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☆ Jimmy Kimmel Said to Be Returning as Oscars Host
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Brooks Barnes | More About Brooks Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Academy Awards organizers have decided to stick with a tried and true host: Jimmy Kimmel. Molly McNearney, the co-head writer and an executive producer of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on ABC, will serve as an executive producer for the 96th Oscars telecast. Seeking cultural relevancy for the ceremony following a period of plunging ratings, the academy and ABC, which broadcasts the Oscars, have bounced between formats in recent years. For the 2023 show, the academy returned to one host — Mr. Kimmel, who also did the job in 2017 and 2018. Just as important for the academy, Mr. Kimmel’s return was free of controversy, helping to restore luster to an event tarnished in 2022 when Will Smith marched onstage and slapped Chris Rock.

Persons: Jimmy Kimmel, Kimmel, Molly McNearney, Wanda Sykes, Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, Kimmel’s, Will Smith, Chris Rock Organizations: ABC, Academy, Motion Picture Arts, Sciences, Nielsen, Mr

☆ Jimmy Kimmel chosen to host Oscars for fourth time
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jimmy Kimmel hosts the Oscars show at the 95th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 12, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLOS ANGELES, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Comedian Jimmy Kimmel will host the 96th Oscars next year, his fourth time helming the pinnacle event of the Hollywood awards season, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said on Wednesday. “I always dreamed of hosting the Oscars exactly four times,” Kimmel said in the Academy statement. The host and executive producer of ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" also hosted the Oscars in both 2017 and 2018. Reporting by Mary Milliken in Los Angeles Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jimmy Kimmel, Carlos Barria, “, ” Kimmel, Walt Disney, Kimmel, Mary Milliken, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Hollywood, Academy of Motion Picture Arts, Sciences, Walt, ABC, Dolby Theatre, Thomson Locations: Hollywood, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (AP) — John Bailey, a cinematographer who led the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences during the initial #MeToo reckoning, died Friday at 81. Bailey died “peacefully in his sleep” in Los Angeles, his wife, Carol Littleton, said in a statement distributed by the film academy. The moves sparked immediate backlash, including fears that the new category would relegate hits like that year's “Black Panther” out of contention for the best film award. A month later, the “outstanding achievement in popular film” award had been tabled. Bailey is survived by Littleton, a former Academy governor and film editor who was nominated for an Oscar for “E.T.

Persons: — John Bailey, Bailey, “, Carol Littleton, Bailey —, ”, —, Weinstein, ” Bailey, Bailey's, CEO Dawn Hudson, Oscar Organizations: ANGELES, Academy of Motion Picture Arts, Sciences, Academy, Governors, CEO, Associated Press, Hollywood Locations: Los Angeles, Littleton

☆ How ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ went from a cult classic to beloved Disney property
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Audience support led to multiple rereleases, elevating the film from a cult classic to a must-watch movie during both Halloween and Christmas. But after the “Beetlejuice” filmmaker departed the studio and proved his success in helming his first “Batman” film, Disney returned to the project. Moviestore/Shutterstock“They never felt (“Nightmare”) was a Disney film,” Selick told IGN. Disneyland's Haunted Mansion attraction is dressed up from Halloween to Christmas with characters from "The Nightmare Before Christmas." “Nightmare” characters now make regular appearances at the Disney parks during Halloween and Christmas, greeting young visitors and appearing on seasonal merchandise.

Persons: CNN —, Jack Skellington, Aladdin, ”, Roger Rabbit ”, It’s, Ariel, Mickey Mouse, Sally, Henry Selick, Tim Burton, Mickey, ” Selick, A.frame, Disney, Burton, Selick, Boogie, Sandy, Disney execs, Mr, “, Jack, Roger Ebert, Patrick Fallon, Coco ”, Alice, Wonderland, “ Paranorman ”, he’s Organizations: CNN, Disney, ” Disney, Touchstone Pictures, Academy of Motion Picture Arts, Sciences, Halloween, IGN, Hollywood, Disneyland, Bloomberg, Getty, Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Locations: California, yearn

The shoes from the film were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in the actress' hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and recovered in 2018 by the FBI. Political Cartoons View All 1209 ImagesGarland wore several pairs of ruby slippers during filming of the classic 1939 musical, but only four authentic pairs are known to remain. The plea agreement was “fulsomely negotiated” between DeKrey and federal prosecutor Matt Greenley and would lay out the “factual basis” for his client's guilty plea, DeKrey said. The ruby slippers were key props in the 1939 movie. The Judy Garland Museum, which opened in 1975 in the house where she lived, says it has the world’s largest collection of Garland and Wizard of Oz memorabilia.

Persons: Judy Garland, Oz ”, Terry Jon Martin, Martin, Dane DeKrey, Terry, ” DeKrey, Garland, “ fulsomely, Matt Greenley, DeKrey, Patrick Schiltz, Schiltz, Michael Shaw, Dorothy, Frances Gumm Organizations: Judy Garland Museum, FBI, District, Twin, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Smithsonian Museum of Locations: MINNEAPOLIS, Grand Rapids , Minnesota, Grand Rapids, Minneapolis, DeKrey, Minnesota, Duluth, Twin Cities, Hollywood, Arizona, Kansas, sequins, Los Angeles

☆ How an Army combat medic pivoted to filmmaking, thanks in part to a Sundance program that fostered directors like Ryan Coogler and Chloe Zhao
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Directors Lab, which goes back 40 years and claims graduates from Quentin Tarantino and Gina Prince-Bythewood to Ryan Coogler to Chloe Zhao, is a supercharged accelerator for new filmmakers. Rashad Frett, right, a member of the 2023 Directors Lab, speaks with Michelle Satter, founding director of the Sundance Institute's Feature Film Program. It's a 20-minute short that screened at the Sundance Film Festival in January; Fretts' time at the Directors Lab was devoted to developing it into a feature, filming multiple scenes. But it took a few tries before his application to join the Directors Lab was successful, he said. Rashad Frett works on his short film "Ricky" during this year's Directors Lab, conducted by the Sundance Institute.

Persons: Rashad Frett, Frett, Quentin Tarantino, Gina Prince, Bythewood, Ryan Coogler, Chloe Zhao, Michelle Satter, who's, Sciences Jean Hersholt, Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, Carol Littleton, Satter, —, Jonathan Hickerson, he'd, Spike Lee, Ricky, Lin Que Ayoung, It's, Fretts, Sam Emenogu, Joan Darling, Joan Tewkesbury, it's, he's, Reed Alexander Organizations: Army, Sundance, Labs, Hollywood, of Motion Picture Arts, Sciences, New York University, NYU, Sundance Film, Lab, Sundance Institute Locations: New York, Sundance, Utah, New, Hollywood

Honoree Japanese film director and animator Hayao Miyazaki poses during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Governors Awards in Los Angeles, California November 8, 2014. "There is nothing concrete on the table yet, but he shows the willingness to create something new," Nishioka said, adding that Miyazaki, is at the studio everyday. In Toronto, film buffs and movie fans lined up for the movie, the first time an animated Japanese film opened the festival. The movie is also inspired by how Miyazaki himself felt after the war and coped with the loss of his mother. "This is a personal film, showing how he (Miyazaki) lived, how he should have lived and throwing out the question to the audience, 'So how do you live?

Persons: Hayao Miyazaki, Kevork, Miyazaki, Nishioka, Toshio Suzuki's, Gabriel Mas, Genzaburo Yoshino, Mahito Maki, Nivedita Balu, Sandra Maler Organizations: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, REUTERS, Rights, Toronto, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, Miyazaki, Japan, Toronto

☆ 'Barbie' Joins Ranks of Biggest Moneymaking Movies by a Female Director
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Rosie Ettenheim | Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Female directors have also been underrepresented at the Academy Awards. Just 2% of the 476 nominees for best director have been women, and half of those happened after 2010, according to research by think tank The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Organizations: Academy, Motion Picture Arts, Sciences

☆ Taylor Swift, Ke Huy Quan, Austin Butler join Hollywood's film academy
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LOS ANGELES, June 28 (Reuters) - Pop singer and songwriter Taylor Swift, "Elvis" star Austin Butler and best supporting actor winner Ke Huy Quan were among more than 300 people selected to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group that awards the Oscars. Quan, 51, won the supporting actor trophy this year for his role in best picture winner "Everything Everywhere All at Once." His Oscar-nominated co-star Stephanie Hsu, 32, also was selected to join the academy, along with the movie's directors, 35-year-old Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, 36 - known as "the Daniels." Butler, 31, was nominated for an Oscar this year for his portrayal of Elvis Presley. The academy, which has more than 10,000 members in total, has taken steps to diversify its membership since the #OscarsSoWhite outcry in 2015.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Elvis, Austin Butler, Ke Huy Quan, Swift, Quan, Stephanie Hsu, Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, Daniels, Butler, Elvis Presley, Lisa Richwine, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Thomson Locations: ANGELES, United States

☆ Angela Bassett and Mel Brooks Are Among Those to Receive Honorary Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Kyle Buchanan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Just a few months after Angela Bassett came close to clinching a supporting-actress Oscar for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” she’ll become one of four Hollywood figures to receive an honorary Oscar at this year’s Governors Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced. Also getting honorary Oscars will be the director Mel Brooks and the editor Carol Littleton, while the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will be presented with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. The awards “honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” the academy president Janet Yang said in a statement. Bassett, 64, was first nominated for playing Tina Turner in the biopic “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” and also starred in films like “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” “Malcolm X” and “Boyz N the Hood.” Her awards-season run for Wakanda Forever” earlier this year netted her a Golden Globe, and though she lost the Oscar to “Everything Everywhere All at Once” supporting actress Jamie Lee Curtis, Bassett is still one of only four Black actresses to have received more than one Oscar nomination for acting.

Persons: Angela Bassett, Oscar, “, she’ll, Mel Brooks, Carol Littleton, Michelle Satter, Jean Hersholt, ”, Janet Yang, Bassett, Tina Turner, Stella, ” “ Malcolm X ”, Jamie Lee Curtis Organizations: Academy of Motion Picture Arts, Sciences, Sundance, Globe

☆ Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks to get honorary Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 27 (Reuters - Actor Angela Bassett and veteran filmmaker Mel Brooks will receive Academy Honorary Awards this year in honour of their careers and contribution to cinema, Hollywood's Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has said. The Academy announced it had voted to present the awards to two-time Oscar nominee Bassett and "The Producers" writer Brooks, as well as to editor Carol Littleton at its Governor Awards in November. "Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment," Yang added. Writer, director, actor and producer Brooks, who turns 98 on Wednesday, began his career writing comedy routines for Sid Caesar's TV shows.

Persons: Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, Bassett, Brooks, Carol Littleton, Michelle Satter, Jean Hersholt, Janet Yang, Yang, Carol Littleton’s, Tina Turner, Exhale, Ramonda, Sid Caesar's, Oscar, Robin Hood, Littleton, Satter, Marie, Louise Gumuchian, Ed Osmond Organizations: Hollywood's Academy, Motion Picture Arts, Sciences, The Academy, Sundance, Jean, Governors, Sundance Institute, Academy, Thomson

☆ Oscars’ Best Picture Hopefuls Must Spend More Time in Theaters
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Nicole Sperling | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In a move designed to signal Hollywood’s commitment to the moviegoing experience, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said on Wednesday that it would require an expanded theatrical release for films seeking to be eligible for a best picture nomination. The new eligibility rule is sure to affect how Netflix and other streaming services release films they consider to be Oscar worthy. And it could be an impediment to smaller distributors that lack the means to release films in cities across the United States. In 2022, “CODA” from Apple TV+ was the first film from a streaming service to win the best picture Oscar. Two of the 10 markets in the expanded release can be outside the United States if they are among the top 15 international theatrical markets.

Organizations: Academy of Motion Picture Arts, Sciences, Netflix, Apple Locations: United States, U.S, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Miami

☆ Harry Belafonte, calypso star and civil rights champion, dies at 96
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Alex Johnson | Diana Dasrath | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Singer Harry Belafonte speaks during a press junket at The Bing Decision Maker Series with the Sing Your Song Cast and Filmmakers on January 22, 2011 in Park City, Utah. American singer Harry Belafonte performing in a recording studio, circa 1957. By the early 1960s, Belafonte had become a force in the civil rights movement. A crowd of over 10,000 civil rights marchers gathers in the Manhattan Garment Center as Harry Belafonte sings at spiritual at a civil rights rally. A capacity audience of civil rights advocates turned out to watch a glittering array of theater personalities perform.

☆ Offbeat multiverse movie 'Everything Everywhere' dominates the Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The movie claimed seven awards overall, including three of the four acting Oscars for stars Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis, who built a career in horror films such as "Halloween," won best supporting actress for playing a frumpy tax agent named Deirdre Beaubeirdre. "The Whale" star Brendan Fraser, known for 1990s roles such as "The Mummy" and "Encino Man," won best actor for playing a severely obese man trying to reconnect with his daughter. "Naatu Naatu," a song from the Indian movie "RRR" that created a viral dance sensation, was honored as best original song. The 95th Academy Awards ceremony was broadcast live on Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) ABC network.

☆ How academy president Janet Yang went from 'feeling like an outsider' to becoming one of the most powerful people in Hollywood
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Janet Yang, the President of the Academy at the 95th Oscar Nominations Announcement held at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on January 24, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. Janet Yang is one of the most powerful people in Hollywood — but for a long time, she thought a career in entertainment was impossible. On the Universal Studios lot, Yang met two people that would change the course of her career: Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy. Last summer, when the academy announced they were looking for a new president, Yang nominated herself for the job. Outside of the academy, Yang has earned a reputation as a "godmother" to other Asian Americans working in Hollywood and is actively involved in several organizations working to amplify AAPI voices in entertainment.

☆ Meet 6 trailblazers in the NFL, Coast Guard and more: 'Success isn't being the first,' it's having 'many others follow'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Morgan Smith Gili Malinsky Ashton Jackson Jennifer Liu | Morgan Smith | Gili Malinsky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

"There was something about the Coast Guard, the missions, seeing the small boats that just spoke to me," she says. Fagan ended up attending the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and her first tour of duty in 1985 took her to Antarctica. From there, the Coast Guard would offer a new assignment every couple of years. Of all 32 teams in the NFL, less than 10 have a Black or female president. "To me, the definition of success isn't being the first — it's to have many, many others follow behind you."

☆ What could go wrong? Oscars team prepares for anything after Will Smith slap
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LOS ANGELES, March 8 (Reuters) - Organizers of Sunday's 95th Academy Awards are preparing for the unexpected after Will Smith's infamous slap of Chris Rock convulsed Hollywood's biggest awards ceremony last year. For the first time, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has created a crisis team to respond to any mishaps. The organization has not disclosed details about the membership of the crisis team or how it may react to anything out of the ordinary. Weiss said the team was planning to pepper the show with moments that they hope would spread on Twitter and TikTok. Pop superstar Rihanna will sing her nominated song "Lift Me Up" from "Wakanda Forever."

☆ 'Everything Everywhere' vies for Hollywood's SAG awards on road to Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The movie starring Michelle Yeoh as an exasperated laundry owner trying to finish her taxes is the favorite to take best film ensemble at the SAG awards, according to experts polled by the Gold Derby website. If the movie wins big, that would give it a boost on the way to the Academy Awards on March 12. SAG winners are chosen by members of the SAG-AFTRA acting union, and actors make up the largest group of voters for the Oscars. In television categories, "Better Call Saul," "The Crown," "Ozark," "Severance" and "The White Lotus" will compete for best drama cast. TV comedy nominees for best cast are "Abbott Elementary," "Barry," "The Bear," "Hacks" and "Only Murders in the Building."

☆ Film academy response to Will Smith slap was 'inadequate,' group's president says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Feb 13 (Reuters) - Hollywood's film academy did not adequately respond to Will Smith's slap of Chris Rock at the Academy Awards last March, the organization's president said on Monday at a gathering of this year's Oscar nominees. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was criticized for allowing Smith to remain in his seat, and accept the best actor trophy, after he assaulted Rock on stage. "What happened on stage was totally unacceptable," academy president Janet Yang said at the annual Oscar nominees' luncheon in Beverly Hills. Smith resigned from the academy after the incident, and the academy banned him from attending the Oscars for 10 years. He remains eligible to be nominated for and win Academy Awards.

☆ Fact Check-No evidence Hollywood celebrities are calling for a strike until everyone is vaccinated against COVID
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

There is no evidence supporting online claims that celebrities are calling for a “total Hollywood strike” until everyone is vaccinated against COVID-19. Online users shared a screenshot of the headline of an article titled, “Celebrities Call For ‘Total Hollywood Strike’ Until Every Last Person Gets Jabbed” (archive.is/am4eB). “A group of liberal Hollywood celebrities are threatening a “massive, all-round Hollywood strike” until every last one of us is vaccinated,” reads the first line. Reuters found no evidence that they are collectively calling for an industry strike, however. There is no evidence of celebrities calling for a “total Hollywood strike” until everyone gets vaccinated.

☆ Film academy says it will not disqualify surprise Oscar nominee Riseborough
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Cast member Andrea Riseborough arrives at the premiere for 'Matilda the Musical' in London, Britain, November 21, 2022. REUTERS/Maja SmiejkowskaLOS ANGELES, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Hollywood's motion picture academy will not revoke the unexpected best actress nomination for "To Leslie" star Andrea Riseborough, the group's chief executive said on Tuesday after a review of an aggressive campaign on her behalf. The surprise nomination sparked questions about whether a campaign for Riseborough had violated lobbying rules set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Several A-list stars posted social media comments touting her performance. "However, we did discover social media and outreach campaigning tactics that caused concern.

☆ Film academy reviewing Oscar campaigns after surprise nomination
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Hollywood's film academy said on Friday it was reviewing this year's campaigns for Oscar nominations, a day after a media report raised questions about the surprise nod for British actress Andrea Riseborough. Media newsletter Puck reported on Thursday that the unexpected nomination had sparked questions about whether an aggressive campaign for Riseborough had violated lobbying rules set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The academy limits how studios can reach out to voters, how often and what they can say in any communications as part of their Oscars campaigns. Dozens of A-list stars then "sang her praises and helped win her the coveted nomination," Puck said. "We have confidence in the integrity of our nomination and voting procedures, and support genuine grassroots campaigns for outstanding performances," the academy statement said.

☆ 2022's best picture nominees are the most popular Oscar contenders in over a decade thanks to 'Top Gun' and 'Avatar 2'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

This year's batch of Oscar best picture nominees has the biggest box office total since 2009. The 2009 group totaled $1.74 billion at the North American box office. Plus, since 2009, the Oscars have gone from 10 best picture nominees, to between five and 10, and since last year, back to a full 10. The chart below shows the North American box-office totals for each group of best picture nominees since 2009. The biggest movie of a given year hasn't won best picture since "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" in 2003.

The film won nominations for best picture, best director and its stars Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan won nods for best performance by an actress and actor in a leading role. The nominations were announced by Allison Williams and Riz Ahmed on Tuesday morning at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Voting for the nominations concluded Jan. 17, and 9,579 members of the academy were eligible to vote, according to Variety. Neither women of color made it to the list for best leading actress. The Oscar nominations come just weeks after the Golden Globes returned to the airwaves.

☆ 'Avatar' director James Cameron, 'Top Gun' star Tom Cruise snubbed by Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Director James Cameron arrives at the world premiere of 'Avatar: The Way of Water' in London, Britain December 6, 2022. Cameron was joined - in omission - by another box-office standout, actor Tom Cruise, whose starring role in “Top Gun: Maverick” wowed audiences but was overlooked in the best actor category. Another notable snub from the best picture list was "Babylon," "La La Land" director Damien Chazelle's ambitious ode to old Hollywood. This year none of the nominees for best director are women. One of the most successful recording artists of the era, Taylor Swift, also was snubbed by the Academy.

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