Academy Award questions? We have answers

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How do they decide on presenters?
It is the job of co-producer Danette Herman to line up presenters. She has been working with the Oscars, in one capacity or another, for 33 years.

What are the important after parties to attend?
The highest-profile party is the Governor’s Ball, which takes place in the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center and is adjacent to the Kodak. Approximately 1,600 guests attend and it’s often the first stop in a night of party-hopping Oscargoers. Other big parties are the Vanity Fair soiree held at Morton’s restaurant and the Elton John AIDS Foundation bash, sponsored by In Style magazine.

Who is invited and who isn’t?
All of the nominees — including those in the below-the-line categories — are invited to the Governor’s Ball, and most of the high-profile celebs are invited to an array of other parties. They may attend the aforementioned affairs and/or the studio parties and and/or agency parties where the press aren’t encouraged to scope for photos. For example, CAA or ICM might have a private party for their clients.

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Is it possible to crash a party?
It’s extremely difficult to get into a party without an invite. If you don’t have a ticket in hand, then you may be on a list, but if you can talk your way past one list-holder, there’s usually two or three other lists with the same names, setting up different layers of security.

How many changes of wardrobe does an average starlet bring?
Some starlets like Lindsay Lohan will make numerous dress changes from ceremony to party. Not sure if more mature actress typically do this though.

Who counts the votes?
For the past 73 years, the accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers have tabulated the votes. The company counts the final ballots from Feb. 21 through 23. It’s typically 3 long days (with 14- to 15-hour). The day before the Oscars event, the two ballot partners, Brad Oltmanns and Rick Rosas prepare all the envelopes.

Stuart Levine is a senior editor at Variety. He can be reached at

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