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putting it together LESTER COHEN/WIREIMAGE H e never goes out of style. Cast in solid bronze, the 16-inch tall, 12-pound Actor® statuette has been the most coveted accessory of the night for the past 19 years. Marking two decades of outstanding performances, the distinctive award will celebrate its 20th ceremony this January. Creating the statuettes each year is a laborious task — it takes three to four weeks and a team of 10 to get them ready for the show. Artists use the ancient lost wax method to produce each Actor. After being sandblasted, tooled, ground and polished to perfection, the nude male figure is perched on a base of polished black granite and each is engraved with a serial number. Whose names will be emblazoned on the brass plates that decorate these works of art? Tune in on Jan. 18 to find out! Left, a craftsman uses a blowtorch to put the finishing touches on The Actor, giving it the proper finish. Above, rows of finished statues stand ready to be awarded to masters of the acting profession.