LOS ANGELES — Diane Warren is getting her flowers — in bunches — and it's about time. But a whirlwind year of big-deal recognition isn't going to change this "kid from Van Nuys." Witness her trip to Stockholm last May to accept the prestigious Polar Music Prize (previous recipients include Paul McCartney, Gilberto Gil and Yo-Yo Ma).
"The king of Sweden gives it to you, and I was up there and I went, 's—,' and 'f—,' " she says, laughing. "I'm like, 'Oh, no, you guys are gonna kick me outta the country!' And then [I see him] and he's cracking up. Because everybody's so afraid with these big people; they probably love that [irreverence]."
Along with the Polar Prize, in the last 12 months, Warren earned her 14th Oscar nomination (for the song "Applause" from the film "Tell It Like a Woman" — albeit still without a win so far in the original song category) and finally — finally — collected that elusive gold statuette: The academy's honorary Oscar — for her musical contributions to films over the years — at the 13th Governors Awards in November. Her friend and frequent collaborator, Cher, presented it to her. Warren asked her to stay with her during her speech, crying with stage fright.
