Dish Of Salt & MovieMantz Live Blogging The Academy Awards

Access Hollywood’s Laura “Dish of Salt” Saltman and Scott “Movie” Mantz are on site inside the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. They’ll be live blogging all of the action from the awards themselves. Because let’s face it… the real action takes place in the lobby bar!

9:58 PM – Dish: From my seat I have a direct view of the yummy duo of Ryan Reynolds and Bradley Cooper!

9:52 PM – Dish: Just got to my table and Sherri Shepard is my tablemate.

9:51 PM – Dish: Finally ditched the smoking lounge and headed inside. Ran right into Alec Baldwin as I entered.

9:31 PM – Dish: Jeremy Renner shares a laugh with Charlize Theron, and bums a cigarette from someone. Charlize tells him, “you need to get a drink and come smoke with us.”

9:29 PM – Dish: Oh no! Chris Pine is a smoker too! He uses a candle to light his cigarette.

9:28 PM – Dish: So, I just realized that the entrance for everyone is also the smoking lounge. I’m against smoking but I will deal with the second hand smoke for the great celeb sightings it’s just given me!

9:27 PM – Dish: Rachel McAdams walks in and is asked by someone who her dress is by. She politely replies Elle Saab.

9:26 PM – Dish: Oprah Winfrey walks in hand-in-hand with Tyler Perry. Her bff Gayle trails behind her.

9:25 PM – Dish: Is this really happening in front of me. Keanu and Charlize come back and ask a couple to bum a cigarette. The lady then asks Keanu to take a pic and Charlize laughs and says, “did you just have to take a pix in order to get a cigarette?”

9:23 PM – Dish: Zoe Saldana begs a couple standing next to me for a smoke. Wow her dress is insane.

9:21 PM – Dish: Samuel L Jackson, Helen Mirren, Stanley Tucci and others all file into the Governor’s Ball. Host Steve Martin walks in arm in arm with a date.

9:20 PM – Dish: Charlize Theron walks in with her mother and Keanu Reeves. They all all chatting about how much they want cocktails and then Keanu asks Charlize, “You don’t have smokes though do you?”

9:16 PM – Dish: Colin Firth and Carey Mulligan head into the Governor’s Ball together.

9:15 PM – Dish: Meryl Streep is held up at the door at the Governor’s Ball. Fortunately, an Academy official comes to grab her. As she walks by me she turns back and says, “Uh Oh! Lost my brother!” He was just a few steps behind.

9:12 PM – Dish: Waiting in the line to get into The Governor’s Ball. Monique doesn’t need to wait. She is breezed in through a side door.

8:55 PM – Dish: I don’t know what they are showing at home but on our monitors inside the Kodak, not a single tight shot on Barbra Streisand. The camera stayed wide the entire time she presented. Oh Babs. The camera must not have been on her good side.

8:43 PM – Dish: So what’s Oprah Winfrey doing while the other actors talk about their nominee? She’s checking out whose in the audience from her great perspective on the room.

8:39 PM – Dish: Finally went back to my seat after three hours at the bar celeb spotting.

8:23 PM – Dish and Mantz: We are standing right behind Macauley Culkin. He’s tiny.

8:21 PM – Dish: A production person just told us the show till has about 35 minutes left in it. Ugh!!!! Too long.

8:20 PM – Dish: Amanda Seyfried and Kristen Stewart come walking by. Amanda is holding her dress. It seems like a whole lot of dress.

8:19 PM – Dish: Neil Patrick Harris just dropped in the bar with his guy and grabbed two champagnes and then headed back to his seats through a side door.

8:17 PM – Mantz: at the bar, standing next to the Oscar-winner for Best Costumes (“Young Victoria”) — she’s posing with her Oscar, while friends take her picture with the camera on her BlackBerry!

7:53 PM – At the bar, Julianne Moore having a lively conversation with Peter Sarsgaard and Maggie Gyllenhaal!

7:40 PM – Dish: Just hit the bathroom to powder my nose and Diana Kruger was doing the same thing.

7:38 PM – Dish: Our producer Susan heads over to Carey Mulligan to tell he how much she loves her Prada gown.

7:32 PM – Mantz: More upsets! “Hurt Locker” wins BOTH Sound categories over “Avatar!” That THAT, James Cameron!

7:28 PM – Dish: OK. Having a super surreal moment. Just chatted for a bit with Anthony Michael Hall from my favorite movie of all time “Sixteen Candles.” If that had happened when I was sixteen I would have fainted. And the most amazing part of all is he has seen me on Access Hollywood. OMG The Geek knows The Dish!!!!

6:52 PM – Mantz: The first upset of the night! “Precious” wins Adapted Screenplay OVER the favored “Up in the Air!” Wow, that is friggin’ HUGE!!

6:48 PM – Mantz: Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart walking across the room, could they being going to the stage to present an award together?

6:45 PM – Mantz: at the bar now? Christoph Waltz! And what’s in his hand (other than a drink of champagne?) An OSCAR, folks!

6:42 PM – Mantz: “Star Trek” won an OSCAR!!! (Okay, it was for Best Makeup, but an Oscar’s an Oscar!!) All is good with the world!!!

6:41 PM – Dish: Ah ha! Just located my boyfriend Gerard Butler at the other bar. I flashed him my best smile but I don’t think he remembers me from the Golden Globes 🙁 The night is still young though.

6:34 PM – Dish: “The Hurt Locker’s” Anthony Mackie grabs a drink.

6:33 PM – Dish: Stephanie chats with ABC entertainment president Stephen McPherson. She tells him congrats on the new Dancing with the Stars cast. He says he’s proud this year’s group and very excited for it to start.

6:32 PM – Dish: Best actor nominee Colin Firth does a super quick bathroom break. Two escorts wait to bring him back to his seat.

6:31 PM – Dish: Christoph Waltz waltzes into the bar holding his Oscar. He gets a hug from Quentin Tarantino and Harvey Weinstein.

6:23 PM – Mantz: I grew up with The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles, but the Hughes tribute is making me feel OLD!!

6:17 PM – Mantz: Hurt Locker wins for Original Screenplay – I’m down one in my Oscar Pool (voted for Inglourious Basterds!)

6:14 PM – Dish: Harvey Weinstein comes into the bar. I’m waiting for Gerard Butler of course.

6:12 PM – Mantz: Down at the first floor bar, standing behind George Clooney! A couple of fans wished him luck, another girl wanted to, but got nervous! Clooney got a Scotch, without the rocks!

6:11 PM – Dish: James Taylor is standing right next to me at the bar. Tim McGraw walks in. I have never seen him in person without the hat. He’s handsome.

6:07 PM – Mantz: And by the way, why did they change “And the Oscar goes to…” to “And the winner is…”? Now the losers will really feel like losers!

6:05 PM – Mantz: So far, the winners of the first 3 Oscars were not surprises at all — kind of makes for a rather boring show, if you ask me…

6:05 PM – Dish: Stephanie and I just sidled up to the bar and Woody Harrelson is here (just after losing Best Supporting Actor) chatting with Quincy Jones.

6:00 PM – Mantz: “Up” is so good! Those Pixar folks know what they’re doing!!

5:55 PM – Mantz: What you’re not seeing during the commercials: setting the stage for the next number, the Commodore’s “I’m Easy” playing thru the theater!

5:53 PM – Dish: The show goes to commercial and a bunch of guys come out on stage with brooms. At first I think its Alec and Steve and part of the show. Then I realize they are just cleaning up! Ahhh the nosebleed seats must be getting to me!

5:52 PM – Mantz: So they’re doing those intro’s for all 10 Best Picture nominees? Man, it’s gonna be a long night!

5:49 PM – Mantz: First winner is Christoph Waltz! I know, shocker…

5:48 PM – Dish: So, what is Penelope Cruz doing on stage while they are rolling the movie clips of Supporting Actor? She watches the screen the whole time until the last clip when she turns back and gets ready to read the winner.

5:37 PM – Dish: The show just started and I noticed during NPH’s number how many dancers from “So You Think You Can Dance” are in it. The season’s winner was guaranteed a spot via Adam Shankman when he won but seems lots of others made it in as dancers too.

5:31 PM – Mantz: Clooney, Sidibe and Streep get the biggest applause!

5:29 PM – Mantz: T-Minus ONE minute!!! This is IT, movie lovers!!!!

5:24 PM – Dish: I understand why I’m in the nosebleeds but why is Fisher Stevens?

5:23 PM – Dish: Heading to the elevator and Matt Damon and his wife breeze by Stephanie and I. So cool! OK off to our seats.

5:22 PM – Dish: Just walked into the theater and I spot Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon holding hands.

5:21 PM – Dish: Just make the climb up the stairs of the Kodak. Done this a dozen times at Hollywood and Highland but quite a different experience coming to the Oscars.

5:16 PM – Mantz: T-minus 10 minutes til show time! Man, my head’s gonna EXPLODE!!

5:14 PM – Mantz: Before I go in, I gotta get my pic taken next to the big Oscar statue (who knows when I’ll be back here, right?)

5:13 PM – Mantz: More “Star Trek” sightings! George Takei (Sulu from the classic TV show) arrives with his partner Brad!

5:13 PM – Dish: Just said “hi” to Piers Morgan who was working for the “Today” show. Interesting assignment!

5:10 PM – Dish: Finally walking into the theater now, but one more round of photographers! Hey, I’m getting hungry, hope the food is good inside!

5:08 PM – Mantz: Chris Pine (who played Captain Kirk in the new “Star Trek” movie) talking to Robert Osborn for the red carpet pre-show!

4:58 PM – Dish: Chris Pine arrives and checks out Cameron Diaz.

4:57 PM – Dish: Ryan Seacrest interviews Cameron Diaz. Wow she is rocking some red lips tonight.

4:54 PM – Dish: Just noticed Gabourey Sidibe meets Gerard Butler while Billy Bush is interviewing him. So jealous.

4:50 PM – Dish: Just hit the carpet and the first guy I see is Gerard Butler. Must find him again tonight.

4:49 PM – Dish: Just hit the security tent and Robert Downey Jr. cuts me off!

4:48 PM – Dish: Kristen Stewart is right behind Taylor and she looks amazing in navy blue. Such a grown-up girl in that gown!

4:47 PM – Dish: Taylor Lautner arrives and we are not above staring!

4:27 PM – Dish: Just arrived and got caught on camera walking ahead of Robert Duvall. Our producer Stephanie Murphy makes sure the camera gets a nice shot of her too! We do the same for Jeff Bridges as he is being interviewed live on ABC.

3:46 PM – Dish: It’s my 13th year covering Oscars and this year I’ll be going to the ceremony for the first time ever! Just got into the limo and I’m heading to the Kodak.