Monday, November 02, 2009

Monday MVP: Gabourey Sidibe

If Gabby Sidibe can immerse herself in the grotty and forlorn world of Precious for three months of filming, and hold up to global press barrages as a first-time actor, and still roll up giggling this infectiously and throwing down this hard on The Ellen Show there is no. reason. I cannot make it through another week of waking up early to go to work. (It helps that my job is neither grotty nor forlorn, but I do wish it involved more dancing.)



Trawling for Ellen clips on YouTube is a personal weakness, but I should tip you off that In Contention was equally seduced. And it would seem that my prophecy just last week about Sidibe's chances for the Oscar and her best means of campaigning for it are sounding less unusual all the time. But remember: she doesn't want to talk about it.

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9 Comments:

Blogger Sam Brooks said...

I feel mildly ashamed (and reactionary) when I say that I think she solidified her Oscar with that little dance.

3:19 AM, November 03, 2009  
Blogger Colin Low said...

Love. her.

9:08 AM, November 03, 2009  
Blogger NATHANIEL R said...

I think we're all getting WAY ahead of ourselves to think she's winning the Oscar. She's virtually the only person who's campaigning at this point and the movies about to open so naturally things are at a fever pitch right now. But it's 3 months until people are actually voting on these things.

but yes. she's adorable. and i've also indicated her interviews ever since Sundance have clearly drawn quite a bold line of demarcation between her and her character.

well done Gabby.

10:31 AM, November 03, 2009  
Blogger NicksFlickPicks said...

@BB: I know what you mean, but I agree that it's not incidental. Carey and Meryl haven't cornered the market on cute, and Oscar voters like cute.

@Nathaniel: Fair enough, but it's no less "ahead of ourselves" than calling Meryl the front-runner as you've been doing since August, right? Even though I know you haven't been calling her a "lock" or saying that things couldn't change over the season? I understand this race could still go any kind of way. But I posted last week after seeing the last of the three buzziest perfs that based on the perfs, and even more than that the vehicles, Sidibe seems like the most Oscarable to me, once you negate any assumption that she's just playing herself. Mickey Rourke can tell us that this doesn't work as a campaign strategy. And this post says, "I really don't think it's crazy to place bets on her over Meryl and Carey," not, "Look, y'all, she's got it in the bag!!"

10:46 AM, November 03, 2009  
Blogger Colin Low said...

Okay, a more substantial comment: this looks like it's going to be another Jennifer Hudson situation, where regardless of how much I like her actual performance, I'm not going to begrudge (and I'll even be happy to see) Gabourey winning the Oscar, just for the dramatic potential of having that institution "gifted" upon a young, charismatic, well-meaning individual. It sounds crude and un-P.C. but that's how it runs.

(Though if I reflect further on this thought, it starts having uncomfortable implications about why I supported Obama's election to the presidency...)

11:18 AM, November 03, 2009  
Blogger NATHANIEL R said...

@Nick... true. i didn't mean to sound snippy about it. I have been reading too many oscar blogs and oscar blog comments and everyone is always so busy locking everything up and it's only November 3rd! 3 months till the nominations are due. 4 months till the show still.

11:41 AM, November 03, 2009  
Blogger tim r said...

I agree with you both that all the lock talk gets tiresome. Which is why I'm so delighted to hear these rumours of Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart being an Oscarable Jeff Bridges performance (a thing we have sorely lacked in the last year or three).

Rumours, I might add. But we're allowed to get high on those, right? So I'm rooting for Jeff now. I don't think either Clooney or Firth have the winning case, much as I like them. And Jeff is owed. Could he be Jessica Lange in Blue Sky?

I'm wondering if there's anyone who might pull off a similar late surprise in Best Actress, and stir up the current trifecta...? Though I'm looking forward to her perf, I don't count Mirren: not late enough, and too recently laureled.

6:46 PM, November 04, 2009  
Blogger Glenn said...

Is it wrong that, as wonderful and lively as she was, I really hope - for her sake - that she tries to lose some weight and get healthy. It was alarming to see her huffing and puffing halfway through the interview.

Mo'Nique was gorgeous on Ellen yesterday. And I've been saying ALL ALONG that when it's time to actually do press for the movie then Mo'Nique will gladly join, but they don't need her to sell Precious to an audience in London, ya know?

10:10 PM, November 04, 2009  
Blogger tim r said...

Careful!

3:48 AM, November 05, 2009  

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