Las Vegas Weekly

March 18, 2010 · 10:36 AM

Movie superstars celebrate ShoWest awards with blowout banquet

By Robin Leach

Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party at The Sunset Tower Hotel in Los Angeles on March 7, 2010.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

For the past few days, movie industry delegates have been inspecting new digital projectors, examining new popcorn and snack services, pouring over cell phone ticket-delivery systems and excitedly discussing the bigger, expanded rollout of 3-D films headed for theaters this year. It’s the behind-the-scenes part of the film business that makes the real profit for theater owners above and beyond the blockbuster box office receipts they ship back to Hollywood studios.

But the nuts and bolts of the trade show are all forgotten tonight, and the spotlights turn away from convention exhibit booths and meetings about sound systems, light levels and advertising sales in cinemas in favor of the true glitz and glamour of celluloid showbiz. More than 5,000 visitors from 50 countries have been attending the annual ShoWest gathering.

The 2010 ShoWest convention concludes this evening at Bally’s and Paris with the final night awards banquet, and the stars are all here for the event. Sex and the City luminaries Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon arrived yesterday on the Strip, as did Vanessa Hudgens and boyfriend Zac Efron. The happy and cuddling couple went directly from their L.A.-to-Las Vegas private jet to Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere at Treasure Island. Zac was here at ShoWest when he won Breakthrough Performer of the Year 12 months ago.

Here’s a YouTube video of his Access Hollywood interview a year ago:

The SATC actresses will be presented with the Ensemble Award, and Vanessa has been named Female Star of Tomorrow. Other award winners tonight are Katherine Heigl for Female Star of the Year, Sam Worthington as Male Star of the Year, The Hangover’s Zach Galifianakis as Comedy Star of the Year, Amanda Seyfried as Breakthrough Female Star of the Year, Alex Pettyfer as Male Star of Tomorrow, The Hangover’s Todd Phillips as Director of the Year and Jay Roach as Comedy Director of the Decade. Mega producer Jerry Bruckheimer will be saluted with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jerry, who was the mastermind of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, premieres the rough cut of his new summer film Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time with not one but two nearly simultaneous screenings in the Jubilee Theater at Bally’s and in Barry Manilow’s theater in the Paris. The epic action adventure directed by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire genius Mike Newell stars Jake Gyllenhaal , Sir Ben Kingsley and Gemma Arterton.

Photo: Summit Entertainment

Additionally, the Fandango Fan Choice Award for favorite movie of 2009 will be presented to The Twilight Saga: New Moon. Access Hollywood host Billy Bush will emcee the event in the Paris Ballroom. I will be there to interview the stars, and we’ll report in real time with videos on Twitter.com/Robin_Leach. Our team of contributing photographers also will be on duty, and we’ll have their star-studded photo galleries here at Vegas DeLuxe tomorrow.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

Share This