… and Hugh Jackman joined in, singing Gwen Stefani, the party erupted into more cheers and frenzied applause. The festivities had begun, for me, at 3:00pm, when I stepped out of the limo onto the Red Carpet at the Kodak Theatre, in Hollywood, CA. This occurrence --- 13-hours later on the morning of February 23, 2009, at one of the after-AFTER parties --- was a continuation of an amazing night at the 81st Academy Awards Ceremonies.
Mickey Rourke was standing nearby… as was Sean Penn, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey, Jr., and Anne Hathaway. The kids from Slumdog Millionaire, to my amazement, were still awake and running through the Hollywood Hills Mansion. Brad and Angelina still looked stunning. Forest Whitaker looked handsome and debonair, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman was engaged in a focused exchange with Amy Adams.
I wanted to pinch myself. However, I was transfixed in this surreal time and space where, in response to my touch, Gershwin was now ringing up from the ivories. Additionally, there were melodious sounds emoting from the vocal cavity of Jackman. And his gaze. Oh! The gaze was worth Oscar's weight in gold.
Having never graced the big screen, neither as a performer nor behind-the-scenes, the opportunity to attend The Academy Awards seemed like an unimaginable dream. Then, one week prior to the Event, my newlywed husband surprised me with a Valentine’s Gift: he had purchased tickets for us to attend, along with our two best friends . He had ordered a limousine escort, rented a tux for himself to wear, and had purchased me a Dior original!
Getting into the After-Parties was tricky. Thanks to my husband’s best friend, however, and his music industry contacts, we were granted access into both the Vanity Fair and Elton John parties.
By the time the festivities ended, and we were deposited, by the Limo Driver, safely back at our humble abode, we were exhausted, yet still buzzing with excitement. When my body finally found a horizontal position, and my head made contact with my pillow, I dreamed sweet dreams. With each breath I uttered a silent prayer that I would, again, be granted the gift of repeating the events of that night --- at next year’s 82nd Academy Awards Ceremonies, Sunday, March 7, 2010.
