2008 Academy Award Red Carpet Highlights

Hollywood pulled out the red carpet tonight for the 2008 Academy Awards. The stars were out and ready to celebrate and show off their designer duds, despite an unwanted storm hovering overhead. Even the storm clouds couldn't dampen the good spirits of the crowd, nominees, presenters, and other celeb attendees. Everyone was happy to guiltlessly enjoy the glamorous night without the writer's strike threatening to ruin the festivities.

Below are some highlights from the preshow, "Live from the Red Carpet" on E!

Ryan Seacrest led the charge as the stars arrived for the show...

Heidi Klum, there with her husband Seal, wore a dramatic bright red three-quarter length gown. "German elegant" was how Klum's look was described by fashion mogul Kimora Lee Simmons on E!'s Live From the Red Carpet Academy Awards Pre-show. Kimora wore what she said was the world's most expensive hair piece - a diamond studded accent worth a million bucks! She critiqued breakout star Ellen Page for wearing black, but that's what Kimora had on herself (plus several diamond accessories).

Miley Cyrus, aka Hannah Montana, also in a red dress, told Ryan Seacrest that when she is a billionaire, she'll share it with him. Miley said that her celebrity schedule caused her to lose friends last year, but she is now "gaining some back." Miley was there with her mom, Leticia.

Ryan Seacrest asked George Clooney about a tabloid story that said Clooney bought a house on a whim when his girlfriend, Sarah Lawson, said she liked it during a romantic Valentine's walk. Clooney said he had never heard the rumor-and also informed Seacrest that it was not true, and that the couple had actually spent Valentine's Day in Vegas with some of Lawson's friends.

Actress Anne Hathaway was another stunner in bright red. Hathaway, there to present "Best Animated Feature," was accompanied by her tall, dark and handsome boyfriend Raffaello Follieri. The couple was also seen together earlier this month attending a fashion week private dinner party in NYC.

McDreamy Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey commented on the writer's strike, saying that "it was a nice break, but it's nice to get back to work."

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson arrived on the red carpet alone-so sad, especially when Ryan Seacrest put his foot in his mouth by asking where his date was! Doesn't it seem like every other E! News correspondent hates Seacrest with a seething passion? Especially Juliana Depandi (or Juliana Rancic, I should say), who clearly wants "Seacrest out."

Laura Linney and Jennifer Garner were chatting when Ryan Seacrest was trying to get their attention. Once the interview started, infamous nutcase Gary Busey accosted Jennifer Garner and kissed her on the neck, after which the shocked actress said to Ryan, "Where is Ben?!" Seacrest was completely flabbergasted by the encounter with Busey.

Jessica Alba looked beautiful in a plum-colored gown-certainly not the usual drab maternity look for this A-list celeb. Now in her third trimester, the star did not tell Seacrest what her due date is, stating, "I'm kinda keeping that a secret." Jessica did divulge that she will be breastfeeding her baby-although it was a pretty personal and uncomfortable question posed by Seacrest, and Alba did not appear happy with his intrusiveness.

Hillary Swank was wearing a black dress by Versace. During her red carpet interview, Swank talked about her newfound interest in the Israeli marshal art called Krav-maga. She is learning it to prepare for a new role. Literally, Krav maga means "contact combat."

The last interview Ryan Seacrest did on the red carpet before the show was with Katherine Heigl. She was another lady in red-and she was there solo. New hubby Josh Kelley was unable to attend because he's out gigging.

ABC also aired a pre-show segment called "Oscars's Red Carpet 2008." Regis Philbin was among the correspondents. Philbin interviewed Miley Cyrus, who said it is "amazing" to be a part of the 80^th Academy Awards show and that last year was a "whirlwind" for her. To be honest, ABC's pre-show was pretty boring in contrast with the E! red carpet special, probably because the correspondents at ABC don't want to ask the catty and irrelevant questions that E! never shies away from asking.