Muppet characters Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog introduce a special performance by Cirque Du Soleil at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Reuters photographer Lucy Nicholson (C) stands next to photographers Greg DeGuire (L) and Steve Granitz as they wait for the start of the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California February 26, 2012.
Photo by Lucas Jackson
The results of the Academy Awards balloting are carried up the red carpet by Price Waterhouse Coopers accountants Rick Rosas (L) and Brad Oltmans (R) at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Lucas Jackson
Glenn Close, best actress nominee for her role in "Albert Nobbs," her husband David Shaw (R) and Matthew W. Mungle, nominated for best makeup for the film, arrive at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Lucy Nicholson
Mother Delores Hart (C) of the short documentary "God Is Bigger Than Elvis" arrives with two unidentified guests at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Mario Anzuoni
Alexander Payne, best director nominee for his film "The Descendants," arrives with his mother Peggy at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Lucy Nicholson
Composer Howard Shore, nominated for best original score for "Hugo," and his wife Elizabeth Cotnoir arrive at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Lucy Nicholson
Nick Nolte (R), best supporting actor nominee for his role in "Warrior," arrives with his son Brawley at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Lucy Nicholson
Sergio Mendes, nominated for best original song for "Real in Rio," from the animated feature film "Rio," arrives with wife Gracinha Leporace at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Lucy Nicholson
Actresses Melissa McCarthy (2nd R), Ellie Kemper (2nd L), Rose Bryne (R), Wendi McLendon-Covey (L), Maya Rudolph (3rd R) and Kristen Wiig (3rd L) present the Oscar for Live Action Short Film at the 84th annual Academy Awards at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Irish-Born, English Actor, Kenneth Branagh, best supporting actor nominee for his role in "My Week with Marilyn", and his wife, Lindsay Brunnock arrive on the red carpet at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Mario Anzuoni
Benjamin Millepied, left, and Natalie Portman arrive before the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Matt Sayles
Robert Richardson holds the Oscar he won for Achievement in Cinematography for "Hugo" at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
American voice actress June Foray, who is best known as the voice of animated characters including Rocky the Squirrel, Lucifer from Cinderella and Cindy Lou Who, arrives at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Lucas Jackson
French director Michel Hazanavicius, best director nominee for his film "The Artist", and his wife Berenice Bejo arrive with producer Thomas Langmann (L) at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Lucy Nicholson
Oscars show producer Brian Grazer (C), poses with his guest Keli Lee (L), and Oscars show co-producer Don Mischer on the red carpet at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Mario Anzuoni
Will Ferrell (R) and Zach Galifianakis prepare to present the Oscar Best Original Song at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Chris Rock presents the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
George Clooney, best actor nominee for his role in "The Descendants," and his girlfriend, Stacy Keibler pose on the red carpet as they arrive at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Lucy Nicholson
Asghar Farhadi, director of Iranian film "A Separation" accepts the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Director Gore Verbinski holds the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film for his work in "Rango" at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Octavia Spencer accepts the Oscar for best actress in a supporting role for "The Help" during the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Mark J. Terrill
Christopher Plummer, accepts the Oscar for best supporting actor for his role in "Beginners" at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Michael Douglas presents the Oscar for Best Director to French Director, Michel Hazanavicius, for his film "The Artist", at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
French actor Jean Dujardin waves after accepting the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in the film "The Artist" at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Actress Meryl Streep accepts the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in "The Iron Lady" at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Gary Hershorn
Sacha Baron Cohen, right, and guest arrive before the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Chris Carlson
Outfitted extravagantly in character, Sacha Baron Cohen ran amuck on the Oscars' red carpet Sunday night and all over E! host Ryan Seacrest's tuxedo.
After initially being dis-invited by the academy, Baron Cohen was allowed to attend the ceremony acting as the kind of Moammar Gadhafi parody he plays in his upcoming film, "The Dictator." As expected, he brought his unique brand of publicity stunt and method comedy.
Flanked by two flower girls, he jokingly claimed to be carrying the ashes of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, whose face was displayed on the container.
In an interview with Seacrest, he claimed it was Jong Il's dream "to be sprinkled over the red carpet and over Halle Berry's chest." Then, as Seacrest was bending down, he spilled the ashes over Seacrest's tuxedo.
Few maintain calm on the red carpet more than the awards show veteran, but even Seacrest looked shaken as he attempted to dust himself off.
As security muscled Baron Cohen away, Seacrest attempted to cut to commercial, but his E! colleagues sought to milk the incident. It quickly became the most-chatted about topic on Twitter, where commentators eagerly lapped up the rare breach in decorum at the Academy Awards.
Actor Sacha Baron Cohen, carrying an urn with an image of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, arrives in character from his upcoming film "The Dictator" at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.
Photo by Mario Anzuoni
Russian actress and host of the Scientific and Technical Awards Milla Jovovich arrives at the Scientific and Technical Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science in Beverly Hills, California February 11, 2012.
Photo by Gus Ruelas
The first Oscars of the year have been presented at the Scientific and Technical Awards, the motion picture academy's annual celebration of the geeks and gizmos that make movie magic.
Oscar winners at the Saturday night gala included Douglas Trumbull, the visual-effects master behind such pioneering works as "2001: A Space Odyssey," ''Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "Blade Runner."
Trumbull, 69, was honored for his long career of technological contributions to filmmaking, including his latest wizardry in the Brad Pitt-Terrence Malick drama "The Tree of Life," which featured grand images of the cosmos and the age of dinosaurs.
But he emphasized to the black-tie industry audience that his inventive film work continues, including a system of new digital technologies — higher frame-rates, brighter projection, bigger and better screens — to enhance the movie-going experience.
"I want to accept this in the spirit of affirmation of my work, which is on-going, as you know," Trumbull said upon receiving his golden statuette from "Resident Evil" star Milla Jovovich. "I am trying to figure out a way to make a movie that you are in, rather than looking at."
He noted that cinema audiences have fallen by 16 percent in recent years because of the many ways audiences can watch movies today — from mobile devices to big-screen TVs. He said it was time Hollywood started making films best viewed in theaters so people will say, "'I want to go out to the movies tonight because it's so cool and it's so big, it's so grand and so spectacular.'"
Also receiving an Oscar for technical achievement at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel ceremony was Germany's ARRI camera company for its Arrilaser film recorder used extensively by the industry in the post-production phase of motion pictures and also for restoring old films.
In addition, 25 academy plaques and certificates were presented honoring a variety of other technical achievements in moviemaking, from lenses to camera mounts.
Portions of the Scientific and Technical Awards presentations will be included in the Feb. 26 Academy Awards show on ABC.
Four-time Oscar winner and chair of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards Committee Richard Edlund arrives at the Scientific and Technical Awards in Beverly Hills, California February 11, 2012.
Photo by Gus Ruelas
British visual effects technologist Jonathan Erland arrives at the Scientific and Technical Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, California February 11, 2012.
Photo by Gus Ruelas
Winners of the Scientific and Engineering Award for the Phantom high-speed cameras (L-R) Andy Jantzen, Petru Pop, Radu Corlan and Richard Toftness arrive at the Scientific and Technical Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science in Beverly Hills, California February 11, 2012.
Photo by Gus Ruelas
CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Dawn Hudson arrives at the Scientific and Technical Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science in Beverly Hills, California February 11, 2012.
Photo by Gus Ruelas
Academy Award of Merit winners for their work in designing the Arrilaser film recorder (L-R) Johannes Steurer Wolfgang Riedel and Fraz Kraus arrive at the Scientific and Technical Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science in Beverly Hills, California February 11, 2012.
Photo by Gus Ruelas
Nominees for electronically stabilized aerial camera platform (L-R) Raigo Alas, Michael Lewis, Michael Vellekoop and Greg Marsden arrive at the Scientific and Technical Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science in Beverly Hills, California February 11, 2012.
Photo by Gus Ruelas
Academy award nominee for the development of a unique and efficient system for the reduction of noise and other artifacts in high-quality images (L-R) Ian Caven, Ian Godin, Tim Connolly and Kimball Thurston arrive at the Scientific and Technical Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science in Beverly Hills, California February 11, 2012.
Photo by Gus Ruelas
FUJIFILM Corporations' and nominees for development of archival preservation of film and digital images (L-R) Hideyuki Shirai, Katsuhisa Oozeki, Ryutaro Hosoda and Hiroshi Hirano arrive at the Scientific and Technical Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science in Beverly Hills, California February 11, 2012.
Photo by Gus Ruelas
Actress Jennifer Lawrence (L) and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak announce the nominees for the 84th Academy Award in Beverly Hills, California on January 24, 2012. The Oscars will be presented on Sunday February 26.
Photo by Phil McCarten
