My Publicist Note Book

Quvenzhane arrives at the 2013 Academy Awards Quvenzhane 'NAZIE" Wallis {pronounced Kwuh-VIN-juh-nay }, the youngest Oscar nominee of all time, in the category of "Actress in a Leading Role", nominated for her staring role in the Idie film, "Beasts of the Southern Wild," has been cast in the lead role of a new version of "Annie." Sony Pictures announced Sunday that Wallis, 9, will play Annie in a contemporized adaptation of the Broadway musical and the "Little Orphan Annie" comic strip. It's to be directed by Will Gluck, who loosely based his 2010 film "Easy A" on "The Scarlet Letter." At age 5, Quvenzhane was the star of : "Beast of the Southern Wild" "With the recent Academy Award nomination and critical acclaim, Quvenzhane Wallis is a true star and we believe her portrayal as Annie will make her a true worldwide star," Sony production president Hannah Mi...

50th Annual ICG Publicists Awards Salute Kirk Douglas with Lifetime Achievement Award. Argo, USA Network, and Marvel Studios Receive Honors. Robert Downey Jr., Sally Field, Corbin Bernsen, Matt Bomer, Piper Perabo and Robert Knepper Among Presenters. Los Angeles, CA February 22, 201- Close to a thousand Hollywood publicity and marketing executives, producers, studio and network executives, celebrities, and press gathered for the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600) 50th Annual Publicists Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel today. Theo Von, star of Yahoo!'s Prime Time In No Time, hosted. Kirk Douglas received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Ron Meyer, president and COO of Universal Studios.  In a surprise appearance Robert Downey Jr. presented the Motion Picture Showmanship Award to Kevin Feige , president of Marvel Studios, while the Television Showmanship Award went to the co-presidents of USA Network, Chris McCumber and Jeff Wachtel ,...

A run-down of all the hottest parties, brunches, lunches and soirees surrounding the 85th Academy Awards. As the Oscars approach, we have the complete rundown of glitzy galas leading up to and capping off the Feb. 24 awards show. Among the hosts are Vanity Fair , Essence , Elton John and Madonna. More events to be confirmed.   Here's a list our editor's recommend: Thursday, Feb. 21 Essence Magazine’s Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon This luncheon takes place at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The honorees are Oprah Winfrey ; actresses Alfre Woodard , Gabrielle Union , Naomie Harris and Quvenzhane Wallis; and producer Mara Brock-Akil . WME and Sonos Lunch WME Entertainment and music system company Sonos will host a lunch for music composers at Eveleigh restaurant on the Sunset Strip. Larry Gagosian Art Show and Dinner Larry Gagosian hosts his longtime Oscar week public opening at the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills with a show of pai...

East Mountain Studios is a premiere film production studio, dedicated to meeting the needs of top film production companies. With over 30,000 SF, EMS provides the infrastructure necessary to produce projects ranging from major motion pictures to videos and television shows. As one of largest film studios in the Southeast, EMS boasts the largest sound stage in the state of Georgia and is located miles from downtown Atlanta. Through the organization of top industry professionals with decades of industry knowledge in their respective fields, EMS is poised to become one of the leading film production studios in the United States and, on Wednesday, Feb. 20 2013 in Conyers, Georgia, East Mountain Studios celebrated the opening of their Rockdale County facility with a ribbon cutting ceremony. This event was open to the public followed by a mixer with a 21-gun salute by the American Legion with a raising of the flag. Hors d’oeuvres were furnished ...

NBC has released the first teaser for its midseason drama “ Hannibal ,” which features Laurence Fishburne and premieres on Thursday at 10 p.m on April 4th . One of the most fascinating literary characters comes to life on television for the first time: psychiatrist-turned-serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. In this new drama from Bryan Fuller ("Pushing Daisies," "Heroes"), based on the characters from Thomas Harris' classic novels, we see where this incredible story began. Will Graham is a gifted criminal profiler who is on the hunt for a serial killer with the FBI. Graham's unique way of thinking gives him the astonishing ability to empathize with anyone - even psychopaths. He seems to know what makes them tick. But when the mind of the twisted killer he's pursuing is too complicated for even Will to comprehend, he enlists the help of Dr. Lecter, one of the premier psychiatric minds in the country. ...

First Lady Michelle Obama will guest on NBC’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” on Friday, Feb. 22. It will be the first late-night appearance for FLOTUS since her husband was sworn in for a second term and her first ever sit-down with Fallon.  As part of the Let's Move! initiative, Jimmy visits the White House to compete in a fitness competition with Michelle Obama.  Her upcoming visit is for the initiative’s third anniversary.   A year ago, she and Fallon did a comedy sketch at the White House to mark the second anniversary of her "Let’s Move" initiative.   No stranger to the late night circuit, the FLOTUS last year, paid visits to Jay Leno and David Letterman in August and Jimmy Kimmel in October.

Each February, during Morehouse’s annual Founder’s Week celebration, the College’s alumni, friends and supporters gather for a memorable event, the “A Candle in the Dark” Gala. The Gala, which takes its name from the book that officially chronicles Morehouse’s history, serves as one of the College’s major annual fund-raising activities. Its goal is to generate revenue for the institution’s endowed scholarship fund.  Morehouse's May 2013 commencement speaker will be President Barack Obama. The Ray Charles Foundation announces during the A Candle in the Dark Gala a $3 million gift to Morehouse College. The Music Academic Bldg will be named in honor of Charles' mother, Aretha Robinson! This past weekend, Morehouse College celebrated it’s 25th Anniversary of A Candle In The Dark.. The black tie gala featured nationally acclaimed African Americans who are pioneers and leaders in their respective fields. Actor Dennis Haysbert served as Master of Ceremonies...

NEWS FROM THE AQ.... WAKE-UP  WAKE-UP  WAKE-UP! The Alternative Quartet will be making a very early morning appearance on CNC3 Morning Show -   Wednesday 20th February @ 7am.       Click here to watch via stream video. -     A division of Guardian Media Limited Trinidad Guardian Newspaper For more then six years, members of Alternative Quartet have been " Making Strings Sexy " across the Caribbean with their unique electric string sounds.  Join them on their world-wind journey as they make stops on Stage, Television and Radio. BE A PART OF "#STRING DOMINANCE"  VISIT AQ 's official Web Site ! LIKE AQ 's official Face Book Page FOLLOW AQ on Twitter LISTEN to AQ 's Tracks on Sound Cloud WATCH AQ 's videos on YouTube ENGAGE with AQ on Reverbnation BOOK  AQ -  felicia@alternativequartet.net

Check out this piece on AQ's Wasia Ward in the Trinidad Express woman magazine:  [It's the final chord of the interview and Ward concludes with "Kol nidrie" by Max Bruch. It's a piece about the holocaust. Very emotional and painful but a magnificent manifestation of hand movements on the cello courtesy T&T's very own Beethoven, Wasia Ward]   Wasia Ward Soothing, sensual, musical By By Lorraine Waldropt-Ferguson Soothing, sensual, she strums the chords as if she was born with a golden fiddle in her hands. Wasia Ward is playing "Elegie" composed by Gabriel Faure. This is a romantic piece and it's also very painful but as Ward explains the wonderful parts translate into memories of what used to be. It's her favourite piece which she executes expertly on her cello. A dedicated and diligent, cellist, the 22-year-old has been involved in music for most of her life as a pannis...

50th Annual Publicists Awards Awards Background  The ICG Publicists Awards, begun in 1964, honor excellence in publicity and promotion for motion pictures and television programs and spotlight the work of union publicists. Recipients are selected in several different categories and are voted on by their peers in Local 600. No other event celebrates the importance of publicists’ contribution to the entertainment industry. Los Angeles, California-  The Publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600) have set the date of their 50th anniversary ICG Publicists Awards Luncheon. It will be in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 22, 2013, positioned, as usual, two days before the Oscars®. Awards are presented in the following categories: Motion Picture Showman of the Year,  Television Showman of the Year,  Lifetime Achievement,  Maxwell Weinberg Publicist Award for a Televi...

20 things you (probably) didn't know about Caddy One "THE BEAST"   Described as "a rolling tank with windows," Obama's presidential limo is called by the Secret Service agents “ The Beast ” and as the name suggests, it intends to act like one. With the highest imaginable levels of protection, technology and luxury, Obama's limo is different from any other presidential limo in the US history. If you ask yourself how come, check this out!    The vehicle's doors are extremely heavy and were compared to the doors of an aircraft. When they are closed, the interior is almost sealed and no one could get inside without being invited. What's more, whenever traveling in this new limo, Obama will be totally isolated from the noises outside and he will be able to properly focus on the solutions to s...