What is it about Happy Go Lucky that has struck a chord with American audiences, it has done much better over there than it ever did here in the UK?
It's an honest performance and a performance that exposes herself it's quirky, almost like something out of a Woody Allen movie, she really just encompasses the character. The award season like to anoint new stars and validate certain actors that you may have not heard of our have the connections of a Meryl Streep, it likes to honour the legends, but they also like great stories and she is a great story, as is Mickey Rourke.
But Sally Hawkins has come out of nowhere and out of the UK and here she is in a comedy, and you don't see many female leads in comedies, it seems to be tough for women, for whatever reason, to find comedic work as we always find comedy as a boys club with the likes of Will Farrel and Jim Carey and Seth Rogen. But to have funny leading ladies is a way to endear yourself to the award show voting bodies there has bee Diane Keaton over the years for example and Sally Field.
Finally it's time to put your money where your mouth is and predict who will win what at the Oscars
This is a prediction and if I get them all right I want you to send me a cheque in the mail it can be pounds or dollars or Hong Kong dollars, whatever works for you.
Best Picture - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Actor - Mickey Rourke
Best Actress - Anne Hathaway
Best Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger
Best Supporting Actress - Kate Winslet
Best Director - Danny Boyle
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Catch Ben Lyons on Live from the Red Carpet: The 2009 Academy Awards on Sunday, 22nd February at 11pm only on E! Entertainment Television (Sky: 151/ Virgin Media: 156)