25TH ANNIVERSARY OF "WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT"

THE ACADEMY CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF 
"WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT" WITH DIRECTOR ROBERT ZEMECKIS
AND A TOONTOWN REUNION

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present a new digital restoration of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” in celebration of the film’s 25th anniversary on Thursday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.  The evening will feature a post-screening onstage discussion with director Robert Zemeckis and members of the cast and crew, including actress Joanna Cassidy, voice actor Charles Fleischer, supervising animator Andreas Deja, screenwriter Peter S. Seaman and associate producers Don Hahn and Steve Starkey.  The panel will be moderated by director Rich Moore, who received an Oscar® nomination for Animated Feature Film for “Wreck-It Ralph” this past year.
A masterful blend of live-action filmmaking and classic animation, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" boldly announced the rebirth of the Disney animation studio.  The film endures as an inventive tribute to animation's golden age that also set a new standard for what the medium could achieve.
“‘Roger Rabbit’ brought together the greatest animators, the most skilled technicians, and the finest talent of the day,” said Zemeckis.  “It’s good to have this chance to show our work to both those who remember the film as well as to a new audience.”
“Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (1988) received Oscars® for Film Editing, Sound Effects Editing and Visual Effects, and a Special Achievement Award for Richard Williams’s animation direction.  It also was nominated for Art Direction, Cinematography and Sound.
This digital restoration is provided courtesy of the Walt Disney Studios.  The Disney restoration team used the original 35mm picture, VistaVision optical work and original sound elements to create this pristine digital version.
Tickets for “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID, and may be purchased online at oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office, or by mail.  The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m.  All seating is unreserved.  For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit oscars.org.

ACADEMY TO CELEBRATE OSCARS® WITH NEW YORK MEMBERS AND GUESTS AT DANIEL BOULUD'S ICONIC RESTAURANT DANIEL

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The iconic landmark restaurant Daniel will be rolling out the red carpet for New York-based members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, entertainment industry executives, and several hometown luminaries to celebrate the 85th Oscars with an exclusive viewing party, the only East Coast event officially hosted by the Academy.  This year’s show is of special significance to New Yorkers, as its producers are the Gotham-based motion picture, television and theater producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who have executive produced such acclaimed feature films as “Chicago” and “Hairspray,” as well as the current NBC musical series “Smash.”

World-renowned chef Daniel Boulud is preparing a special menu of cocktails and canapés with a nod to this year’s nominated films, to be served along with his seasonally inspired, award-winning contemporary French cuisine.  Now celebrating its 20th year, Daniel is one of the very few restaurants to have received the New York Times four-star rating as well as three Michelin stars.  Chef Boulud, who hails from Lyon, France, is considered one of America’s leading culinary authorities and one of the most revered chefs in New York City, which he has called home since 1982.
“Oscar® Sunday is a day to celebrate the best in film with family and friends,” notes Patrick Harrison, the Academy’s New York program director.  “We are thrilled that Daniel Boulud has opened his doors to welcome Academy members and the New York film community on the occasion of the Oscars.”
“New York has been my home for over 30 years, and to be able to host the esteemed Academy’s official East Coast event is a huge honor,” said Boulud.  “I hope this fete will mark the beginning of a long-running tradition.”
Three 7.5-foot versions of the 13.5-inch, 8.5-pound Oscar statuette, one of world’s most recognized symbols, will greet the New York partygoers as they enter the restaurant on Oscar Night.  These golden sentinels are identical to the larger-than-life Oscars that will greet the ceremony’s attendees on the Hollywood red carpet.  Numerous large screens will ensure that guests don’t miss a moment of the show’s excitement.
Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane.  The Oscar presentation will be televised live on the ABC Television Network and in more than 225 countries worldwide.

"THE AVENGERS CAST" TO PRESENT ON OSCAR® SHOW

"THE AVENGERS CAST"  ROBERT DOWNEY JR., 

CHRIS EVANS,

SAMUEL L. JACKSON, JEREMY RENNER AND MARK RUFFALO 

TO PRESENT ON OSCAR® SHOW

BEVERLY HILLS, CA

“Marvel’s The Avengers” cast mates Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo will present together on the Oscar stage, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.
"We are happy to re-unite the ‘Avengers’ cast to present on our show," said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. "Audiences who enjoyed the year's biggest box office hit will be excited to see these terrific actors back together again."
Downey has twice been nominated for an Oscar, for his leading role in “Chaplin” (1992) and for his supporting role in “Tropic Thunder” (2008).
Evans, who will be making his first Oscar show appearance, will be seen in the upcoming “The Iceman.”
Jackson was nominated in 1994 for his supporting role in “Pulp Fiction.”  He can also be seen in this year’s Best Picture nominee “Django Unchained.”
Renner was nominated for his leading role in 2009 Best Picture winner “The Hurt Locker” and for his supporting role in “The Town” (2010).  Renner had roles in this year’s “The Bourne Legacy” and “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” (2011).
Ruffalo received his first nomination for his supporting role in 2010 Best Picture nominee “The Kids Are All Right.”
Oscars® for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

ABOUT CRAIG ZADAN AND NEIL MERON

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are producers of critically acclaimed and award-winning feature films, television movies, series, and Broadway productions.  Their feature films include The Bucket List, Footloose, Hairspray, and Chicago, which won six Academy Awards including one for “Best Picture.”  For television, they’ve produced films of “Steel Magnolias,” "Life with Judy Garland," and "A Raisin in the Sun," among many others and the series “Smash” and “Drop Dead Diva.”  They recently returned to their roots in live theater by producing Broadway revivals of the Tony-winning “Promises, Promises” and the Tony-winning 50th Anniversary revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”

MARK WAHLBERG AND TED TO PRESENT AT OSCARS®

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Mark Wahlberg and his teddy bear co-star “Ted” will be presenters on the Oscar® show, telecast producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.
"We are happy to make it possible for Mark and Ted to make their debut appearance on the Oscar stage," said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. "And we won't deny that Ted used his pull with our host to get himself the booking."
Wahlberg and Ted starred in the hit summer comedy “Ted,” which is now the highest-grossing R-rated original comedy of all time.
"I'm excited to present an Oscar with Mark Wahlberg," said Ted. "I'm spending the next month learning to pronounce 'Quvenzhané.'"
Wahlberg has twice been nominated for Academy Awards®, in 2006 for his supporting role in “The Departed,” and in 2010 as a producer of the Best Picture nominee “The Fighter.”
Wahlberg and Ted join a stellar list of previously announced Oscar performers including Adele, Norah Jones and Barbra Streisand.
Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

OSCAR® HITS THE ROAD FOR NATIONWIDE TOUR

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The first-ever Oscar Roadtrip will kick off on Monday, February 4, in New York City, and over the next three weeks will bring the excitement of the Oscars® to numerous cities across the country. Fans along the way will have a chance to hold an actual Oscar statuette before it arrives on the Hollywood red carpet in time for the 85th Academy Awards® presentation on Sunday, February 24.
Oscar's journey will be chronicled in videos, photos and blog posts by Oscar Roadtrip reporters Ben Gleib and Angie Greenup on OscarRoadtrip.com, @OscarRoadtrip and Facebook.com/TheAcademy. The pair will hit the nation's highways for the 21-day journey to some of Oscar's favorite cities, with a number of stops along the way to be determined by fans via social media. Everyone is invited to follow the progress of the trip, suggest a location for an impromptu Oscar visit and take a picture holding the coveted statuette.
"We created the Oscar Roadtrip to bring the magic and fun of the Oscar ceremony to movie fans across the country," said Josh Spector, managing director of digital media and marketing for the Academy. "The Oscar Roadtrip makes it possible to share the once-in-a-lifetime thrill that only comes from holding an Oscar statuette."
JCPenney, a proud sponsor of the 85th Academy Awards, will ensure the Roadtrip reporters look stylish throughout the tour. The pair will wear looks from jcp partners including Joe Fresh, William Rast and jcp's eponymous line, offering a sneak peek at the stylish and affordable fashion that will be available in jcp stores and on jcp.com this spring.
The Oscar Roadtrip is scheduled to visit the following cities on the following dates:
February 4   New York
February 6   Philadelphia
February 7   Washington, D.C.
February 8   Baltimore
February 11   Chicago
February 13   St. Louis
February 14   Kansas City
February 17   Houston
February 18   Dallas
February 21   Phoenix
February 24   Hollywood
Oscars® for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center® and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane. The Oscar presentation will be televised live on the ABC Television Network and in more than 225 countries worldwide.

OSCARS® "BEHIND THE BALLOT" VIDEO SERIES

"BEHIND THE BALLOT" VIDEO SERIES NOW LIVE ON OSCAR.COM AND THE OFFICIAL OSCARS® APP

Academy Members Break Down Oscar® Categories: Production Design, Cinematography, Makeup and Hairstyling, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Costume Design

Entertainment Weekly's Geoff Boucher, Anthony Breznican and Adam Vary to Host

For Oscar fans that just can't seem to win their Oscar ballot pool because of that one craft category, Oscar.com today launched "Behind The Ballot," a six-part video series that explores how Academy members view and ultimately determine who'll win Oscars for Production Design, Cinematography, Makeup and Hairstyling, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Costume Design.
Hosted by Entertainment Weekly's Geoff Boucher, Anthony Breznican and Adam Vary, each episode, shot in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Margaret Herrick Library, features a panel of experts discussing what it takes to be a strong contender in each category. A new video will debut each week for the next five weeks on www.oscar.com, as well as on the official Oscars app for iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle Fire devices. Link to  video file: http://oscar.go.com/video/PL55161146/_m_VD55266156

Expert participants include:

ACADEMY DETERMINES NOMINEES FOR OSCARS®

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Producers Branch Executive Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has determined the individual nominees for “Amour” in the Best Picture category for the Oscars.  They are producers Margaret Menegoz, Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka and Michael Katz.
The Documentary Branch Executive Committee also has determined the individual nominees for four of the contending films in the Documentary Feature category:

“The Gatekeepers”
Dror Moreh, Philippa Kowarsky and Estelle Fialon

“How to Survive a Plague”
David France and Howard Gertler

“The Invisible War”
Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering

“Searching for Sugar Man”
Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn

The nominees for the fifth film in this category, “5 Broken Cameras,” were previously announced.
Oscars® for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

ADELE TO PERFORM ACADEMY AWARD®-NOMINATED SONG FROM “SKYFALL” AT OSCARS®

"Skyfall"/SKYFALL (2012)

Performed by Adele.The “Skyfall” single was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, where famous albums were previously created by The Beatles and Pink Floyd. It was released on October 5 (Global James Bond day), and it debuted at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is the first Bong song nominated for an Oscar since “For Your Eyes Only” in 1981. The album is also the highest charting since 1985’s A VIEW TO A KILL. It is the second Bond soundtrack in the franchise’s 50-year history to not feature the title track on the album and is solely comprised of the Oscar-nominated score of Thomas Newman.Credit: Photo by Fred Duval/FilmMagic

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Multi-platinum selling singer-songwriter Adele will perform the Oscar®-nominated theme song from the latest James Bond movie at the 85th Academy Awards®, the show's producers announced today.  "Skyfall," from the film of the same name, was announced as a nominee for Original Song at the Academy’s Nominations Announcement on January 10.   The song, written by Adele and Paul Epworth, is the first Bond theme ever to debut in Billboard's Top 10 and the first to be nominated for an Oscar since "For Your Eyes Only" in 1981.
Adele's exclusive Oscar show performance will be the first time she will have performed "Skyfall" anywhere live and will also mark her first U.S. television performance since the Grammys® last year.
"It's an honour to be nominated and terrifyingly wonderful to be singing in front of people who have captured my imagination over and over again,” said Adele. “It's something I've never experienced and probably only ever will once!"
"We have enormous respect for Adele's unique artistry as a songwriter and a singer," said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the producers of this year's Academy Awards show.  "She is currently one of the most successful recording artists in the world, and we believe that her performance of 'Skyfall' will be an exciting Oscar moment for audiences watching at the Dolby Theatre™ and on television screens around the world."
Oscar.com celebrates Adele's performance with a special gallery of some of the most memorable James Bond theme songs through the years:
http://oscar.go.com/photos/themed-galleries/movies/bond-theme-songs
Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

ABOUT CRAIG ZADAN AND NEIL MERON
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are producers of critically acclaimed and award-winning feature films, television movies, series, and Broadway productions.  Their feature films include The Bucket List, Footloose, Hairspray, and Chicago, which won six Academy Awards including one for “Best Picture.”  For television, they’ve produced films of “Steel Magnolias,” "Life with Judy Garland," and "A Raisin in the Sun," among many others and the series “Smash” and “Drop Dead Diva.”  They recently returned to their roots in live theater by producing Broadway revivals of the Tony-winning “Promises, Promises” and the Tony-winning 50th Anniversary revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”

CHRIS PINE AND ZOE SALDANA TO HOST ACADEMY'S SCI-TECH AWARDS

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Actors Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana will host the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Scientific and Technical Awards on Saturday, February 9, at The Beverly Hills Hotel.  They will present nine awards to 25 individual recipients during the evening.

"We are thrilled to have Chris and Zoe host the Sci-Tech Awards," said Academy President Hawk Koch.  "Their film experience with the kind of technical advancements these awards honor makes them the perfect pair for the job."

Pine starred in "Star Trek" in 2009 and will reprise his role as James T. Kirk in the sequel, "Star Trek Into Darkness," due out in May.  He also will be seen in the title role of the upcoming feature "Jack Ryan," with Keira Knightley and Kevin Costner.  Pine’s other credits include the animated feature "Rise of the Guardians," "People Like Us," "This Means War" and "Unstoppable."

Saldana, who co-starred as Uhura in "Star Trek," will reprise her role in the sequel as well.  She also will be seen in "Blood Ties," with Mila Kunis and Marion Cotillard, due out later this year.  Her other credits include "Colombiana," "Avatar" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl."

Portions of the Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation, produced this year by David Friendly, will be included in the Oscar® telecast.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

OSCAR® EXPERIENCE TO BE SHARED IN 45 CITIES ACROSS THE U.S.

©A.M.P.A.S.®

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – On Oscar Sunday, February 24, charities in 45 cities will bring the Oscar experience to life at viewing parties in each city. The Oscar Experience: Benefits is the Academy's grassroots outreach program that allows charities across the country to host official Oscar parties while raising money for their causes.
In 2012, the Oscar Experience: Benefits raised more than $3.1 million in 49 cities. Since its inception in 1994, as Oscar Night® America, the program has brought in more than $36.6 million, with all of the funds staying in the communities where they were raised.
All of the parties will feature a live broadcast of the 85th Academy Awards®; many will integrate Hollywood-style glamour elements, including red carpets, local celebrities, "paparazzi" and predict-the-winners contests.
"The Oscar Experience: Benefits is a natural extension of the philanthropic work the Academy does year-round," said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. "We are thrilled to share a part of the Oscar experience with movie fans nationwide while supporting charities across the country."
The 2013 Oscar Experience: Benefits charities and cities are (alphabetical by city):