Posted on 02/27/2005 6:54:03 PM PST by Former Military Chick
LOS ANGELES Feb 27, 2005 — Morgan Freeman won the supporting-actor Academy Award on Sunday for his portrayal of a worldly wise ex-prizefighter in Clint Eastwood's boxing saga "Million Dollar Baby."
Freeman became just the ninth black actor to win out of nearly 300 recipients in the 77-year history of the Oscars, joining such supporting-performer winners as Cuba Gooding Jr. for "Jerry Maguire," Whoopi Goldberg for "Ghost" and Louis Gossett Jr. for "An Officer and a Gentleman."
"I want to thank everybody and anybody who ever had anything at all to do with the making of this picture. But I especially want to thank Clint Eastwood for giving me the opportunity to work with him again," said Freeman, who previously co-starred in Eastwood's "Unforgiven."
Freeman's win set up a record-tying night for black performers, with Jamie Foxx expected to take the best-actor prize for the Ray Charles tale "Ray." It would be only the second time blacks have won two of the four acting Oscars, following Denzel Washington and Halle Berry's triumph three years ago for "Training Day" and "Monster's Ball."
"The Aviator" won for best art direction, and "The Incredibles," won best animated feature.
Unlike last year, when "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" dominated the awards as expected and flat-out front-runners took all four acting prizes, the 77th Oscars shaped up as a mixed bag, with only Foxx a virtual lock to win.
With no huge hits among top nominees, Oscar organizers worried that TV ratings could dwindle for the live ABC broadcast. The Oscars tend to draw their biggest audiences when blockbusters such as "Titanic" or "Return of the King" are in the mix, stoking viewer interest.
Producers of the show hoped the presence of mouthy first-time host Chris Rock might boost ratings, particularly among younger viewers who may view the Oscars as too staid an affair. Rock had mocked the Oscars a bit beforehand, calling awards shows "idiotic," but he was on his best behavior in his opening monologue.
As Rock opened the show he made a ref: of black vs. white people.
Then he went on to make another comment after the animated movie won, saying next year there will be a black version. Few sentences later he made a remark about Sidney (cannot spell his last name) and his costar Audrey Hepburn, again with the race issue.
What is up about making every other sentence a division between white and blacks?
Should I expect more from Hollywood, well yes? They did choose Rock but still if I am uncomfortable I am sure others are as well.
>>he was on his best behavior in his opening monologue
Which means that immediately after saying he wouldn't bash the President, he did.
I did not see the movie that gave Freeman the Oscar but I can say this of the man he has done some excellent acting in the past.
I also like his values. He resides in Mississippi and has built businesses to assist the economy. Bravo to Freeman!
Rock bombed. Strictly WB. Without the ability to curse, half his act is gone. And I'm not uptight about cursing, I just realize when it's a crutch.
Chris Rock is whitey hating black that gets away with racist comments because of left wing, self hating, secular jewish idiots.
Freeman has diginity, which 99% of Hollywood lacks.
Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"? Twasn't Audrey.
er, dignity.
Rock can be funny when he knock sacred cows and PC, but tonight he just wasn't funny. Nobody in the room laughed during his entire monologue.
Does the counting ever end?
Thank you for the correction and yes you are correct. I enjoyed that movie a great deal.
I do not think it will ever end. Many want to continue to divide. I cannot help but wonder if those folks great grand parents felt that all they went through would end up with the continuous tants, bad mouthing and selfish behavior they must be turning in their graves.
More than 1/2 his act is gone w/o the curse.
Seeing the tribute to Johnny Carson (class!) reminded me of the old Gracie Allen line: "Those who say funny things are comics. Those who say things funny are comedians."
Chris is neither.
On the Red Carpet show before the Oscars, Spike Lee was interviewed. The interviewer commented that there were a lot of African-American nominees this year. Lee responded, "That's why I'm here", as if he wouldn't have shown up to see white actors. What do you suppose would happen if the races were reversed?
They just performed a best-song nominee from the Che-Guevera sympathizing The Motorcycle Diaries. What's next...Springtime For Hitler?
What's next...Springtime For Hitler?
Nope, Karl Marx in Love ;o)
(Like the movie "Shakespear in Love" but with Marx in it)
His "best behavior"? Well, maybe for Rock it was good behavior, but his first line was, "Sit your asses down". He also used "sucked" several times.
He was still 100 times better than Whoopi Goldberg.
In the eyes of the liberals, it was his best behavior. He actually waited about 2 and a half minutes before bashing Bush! Yes, and as Drudge noted, he managed to use "ass" in his very first statement. Would Bob Hope or Johnny Carson have done that? Or would the trio of Goldberg/R. Williams/
Crystal (who have also hosted a few Oscar ceremonies)?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.