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On The Oscars Trail In Sunset Boulevard

On The Oscars Trail In Sunset Boulevard

Up early to film our LA special of Entertainment Week.

The studio on the roof of the Andaz Hotel on Sunset Boulevard made a change from where we usually film in Westminster, even if the weather did resemble London more than Hollywood.

We discussed the Oscars runners and riders along with Amy Nicholson from LA Weekly.

Despite the British media believing that Eddie Redmayne's Oscar is locked in, the word among the US press is that Michael Keaton or even Bradley Cooper could win the Best Actor prize.

That news led me to travel up to the Warner Bros Studio Lot in Burbank to speak to someone about their American Sniper exhibit.

The film definitely has momentum in the US despite dividing critics, and with $300m dollars at the box office, it has made more money than the other best picture nominees combined.

While at Warner I couldn't resist having a quick cup of coffee at Central Perk before heading back to Hollywood.

Back on Sunset Boulevard, I popped into a "gifting suite".

Loads of these have popped up around luxury hotels in LA in Oscar Week.

Companies pay a fee to attend and then hope celebrities turn up so they can get a photo with their product.

Movie star Mark Feuerstein was there picking up his free stuff - and he admits it's a perk of the job.

"It's a phenomenon that doesn't exist in any other industry," he said.

"The irony is if you're an actor who is working, you don't necessarily need all this free stuff, but if you call me up and tell me to come to a cool hotel and give me some stuff... I'm going to show up."

But these Gifting Suites are small fry to the goodie bag Oscar nominees will receive this weekend.

It's worth a whopping $125,000 and includes a three-night stay in Tuscany, a train trip through the Canadian Rockies, a glamping trip and a year's worth of car rentals.

So if Redmayne does end up going home empty handed on Sunday evening, don't shed a tear for him.