The annual Oscar nominees luncheon actually sounds like one of the nicest perks during awards season. Weeks before Oscar night, the Academy hosts a press-friendly luncheon, and for several hours the nominees pose for pictures, talk to journalists and eat, all in a relaxed atmosphere. The deal is that actors don’t sit with actors, and that all the nominees get mixed up. This is how a short-film nominee in 2006 wound up sitting next to George Clooney. She ended up thanking George in her acceptance speech, too.

Some news comes out of the annual luncheon, usually from the lesser-known nominees that get drowned out by the winners and the big stars at the awards shows. Anne Hathaway broke news by telling People magazine that her father will be her Oscar date. Reuters talked to a few of the nominees, and the stories are interesting.

When asked about his first nomination, Michael Shannon, who earned an Oscar nod for his turn as a voice of reason in suburban adult drama “Revolutionary Road,” related this story. He said when he first started to get steady acting jobs about 10-15 years ago, he received a letter from another actor named Michael Shannon who lived in the United Kingdom. This other actor told him they should talk because Shannon really couldn’t use his name if he planned on having a career. “I’m just so glad I’ve gotten to a point where I can write him back and say, ‘you can’t intimidate me, man.’”

Taraji P. Henson, nominated for her role as a caretaker in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” said it was only at the Oscar nominee luncheon that she finally believed she was really nominated. “Clearly, they’re not going to ask for a recount,” she said. “My insides are crazy, my heart is pounding.” She added that for her, the nomination truly was a dream come true and added, “In my opinion if you’re not dreaming, your not living because dreams can come true.”

But the newcomers weren’t the only ones who were overjoyed or, for that matter, had funny stories to tell. Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, nominated for best supporting actress playing a fiery painter in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” said that when she was nominated she received so many congratulatory calls that her cell phone simply “collapsed.” It quit because it was overloaded. ”I took it to repair and they said they couldn’t fix it because they’d never see that happen before,” she said.

From Reuters

Some prominent nominees didn’t come to the luncheon. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were no-shows, I think because they’re still promoting their films in Asia. But lots of nominees showed up – Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, and Kate Winslet to name a few. Everybody looked nice too!

Shown at the luncheon in order are: Kate Winslet (lead actress, The Reader, Anne Hathaway (lead actress: Rachel Getting Married), Melissa Leo (lead actress: Frozen River), Penelope Cruz (supporting actress, Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Amy Adams (supporting actress: Doubt), Viola Davis (supporting actress: Doubt), Taraji P. Henson (supporting actress: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Sean Penn (lead actor: Milk), Richard Jenkins (lead actor: The Visitor), Frank Langella (lead actor: Frost Nixon), Mickey Rourke (lead actor: The Wrestler), Michael Shannon (suipporting actor: Revolutionary Road), Robert Downey, Jr. (supporting actor, Tropic Thundert), Josh Brolin (supporting actor: Milk), Dustin Lance (screenwriter, best screenplay, Milk), David Fincher (director, best picture, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Danny Boyle (director, best picture, Slumdog Millionaire), and Ron Howard (director, best picture, Frost/Nixon).

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