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PEOPLE & ARTSMonday 4 January 2016
At Palm Springs festival, Damon leads Oscar charge for Scott
RYAN PEARSON Festival, a non-televised
AP Entertainment Writer black-tie dinner at the
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) desert city’s convention
— Matt Damon launched center. It’s become a well-
a bold new phase of Os- attended stop on the busy
car campaigning for his Hollywood awards circuit
“The Martian” director on due to its timing during the
Saturday, telling a crowd Oscar nominations vot-
that Ridley Scott has “given ing period and eight days
more than enough to cine- before the Golden Globe
ma” over his career to de- Awards. Honorees Johnny
serve an Academy Award. Depp, Cate Blanchett,
Damon spoke at the open- Christian Bale and Michael
ing night gala for the Palm Fassbender also took the
Springs International Film stage.
Ridley Scott, right, presents the Chairman’s award to Matt Damon at the 27th annual Palm Springs
International Film Festival Awards Gala on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016, in Palm Springs, Calif.
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Damon said he was “for putting up with me” its awards ahead of time,
shocked to discover that and Bale getting in a dig at minimizing anxiety for ac-
the 78-year-old director the 2,000-plus attendees, tors and allowing plenty of
of “Blade Runner” and which included socialites time for informal reunions.
“Alien” had never won an who sometimes chatted Depp hugged his “Finding
Oscar despite three nomi- away at dinner tables dur- Neverland” co-star Kate
nations and his helming of ing acceptance speeches. Winslet on the red carpet
2001 best picture winner “I’ve never been at a film before the show. Damon
“Gladiator.” festival that ignores the walked backstage in con-
“He’s just a master direc- speakers so much as this versation with Blanchett.
tor. There are a handful of film festival,” said Bale, The two shared the screen
them on planet Earth. But on stage with his “The Big in “The Talented Mr. Rip-
he is one of them,” Damon Short” co-stars Steve Carell, ley” and “The Monuments
said. “Awards -- whatever, Jeremy Strong and Finn Men.” “Room” star Brie
who gives a (expletive). I Wittrock.Cate Blanchett, Larson and “Trumbo” star
mean, except for this one. being lauded for her per- Bryan Cranston had both
But ... I hope this is his year. formance in “Carol,” was screened their personal
I don’t know if you’re sup- more magnanimous. movies at the festival years
posed to say that out loud. She thanked the festival, earlier. Cranston wrote and
But ... when I did ‘The De- which runs through Jan. 11, directed a feature, “Last
parted,’ we said it out loud “for reminding us -- all of Chance,” that played
a lot about Marty (Scorse- us honored tonight -- that Palm Springs in 1999. “I will
se) and it panned out.” if we’re not nominated for forever be grateful to you
Saturday’s loose and any other award not to feel for doing that for me. It
sometimes coarse ceremo- like losers. We had a mo- launched a different phase
ny saw Depp praising his ment of glory.” of my career,” he told the
wife, actress Amber Heard, The festival announced crowd. q
Baldwin, Linklater join polar bear plunges
EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) an East Hampton rehabili- area and decided to
— Actor Alec Baldwin and tation facility. Linklater took join the plunge. He said it
director Richard Linklater part in a nearby plunge was “really cool, so many
have braved the chilly wa- benefiting the East Hamp- people coming out for a
ters off New York’s Long ton Food Pantry. good reason.” Baldwin has
Island at separate po- Baldwin is a Long Island na- starred in numerous films
lar bear plunges on New tive and a regular at glitzy as well as the NBC show
Year’s Day. charity events on the is- “30 Rock.”Linklater’s films
Newsday reports that Bald- land’s East End. include “Dazed and Con-
win dived into the Atlantic The Texas-based Linklater fused,” ‘’School of Rock”
Ocean on Friday to benefit was vacationing in the and “Boyhood.”q
