Yahoo News Donald Trump supporters to boycott Oscars in protest against ‘Limousine Liberals’
It should be a glittering celebration of artistic endeavour where the women dazzle in designer gowns and men look sharp in their well-cut dinner jackets.
But this year’s Oscars are more likely to be remembered for what is said than what is worn.
Just over a month into the presidency of Donald Trump, hostilities are expected to be resumed between the new incumbent of the Oval Office and America’s entertainment industry.
Mr Trump, perhaps conveniently, will not be watching as he and the First Lady will be attending the Governors’ Ball in Washington.
But his supporters have already made it clear that they will have no truck with people they regard as “Limousine Liberals”.
Oscars 2017 in Pictures, Hollywood prepares for the Academy Awards
A Facebook post originated by Republicans in Arizona has called on the “backbone and decent people of America” to stand up against the “bitter people of the entertainment industry”.
The group hopes its supporters will hit the television ratings by voting with their remote controls should Mr Trump come under attack during the acceptance speeches. The political sympathies of nearly all the nominees suggest that this is possible.
Accepting a Film Independent Spirit award on Saturday night, Casey Affleck, who has been nominated at the Academy Awards for his performance in Manchester by the Sea, said: "The policies of this administration are abhorrent and will not last."
Even Jimmy Kimmel, who is hosting the Oscars, has been known to have the odd jab at Mr Trump on his television show.
The scene for the latest round of the president versus Hollywood’s liberal aristocracy was set at last month’s Golden Globes awards when Meryl Streep rounded on Mr Trump.
Characteristically he used Twitter to hit back, describing her as “overrated”.
Then at the Screen Actors Guild awards a succession of winners, including William H Macy and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, took turns to lay into Mr Trump.
Eyes will be on the award for best foreign language film after Asghar Farhadi, director of The Salesman, was caught by Mr Trump’s travel ban.
Should he win, Mr Farhadi will not be present to receive his award. But his absence will not go unnoticed.
“It’s going to be the most political Oscars for a number of years. When people were talking about it a few months ago, they thought it would be a race issue,” said one Hollywood insider.
“Now agents are unleashing their stars to say what they will. They are telling their clients they are not going to lose anything.”
Another Hollywood observer, Tim Gray, features awards editor of Variety, predicted an interesting night.
“I don’t think it will be three hours of Trump-bashing,” he said. “There are 24 awards recognising everyone such as visual effects people, I don’t think they will use it as a political forum.
“I do expect some vague homilies. But if there are three or four attacks, that will light up the internet.”
La La Land, a wistful musical telling the story of an aspiring actress and a jobbing musician, is expected to scoop a raft of awards, having earned 14 nominations - an achievement matched only twice before.
Coral has the film as a 1-7 favourite for best picture. Emma Stone is a 1-6 favourite to be named best actress.
La La Land’s Damien Chazelle is a red-hot favourite for the best director award with Coral offering odds of 1-33.
Should La La Land be named best picture as predicted, it will be the first musical to win since Chicago in 2002, following in the distinguished footsteps of a number of Hollywood classics, including My Fair Lady in 1964, West Side Story in 1961 and Broadway Melody in 1929.
The battle for the best actor award appears tighter, with Casey Affleck 4-6 to take the Oscar for his performance in Manchester by the Sea.
He is just ahead of Denzel Washington, who is ranked at 6-5 for his portrayal of a Pittsburgh bin man and former robber in Fences.
After the controversy over the absence of any black nominees last year, Washington is one of a number of African Americans in contention.
Viola Davis is seen as a certainty to be named best supporting actress, rated as a 1-100 favourite for her performance as Denzel Washington’s wife.
Mahershala Ali is a 1-7 favourite to be named as best supporting actor in Moonlight.
Britain’s filmmakers will fall a long way short of 1982 when Colin Welland proclaimed “The British are coming” after Chariots of Fire took four Oscars.
Dev Patel is second favourite for his performance in Lion. He plays an Indian who, having been adopted by an Australian couple as a small child, goes home to find his real family.
Andrew Garfield, who was born in Los Angeles but raised in Britain, is a contender for best actor for Hacksaw Ridge. But he is a 40-1 outsider.
Naomie Harris, who plays the part of Paula, a crack addict, in Moonlight has been nominated as best supporting actress. At 16-1 she is second favourite.
