Ben Lyons will be gracing the red carpet at the Oscars this week as he rubs shoulders with the stars as well as this year's nominees.
We caught up with him to talk Oscar winners as he predicted who would be walking away with the most coveted prizes in entertainment.
- Much like twelve months ago Best Picture is a two horse race who do you see walking away with the Oscars The King's Speech or The Social Network?
Well as much as Black Swan was my favourite movie of last year, and as much as I think The Social Network deserves to win the Best Picture I think that The King's Speech will win Best Picture.
It's nominated twelve times, it's got that Academy friendly feel to it and it plays to a little bit older of an audience, which is what the Academy is made up of, also it won at the Producers Guild, which is always a good indication of what goes on two win the Oscar.
You are right it has definitely become a two horse race but I think the King's Speech is going to take it.
- What do you think of the ten pictures nominated - it's a pretty strong field this year and any of them could potentially win?
Yeah. It's the second year now that they have nominated ten movies for Best Picture instead of five, at first it really rubbed me the wrong way i thought it would lose some of the prestige of a best Picture nomination.
However this year it's a really nice cross section and a nice representation of the current state of cinema; you have six studio films like Inception and True Grit, which is a Western, you have an animation movie in Toy Story 3, an independent movie with Winter's Bone, biopics with 127 Hours and the Fighter.
So there's a little bit of everything and I appreciate that because it's a good indication of the state of filmmaking and all these films are worthy of being Best Picture nominations.
- It seems we may be in for very few surprises with Colin Firth and Natalie Portman all but guaranteed Best Actor and Actress - what did you think of their performances in The King's Speech and Black Swan?
I think Natalie Portman is the performance of the year, man, woman, supporting, lead it doesn't matter she crushes that movie. It's one of those movies that has a classic performance and a timeless performance she really delivered in terms of the ballet and she transformed herself - she just kills that movie.
Colin Firth is brilliant in The King's Speech and he is at a stage in his career, after being nominated last year, where everyone has realised that he is one of the special ones and he is well deserving of all this praise.
When actor win a SAG award for playing real life people they usually go on to win the Oscar - it happened to Charlie Theron, Jamie Foxx, Sean Penn and I think it will happen to Colin Firth and it feels like the right time for him.
- What about the supporting categories - were are you expecting the awards to go?
Even though he doesn't do much campaigning he gives a mesmerising performance in the Fighter I think Christian Bale will win the Best Supporting Actor.
You can't take your eyes off the screen when he is on it and he plays someone who is battling addiction in a way that's rather authentic - and that can be difficult for actors.
There's been so much talk about the way she is campaigning and people don't like the add that she's put out but lets focus on the work on the screen and I think Melissa Leo is another actress, who like Colin Firth, it feels like the right time for her to win.
But if there is any upset in the major categories I would predict that it would be here and Best Supporting Actress could go to Hailee Steinfeld.
But I do think that The Fighter stars are going to sweep the supporting categories.
- We have two great young performances from Hailee Steinfeld and Jennifer Lawrence so what did you think of their breakthrough turns?
Well we have had more than the two of them we have had Jesse Eisenberg, Michelle Williams, Natalie Portman and James Franco. It has just been a great year for young Hollywood and that's the one thing that I'm taking away from the Oscars.
So many times in Hollywood you see these stars stumble and struggle with their personal lives, we see them in the newspapers for DUI cases and stealing purses and what have you, but it's nice to see Hollywood and the media recognise that there are some young talented people and focusing on their work.
And to have a nice collection of young stars means that we are in for some great performances in the future hopefully - they are set up nicely to go on and have great careers. I hope to see more from Jennifer Lawrence, Hailee Steinfeld and the rest of them.
- Hans Zimmer spoke out about Chris Nolan missing out on a Best Director nod do you agree - it's a strong category this year?
It's always a strong category and they are all above the title directors now and I don't know who you would take off of that list.
But Christopher Nolan deserves to be on that list, I thought he was robbed a few years back for The Dark Knight and he was robbed again this year; he is nominated for screenplay and producer.
He is one of those filmmakers that you go and pay to see his movies because he is directing it - regardless of who is starring in it - he is a draw into himself now.
From Memento to Insomnia to the Batman movies and Inception he creates event movies that also make you think not just big mindless blockbusters these are really smart, well crafted, passionate movies.
It's a shame that he didn't get nominated this year because he deserved it but I think he will, no matter what happens and I'm predicting it now, I think he will get nominated for Best Director for the next Batman movie. He is just an innovator and an artist who is well deserving of an Oscar nomination.
- And how much are you looking forward to seeing James Franco and Anne Hathaway host the show?
I think it's going to be great. So many eyebrows were raised when it was announced that they were hosting it but Anne Hathaway loves musical theatre, she opened the Oscars a few years ago with Hugh Jackman, and I think she will thrive when it comes to the singing and dancing aspect of the show.
And Franco can do whatever he wants. I bought my mother his book of short fiction for Christmas and now he is getting his doctorate at Yale, he has got a comedy coming out with Your Highness, I visited him on set in Ireland and it looks wild.
He is also directing a movie so this kid is incredible so I'm very excited to see what he does in the role.
Ultimately what they are going to do, after any kind of opening number, I think we are going to see them move the show along rather quickly - you want to see the presenters and the winners come up there and speak passionately about what the award means to them.
They are great hosts, potentially, and I think it should be a lot of fun with them.
- It's only early in the year but what movies have you been enjoying so far in 2011?
I saw a movie called Paul with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost which was just hilarious they are just so sharp - I want to thank the UK for giving us those guys.
Other than that however it has been slim pickings oh I saw a movie called Source Code which was a fun, intelligent thriller - at times it is unbelievable but a fun ride if you can buy into it.
Other than that it's been a slow year oh I saw a movie called take Take Me Home Tonight with Topher Grace and Anna Faris - it was made with a lot of love.
- Once the Oscars are over we will be immediately looking forward to the movies hitting the big screen this summer - it promises to be an exciting one?
I'm very sad to see Harry and his friends from Hogwarts go, I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, and I think it's going to be the event of the year.
And while we are sad to see Harry, Hermione and Ron leave us on screen it's exciting to see what these actors and actresses do next - I think all three are going to have long careers.
So the Potter movie is definitely going to be a highlight for me. And as a kid I was huge fan of the Tintin books and now he is coming to the big screen with another great British actor Jamie Bell.
So I'm looking forward to Steven Spielberg and Jamie Bell teaming up for this Tintin thing because it looks great - and I love those books.
- We have new franchises such as Thor and Captain America do you think they are going to live up to the hype.
I hope so. I'm a big fans of superhero movies when they are done right and I think, obviously after the success of Iron Man and the re-boot of the Batman series, Hollywood is churning them out one after another.
But that's what I think the summertime should be it should be a chance to see these big popcorn movies - also they can sprinkle in some independents and documentaries along the way.
A few of the movies that I saw at Sundance I think are really going to strike a chord with audiences this year - a movie called Little Birds with Juno Temple I really liked and she could be in the run for an Oscar nomination next year for her performance.
- We also have some well established franchises returning to the big screen - what are you expecting for Pirates of the Caribbean and Transformers - they both came in for some criticism on their last release?
To be honest I'm not expecting much, obviously I'm expecting a big spectacle but I'm looking forward to seeing Penelope Cruz in a big movie as we have not seen her in anything on that scale.
Your right the last few were a little disappointing, especially Transformers 2 which I just thought was horrendous, so I don't want to have high hopes for them but I'm excited to see them both, if that makes sense?
- And what about The Hangover 2?
How are they going to recapture the magic? How are they going to top it? It's a different feeling when you come in under the radar as opposed to when you come out when the whole world is watching.
Liam Neeson did a cameo and I know Mike Tyson is back but I hope it's funny. I'm a huge fan of Todd Phillips, I'm not a huge fan of Due Date, but I like that they went all the way over to China to make it away from Hollywood, for the most part.
I will be there I know that. It will do well but who knows if it's going to be as funny as the first one.
- Finally what's next for you?
Do you know what's next for me? The New York Nick have just got Carmelo Anthony, I'm not sure if you are familiar with this over there, but I'm excited for New York Nicks basketball.
The Nicks have been abysmal for ten years, and I'm long time Nicks fan but I have been suffering - my heart has been bleeding with pain. But now that have Carmelo Anthony, the Nicks are back and New York is on fire.
But to talk movies I'm gearing up for The Independent Spirit Awards, which is a day before the Oscars, so I will be covering that and just looking forward to what the rest of the year holds.
Catch Ben Lyons on Live From The Red Carpet: The 2011 Academy Awards, Sunday 27th February at 11pm on E Entertainment Television (Sky: 151/ Virgin: 156)
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Ben Lyons will be gracing the red carpet at the Oscars this week as he rubs shoulders with the stars as well as this year's nominees.
We caught up with him to talk Oscar winners as he predicted who would be walking away with the most coveted prizes in entertainment.
- Much like twelve months ago Best Picture is a two horse race who do you see walking away with the Oscars The King's Speech or The Social Network?
Well as much as Black Swan was my favourite movie of last year, and as much as I think The Social Network deserves to win the Best Picture I think that The King's Speech will win Best Picture.
It's nominated twelve times, it's got that Academy friendly feel to it and it plays to a little bit older of an audience, which is what the Academy is made up of, also it won at the Producers Guild, which is always a good indication of what goes on two win the Oscar.
You are right it has definitely become a two horse race but I think the King's Speech is going to take it.
- What do you think of the ten pictures nominated - it's a pretty strong field this year and any of them could potentially win?
Yeah. It's the second year now that they have nominated ten movies for Best Picture instead of five, at first it really rubbed me the wrong way i thought it would lose some of the prestige of a best Picture nomination.
However this year it's a really nice cross section and a nice representation of the current state of cinema; you have six studio films like Inception and True Grit, which is a Western, you have an animation movie in Toy Story 3, an independent movie with Winter's Bone, biopics with 127 Hours and the Fighter.
So there's a little bit of everything and I appreciate that because it's a good indication of the state of filmmaking and all these films are worthy of being Best Picture nominations.
- It seems we may be in for very few surprises with Colin Firth and Natalie Portman all but guaranteed Best Actor and Actress - what did you think of their performances in The King's Speech and Black Swan?
I think Natalie Portman is the performance of the year, man, woman, supporting, lead it doesn't matter she crushes that movie. It's one of those movies that has a classic performance and a timeless performance she really delivered in terms of the ballet and she transformed herself - she just kills that movie.
Colin Firth is brilliant in The King's Speech and he is at a stage in his career, after being nominated last year, where everyone has realised that he is one of the special ones and he is well deserving of all this praise.
When actor win a SAG award for playing real life people they usually go on to win the Oscar - it happened to Charlie Theron, Jamie Foxx, Sean Penn and I think it will happen to Colin Firth and it feels like the right time for him.
- What about the supporting categories - were are you expecting the awards to go?
Even though he doesn't do much campaigning he gives a mesmerising performance in the Fighter I think Christian Bale will win the Best Supporting Actor.
You can't take your eyes off the screen when he is on it and he plays someone who is battling addiction in a way that's rather authentic - and that can be difficult for actors.
There's been so much talk about the way she is campaigning and people don't like the add that she's put out but lets focus on the work on the screen and I think Melissa Leo is another actress, who like Colin Firth, it feels like the right time for her to win.
But if there is any upset in the major categories I would predict that it would be here and Best Supporting Actress could go to Hailee Steinfeld.
But I do think that The Fighter stars are going to sweep the supporting categories.
- We have two great young performances from Hailee Steinfeld and Jennifer Lawrence so what did you think of their breakthrough turns?
Well we have had more than the two of them we have had Jesse Eisenberg, Michelle Williams, Natalie Portman and James Franco. It has just been a great year for young Hollywood and that's the one thing that I'm taking away from the Oscars.
So many times in Hollywood you see these stars stumble and struggle with their personal lives, we see them in the newspapers for DUI cases and stealing purses and what have you, but it's nice to see Hollywood and the media recognise that there are some young talented people and focusing on their work.
Tagged in The Oscars