Freida Pinto, March's Vanity Girl

In this month's Vanity Fair (still anxiously awaiting my Obama-covered copy) actress Freida Pinto, who plays love interest Latika in "Slumdog Millionaire", is featured as a Vanities Girl. 

From the red carpet interviews, dance-infused talk shows and now the photo in VF I've seen, she is as lovely off-screen as she is in the movie. If you haven't seen it yet, here is my advice: Get in your car, hop on a bus, take a taxi; pay $5-10; and see the movie! See the movie now before it likely wins Best Picture Feb. 22 at the Academy Awards.

(photo courtesy VF)

How will SAG affect Oscar?

Because the SAG Awards are voted by the actors themselves, it is not necessarily a sign of Oscar success. The Academy could vote for completely different people, though I think some categories are already in the bag:

• Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire—after securing Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at tonight's SAGs, a Golden Globe and countless other "bests" this awards season, I think it's safe to say that this film should garner the year's most coveted movie prize.
• In the Best Actor ring: Sean Penn (Milk) v. Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)—Sean won the SAG, but Mickey won the Golden Globe. It will come down to how the Academy votes to decide which performance comes out on top.
• In the Best Actress ring: Meryl Streep (Doubt) v. Kate Winslet (The Reader) v. Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)—Meryl won tonight's SAG, but Kate's performance for "The Reader" also won the SAG (in the supporting category) and she garnered two Golden Globes, actress for "Revolutionary Road" and supporting actress for "The Reader". Then consider that Anne and Meryl tied for Best Actress at the Critics Choice Awards. I'm hoping for Kate to win this tango.
• On the Best Supporting Actor pedestal: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight), no doubt about it. It's Heath's year, despite the tragedy that he passed too soon.
• On the Best Supporting Actress pedestal: No clue. With Kate's win in this category for most of the year, it's hard to know which actress will take home the Oscar. 

The big Academy Award showdown is in less than one month. Can't wait!

(photo courtesy AP)

SAG awards

The Screen Actors Guild Awards are on now (TNT, TBS). And the actor goes to ...

• Cast in a motion picture: "Slumdog Millionaire"
• Male actor in a leading role: Sean Penn, "Milk"
• Female actor in a leading role: Meryl Streep, "Doubt"
• Male actor in a supporting role: Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"
• Female actor in a supporting role: Kate Winslet, "The Reader"
• Life Achievement Award: James Earl Jones
• Male actor in a TV movie or miniseries: Paul Giamatti, "John Adams"
• Female actor in a TV movie or miniseries: Laura Linney, "John Adams"
• Ensemble in a drama series: "Mad Men"
• Female actor in a drama series: Sally Field, "Brothers & Sisters"
• Male actor in a drama series: Hugh Laurie, "House"
  
• Ensemble in a comedy series: "30 Rock"
  
• Male actor in a comedy series: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
• First award of the night, Female actor in a comedy series: Tina Fey, "30 Rock"

Oscar buzz

Five questions about the Oscars I found intriguing from Vanity Fair's Mark Lisanti.

1. Does Mickey Rourke really stand a chance at beating Sean Penn?

2. Who the hell is Sally Hawkins again?

3. Do I have to start paying attention to Gran Torino for Best Picture?

4. Will Kate Winslet win zero, one or two Oscars?

5. Can anything beat Slumdog Millionaire?

(graphic courtesy VF)