Unlike the acting categories, the Best Director Oscar was presented by Academy Award winning actress Reese Witherspoon. With no surprise the Oscar went to Danny Boyle for his work on the indie film Slumdog Millionaire. Here’s a snippet of Boyle’s enthusiastic, yet humble speech.

To Mumbai on ending, inseparable and born. All of you who helped us make the film, and those of you who didn’t. Thank you so much, you dwarf even this guy [pointing to his Oscar]. Thank you very much indeed.

Was there ever any doubt?

The 81st Annual Academy Awards are less than one month away, and this year’s list of nominees has proven that Oscar likes to stay within familiar territory. In the main categories, which include Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Actor there are several names that have been making appearances on the Oscar ballot for years. This year, the race for the gold statue is sprinkled with record holding performers, which include actresses, Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep. Both are nominated in the Best Actress category, and between the two of them they generate a career total of 21 Academy Award nominations. The Academy has a habit of putting a few nominees through the ringer (poor Peter O’Toole), by allowing them to get close to Oscar, but no cigar. So will previous nods give a few lucky performers the edge over the competition, or will they cancel them out completely? Is it talent or friendly faces that win the Oscar?

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Back off bitches, Winslets in town. Although Slumdog Millionaire won the most categories of the night, I think the biggest winner was definitely Kate Winslet who managed to collect for the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress wins She wasn’t messing around. She wanted them all. She took down Hathaway, Meryl Streep… the woman is ruthless! Then of course, it’s another amazing night for Danny Boyle‘s amazing film Slumdog Millionaire. The film collected a number of statuettes for all four categories;ds Best Motion Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Original Score.

Check out the 2009 Golden Globe Awards nominees and winners below with interviews with many of the winners…

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Well THR is rather bold. Before the Oscar noms have even been announced they interviewed the 2009 Oscar Directors. Really? THR has decided that Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard, Danny Boyle, Gus Van Sant, Darren Aronofsky and Ed Zwick are going to be our Oscar nominated Directors. Good picks yes, but hardly rock solid. Apparently they’re not buying the whole Christopher Nola, Dark Knight buzz.

All the directors all sat down together at one table to talk about their 2008 film(s). Everyone seemed more than happy to chime in about their filmaking process and the challeneges of directing except for Gus Van Sant. Apparently THR decided to cut Van Sant out of the show. I can’t imagine he didn’t say a single work. Why no Van Sant THR?

Check out the interviews with all the other Directors below…

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First time actress Freida Pinto plays the oldest version of Latika across from Dev Patel in Danny Boyle‘s new movie Slumdog Millionaire.

In the film she is described as the most beautiful girl in the world, well that works in the film and outside of it. Freida is absolutely stunning inside and out. Sitting and talking to her about the film was an absolute pleasure because she spoke so openly and freely. She has worked very hard to break into the business and is extremely excited to have finally taken her first step. And what a step it is… She is amazing in the film and I’m sure has a huge career ahead of her.

She was more than happy to talk about the film, working in the slums, what it’s like trying to break into the business in India, and working with Danny Boyle as a first time actor.

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Danny Boyle’s latest film Slumdog Millionaire hits theaters today, November 13th. The film has been gathering quite a bit of Oscar buzz recently because it is quite simply, absolutely stunning. The film combines truth, horror, love and destiny all together in the beautiful slums of India.

Check out what Director Danny Boyle had to say about his film below….

Did you just read the script and said, “I just got to do it?”

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There is something about Danny Boyle films. No matter how dark, honest, and gruesome they are, you always walk out of the theater with some kind of hope. Not hope for yourself, but hope for the world. That this world can be a better place and there are people out there, individuals that make it so. Slumdog Millionaire is just that, it is the perfect balance of the harsh realities and the true beauty of life in one awe-inspiring package.

The TV show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” appears to be the backbone of the story until you realize that the show is actually a vehicle for love. Jamal (Dev Patel), is a boy from the slums who somehow manages to make it to the top. Of course, this is unbelievable to anyone on the show, so they try and torture the truth out of him. What they don’t know is that the reason he doesn’t quit, the reason he doesn’t take the money and run is because he is hoping that the love of his life Latika, who he knows is a fan of the show, might be watching. The longer he’s on the show, the better the chance of her seeing him.

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Recently in an interview with ScreenCrave. Danny Boyle revealed some news about a possible 28 Months Later. Here is how the conversation went:

What’s going on with the 28 days/weeks series?

Well there is an idea for the third part, but I haven’t done enough about it yet. But I’ve got an idea. I can’t really tell you more than that at the moment.

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Everything about this movie gives me hope in the film industry. Dev Patel, the star of Danny Boyle’s new film Slumdog Millionaire, is a dream success story in the film and out. He managed to get randomly seen by Danny Boyle’s daughter on a TV show and then star his film. In the film, he fights the odds to win his dream. It’s every actors dream come true! Great role and a great opportunity! And not only that, but he does the job well. Without the audience being truly invested in his character the film would have sunk. But he has the heart and honesty to carry the entire film with the best of them.

Dev is probably as un-Hollywood as they come. Open and carefree he was more than willing to open up about his character, how he has gotten to where he is, and even some things he probably shouldn’t mention about the other actors.

Here is Dev Patel, soon to be Hollywood super-star (you just wait) on his upcoming film, Slumdog Millionaire opening in theaters November 14th.

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