tonight on "nightline," destiny day. we spend the day on tahrir square in the grip of an extraordinary drama. amid a vast sea of people convinced the president was out. and then, confronted the reality that maybe he's staying put. so, what now? we're live with all the details on what's really going on in cairo as the world holds its breath. plus, annette and oscar. it's her fourth nomination in a long and dazzling career. anet benning talks about her latest hit movie, life with a

famous husband and flirting with a man named oscar. >> announcer: from the global resources of abc news with cynthia mcfadden and bill weir in new york city and terry moran in egypt, this is "nightline," february 10th, 2011. good evening, i'm cynthia mcfadden. we begin tonight with egypt, and one of the most extraordinary days in that nation's long history. when it was announced earlier today that president hosni mubarak would address the country in a live speech tonight, many of his opponents assumed they were about to hear the incredible news that they have fought, marched and slept in the streets for. that was not the news they got. my co-anchor terry moran is with us from cairo tonight. >> reporter: cynthia, friday morning is coming up over cairo. we just heard the call to prayer here, and egypt is on a knife's edge. this is a country with almost a sense of foreboding, even of dread for this day.

and that's because of thursday, a day of swirling rumor here, political intrigue and the most intense revolutionary emotions. it was a day of ecstasy and heartbreak and fury. in tahrir square, which has become the beating heart of egypt's democratic hopes, the theater of its revolution, the emotions were overwhelming. it was almost hard to watch. the day began, it seems, a long time ago now, in anxiety and defian defiance. there were reports that the army planned to clear the square and crush the rebellion. and vice president omar suleiman had issued veiled threats about using police tools to end the protests. it rained. and a rainbow stretched over the city. a kind of symbol of this

movement's persistent prom. inside the square, no backing down. the threats just racheted up the tension. many seemed poised for a fight. >> no. >> reporter: "we are going to behead him," this man told us. >> believe me, we have half a million soldiers in our army that we love and respect. if they turn on us, we'll turn only them. >> reporter: still, making our way through the protesters, their determination was dignified. their embrace of the moment, full of a sense of destiny. are you concerned about a crackdown, that the army may come in, that -- >> unfortunately, the people who are here are really like, you have to photo them, not me. the people who are here from the 25th, they died for us. that's why we are free to come here, we are not afraid, because they died. they died for us. that's why they give us our freedom.

that's why we are not afraid anymore. >> reporter: there are rumors swirling around this city about an imminent crackdown, but the people here are unyielding. they say they won't stop until mubarak goes. and then, everything changed. for the first time, a high ranking egyptian army general, hasan al roueini, entered the square. and he received a rgreat greetig from protesters who sensed something historic was happening. "today, all your demands will be met," he told them. and then he was mobbed as he left the square, and in the nidle of that mob, i asked him if the revolution had succeeded. "tonight, it is over," he told me. everyone thought he meant mubarak was being forced out. finished. the army had saved egypt. >> we are born again in egypt. >> reporter: born again?

>> yes. >> reporter: and the whole city seemed to pour into the streets and head for the square. the google executive who became a hero of the revolution, weeping on tv for the dead, he was exhausted but overjoyed. >> it's the dream come true, you know, the dream became true and, you know, whatever we have been fighting for since the 25th of january is now being realized. >> reporter: he was greeted as a hero, as the city began the party of a lifetime. cairo tonight is delirious. people get the news that the army has made its move and they're ecstatic. it's thrilling. but then mubarak addressed the nation on tv and he said he wasn't going anywhere.

"i will be responsible for changing the constitution," he said. and he added he would delegate some of his presidential powers to his happened-picked vice president, omar suleiman. but he didn't say when. and he didn't resign. in an instant, everything changed again. >> it's not enough what he did tonight? >> it's not enough. not enough. go out. go out. >> we are here until he goes. >> leave us. we need him to leave us. we don't need mubarak in egypt. >> reporter: and once again, the spector of violencestalked egypt. >> the people is ready to do anything and everything that cannot be imagined from anyone. and if not tomorrow morning, early, to be announced that he is out and the country is clean

from him, no one can imagine and no one can say what could happen in this country. >> reporter: friday is the muslim day of prayer. and, we are expecting gigantic demonstrations here. not just in tahrir square. the protesters are calling for a march to the presidential palace, where mubarak lives. that's 13 miles from here. and, they have dubbed this day, ominously, "the day of martyrs." cynthia? >> thank you, terry. we shall see what the new day brings. when we come back, we shift our focus to hollywood, and my exclusive interview with annette ben bei bening, nominated this year for ben bei bening, nominated this year for yet again another oscar. g out? fabulous! they gave me this great idea. yea? we mail documents all over the country, so, what if there were priority mail flat rate... envelopes? yes! you could ship to any state... for a low flat rate?

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>> announcer: "nightline" continues from new york city with cynthia mcfadden. >> well, she occupies a unique and beloved place in hollywood. an actress with a rich career who is also managed to successful 19-year marriage to one of the industry's most glamorous leading men. she's been nominated for the oscar before, but never won. will this year's nomination for a role in a movie that almost didn't get made be the charm? annette bening sat down with me for an exclusive interview about work, family, life and love. so oscar night and the camera cuts to you -- >> yeah. >> reporter: what are you thinking? >> well, i've been through it a few times. >> reporter: this is the fourth. >> yeah. this is the fourth time. >> the nominees are. >> reporter: the first time was 21 years ago for her breakthrough performance at the manipulative seductress in "the grifters." >> are you interested? >> reporter: in 1999, she was

nominated for her tour deforce performance as kevin space see's high strung, unstrung wife in "american beauty." >> shut up! stop it, you baby, shut up! >> reporter: in 2004, she was nominated again for her role in "being julia." >> i'm the only one who takes it seriously, michael, you know that. >> reporter: how does she feel about her fourth no, ma'minatios year? >> they do put the camera right on your face. you have to take a deep breath and exhale and just, you know, see what happens. >> reporter: is it okay not to win? or does it hurt? does it hurt? >> it hurts, yeah. the thing about being nominated is, you know, and the cliche is it's an honor, but it's true. wow. i'm one of these few people that's being singled out for this year an, oh, my god. it's such an honor.

>> reporter: i interviewed meryl streep about this point -- >> what did she say? >> reporter: she said, of course it was an honor. but when she lost, it was impossible for her not to think in that little part of herself, maybe i wasn't really good enough. >> well, she of course said it so well. she's right. it brings up your insecurities. >> reporter: insecurities from one of hollywood's most celebrated actresses, who happens to be married to warren baity? their love at first sight story has fascinated the public since they first met in 1991 while filming the movie "bugsy." >> i thought you were going to ask me for something for exciting. >> like what? >> use your imagination. >> i'm using it. >> reporter: the stuff of hollywood legend. those long considered a ladies man, it is now 19 years and four children later. i have read this huge stack of research about you and i would say 99% of it at some point in the article say that you were

the one who tamed warren beatty. >> doesn't feel that way to me, but -- i gave up trying to straighten people out on that a long time ago. it sounds awful. who wants to tame a man? i certainly don't. ♪ i want to renew again and again ♪ >> reporter: she may not be interested in taming a man, but she does have to finally tame oscar this year with "the kids are all right." a very modern take on family values. in the movie, she's married to julianne moore. with whom she's raising their two teenagers. even their love scene treated not as an oddity but as a regular part of life. >> hey, you want to watch a movie? >> a movie movie? >> yeah. we haven't done that in awhile. >> all right. >> reporter: you certainly have worked with many fabulously attractive leading men.

>> i have. >> reporter: and kissed a few. >> i have. >> reporter: so, how does julianne moore hold up? >> she's right there at the top. >> reporter: is she? >> no, we actually talked about this, because both of us have kissed a lot of guys, okay. that's the bottom line. so, we both agree that we would much rather kiss each other than many of the men that we've had to kiss. >> reporter: one to name names? i am not. >> reporter: it wasn't so long ago when ellen came out. >> i'm gay. >> reporter: everyone was -- >> 13 years ago. >> reporter: she lost the show. and now you make a film, you're nominated for the academy award, the movie is nominated. >> it almost didn't happen because we couldn't get people to give us the money to make it. >> reporter: because? >> well, i think part of it was the subject matter. >> reporter: did you learn anything about marriage from making this film? that you didn't know before? >> well, i feel like the fact that these two women stay together at the end, i feel like

that's organic to the story. i believe that. >> reporter: that it's a choice? >> yes. and i love when julianne says what she says about, i'm sorry and this is a long haul. >> marriage is hard. sometimes, you know, you're together so long that you just, you stop seeing the other person, you just see weird projections of your own junk. >> my parents have been married 60 years. 60. i mean, you know, that's a long time. >> reporter: you got a ways to go here, girl. >> i do. i have, like, yeah. we're at about 20 years, so -- >> reporter: 40 more. >> only. >> reporter: 40 more with warren beatty. more on that marriage, when we come back. how can expedia save me even more on my hotel?

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she's a major movie star who

never made a film until she was 30. he's a legend who, in his mid-50s, had never stopped looking for love. annette bening and warren beatty found each other 20 years ago on the set of "bugsy," and four children later, they're still going strong. we continue our conversation as i ask her about her famous husband. so, having known him a long time now, and knowing i'm on thin e ice, how has he changed over these 20 years that you've been together? >> well, it's all about our kids, so, he's become a dad, you know? >> reporter: good one? >> oh, yeah. he's a wonderful parent. he can really talk. he can really debate. he can really, mine, he loves that. he loves that with everyone, including his children. >> reporter: is he silly ever? >> oh, absolutely. he is so silly. he's been so great through this whole process with me and we call him my arm candy now. >> reporter: like at this year's

golden globes, where she won for best actress and saved her final thank you for him. i love when you say that the most promising actor. >> to the 1962 winner of the golden globe for most promising actor, my husband, warren beatty. that morning, we were sitting there, kind of rubbing the sleep out of our eyes and i said what was the first year you were at the golden globes and he said 1962, most promising newcomer, which i thought was so adorable. so, yeah, 1962. for "splendor in the grass," of course. >> reporter: there was a certain graciousness about his attitude about your success. >> he's very gracious about it. he's proud of me. he's so proud. it makes him really happy. >> reporter: parenthood. >> yeah.

>> reporter: so i know you always say, i'm not an expert mother. but are you a pretty good one? >> yes. i am. >> reporter: in the movie you're the disciplinarian in the couple. at home? >> i'm the disciplinarian. i think that's probably fair to say. >> reporter: so, to get around you, is there a strategy for that? go to dad? >> that has happened. that has happened, yeah. yeah. >> reporter: that twinkle in her eye is pure bening. private, but not reserved. dignified, but not stuffy. who casually brings up the fact that she's over 50. >> this bracelet was given to me by one of my dearest friends -- >> reporter: and it says? i got it for my 50th birthday and it says, you can agree with me or you can be wrong. and this one i also got for my 50th birthday and this one says, you're never too old to do goofy stuff. and that is actually quoting ward cleaver. >> reporter: so, let's talk about 50.

>> okay. >> reporter: do you feel smarter? >> oh, yeah, for sure. life experience is good. i like being a veteran. i like that. >> reporter: you're not trying to look 25. >> no, i'm not. >> reporter: so, what's that -- how did you come to that place, that you, it was okay with you? >> i don't know. i -- it's not always so great, i mean, i look at my -- >> reporter: do you ever do it in the morning, like, the little -- i do it all the time, just a little bit there -- >> yeah, in the car i've done that. >> reporter: yeah. >> i thought of myself as acting my whole life. i hope i can, knock on wood. >> reporter: a life very much still in progress. she says the movie is a film she's particularly proud of. good luck on oscar night. and finally, the topic of tonight's online closing argument. mubarak refuses to go. we've heard from many of you online and we invite the rest of you to join the debate on the "nightline" facebook page or at