Oscars 2013 Airs Live and Complete on Velvet this February 25

The much-awaited 85th Academy Awards, more prominently known as the Oscars, will once again set the stage to honor the best in cinema. It will air live and complete from Dolby Theater on Velvet, the premier channel for red carpet events in the Philippines.

Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” led the field with nominations for best director, picture, actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), supporting actress (Sally Field) and supporting actor (Tommy Lee Jones). The historical film is about the 16th president’s attempt to pass an anti-slavery amendment to the Constitution before the end of the Civil War.

Coming next with 11 nods was the visually stunning “Life of Pi”, Ang Lee’s adaptation of Yann Martel’s award-winning novel about an Indian teenager and a Bengal tiger adrift in a lifeboat. The story of their struggle for survival in the open sea was nominated for best picture, best director, and best cinematography.

Tom Hooper’s musical “Les Miserables”, after Victor Hugo’s classic novel, earned 7 nominations including best picture, best actor (Hugh Jackman), and best supporting actress (Anne Hathaway).

Real-life mission stories “Argo” by Ben Affleck received seven nods including best picture, and best supporting actor (Alan Arkin) and “Zero Dark Thirty” by Kathryn Bigelow received five nods including best picture, best actress (Jessica Chastain), and best original screenplay. Affleck’s political thriller tells the story of the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis while Oscar-winner Bigelow shows her take on the decade-long Osama bin Laden manhunt.

David O. Russell’s dark romantic-comedy “Silver Linings Playbook” snatched major award nominations such as best picture, best director, best actor (Bradley Cooper), best actress (Jennifer Lawrence), best supporting actor (Robert de Niro), and best supporting actress (Jacki Weaver).

Other notable nominations include the best picture award for Quentin Tarantino’s Western tale “Django Unchained”, the powerful “Amour”, and the magical “Beasts of the Southern Wild”. Also, the oldest and the youngest nominee will compete in the best actress category: 85-year-old Emmanuelle Riva (“Amour”) and 9-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis (“Beasts”).

The 85th Academy Awards will include a tribute to the James Bond movie franchise, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. It has been a celebratory year generally for Bond, with “Skyfall” earning spectacular reviews and grossing more than $1 billion worldwide, the first time the franchise has crossed that mark.

Academy Award winner Charlize Theron, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Daniel Radcliffe join a stellar list of previously announced Oscar presenters including “The Avengers” cast members Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo; returning 2012 Oscar winners Jean Dujardin, Christopher Plummer, Octavia Spencer and Meryl Streep; and co-stars Mark Wahlberg and the teddy bear Ted.

Hosted by “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane, the live and complete telecast of the 85th Academy Awards will premiere on Philippine television via Velvet Channel on February 25 starting at 6:00 a.m. with the red carpet/arrivals special followed by the main ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Velvet (SkyCable Channel 53) is available on SkyCable Platinum, SkyCable Gold, SkyCable Silver and other quality cable operators nationwide. For updates, log-on to http://www.velvet.com.ph/ and http://www.facebook.com/VelvetChannel.

For more Kapamilya updates follow/like BIDA KAPAMILYA on Twitter and Facebook.

85th Oscars (2013) Airs Live on Velvet; Seth MacFarlane Appointed as Host

Family Guy creator and “Ted” director Seth MacFarlane will take the Oscar’s stage for the first time to host the 85th Academy Awards on February 25 live on Velvet Channel.

“We are thrilled to have Seth MacFarlane host the Oscars. His performing skills blend perfectly with our ideas for making the show entertaining and fresh. He will be the consummate host, and we are so happy to be working with him,” said the show’s producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. “It’s truly an overwhelming privilege to be asked to host the Oscars,” adds Seth MacFarlane. “My thoughts upon hearing the news were, one, I will do my utmost to live up to the high standards set forth by my predecessors; and two, I hope they don’t find out I hosted the Charlie Sheen Roast.”

He also recently announced the nominees – the only Oscar host to do so since Charlton Heston in 1972 – along with actress Emma Stone.

MacFarlane made his debut as a film director in the box office hit “Ted” which he also co-wrote and produced. He was also the voice behind the foul-mouthed teddy bear, the title character. “Ted” has brought in over $420 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of the year. Apart from “Family Guy”, he’s also the co-creator of “American Dad!” and “The Cleveland Show”. His work on “Family Guy” has earned him two Emmy Awards and 13 nominations. An accomplished live performer, MacFarlane has played to sold-out audiences at London’s Royal Albert Hall and New York’s Carnegie Hall. In 2011 he released his debut album, “Music Is Better Than Words,” which earned two Grammy nominations.

The live and complete telecast of the 85th Academy Awards will premiere on Philippine television via Velvet Channel on February 25 starting at 6:00 a.m. with the red carpet/arrivals special followed by the main ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Velvet (SkyCable Channel 53) is available on SkyCable Platinum, SkyCable Gold, SkyCable Silver and other quality cable operators nationwide. For updates, log-on to http://www.velvet.com.ph/ and http://www.facebook.com/VelvetChannel.

For more Kapamilya updates follow/like BIDA KAPAMILYA on Twitter and Facebook.

19th Annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards Airs January 28 on Velvet

Jeff Daniels, Neil Patrick Harris, Nicole Kidman, Julianna Margulies, Busy Philipps and SAG-AFTRA Co-Presidents Ken Howard and Roberta Reardon will be presenters at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, Executive Producer Jeff Margolis announced.

They join a growing roster of actors who will honor their colleagues at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards that already includes Alec Baldwin, Bradley Cooper, Viola Davis, Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Carl Reiner, Justin Timberlake and Sigourney Weaver.

For his TV work in “The Newsroom,” this year Jeff Daniels has been honored with his third SAG Award nomination. On the big screen, he was recently seen in the futuristic action film “Looper” with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis.

Neil Patrick Harris has played the womanizing Barney Stinson in the sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” since 2005. He has also been a popular host of the Tony, Primetime Emmy and TV Land Awards. Later this year, he will reprise roles in a pair of family-friendly big-screen sequels: “The Smurfs 2” and the animated “Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers.”

SAG Awards nominee Nicole Kidman has been nominated for seven Actor statuettes — including two this year for her roles in “Hemingway & Gellhorn” and “The Paperboy.” She will next be seen in the thriller “Stoker” with Matthew Goode and Mia Wasikowska. She just finished production on “The Railway Man” with Colin Firth and is currently filming the title role in “Grace of Monaco,” opposite Tim Roth.

With eight Actor statuettes to her credit, Julianna Margulies holds the record for the most SAG Awards. She’s nominated again this year, for her role as Alicia Florrick in the CBS drama “The Good Wife.” On the big screen, she will next be seen opposite Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin in “Stand Up Guys.”

Busy Philipps is this year’s SAG Awards’ social media ambassador. In the weeks leading up to the show, through posts on Twitter and Facebook, the star of TBS’s “Cougar Town” has been giving fans access to behind-the-scenes moments, including updates on the production, presenters and fashion. In addition to “Cougar Town,” Philipps’ numerous TV credits include “Freaks and Geeks,” “Dawson’s Creek” and “ER.” Her next big-screen role will be opposite Brendan Fraser and Peter Dinklage in “A Case of You,” due for release in 2013.

The 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, one of the awards season’s premier events, will be aired live on Velvet Channel on January 28 (Monday) at 9:00 a.m. Velvet (SkyCable Channel 53) is available on SkyCable Platinum, SkyCable Gold, SkyCable Silver and other quality cable operators nationwide. For updates, log-on to http://www.velvet.com.ph/ and http://www.facebook.com/VelvetChannel.

For more Kapamilya updates follow/like BIDA KAPAMILYA on Twitter and Facebook.

64th Primetime Emmy Awards Newest Presenters Announced

Fresh from their acting wins for Justified and The Good Wife at Emmy’s Creative Arts Awards last week, Jeremy Davies and Martha Plimpton are the newest additions to the list of presenters at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Some of the stars announced by the TV Academy to hand out this year’s primetime Emmys also include the outstanding comedy lead actress nominees Zooey Deschanel (New Girl), Tina Fey (30 Rock), and Melissa McCarthy (Mike and Molly).

Homeland star Claire Danes, who’s a nominee this year for outstanding drama lead actress, and Two and a Half Men’s Jon Cryer, who’s up for outstanding comedy lead actor, will also present.

Previously announced presenters include seven-time nominees Louis C.K., creator, writer, producer and star of the comedy Louie and Ricky Gervais, creator of The Office. Others will include Mindy Kaling, star and creator of the upcoming comedy The Mindy Project, Jim Parsons, who’s nominated for The Big Bang Theory, and Amy Poehler, nominated for Parks and Recreation.

Jimmy Kimmel has been tapped as the host of the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards which will air live with complete coverage on Velvet from the NOKIA Theatre L.A. on Monday, September 24th at 7:00 a.m. with primetime telecast on the same day at 7:00 p.m. Velvet (SkyCable Channel 53), the home of the biggest red carpet events in the Philippines is available on SkyCable Platinum, SkyCable Gold, SkyCable Silver and other quality cable operators nationwide. For updates, logon to http://www.facebook.com/VelvetChannel.

For more Kapamilya updates follow/like BIDA KAPAMILYA on Twitter and Facebook.

64th Primetime Emmy Awards Airs Live on Velvet this September 24

Velvet brings its viewers closer to the stars at this year’s awards that celebrate excellence in television — the 64th Primetime Emmys on September 24, which will be aired exclusively on the home of Hollywood red carpet events in the Philippines, Velvet.

The Primetime Emmy Awards give distinction in national primetime programming, presenting top honors annually. This year, some of Velvet’s shows have made it to the roster of television’s best and brightest.

The wicked medical comedy-drama “Nurse Jackie” has received five nominations including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Edie Falco as the pill-popper Nurse Jackie, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Merritt Wever, while the show is nominated for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series.

In the drama category, the award winning legal drama “The Good Wife” returns with seven nominations including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Archie Panjabi and Christine Baranski, while the show is nominated for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series. Serial killer Dexter Morgan portrayed by Michael Hall on the top-billed show “Dexter”, is also nominated as the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

Reality dance competition “So You Think You Can Dance” earned 6 nominations. The show is nominated for the Outstanding Reality-Competition Program while choreographers Stacey Tookey, Christopher Scott and Spencer Liff are nominated for Outstanding Choreography.

The Oscars and Tonys, two other illustrious awards events also received their fair share of nominations, with the Oscars grabbing eight and the Tonys capturing five.

Other leading televisions series competing with Velvet’s line-up include “American Horror Story” and 60’s American depicting series “Mad Men” led the pack with 17 nominations apiece while “Downton Abbey” and “Hatfields & McCoys followed with 16 each.

Outstanding Drama Award nominees include, “Boardwalk Empire”, “Breaking Bad”, “Downton Abbey”, “Game of Thrones”, “Homeland” and “Mad Men” while “The Big Bang Theory”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, “Girls”, “Modern Family”, “30 Rock” and “Veep” vie for the Outstanding Comedy award.

Don’t miss the airing of the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards hosted by Jimmy Kimmel live and complete on Velvet from the NOKIA Theatre L.A. on Monday, September 24th at 7:00 a.m. with primetime telecast on the same day at 7:00 p.m. Velvet (SkyCable Channel 53) is available on SkyCable Platinum, SkyCable Gold, SkyCable Silver and other quality cable operators nationwide. For updates, log-on to http://www.facebook.com/VelvetChannel.

For more Kapamilya updates follow/like BIDA KAPAMILYA on Twitter and Facebook.