With the 82nd Annual Academy Awards nominees announced today, film fans are already abuzz about 2010 Oscars. Who will wear what on the red carpet? Who will take home golden trophies? What will go down at the famous Oscars after-parties? While it may be a glamorous life for the contenders, some who have been-there and done-that have left the glitter behind to find success off-screen as well. We tracked down seven Oscar winners and nominees to reveal their surprising new lives behind-the-scenes.
Where would you put your Oscar? Credit: WireImage.com
His award-winning performance as Bernardo in "West Side Story" was the most memorable for the actor/singer/dancer, who also appeared in other musicals such as "White Christmas" and the drama "Diamond Head" alongside Charlton Heston. Currently retired from the stage and screen, Chakiris, 75, has leapt, "From silver screen to sterling silver jewelry," as his official website touts. The Chakiris collection's most popular pieces include dog tag pendants, bracelets and scarab belts, and can be found in the exclusive Japanese department store chain Mitsukoshi. "It was just a hobby to begin with and then I really enjoyed it," Chakiris told Box Office Mojo in 2003.
Glenda Jackson, Winner, Best Actress, "Women in Love" 1969; Winner, Best Actress, "A Touch of Class," 1973
Glenda Jackson, Winner, Best Actress, "Women in Love" 1969; Winner, Best Actress, "A Touch of Class," 1973
Jackson, who twice nabbed the honor for Best Actress, turned her talents to politics. Now a Member of Parliament in Britain, Jackson, 73, retired from acting upon election in 1992, stating, "You can't be a part-time MP any more than you can be a part-time actress." In 2000, she ran for mayor of London, and lost, but kept her MP seat, making her stance against the Iraq War her primary issue. Still an active political force in the Labour Party, Jackson's constituents get up-to-date news on her official MP site.
Linda Blair, Nominee, Best Supporting Actress, "The Exorcist," 1973
Her eerie turn as the demonic child Regan in The Exorcist at 14 landed Blair roles in the sequel, "The Exorcist II," and the disaster flick "Airport '75." At 51, she now spends most of her time as an animal rights activist as the founder of Linda Blair World Heart Foundation, dedicated to rescuing abused, neglected and abandoned animals in the Los Angeles area. She is also the author of Going Vegan (Sunny Harris). Blair does act occasionally, and was recently seen in the 2008 Thriller "All is Normal."
Former child actor Quinn Cummings has made a new career for herself as a writer. Credit: Donald DiPietro
Quinn Cummings, Nominee, Best Supporting Actress, "The Goodbye Girl," 1977
Precocious roles in "The Goodbye Girl" and the television drama Family made Quinn Cummings a star by the age of 13. But it took another decade before she decided that acting was not her cup of tea. "A casting director who I had known for a very long time told me that 'acting will eventually break your heart.' That certainly resonated with me. After that I decided it was not a life that I needed to be living any more," she told AOL. She has since become an entrepreneur, as the inventor of the HipHugger, a baby sling she created after having a child. Shortly after, Cummings started writing the popular blog The QC Report, where she chronicles the ironies of mommy-hood, and a humorous memoir, Notes From the Underwire (Hyperion). The 42 year-old enjoys her current roles as a writer and mom much more than the ones she had as a child. "Acting is one of the few artistic impulses that you can't do on your own. You can write and paint and sculpt by yourself but unless someone hires you to act, you can't act. I like the fact that I get to do what pleases me whether anybody gives me permission or not." Her last role was in a 1991 episode of the sitcom Blossom. When asked what it would take for her to go back to acting, she snarkily replied, "Incriminating Polaroids."
Jaye Davidson, Nominee, Best Supporting Actor, "The Crying Game," 1992
Davidson had no prior acting experience when he was discovered at a film wrap party. That led the former fashion assistant to his first role-and subsequent Oscar nomination -- for his unforgettable portrayal of a transsexual in "The Crying Game." He also appeared in 1994's "Stargate" before he lost his taste for acting, explaining to Interview Magazine, "I wouldn't mind being in films every day...The only thing I don't really like about it is the fact that it makes you well-known and gives you a bit of fame...I could do without the recognition." Though Davidson declared that he would never return to acting, he appeared as a Nazi photographer in the 2009 black comedy "The Borghilde Project." Today he reportedly works in the fashion industry in London.
Justin Henry, Nominee, Best Supporting Actor, "Kramer vs. Kramer," 1979
An Oscar nod at 7 made Justin Henry, now 39, the youngest person ever to be nominated in Academy Award history, an honor he still carries today. Also known as Molly Ringwald's pesky little brother in "Sixteen Candles," Henry continues to support film as the founder of the Slamdunk Film Festival and as an actor and director in independent films such as 2003's "My Dinner With Jimi" and the upcoming "Snuff." His primary profession, however, is in digital media. After holding positions at Flavorpill and Veoh, he is now a senior account executive at Kontera, a provider of in-text advertising and information services.
Cathy Moriarty, Nominee, Best Supporting Actress, "Raging Bull," 1980
Bronx native Moriarty made a brassy impression at the age of 17 as Robert De Niro's wife in Martin Scorsese's masterpiece. Though she is still an active actor, having appeared in films such as "Soapdish" and "The Mambo Kings," Moriarty, 49, is also a restaurateur. In 1996 she opened Mulberry Street Pizzeria in Beverly Hills because she couldn't find New York-style pizza in L.A. She now has three locations, where the classic red sauce fare draws in pals such as Joe Pesci and Rosie O' Donnell. She told the New York Daily News about her second career: "Growing up, I always felt safe in my little neighborhood pizza parlor. In L.A., working in my pizzerias helps me be me instead of some showbiz person." Moriarty can be seen in the upcoming film "The Bounty Hunter" with Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler.
The 82nd Annual Academy Awards air Sunday, March 7, 2010 on ABC 8pm EST/5pm PST with hosts Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.
