FB Awards Flashback 2002 ~ Viola Davis Wins "Breakthrough"

I was looking up old Film Bitch Awards the other day, to verify that I had awarded Viola Davis a prize once before, because when she took home the SAG prize I felt like shouting "I SAW HER FIRST!". Turns out I gave her two gold medals the first year I "met" her. For kicks, and because I haven't finished the First Ten Years book for purchase, here is a little flashback for you exactly as they appeared (typos and all)! Viola won the following two prizes "Best Actress in a Cameo or Limited Role" and "Breakthrough"... I had totally forgotten most of these details.

CAMEO OR LIMITED ROLE, 2002

Viola only had one scene in Antwone Fisher so I guess I never found a photo of her. LOL. I remember a teensy bit of Viola and Mary Lynn Rajskub's performances. Toni Collette's cameo on the other hand is super vivid  as most things The Hours are, nine years on.  Tilda Swinton and Geraldine Chaplin's roles are much fuzzier memories. In fact, I didn't remember until looking at this that Tilda was even in Adaptation (the bulk of my memories from that one are Streep's -- particularly the famous dial tone sequence -- with a little side dish of Chris Cooper). 

BREAKTHROUGH AWARD, 2002
[Note: The year before I had given the medals to Naomi Watts, Gael García Bernal and Kerry Washington]

Remember when Maggie Gyllenhaal was Jessica Chastain?

I'm lol'ing at my "Give her a lead role instantly" command about Viola Davis. Meryl Streep would issue the same command at the SAG Awards several years later. It only took Hollywood nine years to get back to me on that with The Help. The other thing that's amusing to me about this flashback is Jesse Eisenberg as a semi-finalist. I didn't seem to have much faith that micro-budgeted indie Roger Dodger would lead anywhere for him but I thought he was great in it. 

Does this bring back any memories of 2002 movies for you?

I know I've been slow going on finishing the Film Bitch Awards this year, and even slower to bring you all the promised book of "The First Ten Years". When I finally finish it I hope you'll all purchase to support the site's continued life. [In the meantime a "subscription" on the right hand sidebar -- That's like 8 cents a day -- is a great way to make sure we keep typing at you for yet another year].

Who will win breakthrough and cameo prizes this year? And will we laugh about who was highlighted and who wasn't nine years later? The answer to the first question is coming soon but obviously there's a long wait before we can answer the second.

"What kind of person marries someone they don't know?"

You did.

I want to win. All my life I've wanted to win.

Me too.

Dear Toni Collette,

I have loved you in everything I've seen you in. I can't think of an example where I didn't. You wowed in The Sixth Sense, in Little Miss Sunshine, in Japanese Story (oh my god so good in Japanese Story), in In Her Shoes, in three seasons of The United States of Tara, in your brief but better than everyone else scenes in The Hours... I could go on and on. I offer up this list as an apology for the fact that even though you've been so wonderful so many times over my first and last thought is always gonna be Muriel "Mariel Van Arckle" Heslop. I hope you don't mind. Have a happy birthday!

Sincerely, JA from MNPP

(PS - Here are some pictures of Daniel Lapaine in his speedo in case that hint of him above stirred your need for that like it did mine.)

Links

Rock Paper Scissors God, I'm losing even to the "novice" computer. Don't click over. I warn you of the time you will waste!
Us Magazine reveals the identity of Scarlett Johansson's much-discussed (including right here) Oscar date.
The House Next Door "A Firm Hand" Dan Callahan on the ultimate blonde, Catherine Deneuve.
IndieWire has an overview of "Rendezvous With French Cinema" (the reason I'm meeting Ludivine Sagnier tomorrow)

Just Jared Ewan McGregor has a new haircut. He's also about to make a bank robbery movie. Andrew Garfield is also (possibly) starring in the remake of the Austrian/German movie The Robber. What hath The Town wrought?
Daily Mail I didn't even know Toni Collette was pregnant again and she's quite far along. I miss United States of Tara.
b blog interview with Sissy Spacek's daughter Schuyler Fisk. She's got a new album out and she'll be in Gus Van Sant's Restless later this year. So music or movies, Schuyler?

Music... I just love that it’s my own thing. It’s a special thing I can do. I also love being a part of a film, especially projects like “Restless.” The film actually inspired the last song on the record, “Waterbird.”

And here's a half hour long "making of" of Todd Haynes's Mildred Pierce if you don't have HBO and might need to wait awhile to see it. In the meantime there's always the Joan Crawford classic to get acquainted with in the interim. It's well worth your time.