Meryl Streep, Edward Sorel and MC Lars will share the spotlight at Carnegie Hall with the nation’s future in creativity – the talented and ambitious teens who have achieved national honors in the 89th annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. More than 800 teens and their families and teachers, representing 46 states, are expected to attend the celebration, including 15 graduating seniors who will receive Portfolio Gold Medals and $10,000 scholarships. Presented by the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the country’s longest-running, most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for creative teenagers. The celebration will kick-off on the night of May 31 when the Empire State Building will be lit in gold to honor student winners. At the June 1 ceremony at Carnegie Hall, Ms. Streep will congratulate the students and provide wisdom for them to take on their creative paths, Mr. Sorel will be presented with the 2012 Alumni Achievement Award, and MC Lars will perform. More on the event can be read here. Many thanks to Glenn for the heads-up!

AFI Life Achievement Award honoree Meryl Streep will present Shirley MacLaine with the American Film Institute’s 40th Life Achievement Award – America’s highest honor for a career in film. The private black tie gala will be held at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City on June 7 and will air on TV Land on Sunday, June 24 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. “The world loves Shirley MacLaine,” said Bob Gazzale, President and CEO of AFI. “AFI’s challenge will be how to fit it all into one evening because hers is a life that spans from movies to television to Broadway, books and beyond. Perhaps more than any other recipient, with Shirley I would underline the word life in Life Achievement Award,” he said. “Hers is a story more than just movies. It’s an epic journey, and she has invited all of us to come along for the ride.” “It is sure to be a magical evening celebrating Shirley’s career, especially with Meryl Streep and many other stars who will be on hand,” remarked Larry W. Jones, President, TV Land. “Shirley’s storied film and television career is so rich and colorful, it will be an unforgettable tribute.” Thanks to Glenn and Frederique for the heads-up.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment Commissioner Katherine L. Oliver will host the seventh annual “Made in NY” Awards on June 4th at Gracie Mansion. The awards are given each year to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to various fields in the City’s entertainment and digital media industries. The 2012 “Made in NY” honorees include: Academy Award-winning actor, director, producer Robert De Niro; Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep; Academy Award, Emmy, Tony and Grammy winner Whoopi Goldberg; actress and television host Kelly Ripa; award-winning transmedia company @radical.media, which develops, produces and distributes innovative content across all forms of media; and the locally based Kickstarter, a funding platform for creative projects. This year’s “Made in NY” Mayor’s Award for Lifetime Achievement will be presented to actors and legendary husband-and-wife comedy team Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.

The Charlie Foundation will honor Meryl Streep this September at the Third International Symposium: Dietary Therapy for Epilepsy & Other Neurological Disorders at the Chicago Hilton Indian Lakes Resort. The Charlie Foundation was founded in 1994 after twenty month old Charlie Abrahams, having endured multiple daily seizures, and failed every available anti-convulsant drug and one brain surgery, was cured of his epilepsy by the ketogenic diet at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The diet was undertaken despite resistance from the five pediatric neurologists he had seen. When Charlie’s parents realized that Charlie was but one of hundreds of thousands of children whose families were either not being informed, or being misinformed about dietary therapy, they started The Charlie Foundation. Meryl Streep, a friend of the Abrahams family, hosted a public serive announcement for the foundation in 1994, which can be watched in the video archive. In 1997, Abrahams and Meryl Streep produced the ABC television movie “First do no Harm”, fictionalising a particular case of a young boy with the disease. The film draws many parallels to the Abrahams family’s experiences. Several minor characters in the film are played by people who have been on the ketogenic diet and had their epilepsy “cured” as a result. The gala celebration honoring Meryl will take place on September 21, 2012.

Over 400 additional pictures have been added to the Academy Awards’ albums. Simply click the previews below to launch all latest uploads.

Then, I’ve received lots of emails regarding Meryl’s eco-friendly dress, so here’s some more information: Meryl channelled the Oscars in more ways than one, sporting a gold Lanvin dress that resembled the statuette she ended up taking home. Streep took inspiration from Colin Firth’s wife Livia by wearing Lanvin’s first-ever eco-friendly gown for the 84th Academy Awards. It was created from Eco Certified Fabric, which was sourced with the help of the Green Carpet Challenge (GCC) – an initiative set up by Livia. More information on the eco-friendly dresses can be found at Miss Firth’s blog and at Eco Age. And finally, no Oscar update would be complete without a transcript of Meryl’s speech:

Oh my God. Oh come on. All right. Thank you so much, thank you thank you! When they called my name I had this feeling I could hear half of America going, “oh, no! Oh, come on why – her! Again!” But, whatever (laughter). First, I’m gonna thank Don, because when you thank your husband at the end of the speech they play him out with the music and I want him to know that everything I value most in our lives you’ve given me (applause). And, now, secondly, my other partner. Thirty-seven years ago, my first play in New York City, I met the great hairstylist and makeup artist Roy Helland. And we worked together pretty continuously since the day we clapped eyes on each other. His first film with me was “Sophie’s Choice” and all the way up to tonight when he won for his beautiful work in “The Iron Lady” thirty years later (applause). Every single movie in between. I just wanna thank Roy but also I wanna thank – because I really understand I’ll never be up here again (laughter) – I really wanna thank all my colleagues. All my friends. And I look out here, and I see my life before my eyes. My old friends, my new friends. And really, this is such a great honor, but the thing that counts the most with me is the friendships and the love and the sheer joy we have shared making movies together. My friends, thank you, all of you – departed and here – for this inexplicably wonderful career. Thank you so much. Thank you.

The full Best Actress segment in best quality has been added to the video archive. Thanks to everybody who has contacted me and offered help, especially Filip, it’s been very appreciated!

Then, many additional video clips from the Academy Awards have been added to the video archive, including her words on the Thank You cam, the press room and a dozen of after-party interviews from Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, and more. Enjoy!

First of all, my apologies for not providing live coverage on the Academy Awards, but work schedules have prevented me from doing so. I hope you have all enjoyed the Oscars and I’ll be adding pictures and multimedia as we speak, so check back for more additions throughout the evening. About 400 pictures from the red carpet, the show and the press room and the after-parties have been added. More pictures – and video files – will be added tomorrow! Enjoy the new additions :-)

In anticipation of tomorrow’s Academy Awards, I’ve added some rare pictures of Meryl’s previous red carpet (and press room) appearances at the Academy Awards, ranging from 1979 to 1989. A full list of updated galleries can be found below the previews. Enjoy!

Appearances > 1989 > Academy Awards
Appearances > 1986 > Academy Awards
Appearances > 1984 > Academy Awards
Appearances > 1983 > Academy Awards (After-Party)
Appearances > 1983 > Academy Awards (Screencaptures)
Appearances > 1983 > Academy Awards (Press Room)
Appearances > 1983 > Academy Awards (Red Carpet)
Appearances > 1982 > Academy Awards
Appearances > 1980 > Academy Awards (Press Room)
Appearances > 1980 > Academy Awards (Stage)
Appearances > 1979 > Academy Awards

Jimmy Kimmel seems to be celebrating his special Oscar show “Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Academy Awards®” the big time! With Meryl Streep, George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Martin Scorsese, Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron, Don Cheadle, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Samuel L. Jackson, Cameron Diaz, Tyler Perry, Colin Farrell have joined Kimmel for “Movie: The Movie” – the biggest, greatest, most star-studded film in the history of American cinema. Watch “Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Academy Awards®” February 26th on ABC to witness movie history made. Get the full scoop on their official website, their Facebook page and watch the very promising teaser below. (judging from the image, Meryl’s segment was filmed back when she attended Jimmy Kimmel Live). This is going to be fun!

Meryl Streep will present at the 84th Academy Awards ceremony, telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer announced today. Streep joins a stellar list of previously announced Oscar presenters, including Halle Berry, Rose Byrne, Bradley Cooper, Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Michael Douglas, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Zach Galifianakis, Tom Hanks, Angelina Jolie, Milla Jovovich, Ellie Kemper, Jennifer Lopez, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Maya Rudolph, Emma Stone and Kristen Wiig. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, from the Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.