As televised entertainment spectacles, the Republican and Democratic national conventions, at which Mitt Romney and Barack Obama will receive their parties’ nominations for President, rank somewhere around The People’s Choice Awards. But it won’t all be acceptance speeches and balloon drops. Both parties are drawing heavily from the world of showbiz to add some luster, cool points, and entertainment value to their conventions, which start next week.

Both conventions seem to be compiling lineups of stars who play to the base. At next week’s GOP convention in Tampa, Fla., the acts are mostly country stars, such as Lee Greenwood and the Oak Ridge Boys, and Southern-style rockers, like Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd. At the Democrats’ confab the following week in Charlotte, N.C., the roster is more diverse, with Latino celebrities like Eva Longoria and Jessica Alba, and African-American acts like the Roots and D.L. Hughley.

Read on for the names of other stars who’ll be politicking over the next two weeks.

Besides Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Republican convention is expected to feature performances by country hunk Beau Davidson and country veteran Trace Adkins. And of course, Greenwood, singing “God Bless the USA.” Most of these are expected to be invitation-only concerts, meant to serve as fundraisers. Kid Rock and Davidson have both been officials in presumptive nominee Romney’s campaign for months.

It’s also not clear whether TV viewers will get to see any of these performances. They will, however, hear from Janine Turner, the Northern Exposure star-turned-talk radio host. She’s the only entertainer so far who’s scheduled to address the delegates in the convention hall.

Like Tampa, Charlotte will also be full of private concerts and fundraisers. Alba and her husband, Cash Warren, are hosting one on the convention’s closing night, at which Pitbull and Scissor Sisters are supposed to perform. (We’re guessing that no bands named after lesbian sex acts will be playing at the Republican convention.)

Also singing and rapping in Tampa in two weeks will be such acts as Common, The Roots, and KEM. A comedy performance is scheduled featuring African-American comics D.L. Hughley, Tommy Davidson, and Aries Spears. But the most star-studded event may be the private party thrown by Norman Lear‘s group People for the American Way. Besides the legendary sitcom producer himself, Lear’s party is expected to attract such boldface names as Alec Baldwin, Tracey Edmonds, Jane Lynch, Seth MacFarlane, David Hyde Pierce, and Kathleen Turner.

Meanwhile, at the convention hall, the Democrats’ counterpart to Janine Turner will be former Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria, who’s been a co-chair of Obama’s re-election campaign.

Notably nonpartisan in his support will be Jeff Bridges, who plans to attend both conventions to draw attention to his longtime cause of ending childhood hunger. The actor, who won an Oscar a couple years ago for playing a country singer in Crazy Heart, will bring some of that country flavor to the otherwise twang-free Democratic convention by singing with his band, the Abiders. (Yes, Big Lebowski fans, the Dude abides.) His concert will be at CarolinaFest, an event that’s free and open to the public, on the first night of the festivities in Charlotte.

It’s curious that there aren’t more big names showing up at both events. Of course, the fact that the MTV Video Music Awards are being held in Los Angeles on the same night as Obama’s acceptance speech may keep many musicians away from the Democratic convention. But what’s stopping the Chuck Norrises and Ted Nugents and Kelsey Grammers from showing their support for Romney in Tampa? Most likely, we’ll hear more names announced as the dates approach.

UPDATE: (Monday, August 27) Sure enough, more names have been confirmed as performers at the GOP convention. Among them are the Zac Brown Band, Southern rockers 3 Doors Down, rockers Dave Navarro and Matt Sorum, and onetime American Idol champ Taylor Hicks. Also, former Saturday Night Live bandleader G.E. Smith will be fronting the house band in the convention hall. Unlike previous conventions, where the house band toiled anonymously backstage, this convention will see the band onstage at all times, just like at SNL or a late-night talk show.

Performing at a couple of non-partisan private fundraisers will be Journey and Sara Evans. The country siren is taking the place of Wyclef Jean, who in turn took the place of Willie Nelson. What kind of party would draw fans of all three?

Celebuzz spotted former Victoria’s Secret and Sports Illustrated super model Marisa Miller at the Vanity Fair and Elton John’s Oscar Party!

MM looked gorgeous wearing a low cut, gold beaded gown by Australian designer Johanna Johnson.

And of course she paired the ensemble with stunning jewels by Safia Dav and shoes by Sergio Rossi!

Marisa just completed production opposite Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges in the Universal motion picture R.I.P.D. We can’t wait to see it!

Flip through our gallery and tell us what you think of Marisa in this jaw dropping dress!

The Oscar nominees for 2011 have been announced, and all of Hollywood’s heavy-hitters were honored.

How did awards season favorites like Black Swan, The Social Network and The King’s Speech fare? Did Natalie Portman snag her second Oscar nom? Who made the cut for the expanded Best Picture category? Celebuzz has all the info you need in our Oscar nominees 2011 list below.

Here are this year’s Oscar nominees:

Best Actor

Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network

Colin Firth, The King’s Speech

James Franco, 127 Hours

Jeff Bridges, True Grit

Javier Bardem, Biutiful

Best Actress

Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole

Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone

Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, The Fighter

Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

Jeremy Renner, The Town

John Hawkes, Winter’s Bone

Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right

Best Supporting Actress

Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech

Amy Adams, The Fighter

Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Best Picture

Black Swan

The Fighter

Inception

The King’s Speech

The Kids Are All Right

True Grit

Winter’s Bone

Toy Story 3

The Social Network

127 Hours

Best Director

Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan

David Fincher, The Social Network

Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech

David O. Russell, The Fighter

Ethan Coen & Joel Coen, True Grit

Check out the full list at the Oscars’ official website.

Were you surprised by any of the nominations? Sound off in the comments.

The western remake True Grit left its mark at the Christmas weekend box office, premiering in the number-two spot with $36.8 million, the biggest opening ever for the film’s famed directors, Ethan and Joel Coen. The really big news, though, is the performance by the movie’s breakout star, 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld, who rides her pony through a high river, gunfights with bad guy Josh Brolin and more than holds her own opposite Oscar winners Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon.

Speaking of true grit, Hailee beat out 15,000 little ladies for the role of Mattie Ross, a fast-talking, tough-as-nails teen determined to avenge the death of her dad with help from a grizzly U.S. marshal brought to life by Bridges. To see them in the trailer makes it pretty tough to believe True Grit is scene-stealer Hailee’s film debut.

“What a tough, challenging role for a seasoned actor. All that dialogue, kind of tricky way of speaking. Thirteen-year-old girl, never been in a movie, and she comes up with that performance,” Bridges gushed to MTV. “Isn’t that remarkable?”

Who can disagree with The Dude? It’s especially remarkable considering Hailee’s past roles are limited to bit parts in short-lived sitcoms like Back to You and Sons of Tucson. If you remember Hailee from anything, it might be her appearance in the K-Mart “Blingitude” commercial.

Hailee went from K-Mart to earning more than a half-dozen supporting actress awards and nominations from critics across the country. Off screen, she showed serious star potential and major poise during recent interviews with David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon, revealing she’s been playing with her new iPad (a birthday gift) and keeping Bridges’ and Damon’s advice in mind for her growing career.

“I learned more from their actions than any of their words,” Hailee told Letterman. “The best advice that they’ve both given me is to not take anything too seriously.”

Though Hailee was snubbed at the Golden Globes, the rising star still has a shot at an Oscar nod. Celebuzz can’t wait to see what this talented young star does next.

What do you think of Hailee Steinfeld? Sound off in the comments.

Time to cowboy up!

The remake of western True Grit had its premiere at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York on Tuesday, drawing not just the film’s stars Matt Damon, Jeff Bridges (who’s inheriting the classic role of Rooster Cogburn from John Wayne) and Hailee Steinfeld, but such luminaries as Entourage actor Adrian Grenier, musician John Legend and Padma Lakshmi.

Hit up the photo gallery to see ‘em all strut their stuff on the red carpet. True Grit hits theaters on December 22. Do you plan on seeing it? Let us know in the comments section.

The third trailer for TRON: Legacy, the long-awaited sequel to the 1982 cult hit TRON, has arrived on the Internet, providing an enticing glimpse into the new take on the sci-fi tale.

In TRON: Legacy, Jeff Bridges reprises his role as Kevin Flynn, while Garrett Hedlund plays his son Sam, who’s drawn into the beautiful but perilous Grid where his missing father resides. House beauty Olivia Wilde co-stars as Quorra.

TRON: Legacy hits theaters on December 19. Will you go along for the ride? Let us know in the comments section.

The 82nd Annual Academy Awards are—finally!—over, and the winners have been determined. And guess what? James Cameron totally got owned by his ex!

Check out the winners of the major awards below (for a complete list of winners, click here). And let us know in the comments section: Do you agree with the Academy’s choices this year?

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

Best Lead Actress: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side

Best Lead Actor: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, Precious

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Congrats to the winners! And to the losers—try harder next year!

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences kicked off the competition for this year’s Oscars this morning, releasing its nominations for the 82nd Academy Awards.

Jeff Bridges and George Clooney will be facing off in the Actor in a Leading Role category for their work in Crazy Heart and Up in the Air, respectively, while Sandra Bullock has scored her first Oscar nomination, racking up a nom in the Actress In a Leading Role category for The Blind Side.

Who else is up for a statuette this year? Find out in our photo gallery of Oscars nominees!

Kirsten Dunst, Simon Pegg, Jeff Bridges and Megan Fox star in this weekend’s avidly anticipated film, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. 

Yeah, Megan actually does some occasional “acting”. Modeling for super hot photo-shoots doesn’t pay all the bills, c’mon! But it sure does build up a huge testosterone-heavy fan base that will definitely shell out the 12 bucks to see the busty brunette on the big screen. 

This is also the movie set where Kiki was acting like a little priss after she overheard the author of the movie’s book, Toby Young, give the producer some constructive criticism about her acting. It’s about time!

She had him pretty much banned from her presence! Ha! Someone was a little jealous about all the attention a certain co-star was getting. 

If these ladies don’t do it for viewers, maybe Michael Cera can satisfy a weekend movie-going fix instead?  You have options, people!