Portman typically commands a salary in the millions and took a pay cut for 'Black Swan' because it was a passion project.
Her increased price tag will be worth it for whatever project opts to pay it. The Academy Award provides an external validation in the consumer's mind, akin to an FDA stamp of approval. The voters, who are aspirational to start with, offer a similar screening function of sorting through the year's winners and losers albeit without the drastic downside -- if someone sees a crappy movie they won't die.
If Portman wins, from here on out, "Academy Award Winner" will be attached to her name and every project she is associated with, and the entertainment consumer will feel validated buying Portman products.
This nomination alone, and the fact that she has been anointed the chosen front-runner, will no doubt boost Portman's asking price. The issue is how long she plans to take off following the birth of her first child this summer. Her window of opportunity is wide, but it doesn't stay open forever, and the longer she waits after this possible win could diminish her value in the marketplace.
Showing posts with label Make. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Make. Show all posts
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Australia Hopeful Hussey Can Make World Cup
Australia are hoping that the World Cup schedule will give Michael Hussey enough time to recover from the serious hamstring injury that has ruled him out of the remaining one-day matches against England and put him in major doubt for the global tournament. Hussey underwent surgery on Tuesday after tearing the muscle off a bone during the first one-dayer at the MCG and faces a lengthy rehabilitation program.
Adding to the problem of risking Hussey at the World Cup is that the captain Ricky Ponting is still recovering from the broken finger he sustained during the Perth Test and which subsequently required an operation. Although Ponting is much less of a concern for the tournament proper, there remains the chance that Australia could travel with two unfit frontline batsmen in their squad.
"What gives us the leeway is the gap between games," Michael Clarke, Australia's stand-in captain, said. "We've got two practice games and then I think our first actual game is February 21. I think there's a bit of a gap there as well. There's a bit of time which is on our side. I'm hearing good reports that they're confident if all goes well they can get him [Hussey] fit to take part in the World Cup. It's just a matter of when he'll be fit and if selectors are willing to take that risk to take him not being 100%.
"I guess the concern is we're trying to get the skipper as fit as possible so hopefully he can take part in those two practice games. The selectors have to weigh up if we can we take Hussey as well, knowing he mightn't be fit for those first couple of games. We'll know more in time. I think the main thing right now is that Huss does everything in his power to make it heal. We just sit, watch closely and keep our fingers crossed in the hope that he pulls up well."
The odd nature of the injury has made it difficult for Cricket Australia to accurately predict when Hussey might return and they won't have a clearer picture for a number of weeks, which pushes them even closer to the World Cup. "As this is an unusual injury in cricket we will be closely monitoring his progress and making appropriate progressions," Alex Kountouris, the CA physiotherapist, said. "As yet we have not determined a fixed time for his return to cricket training and playing. This will become clearer in the next two or three weeks."
However, a leading sports doctor has said Hussey faces a long period on the sidelines and that the World Cup will be out of reach. "Our experience with that particular injury, it's a three-month plus [recovery time] in most sports," Peter Larkins told the Sydney Morning Herald. "The fact he had surgery ensures he won't be going to the World Cup.''
Shaun Marsh, the Western Australia batsman, has been drafted into the squad for the next three matches against England and would be the player to step up if Hussey was ruled out of the World Cup squad but Clarke knows they are massive shoes to fill.
"He's been a huge player, not only this summer in the Test format but over a long period of time in one-day cricket," he said. "I think in the subcontinent conditions are going to be quite tough for the middle-order players and I think his experience and knowledge in those conditions would be really helpful."
Ponting, meanwhile, is around the squad in Hobart and will spend other periods with them during the remainder of this series. It isn't impossible that he could squeeze in a match before the summer is finished.
"I think it's more day-by-day, keep seeing Alex, keep seeing how it's healing then they make a plan as soon as they can," Clarke said. "I'm confident Ricky will be right to play the World Cup, it's just about how much batting he gets under his belt leading up to that first game. The sooner the better I think for our team."
Adding to the problem of risking Hussey at the World Cup is that the captain Ricky Ponting is still recovering from the broken finger he sustained during the Perth Test and which subsequently required an operation. Although Ponting is much less of a concern for the tournament proper, there remains the chance that Australia could travel with two unfit frontline batsmen in their squad.
"What gives us the leeway is the gap between games," Michael Clarke, Australia's stand-in captain, said. "We've got two practice games and then I think our first actual game is February 21. I think there's a bit of a gap there as well. There's a bit of time which is on our side. I'm hearing good reports that they're confident if all goes well they can get him [Hussey] fit to take part in the World Cup. It's just a matter of when he'll be fit and if selectors are willing to take that risk to take him not being 100%.
"I guess the concern is we're trying to get the skipper as fit as possible so hopefully he can take part in those two practice games. The selectors have to weigh up if we can we take Hussey as well, knowing he mightn't be fit for those first couple of games. We'll know more in time. I think the main thing right now is that Huss does everything in his power to make it heal. We just sit, watch closely and keep our fingers crossed in the hope that he pulls up well."
The odd nature of the injury has made it difficult for Cricket Australia to accurately predict when Hussey might return and they won't have a clearer picture for a number of weeks, which pushes them even closer to the World Cup. "As this is an unusual injury in cricket we will be closely monitoring his progress and making appropriate progressions," Alex Kountouris, the CA physiotherapist, said. "As yet we have not determined a fixed time for his return to cricket training and playing. This will become clearer in the next two or three weeks."
However, a leading sports doctor has said Hussey faces a long period on the sidelines and that the World Cup will be out of reach. "Our experience with that particular injury, it's a three-month plus [recovery time] in most sports," Peter Larkins told the Sydney Morning Herald. "The fact he had surgery ensures he won't be going to the World Cup.''
Shaun Marsh, the Western Australia batsman, has been drafted into the squad for the next three matches against England and would be the player to step up if Hussey was ruled out of the World Cup squad but Clarke knows they are massive shoes to fill.
"He's been a huge player, not only this summer in the Test format but over a long period of time in one-day cricket," he said. "I think in the subcontinent conditions are going to be quite tough for the middle-order players and I think his experience and knowledge in those conditions would be really helpful."
Ponting, meanwhile, is around the squad in Hobart and will spend other periods with them during the remainder of this series. It isn't impossible that he could squeeze in a match before the summer is finished.
"I think it's more day-by-day, keep seeing Alex, keep seeing how it's healing then they make a plan as soon as they can," Clarke said. "I'm confident Ricky will be right to play the World Cup, it's just about how much batting he gets under his belt leading up to that first game. The sooner the better I think for our team."
Monday, January 17, 2011
Make Room for Babies on 'Desperate Housewives'
DeAnn Welker writes: Almost everyone was thinking about babies this week, starting with Gaby and her doll, Princess Valerie. When Carlos got the credit card bill showing she'd spent more than $800 at a doll store, he freaked out that she'd spend so much on their kids. She lied that it was something for Bob and Lee, and it made her feel good, which seemed to make it somewhat OK with him. Until Gaby blabbed to Mrs. McCluskey about her doll, and even invited her and her own childhood doll to tea.
Thankfully, Mrs. McCluskey blabbed to Carlos, who tried to talk some sense into Gaby and get her to go to therapy. Instead, they ended up heading to dinner together with a doll strapped in a car seat. When they accidentally ended up in a bad neighborhood (I'm not sure how it could have any higher of a crime rate than Wisteria, though) and got held up for their car, Gaby freaked about losing her "baby." Carlos told her it's not Grace, and Gaby cried in his arms. The thing about Carlos and Gaby is that they can always sell it, whether it's comedy (which loo-loo stuff with her and her doll was) or pain (when she cried in his arms at the end), so the payoff's so much greater than with many of the other ladies on this show.
Bree had her own baby issues this week, when an old girlfriend of Keith's showed up to tell him she'd had his baby (how many times does someone not know they have a baby in real life compared to on TV?). Lucky for Bree, he wasn't home, so she got the news and promised to deliver it. She asked Keith some vague and loaded questions about wanting kids, and then went back to Amber and told her that Keith thinks it would be better if he doesn't meet Charlie. Then Bree paid her off. Hmmm. I wonder if this will come back to bite Bree.
Bob and Lee's baby (who turns out to be more like a 10-year-old, actually) girl was going to arrive soon, and Renee designed the bedroom. When it turned out perfect, Renee got all wistful about dreaming about her own child. Bob and Lee suddenly realized she had a heart, and brought their daughter to meet her first thing. Then Lee asked Renee if she'd be the woman their girl could talk to when she needs one. Renee agreed, and Lee said he'd tell her to head over to "Old Auntie Renee's." Renee: "If she ever calls me 'Old Auntie,' I will kick her." Turns out wanting a kid doesn't mean you can't still be an ice queen.
Oh, and Susan met a Dick (whose name fit him, until she realized he was just angry at spending so many years waiting) during dialysis, and Paul almost killed Beth until the cops showed him the gun that shot him. By the way he was gazing at a picture of himself and Zach at the end of the episode, I think we can guess Paul knew the gun well -- not because it was his wife's, but because it was his son's.
Thankfully, Mrs. McCluskey blabbed to Carlos, who tried to talk some sense into Gaby and get her to go to therapy. Instead, they ended up heading to dinner together with a doll strapped in a car seat. When they accidentally ended up in a bad neighborhood (I'm not sure how it could have any higher of a crime rate than Wisteria, though) and got held up for their car, Gaby freaked about losing her "baby." Carlos told her it's not Grace, and Gaby cried in his arms. The thing about Carlos and Gaby is that they can always sell it, whether it's comedy (which loo-loo stuff with her and her doll was) or pain (when she cried in his arms at the end), so the payoff's so much greater than with many of the other ladies on this show.
Bree had her own baby issues this week, when an old girlfriend of Keith's showed up to tell him she'd had his baby (how many times does someone not know they have a baby in real life compared to on TV?). Lucky for Bree, he wasn't home, so she got the news and promised to deliver it. She asked Keith some vague and loaded questions about wanting kids, and then went back to Amber and told her that Keith thinks it would be better if he doesn't meet Charlie. Then Bree paid her off. Hmmm. I wonder if this will come back to bite Bree.
Bob and Lee's baby (who turns out to be more like a 10-year-old, actually) girl was going to arrive soon, and Renee designed the bedroom. When it turned out perfect, Renee got all wistful about dreaming about her own child. Bob and Lee suddenly realized she had a heart, and brought their daughter to meet her first thing. Then Lee asked Renee if she'd be the woman their girl could talk to when she needs one. Renee agreed, and Lee said he'd tell her to head over to "Old Auntie Renee's." Renee: "If she ever calls me 'Old Auntie,' I will kick her." Turns out wanting a kid doesn't mean you can't still be an ice queen.
Oh, and Susan met a Dick (whose name fit him, until she realized he was just angry at spending so many years waiting) during dialysis, and Paul almost killed Beth until the cops showed him the gun that shot him. By the way he was gazing at a picture of himself and Zach at the end of the episode, I think we can guess Paul knew the gun well -- not because it was his wife's, but because it was his son's.
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