Oscars Lack Star Power

Tonight’s Oscars are full of films with great storylines, however, the show may lack the one thing that draws in even more viewers: movie stars. Only three out of the 10 films nominated for Best Picture have A-list leads. Except for Sigourney Weaver in Avatar, neither the sci-fi blockbuster nor The Hurt Locker have major names. George Clooney, nominated for Up in the Air, Brad Pitt for Inglourious Basterds, and Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side are the only household names in the bunch. The 2010 Oscars support a major trend in Hollywood away from “the old model of tying a movie’s commercial fortunes to an actor” and banking on that big name to carry the film. Recession-conscious producers have become increasingly wary of dropping the film’s first $15m-$20m on a single star.