Bad-boy artist-nominee keeps Oscar guessing

LOS ANGELES - The question that's kept Oscar observers guessing since nominations were announced last month - Will Banksy show up? - remains unanswered. But the motion picture academy says the bad-boy British street artist is more than welcome to attend.

The elusive graffiti star is up for best documentary feature for his directing debut, "Exit Through the Gift Shop." Since he prefers to hide his face, it has seemed unlikely he would reveal himself before half a billion viewers worldwide on Hollywood's biggest night. Even in his own film, he appears in shadows, wearing a hoodie and with his voice altered to make it unrecognizable.

While publicists for the movie and for Banksy himself declined to comment as to whether he'll be at the Kodak Theatre with the rest of the nominees on Feb. 27, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says it would be happy to see him.

"Banksy and his folks are keeping things very mysterious," the academy's executive director, Bruce Davis, said Friday. "We certainly are expecting the producer of the film to be with us, Jaimie D'Cruz, but I would not be surprised if Banksy were in the audience as well - but I don't think he's going to be wearing a name tag, so it may not be clear."

Contrary to earlier reports, Davis said the academy did not tell Banksy to stay away from the Oscars for fear that he might cause a disruption at the elegant ceremony.

"We like to have the nominees with us," he said.

"We kind of like to know who we're giving an Oscar to, but I think we can handle that if his film should win - and remember, there are four other contenders here."

"Exit Through the Gift Shop," which follows the evolution of the Los Angeles street art scene as it builds to a frenzy over the latest hot, new thing, is up against "Gasland," "Inside Job," "Restrepo" and "Waste Land."