The 2008 Academy Awards
I can't remember the last time I watched the Academy Awards without my publicist Leigh. In previous blogs, I have referred to her as "the woman behind the man". The truth of the matter is that she is really the woman in front of the man, the woman who makes me always look great. I am the first to admit this isn't an easy job. Leigh's job can include telling me to sit straight, smile, and listen during an interview. It's not unusual for her to brush the crumbs from my breakfast two minutes before I am on camera. She is a pain in the butt and we often disagree, but I adore her. We are truly Frick and Frack.
I flew to LA for the Oscar’s to make all the ladies their most beautiful. Leigh stayed in South Beach post the Today Show shoot. I had hair color to do, and she had some serious partying to take care of, that she would later call “networking”. On Sunday night, three o'clock LA time, six o'clock Miami time, we were on the phone. Nothing could tear us away from the TV or our phones. The best boring three hours of TV was about to begin.
"Leigh, are you there? It's about to begin. Ryan Seacrest is already there!”
"Louis, are you kidding me, he never leaves the red carpet except to shoot American Idol. I think he lives there!"
"Leigh, people are starting to show up."
"Yes Louis, the ushers and the extras, now calm down while I make my popcorn!"
Finally the actors start to arrive. The feeding frenzy is about to
begin. The beauty do's and don'ts and the could-have-beens are about to
strut their stuff. I am sitting on the edge of my seat.
“Leigh, this year is monumental. It took eight years to happen but from the look of the actors milling around the red carpet, glamour has finally arrived to the 21st Century. Let’s closely look at the all stars that will change the face of beauty for years to come.”
“Get a grip, Louis, it’s just some paint, a new schmata, and some borrowed jewels. A stylist even put it together for them. I mean, after all, they only have to remember their designer’s name. How hard is that?”
"Louis, here is the first actor, that little girl from Juno who is so great! What's her name again? She’s going to be huge!"
"You are right, Leigh; her name sounds like an old Hollywood star. Now, walking down the carpet, it’s Miss Ellen Page. The name's good but she needs a little help with her look. I know this woman is a bit quirky but she needs help. She just turned 21, she is pretty but almost seems to try to hide her good looks. That will take about two more award shows to turn around. She just didn't look like she tried. The hair, the dress, the makeup all could have been better.”
“But she's new, and I love her. Remember Nicole Kidman before she discovered glamour? She looked like she was always picking flowers in a straw bonnet in Australia. Look what happened to her!”
“For me, Katherine Heigl stole the show for the night. There was no one with more glamour, elegance, and class. Her pale skin, beautiful blond waved bob, red lips, made her the star of the show. Her presence was the formal announcement that glamour has officially returned to Hollywood.”
“Louis, you are such a cornball. Her hair looks like it is out of a hair-do magazine!”
“Leigh,
look again. It has references from some of the great beauty legends.
You’re jealous, Leigh. You will be wearing your hair like Katherine’s
in a heartbeat.”
”I know that you loved Keri Russell. I thought it was incredibly bold for her to throw away color and still be one of the most elegant women of the night. Perfect highlights, perfect up-do, the best necklace, and a great bone-colored dress. This woman is a winner.”
“Leigh, what did you think of Penelope Cruz? She’s in Chanel Couture. I think she’s gorgeous! Her hair is in a not so perfect up-do with the most perfect highlights.”
“Hate it," Leigh says under her voice. “Dark haired women should keep their hair dark.”
“I don’t necessarily agree with you, Leigh, soft brown highlights can be gorgeous on dark hair.”
Geez, there goes half my brunette business.
“Now it is time to talk about the pregnant girls. They all looked great. I loved Jessica Alba.
This is a beautiful woman who looks more beautiful pregnant. Her
braided up-do made her look soft and feminine. She looked like an
angel. Cate Blanchett looks gorgeous bearing child
number three in Dries Van Noten. I know she got some heat for this
outfit and the color but Cate can wear it all in stride. Her golden
blond hair glowed, cascading off her shoulders in an off-the-face pony.
Let’s not forget Nicole Kidman. What can you say
except you cannot get it right all of the time? Nicole wore a plain
black dress, an over-the-top necklace, and a prom queen ponytail. Got
to give that girl credit, she still looked beautiful.”
“Ok, Leigh, now it's time to shake down a few closets. I think we should begin with Tilda Swinton. What the heck was she wearing? Was it vintage Yohji? Was it an old tablecloth? Whatever she was wearing, the bracelet was beautiful. Ms. Swinton is probably one of the best actresses of our generation. I guess that means she can wear whatever she wants.”
”I must stick up for Renee Zellweger. I know she got busted for a limp hairstyle and silver dress but I think she wore it well. Thank god she didn’t try to fake us out with extensions. Ms. Zellweger, you are my beauty hero.”
“One last note to Leigh, the men did look great. Go to bed now and stop fantasizing about the George Clooney and Colin Farrell sandwich you are thinking of devouring. Talk soon!”
More from Louis Licari
“Leigh, this year is monumental. It took eight years to happen but from the look of the actors milling around the red carpet, glamour has finally arrived to the 21st Century. Let’s closely look at the all stars that will change the face of beauty for years to come.”
“Get a grip, Louis, it’s just some paint, a new schmata, and some borrowed jewels. A stylist even put it together for them. I mean, after all, they only have to remember their designer’s name. How hard is that?”
"Louis, here is the first actor, that little girl from Juno who is so great! What's her name again? She’s going to be huge!"
"You are right, Leigh; her name sounds like an old Hollywood star. Now, walking down the carpet, it’s Miss Ellen Page. The name's good but she needs a little help with her look. I know this woman is a bit quirky but she needs help. She just turned 21, she is pretty but almost seems to try to hide her good looks. That will take about two more award shows to turn around. She just didn't look like she tried. The hair, the dress, the makeup all could have been better.”
“But she's new, and I love her. Remember Nicole Kidman before she discovered glamour? She looked like she was always picking flowers in a straw bonnet in Australia. Look what happened to her!”
“For me, Katherine Heigl stole the show for the night. There was no one with more glamour, elegance, and class. Her pale skin, beautiful blond waved bob, red lips, made her the star of the show. Her presence was the formal announcement that glamour has officially returned to Hollywood.”
“Louis, you are such a cornball. Her hair looks like it is out of a hair-do magazine!”
“Leigh,
look again. It has references from some of the great beauty legends.
You’re jealous, Leigh. You will be wearing your hair like Katherine’s
in a heartbeat.”
”I know that you loved Keri Russell. I thought it was incredibly bold for her to throw away color and still be one of the most elegant women of the night. Perfect highlights, perfect up-do, the best necklace, and a great bone-colored dress. This woman is a winner.”
“Leigh, what did you think of Penelope Cruz? She’s in Chanel Couture. I think she’s gorgeous! Her hair is in a not so perfect up-do with the most perfect highlights.”
“Hate it," Leigh says under her voice. “Dark haired women should keep their hair dark.”
“I don’t necessarily agree with you, Leigh, soft brown highlights can be gorgeous on dark hair.”
Geez, there goes half my brunette business.
“Now it is time to talk about the pregnant girls. They all looked great. I loved Jessica Alba.
This is a beautiful woman who looks more beautiful pregnant. Her
braided up-do made her look soft and feminine. She looked like an
angel. Cate Blanchett looks gorgeous bearing child
number three in Dries Van Noten. I know she got some heat for this
outfit and the color but Cate can wear it all in stride. Her golden
blond hair glowed, cascading off her shoulders in an off-the-face pony.
Let’s not forget Nicole Kidman. What can you say
except you cannot get it right all of the time? Nicole wore a plain
black dress, an over-the-top necklace, and a prom queen ponytail. Got
to give that girl credit, she still looked beautiful.”
“Ok, Leigh, now it's time to shake down a few closets. I think we should begin with Tilda Swinton. What the heck was she wearing? Was it vintage Yohji? Was it an old tablecloth? Whatever she was wearing, the bracelet was beautiful. Ms. Swinton is probably one of the best actresses of our generation. I guess that means she can wear whatever she wants.”
”I must stick up for Renee Zellweger. I know she got busted for a limp hairstyle and silver dress but I think she wore it well. Thank god she didn’t try to fake us out with extensions. Ms. Zellweger, you are my beauty hero.”
“One last note to Leigh, the men did look great. Go to bed now and stop fantasizing about the George Clooney and Colin Farrell sandwich you are thinking of devouring. Talk soon!”
More from Louis Licari
- Try on hairstyles by Louis Licari on Makeover-O-Matic!
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I LOVED that color on Cate Blanchett! So pretty. I was happy to see all the bright colors on the red carpet, too - not just black. Women wearing red and green and purple. It was beautiful!
Thanks for the post, Louis - and I love it when you write about Leigh - I love your relationship, sooo funny!
Luv ya - keep up the great work!
Katherine Heigl. Most. Beautiful. Woman. Ever.
I loved Katherine Heigl's look too. But I've been a fan of hers since she was young in "My Father The Hero" (and in Roswell). Wish I could get my bob to curl up like hers. I'd love to rock the old Hollywood glamour!
Jami