Jan 24, 2009–“Slumdog Millionaire” won the PGA's highest honor Saturday night as the Mumbai-set drama continued to rack up the awards season accolades. Producer Christian Colson picked up the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award. “Slumdog Millionaire” entered the final phase of the Oscar race as best picture favorite. The guild's annual award is considered a harbinger for the Academy's top prize.

This year, of the 20 performers nominated for an acting achievement in the four category, two (10 percent) are black, both in the Supporting Actress league: Viola Davis in “Doubt” and Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”

Tim Burton, one of the most gifted and visionary directors working in Hollywood, has never been nominated for the Best Director Oscar.  In contrast, Stephen Daldry, a proficient, neophyte filmmaker, has been nominated multiple times, making Oscar and film history records, by going three for three. With this year’s “The Reader,” he has scored a directing bid for the each of the three films he has helmed: “Billy Elliott” in 2000 and “The Hours” in 2002.

“This Way Up,” a short film directed by Adam Foulkes and Alan Smith at London based animation studio Nexus, has been nominated for this year's Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

“I just flew in to L.A. last night and was with Salma Hayek and we watched together. Afterward, I fell back asleep for an hour. It’s great to start getting phone calls and people are so happy for you. Woody is so honest and was very shy at the beginning but then he gets to know you and relaxes. We’ve become friends. I call him when I’m in New York and we hang out together.”
Penelope Cruz, supporting actress, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”