Star coverage

We'll know whether Casey Affleck grabbed an Oscar nomination for his work in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" by the time most folks have their second cup of coffee this morning. But the Cambridge-bred actor seemed to be getting all the signs that an Academy Award nod is in his future. There was the Golden Globe nomination, the award from the National Board of Review, and being on the cover of the current edition of BU alum Jason Binn's Los Angeles Confidential. Scoff if you like, but the glossy magazine has accurately forecast Oscar winners in recent years, including Jamie Foxx and Forest Whitaker. (Speaking of the "Last King of Scotland" star, Whitaker and his wife, Keisha, are on the cover of the new edition of Boston Common magazine. The couple will host a party for the magazine next week in Boston.) As for Affleck, he's taking his success opposite Brad Pitt in "Jesse James" and starring in his brother Ben's directorial debut "Gone Baby Gone" with a dose of humility. "I guess in hindsight these parts were really different from each other. They show that I can do different things," Affleck told Confidential. "It took the faith of people to pull them off." The Academy Award nominations are scheduled to be announced today at 8:30 a.m.

Shining at Sundance
Eliza Dushku braved the Utah cold for the red carpet hoopla of the Sundance Film Festival, where her latest big-screen effort, "Nobel Son," was shown. The Watertown native was joined (above) by her brother, Nate, who has two film projects in the works. Also out at the indie fest is Boston-raised actor Jon Foster, whose "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh" was screened. And "Amazing Race" winner Reichen Lehmkuhl, who grew up in Norton, hit the Outfest's Queer Brunch before staking out the swag suites.

Those New Yorkers really like to make things personal. First it was a Jessica Simpson look-alike and masks to distract her boyfriend, Dallas QB Tony Romo, when the Giants faced the Cowboys in the playoffs. Now, New York's classic rock station Q104.3 has a printable mask of Patriots QB Tom Brady's ex, Bridget Moynahan, that fans are supposed to print out, cut out, and wear, because it's "all about psyching out Brady for the Super Bowl," the New York Post's Page Six column reports. The creepy creation was put on the station's website yesterday with the rallying cry: "Carry it with you around the city, take it with you to the big game - don't let any opportunity to psyche Brady out pass!" The three-time Super Bowl champ doesn't seem to be afraid of New York. TMZ.com had spotted Brady and his lovely girlfriend Gisele Bundchen late yesterday outside their Big Apple pad.

Whether or not the writers' strike is settled, Martin Scorsese will begin filming the big-screen adaptation of Dennis Lehane's "Shutter Island" in the Boston area in March. In fact, things are now moving so quickly on the production that New York agency Grant Wilfley Casting has set up a Boston office and is holding an open casting call on Saturday at Boston University's George Sherman Union on Commonwealth Avenue. The film, which is now called "Ashecliffe," is set in a 1950s mental institution with flashbacks to a World War II concentration camp. It reunites Scorsese with Leonardo DiCaprio, who filmed "The Departed" in Boston a couple of years ago. The cast also includes Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson, Ben Kingsley, and Mark Ruffalo.

With thousands doing whatever they could to stay warm while tailgating, Natick's Richard Libin and his wife, Cathy, and several family members and friends sat at a fully appointed table with china, wine glasses, pressed linens, lit candles, and fresh flowers - in the showroom of Don Rodman's Ford dealership on Route 1 across from Gillette Stadium. Libin said he ponied up $10,000 for the pregame dinner prepared by Park Square eatery Davio's because it helped out the charity Rodman's Ride for Kids. Despite being served in the lobby where late model Fords are usually on display, the extravagant tailgating party was put together by Davio's owner Steve DiFillippo, GM Eleanor Arpino, and chefs Rodney Murillo and Paul King, from their other restaurant Avila. (A favorite of Pats owner Robert Kraft and his family, Davio's played host to Chargers owner Alex Spanos and his son Dean and a dozen other people on Friday night.) As DiFillippo and his staff were cleaning up and getting ready to head into the game, he pointed across the highway to the construction going at the end of the stadium. "Next year, we'll be over there," DiFillippo said of the site for his third Davio's slated to open later this year. "We'll still do this for Don, but we won't have to pack up the dishes and all this stuff."

This exchange appeared to have comics Lenny Clarke and Tony V speechless. At least momentarily. The two were at Giggles, the comedy club on Route 1 in Saugus, the other night when they were given state specialty license plates from the Registry of Motor Vehicles. The plates are being issued to raise money to build a mini-Fenway Park in Quincy. The two funnymen have been supporters of the project, which has the backing of the Red Sox, to build the park that would be used by young people for ball games. Clark was given No. 91 and Tony V got No. 83 - denoting the years in which they were married. The duo are slated to host another fund-raiser for the mini-Fenway this spring at the real ballyard on Yawkey Way.

Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.