Academy Awards Special

Anchor Lesley Stahl gives CBSNEWS.com viewers a behind-the-scenes look at her upcoming stories on 48 Hours Investigates and 60 Minutes.

We have a really good reason for you to microwave some popcorn in advance of the Academy Awards. 48 Hours is teaming up with Entertainment Weekly magazine for a special "Road To Oscar®" broadcast, this Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Get ready for a ride that's as engrossing and exciting in its own way as any of our mysteries and investigations.

In fact, I was in Hollywood over the weekend to put the finishing touches on the broadcast in which you'll hear an unusually candid Diane Keaton talking about her roller-coaster career -- and her love life. By the way, she came to our interview all covered up in a heavy suede pantsuit, turtleneck, black boots and leather gloves -- and we were in sunny L.A.!

There's Tom Cruise with that dazzling smile. (Did you know that just a few years ago he had to wear braces?) He tells me about some very close calls with those long blades on the set of "The Last Samurai." And, as if sitting down with Cruise is not enough, I also interview Clint Eastwood -- not far from the Pebble Beach golf course, which he partly owns. Eastwood, who is nominated as best director for "Mystic River," describes, among other things, what it was like to direct Sean Penn. For the record: In person, he's nothing like Dirty Harry!

What's fun about this program is that we get behind the scenes and behind the characters. We learn how the big films this year got made -- from how certain scenes were put together, to the costumes and the sets.

And, there are lots and lots of interviews with big stars. In addition to Cruise, Keaton and Eastwood, we spoke to Nicole Kidman, Jude Law, Ben Kingsley, Renee Zellweger, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon, just to name a few! I think you're going to enjoy "Road To Oscar®" this Wednesday.

By the way, I also just finished what you might call an "entertainment" story on 60 Minutes that just aired Sunday. It was about a dance company called Pilobolus, which is unlike any dance company you've ever seen or heard of. Most of what they do is totally unexpected, and often funny. The company, started back in the '70s by a group of Dartmouth College kids who knew nothing about dance, has retained its original masculine and athletic identity.

It's always a treat to hear from you in an email, so keep your comments and ideas coming to lesleystahl@cbsnews.com -- even if I cannot respond to each of you directly.

Hope you can tune in Wednesday, Feb. 18, to the 48 Hours/Entertainment Weekly special at 10 p.m. ET/PT, and don't forget 60 Minutes on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Thanks for watching!

Lesley Stahl