About the author: Diana is the author of the Feminine Things blog. She works in the insurance industry to support her art projects and perfume habit, and at any given time is probably the best smelling person with a law degree in the Pacific Northwest.
I love movies.
Don’t get me wrong. I love television. I love books. I love live theater and concerts and musicals and live dance productions, from Bill T. Jones to the London Ballet Company. I even have affection for the symphony, the opera, and live ice skating.
But there is little I enjoy more than seeing a really good movie. This Sunday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will come together for the 83rd time to celebrate the movie industry’s best and brightest. And one of my friends, by virtue of a parental connection, gets to go see The Academy Awards live and in person every year. Since I have been watching them from afar all my life, this makes me positively chartreuse with envy.
For my dear friend, though, the thrill wore off a few years ago. So she and her siblings, bored from their oh-so-many star sightings, decided to raise the stakes. They invented a game they call “Brush with Fame.” The goal is to see who, by the end of the night, can come the closest to an honest-to-goodness world-renowned celebrity — possibly even brushing against or bumping into them — without that star noticing. I believe there are bonus points if the famous person in question is also one of the night’s winners. The sibling pack are the arbiters of which star shines the brightest, and the winner gets family bragging rights for the year. Last year my friend, the baby of the group, beat out her siblings by getting close enough to ‘bump’ into Rob Pattinson, the world’s most famous sparkly vampire.
Upon discovering this game, I did what any obsessive film geek would do: I began imagining who I would try to ‘bump’ into. But as a diehard perfumista, I was equally enamored by a concurrent mystery: if I did get that close, close enough to touch them, what would they smell like?
If I were in my friend’s shoes, here’s who I’d be aiming for this Sunday and what I’d hope to smell as I was passing by…
For Best Actor in a Leading Role, I’m hoping for a win for Colin Firth in The King's Speech. However, if James Franco wins for 127 Hours I won’t be surprised. Colin Firth, in my mind, would be wear something respectable and stolid. Something, well, English...and maybe period appropriate. Perhaps Dana English Leather? I’m sure he’d be very polite if I nudged past him on my way through the crowd. And if I ‘accidentally’ tripped and fell into James Franco’s lap, maybe he’d be wearing Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan. (A girl can dream, right?)
As for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Natalie Portman’s turn in Black Swan was mind blowing but I have to say, after seeing Winter’s Bone, I might have to give it to Jennifer Lawrence. I like to imagine our would-be prima ballerina would be wearing CB I Hate Perfume M1 Narcissus as she glided past, and our intrepid, impoverished daughter of the Ozarks would wear Chanel No. 19.
Though I loved Geoffrey Rush in The King's Speech, the Oscar buzz for Christian Bale as Best Actor in a Supporting Role for The Fighter is so strong I suspect he’s going to go home with a shiny statuette. And if I were to, perhaps, spill my drink in Mr. Bale’s general direction, among the I’m-so-sorrys and please-forgive-mes pouring from my mouth, I’d hope to catch a whiff of Hermès Eau d'Hermès.
Speaking of support cast, Best Actress in a Supporting Role had better go to Hailee Steinfeld for her amazing performance in True Grit or I will eat my hat. If we ran into each in the powder room, I‘d tell her as much and I’d hope she’d spray on a little Tauer Perfumes Lonestar Memories as she was on her way back to her seat.
While I was scoping out the rest of the stars in the Hollywood sky, here’s who I’d hope to see win the rest of the ‘big’ categories of the night: Best Animated Film would go to Toy Story 3; Best Directing would go to True Grit and Joel Coen and Ethan Coen; Best Writing for an Adapted Screenplay to The Social Network’s Aaron Sorkin, who is no doubt as neurotic in real life as his characters are on film; and Best Writing for an Original Screenplay to Christopher Nolan for his ten-year-long effort and masterpiece thriller Inception.
Last, but far from least, I’d give Best Picture to The King's Speech. I’ve seen all ten nominees, and though it is difficult to choose just one, that would be my pick.
As for the biggest question: what would I be wearing while I laughed and clapped and sniffed my way through a night among the glitterati, I really can’t say. This would be a near impossible choice and depend heavily on weather, wardrobe, and a hundred other things. For the sake of playing our own little game, though, let’s say something lovely and rare... perhaps L’Artisan Iris Pallida 2007.
Now it’s your turn. If you were out to win “brush with fame” this Sunday, who would you pick, and what would they smell like?
I’ve loved Helena Bonham Carter since Room with a View. What on earth would she wear? Her taste in red carpet dressing is fascinating. Loulou by Cacherel popped into my mind. So did YSL Paris. But I’m not satisfied with either.
ceelouise — I loved her in King’s Speech. I thought she was so charming and funny. To me it was a sign she needs to be directed by someone other than Tim Burton (who I love, but really overuses her) more often.
YSL Paris I could absolutely see. But her acting range is so wide I actually have a hard time seeing her with a ‘signature’ scent. How can Bellatrix Lestrange wear the same scent as the Queen Mother or Marla Singer from Fight Club? A myriad of talent so wide seems to beg for an army of scent.
Yes, but have you seen how she dresses on the red carpet? She wore two different colored shoes a few weeks ago. Her hair is usually very wild. Her dresses all look like Vivienne Westwood to me, with huge floral prints. I have’t seen any Tim Burton movies. My idea of Bonham Carter’s acting is wedded to Merchant Ivory still. But I’m familiar with Burton’s flair, and her red carpet dressing matches his style. I think of Loulou and Paris as loud and crazy florals that thankfully aren’t too heavy with sugar and syrup – I guess they go with her red carpet style.
I guess they go with her red carpet style.
Or given Bonham Carter’s long-term romance to Burton, probably her true to life style!
Her dresses are Vivienne Westwood
She has a peculiar style and I think something from Caron mixed with the Incense series from CdG would fit her
I agree; I can’t imagine her wearing a conventionally “pretty” fragrance.
The different colored shoes were obviously a pair, made to be worn together.
I was thinking Caron, too, one of the vintage ones…..one of the odd, musty ones, or Tabac Blond.
She is a wild woman when it comes to dress. I’d like to smell her in Ormonde Woman.
Oooh, good one! But Ormonde Woman is less and less wild to me. I’m craving it. It’s packed away in our air freight!
BANDIT!!!!!
I see her in vintage Cabochard for the Harry Potter movies.
Helena Bonham Carter is so beautiful, original and even weird. I imagine her in something both avant garde and excellent like S-Perfume’s S-ex or 100% Love.
I love 100% Love, but I think S-ex probably fits her better. Good choices
Oh, I am such an Oscar fanatic, although I enjoyed the shows much more in the bad old days, when they were underproduced, stars were allowed to rattle on in (unintentionally hilliiarious) political speeches, and actors actually dressed themselves (often beautifully, and sometimes unintentionally hilliiariously, but at least not all the same).
For this year, I am rooting for the Social Network, but The Fighter and True Grit would be respectable choices. The King’s Speech will probably do very well because alot of Academy members owe their own Oscars to the Weinsteins who produced The Kings Speech, plus that movie is ultimately about an actor who saved England. I have not actually seen all ten movies, and Winter Bone’s distributor seem to be hiding it from view.
As for what those celebs might be smelling like:
Natalie Portman (who should get Best Actress for an amazing physical and calibrated emotional performance in a silly movie) is a perfume model, I believe for Ms. Dior).
Collin Firth (who will always be Mr. Darcy to me) is actually a working class bloke, but not really stolid in real life. Maybe nothing but aftershave.
Little Halie, to my mind was actually the lead actress of True Grit, but otherwise deserves Best Supporting Actress. But, Lonestar Memories, smells more like the petro-chemical side of Texas, and she played a farm girl.Why not Daisy for her..
James Franco seems like a fairly avant gard guy; Escentric Molecues 1, or Black Afgano
I would give the Best Actor to Mark Wahlberg, for his stunning understated performance in the Fighter, except he is not nominated. Amouge for him. The Oscar should go to Jeff Bridges (FM’s Geranium) or to Jessie Eisner (Old Spice)
Little Halie, to my mind was actually the lead actress of True Grit, but otherwise deserves Best Supporting Actress. But, Lonestar Memories, smells more like the petro-chemical side of Texas, and she played a farm girl.Why not Daisy for her.
Dilana — Hahahaha! I grew up on the “petro-chemical side of Texas” so maybe that’s why I love Lonestar Memories. Reminds me of home, where my high school had a barn and kids raised animals for school credit. I also agree she should have been nominated for Best Actress — it’s her story, after all.
Black Afgano is a good choice for James Franco, I can totally see that.
I like Old Spice for Jessie Eisner.
The thing that struck me so much about Natalie Portman’s performance was how much she passed for a real ballerina. Plus, without her, the story would have fallen apart; she’s the one who keeps you guessing. When I saw it, I never believed I’d think someone else would beat her, but I saw Winter’s Bone a couple weeks later and thought, “Jennifer Lawrence is simply amazing.” I just can’t decide there. I’ll probably be happy with either one.
I double checked and Winter Bone’s distributor remains determined to hide this movie.
Your description of Ms. Portman’s performance was exactly what I was trying to say. I just wished we had progressed beyond the Red Shoes notion that it a woman wants to achieve brilliance, she will have to die. On the other hand, maybe that is just the way this director ends his films.
Never really considered the ballerina’s death from a feminist perspective – I guess it does raise questions. But, I also don’t think a brilliant actor/ess can save a really bad script or production. (generally they tend to look embarrassed at having to say the kind of lines they have been given in daft movies). I haven’t seen any of the other nominated movies but I LOVED black swan. I loved the sustained ambivalence, the use of the surreal to represent difficult psychological states, the struggle of a fragmented personality to become whole, and finally the self-defeating nature of perfectionism, especially when taken to its logical conclusion…
Oops, obviously identify with something there!
Maybe I’d give her Sa Majeste Rose in the role of the white swan, and bal de Versailles for the black?
Merlin — I love the idea of there being two different scents for the of white/black swan. I was thinking, if I had to describe the film itself to someone exclusive through perfume, I’d go with Creed Love in Black/Love in White, but maybe that’s too on the nose?
The ambivalence was glorious, and I loved the way the cinematography supported it. It’s rare that I don’t figure out a film somewhere in th first 10-15 minutes (just watched Shutter Island and had it before the thing really had a chance to start), but this one had me guessing until the end. It was very “my daughter, my sister, my daughter, my sister” for me.
I was also ruminating on which scent would fit Natalie Portman in the black swan character…and I concluded with Back to Black. Not just for the name, but the gauzy decadence of the black swan’s outfits and requisite pretentiousness of the black swan seemed to conjure that scent.
Or maybe it came to mind because I recently discovered that I simply must have it. Hmmm.
Dilana — We could do a whole thing on the sexism, heterosexism and patriarchy lurking in the nominated films (OMG Social Network) and I do think if you can get your hands on Winter’s Bone it’s worth seeing for that perspective as well. Maybe we could do a she said/she said piece together.
Welcome, Diana! Thanks for the fun guest post. I like to imagine Colin Firth in something classic, like Guerlain Vetiver. I love the idea of Lonestar Memories going on someone, perhaps if not Halle, then Jeff Bridges. For Natalie Portman, I’d like to smell her in a dark rose, maybe Paestum Rose or Incense Rose.
A dark rose would be excellent give Portman’s character, especially if we could find one that starts out classic and innocent at the beginning and gets dirtier over time… like maybe Frederic Malle Une Rose?
I can see Guerlain Vetiver on Firth. I love watching him do interviews with Jon Stewart because his instinct “straight man in comedic duo” instincts make it so much more shocking and hilarious when he says something vaguely inappropriate.
Hi Diana – loved your post and analysis. Very interesting choices of fragrances for everyone. I’m impressed that you’ve seen so many of these movies – I’m one of the heathens who will get around to watching them in a couple of years after they’ve been out on DVD forever! For some reason, I never get to a movie theater!
Rappaleyea — I started the obsession about seven years ago, back when there were 4-6 films nominated and I could always count on having seen one of two of them before the nominees were announced. Frankly, this who ten nominees thing is making it really difficult to keep up!
Thanks for reading. I appreciate it.
Great topic, Diana, and Iris Pallida is the perfect choice! I can also imagine Nicole Kidman wearing it. Personally, I’d love to share an elevator with Javier Bardem in Rive Gauche pour Homme.
I’d love to share an elevator with Javier Bardem in Rive Gauche pour Homme.
Yum.
I’d love to share a kiss with Vincent Cassel in Original Vetiver, Creed……
Vincent Cassel is so talented that every time I see him it takes me a few minutes to place him in all the other things he’s done. And what a great scent pairing!
What a fun post–enjoyed reading, and pondering…and pondering some more…
In the end, I like the Black Afgano suggestion for James Franco. Edgy, but in a studied way…totally aware of the connotations, the history, and willing to play either the analysis or the be it angle of the game.
In my mind, Geoffrey Rush wears Second Cumming, not because it suits him exactly, but because that’s his mood for the night.
I’d wear Chamade and brush into Christopher Nolan. Why? Because by the time I actually was in his personal space, post application, Chamade would be ready to do it’s crazy morph thing. (There’s “the kick”!) And Nolan would be wearing…Amouage Memoir Man. For the first time. As a result of our accidental brushing and mutual commentary on how good the other feels with appropriate witty repartee, we would check in with each other through the night to decide if we like it. On him.
Yes, I totally agree — someone should send James Franco a bottle of Black Afgano.
Chamade is a great choice, and I would love to see what contact with Chris Nolan would do to it since his stories are always full of dark twists and turns. I think he’s a great director and storyteller.
What a great post, Diana! Enjoyed it.
And I confess that I’ve seen exactly zero of the nominated films. Had wanted to see Black Swan, but The CEO demurred – he wants to wait for video – and Winter’s Bone, particularly to find out if they got the accents right.
If I were going to be there, I’d wear, oh… Lyric Woman, and hope to bump into Mark Wahlberg (who’d be wearing, lessee, Czech and Speake No. 88).
Ummm, Mark Wahlberg, who I have thought was incredibly hot since his Marky Mary and the Funky Bunch days. He’s got an interesting personal story, too, and he’s turned into an amazing actor.
My hubby also always wants to wait for video, so I just go with my girlfriends. Winter’s Bone is fine for video, but if you can still find a theater playing Black Swan, I’d go see it. It’s one those films that benefits from the scope of a real theatre because the cinematography is immersive and spectacular.
I think a narcissus scent for the black swan is particularly appropriate.
I can also see Colin Firth’s King wearing Penhaligon’s Blenheim Bouquet or Creed’s Green Irish Tweed.
Bookgirl, Creed’s Green Irish Tweed was definitely on my short consideration list. I certainly think it would make a great choice.
I honestly don’t know who would I pick, because to I don’t really follow the oscars and the celebrity world. I do know, however, what perfume/perfumes would I pick for the night on the red carpet or the Oscars. It would either be YSL’s Yvresse or Acqua di Parma’s Profume. Nothing says more elegant than sipping champagne on the red carpet, in a stunning, black gown by some great designer, with a touch of real chypre perfume… that’s just my opinion:))