Environmental Media Awards laud green media and its moguls

Ed Begley Jr., one of the first Hollywood celebs to promote environmental causes, didn't seem at all surprised that Saturday's Environmental Media Awards ceremony had mushroomed over the last 20 years from a casual event at an old L.A. club into an elaborate cocktail party and roving dinner at Warner Bros. Studios backlot.

Fresh off the green carpet, the board member and former chairman of the Environmental Media Assn., which recognizes film and television that spreads an environmental message, was chatting with friends while he waited for the ceremony to begin.

"When you see people dying on an oil rig and there are environmental disasters in the gulf, people want to do something," he told the Ministry. "It's like World War II, when people planted victory gardens. People want to do something because they see the writing on the wall. Why don't we subsidize renewable energy like China? Gandhi said, 'People lead and governments follow.' We vote with our dollars."

With Begley's passion for environmentalism, it wasn't surprising that his Planet Green reality show, "Living With Ed," picked up an EMA later that evening.

Another slam dunk was "Avatar," which won yet another feature-film award. Filmmaker James Cameron talked about how his efforts to save the environment had continued after the film left theaters.

Zoe Saldana engaged to longtime boyfriend Keith Britton

After roughly a decade together, actress Zoe Saldana and her boyfriend Keith Britton are engaged to be married, the "Avatar" star's rep confirms to People magazine.

No additional details are available, such as a date or location, but at least she's got her something blue covered.

Saldana's had a banner year, with the remarkable success of James Cameron's latest epic, a brand ambassadorship with Avon and recently taking home Women in Film's Face of the Future award.

At the June 1 ceremony, Saldana opened up about her guarded relationship with Britton, chief exec of My Fashion Database.

"I've lived a very private life, and I've been with a partner for 10 years," she said. " ... I tend to confuse privacy with not saying thank you, so I love you."

-- Matt Donnelly

Photo: Zoe Saldana arrives at the Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards on June 1 in Los Angeles. Credit: Phil McCarten / Reuters

Related dispatches from the Ministry of Gossip:

Carrie Prejean's wedding set for Friday in San Diego

Megan Fox, Brian Austin Green get married in Hawaii

Mena Suvari gets married in Vatican City

Prince Albert finally off the market; engaged to swimmer Charlene Wittstock

Get our headlines on Twitter (we're @LATcelebs) and our Facebook page.

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PREACH IT! Sigourney Weaver oughtta shut her pie hole! And we wrote that all by ourselves!

Sigourney Weaver: She not only fights the forces of anti-rain-forest evil but she can also read minds! Hundreds of them! And all at the same time!

For example: She knows why James Cameron, her director in "Avatar," didn’t take home the best picture trophy this year.

"Jim didn't have breasts, and I think that was the reason," Weaver told Brazilian news site Folha Online over the weekend. "He should have taken home that Oscar."

Which brings us to the introduction of a brand-new category here at the Ministry of Gossip: Yeah, No.

No, honey. Kathryn Bigelow didn’t get the Oscar just because she has boobies, although that likely was a large factor. (Actually, to be fair, we don’t know if it was a large factor; we don’t know Bigelow’s bra size.) No, Cameron didn’t get the Oscar because: (a) he already has one for best picture, and that sort of thing does tend to sway the academy, and (b) more important, he can’t write. At all. Even a little bit.

Stars galore at the 2010 Academy Awards Governors Ball

"How can the governor have a ball? California's out of money, isn't it?" We definitely heard that crack more than once Sunday at the Academy Awards.

No, sillies, it wasn't Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's ball -- rather, it was the official after-party presented annually by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. And this Sunday night the 1,500-capacity ballroom, glowing in gentle purple tones, was packed. Definitely a larger turnout than last year, event staff said.

It was good to be Jeff Bridges: Once the best actor winner made it into the party, flashes were popping like mad as he clapped chef Wolfgang Puck on the back and they both smiled broadly for the cameras, talking all the while.

When Bridges was whisked away for more interviews -- glass of water in his hand, though he'd been sipping Champagne during his victory interview backstage -- a pack of photographers floated along in his wake like a train on a diva's gown. He appeared to be enjoying the ocean of congratulations -- can you blame him? -- and was spotted later, out of the crush ... 

Red carpet: 'I think we'll win,' says Sigourney Weaver

There was no nail-biting going on for the tall lady in the bright red dress Sunday afternoon.

"I think we'll win," Sigourney Weaver said on the Oscars red carpet. 

"My heart is blue but I wanted to wear red ..., " she said, discussing her choice of a red Alber Elbaz gown."I feel like a flower."

About "Avatar," she said: 'We're all thrilled to be here. It's not often that a science fiction film is even nominated, let alone have a pretty good chance, don't you think, for best picture?"

We'll all know soon enough, Sigourney!

-- Amy Kaufman and Christie D'Zurilla

Video credit: Amy Kaufman

Photo: Sigourney Weaver waves during arrivals at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on March 7, 2010. Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times.

A new Times database puts readers on the sidewalks of Hollywood, using more than a century of archives to track the lives of the stars, including current Oscar nominees Jeff Bridges, James Cameron, Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep.

Want the headlines? Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter (we're @LATcelebs).  And if you want to become a fan on Facebook, find us at facebook.com/ministryofgossip.

'Avatar' without Sam Worthington? Damon, Gyllenhaal said no to playing Jake Sully [poll]

 
 "The Jake Sully Identity"? "Brokeback Home Tree"?

James Cameron has put on his 3D-hindsight glasses for our friends at the Hero Complex for a look back at his woulda-coulda-shoulda stories regarding casting for the lead role in "Avatar."

Let's forget the "shoulda" part, because the film's done pretty well with Sam Worthington rocking the role. But, the director says, he "coulda" cast Jake Gyllenhaal or Matt Damon in the role of Sully, opposite new Avon ambassador (was it the blue skin?) Zoe Saldana. He talked to both, both turned him down, and first-choice Worthington got the gig. 

Why would Cameron go flirting with the box-office big boys, if Worthington had already won his bio-luminescent heart? Hero Complex has that answer.

Who'd be your "woulda" in the role of Jake Sully? Our department of Absolutely Accurate Online Statistics presents a nonscientific online poll ... click onward.

VIDEO: 'Avatar' director James Cameron on the red carpet at the Golden Globes

All eyes seem to be on James Cameron and that little film of his, "Avatar."

So on the big day, has he given any thought to what he'll do if he wins the Golden Globe? "Oh, we'll celebrate... Trust me."

Watch Cameron's wife, Suzy Amis, as the director tries to explain just what that means.

--Amy Kaufman and Denise Martin

 

EXCLUSIVE: 'Avatar' star Zoe Saldana lands Avon deal

Zoe Saldana plays blue-skinned Neytiri in "Avatar," which has racked up more than $1 billion worldwide. Now her natural visage is being put to good use -- I've learned that Saldana will join cosmetics company Avon as a brand ambassador.

"She's thrilled," a source close to the deal tells me.

She's also in good company. Saldana will join other stars aligned with the brand, including Fergie, Reese Witherspoon, Patrick Dempsey, Courteney Cox-Arquette, Salma Hayek and Derek Jeter.

Reps for Saldana did not return requests for comment. An Avon rep was unavailable at press time.

With her success in the "Star Trek" update, 2009 was kind to Saldana, and she shows no signs of slowing this year: She's poised to release several major films, including director Neil LaBute's take on "Death at a Funeral"; the 2010 version costars Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence and James Marsden.

And that aforementioned tiny art house flick "Avatar"? Saldana's blue face in that flick won't be going away any time soon -- after four solid weeks at No. 1, it was confirmed as the second-highest-grossing film ever overseas and globally and the seventh-highest in U.S. history. 

Congrats, Zoe! 

-- Matt Donnelly

Photo: Zoe Saldana in December. Credit: Chris Carlson / Associated Press.

Related dispatches from the Ministry of Gossip:

'Avatar' premiere: Behind the scenes with James Cameron, Laz Alonso and Matt Gerard

'Avatar' premiere: Hollywood's night on the blue carpet [photo gallery]

VIDEO: Beyonce sizzles, promoting her new fragrance, Heat

Zoe Saldana helps with Feeding America on Thanksgiving Day

Check out the Ministry's own avatars on Twitter and Facebook.

The 'Avatar' premiere: Behind the scenes with James Cameron, Laz Alonso and Matt Gerald

Add this to your list of Hollywood power perks: Not one but two tables at a premiere party for a movie the size of "Avatar."

But then, long-lost director James Cameron needed the extra space: He brought along 40 relatives – including his parents, Shirley, 79, and Phillip, 80 -- to the lavish post-party at Hollywood & Highland to help him celebrate the launch of “Avatar,” his first film since 1997’s titanic “Titanic.” Police closed down the block of Hollywood Boulevard outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood for the occasion.

Of course, this is no mere Christmas movie, and the buzz at the premiere was practically palpable.

“Avatar’s” stars were clearly excited to see how audiences would react to Cameron’s innovative use of performance-capture filmmaking to turn flesh-and-blood actors into expressive, believable members of the very blue, 10-foot-tall Na’vi tribe.

“Working with Jim feels like you’re in a laboratory, man,” said Laz Alonso, who plays the Na’vi warrior prince Tsu-tey in the film and sported a “Tsu-tey blue” shirt for the occasion.

“It feels like you’re in a laboratory watching Ben Franklin create a new lightbulb or something.”

Sounds pretty touchy-feely for a guy whom "Titanic” star Kate Winslet said she wouldn’t work with again unless she got “a lot of money.”

What was it really like to work with the king of the world (even it's a new world he made up, called Pandora)?

“You want some dirt, don’t you?” said Matt Gerald, who plays Cpl. Lyle Wainfleet, one of the humans bent on the Na’vis’ destruction.

Well, if you insist ... 

'Avatar' premiere: Hollywood's night on the blue carpet [Photo gallery]

The stars of "Avatar" made a fine showing in the flesh on Wednesday evening in Hollywood, hitting the blue carpet in support of James Cameron's hotly anticipated sci-fi effort, which opens this Friday. 

Among the cast members on the not-red-at-all carpet? Sam Worthington, with girlfriend Natalie Mark; Zoe Saldana; a sparkling Sigourney Weaver, playing with a toy version of her avatar, Grace; and Giovanni Ribisi.

Behind-the-camera types included director James Cameron, of course, and his wife, Suzy Amis; "Single Ladies" music video director Jake Nava, who helmed Leona Lewis' video of the film's closing tune, "I See You"; and "X-Men" director Bryan Singer, who's already using new technology from "Avatar" on his upcoming "Jack the Giant Killer."

Also seen Wednesday night? Click on the "photo gallery" image of Zoe Saldana for a peek at lots of familiar faces.