Turner Classic Movies’ (TCM) award-winning podcast The Plot Thickens will premiere season five, Decoding John Ford, on June 6, co-produced by Novel. Host Ben Mankiewicz strips back the mythology to reveal Ford's brilliance – alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist. This season features scores of never-before-heard archival interviews, including John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode, and John Ford himself.
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” said TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered the military and envied those who served yet bristled at authority; Ford became known as one of Hollywood’s leading conservatives, yet one of his finest films is 1940’s The Grapes of Wrath, one of the most progressive films of classic...
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” said TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered the military and envied those who served yet bristled at authority; Ford became known as one of Hollywood’s leading conservatives, yet one of his finest films is 1940’s The Grapes of Wrath, one of the most progressive films of classic...
- 6/5/2024
- Podnews.net
For over a decade, Roger Moore had the task of living up to everything that Sean Connery had put in place as 007. And while some will defend Moore forever, we can’t forget the clown costumes, slide whistles, gondola chases, and so much more that pushed James Bond into an uncharted level of ridiculousness. Perhaps all of this could have been prevented had Timothy Dalton not been so green, turning down On Her Majesty’s Secret Service because he was in his mid-20s. That’s all hypothetical, of course, but Timothy Dalton would go on to reinvent James Bond in a way that may not have sat with contemporary audiences but marked a true challenge for what it meant to carry the torch. Dalton played 007 just twice; and with that, we’d challenge you to name just as many worthwhile post-Bond movies from the underappreciated actor (who we’re...
- 5/31/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
This week, two attorneys will stand and make their cases to the jury. Yes, that jury and that trial, which may put a former—and future?—president behind bars. This is when the pressure falls on the prosecution and defense to make their final claims of guilt or innocence.
“At this point, parties are free to use hypothetical analogies to make their points; to comment on the credibility of the witnesses, to discuss how they believe the various pieces of the puzzle fit into a compelling whole, and to advocate why jurors should decide the case in their favor,” explains the official site of the Federal Court System.
Or, we can just recall the most memorable, decisive arguments made on screen. Hey, we can handle the truth! Here is my list of 10 to remember.
“To Kill A Mockingbird”
Gregory Peck won the Oscar — even though he didn’t win the case — as Atticus Finch,...
“At this point, parties are free to use hypothetical analogies to make their points; to comment on the credibility of the witnesses, to discuss how they believe the various pieces of the puzzle fit into a compelling whole, and to advocate why jurors should decide the case in their favor,” explains the official site of the Federal Court System.
Or, we can just recall the most memorable, decisive arguments made on screen. Hey, we can handle the truth! Here is my list of 10 to remember.
“To Kill A Mockingbird”
Gregory Peck won the Oscar — even though he didn’t win the case — as Atticus Finch,...
- 5/27/2024
- by Michele Willens
- The Wrap
Thanks to Baz Luhrmann's electrifying 2022 biopic "Elvis," fans new and old (some very old at this point) have enthusiastically delved into the cultural icon's past to get a more nuanced understanding of how this Tennessee-born mama's career took so many unexpected turns before he collapsed in a pharmaceutically-induced heap at the age of 42.
Every chapter of Presley's life is packed with decisions both brilliant and personally/professionally self-destructive. Indeed, his tragic arc might just be the definitive showbiz cautionary tale. His was an incandescent (if highly derivative) talent that attracted opportunists and admirers; he was treated as a product, and, thus, had an awful tendency to treat those who genuinely loved him with the respect and tenderness they deserved.
Speaking of tenderness, Presley's value as an entertainment commodity was, at its early peak, so dizzyingly high that he could work around his newly signed contract with Paramount Pictures...
Every chapter of Presley's life is packed with decisions both brilliant and personally/professionally self-destructive. Indeed, his tragic arc might just be the definitive showbiz cautionary tale. His was an incandescent (if highly derivative) talent that attracted opportunists and admirers; he was treated as a product, and, thus, had an awful tendency to treat those who genuinely loved him with the respect and tenderness they deserved.
Speaking of tenderness, Presley's value as an entertainment commodity was, at its early peak, so dizzyingly high that he could work around his newly signed contract with Paramount Pictures...
- 5/25/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
James Stewart, more affectionately known as “Jimmy” to his fans, was an Oscar-winning performer who became famous for his polite, gentle screen persona, often playing the aww-shucks boy next door. Yet he also showed his range with a series of performances that found him playing against type. Let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1908, Stewart earned his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor for playing an idealistic young senator in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939), which firmly established him as the patron saint of the common man. He clinched his one and only victory the very next year for “The Philadelphia Story” (1940), playing a tabloid reporter who stumbles into the marital strife of a high society couple (Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant).
After serving in WWII, Stewart returned home to play George Bailey, a businessman contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve,...
Born in 1908, Stewart earned his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor for playing an idealistic young senator in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939), which firmly established him as the patron saint of the common man. He clinched his one and only victory the very next year for “The Philadelphia Story” (1940), playing a tabloid reporter who stumbles into the marital strife of a high society couple (Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant).
After serving in WWII, Stewart returned home to play George Bailey, a businessman contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? fans are dreading Michael Ilesamni and Angela Deem’s impending return to the show. It was unclear if they would be back after their personal drama and him going missing. Now, they have been shown in the preview for Sunday, May 19th, and with that has come a lack of excitement. How come? Keep reading for more details.
90 Day Fiance Fans Dread Michael & Angela’s Impending Return
Angela Deem and Michael Ilesanmi have become a very tired 90 Day Fiance couple. A lot has to do with Angela’s attitude and then there is the fact that Michael has been in Nigeria most of the time. They spent all of The Last Resort trying to work on their personal issues with him on an iPad. It was very hard to feel like they had a chance when they were not face to face. There have...
90 Day Fiance Fans Dread Michael & Angela’s Impending Return
Angela Deem and Michael Ilesanmi have become a very tired 90 Day Fiance couple. A lot has to do with Angela’s attitude and then there is the fact that Michael has been in Nigeria most of the time. They spent all of The Last Resort trying to work on their personal issues with him on an iPad. It was very hard to feel like they had a chance when they were not face to face. There have...
- 5/13/2024
- by Amanda Lauren
- TV Shows Ace
From the very early days of cinema, the love triangle has been a staple of romantic comedies and heartbreaking dramas alike. In its classic form, there’s either two guys and two girls both interested in the same girl or guy, who finds themself torn between the two possibilities. Fizzy screwball comedies usually ended with the love triangle resolving in favor of the lead; see, for example, how Katharine Hepburn’s free-spirited heroine in 1938 comedy “Holiday” steals Cary Grant from under the nose of her own sister (Doris Nolan). In dramas, the ending tends to be a tad more bittersweet, leading to iconically devastating moments like Humphrey Bogart saying goodbye to Ingrid Bergman before she hops on a plane to escape to safety with her husband Victor (Paul Henreid) during the climax of “Casablanca.”
However a love triangle ends, its clear why the formula is such a repeating trope in...
However a love triangle ends, its clear why the formula is such a repeating trope in...
- 5/8/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
“More stars than there are in heaven” was once the slogan for Hollywood’s largest studio. Larger-than-life celebrities like Judy Garland, Clark Gable, Fred Astaire, Katharine Hepburn, Jean Harlow and Gene Kelly were common fixtures at MGM. Today, MGM is an IP outpost purchased by Amazon for $8.5 billion in 2022, but in its day, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had the biggest lot in Hollywood and produced some of the most extravagant films. Located in Culver City, MGM’s famously sprawling lot began as it grew from the 40 acres owned by Samuel Goldwyn. The legendary MGM property was 3 miles long and housed more than 45 buildings and 14 stages, in addition to numerous outdoor sets that would be built over the years.
MGM was home to countless classic films, and in 1939 alone, the studio backed the timeless fantasy The Wizard of Oz and distributed the Oscar-winning Gone With the Wind, the Ernst Lubitsch/Greta Garbo comedy Ninotchka,...
MGM was home to countless classic films, and in 1939 alone, the studio backed the timeless fantasy The Wizard of Oz and distributed the Oscar-winning Gone With the Wind, the Ernst Lubitsch/Greta Garbo comedy Ninotchka,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Chris Yogerst
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Nicole Kidman not only gave a to-die-for performance for helmer Gus Van Sant, but also almost seemed to co-direct the feature herself.
Van Sant recalled to the New York Times just how committed Kidman was to the 1995 dark comedy “To Die For,” even going so far as to say she was “destined to play the part” and serving as a “second director” on set.
“Nicole called and said she was destined to play the part, so I believed her,” Van Sant said of casting the future Oscar winner early in her career. “I thought she was incredibly dedicated to making a fantastic performance through study of the script and the part, in a way I had never seen before.”
Van Sant continued, “There were notebooks, and scene exercises, and voice exercises — it was very thorough. Nicole was so versed in the scenes that she was like having a second director there,...
Van Sant recalled to the New York Times just how committed Kidman was to the 1995 dark comedy “To Die For,” even going so far as to say she was “destined to play the part” and serving as a “second director” on set.
“Nicole called and said she was destined to play the part, so I believed her,” Van Sant said of casting the future Oscar winner early in her career. “I thought she was incredibly dedicated to making a fantastic performance through study of the script and the part, in a way I had never seen before.”
Van Sant continued, “There were notebooks, and scene exercises, and voice exercises — it was very thorough. Nicole was so versed in the scenes that she was like having a second director there,...
- 4/24/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
"Cheers" was the third highest-rated show on television when Shelley Long opted to quit the series at the end of its fifth season and pursue movie stardom. Though the show had long since settled into its ensemble groove, the on-again/off-again Sam Malone and Diane Chambers romance was the primary generator of water-cooler chatter. Moreover, the chemistry between Long and Ted Danson was the stuff of a series showrunner's dream. Their banter was worthy of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. You don't just go out and find another Katharine Hepburn. Could "Cheers," brilliant and popular as it was, survive Long's departure, especially when fans had so much invested in Diane?
This was the conundrum faced by casting director Jeff Greenberg, who'd joined "Cheers" during Long's last season. He knew chasing the next Long was courting disaster, so he looked for an actor who could hold her own with Danson and...
This was the conundrum faced by casting director Jeff Greenberg, who'd joined "Cheers" during Long's last season. He knew chasing the next Long was courting disaster, so he looked for an actor who could hold her own with Danson and...
- 4/20/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
John Ford, the iconic director known for such films as Stagecoach, The Grapes of Wrath, My Darling Clementine, The Searchers and much more, will be the subject of the next edition of the TCM podcast The Plot Thickens, it was announced Wednesday.
“Decoding John Ford,” hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, premieres June 6. The fifth season of the podcast, consisting of seven episodes, will feature never-before-heard archival interviews with the likes of John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode and Ford himself.
TCM says Mankiewicz will “strip back the mythology to reveal Ford’s brilliance — alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist.”
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” the host said in a statement. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered...
“Decoding John Ford,” hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, premieres June 6. The fifth season of the podcast, consisting of seven episodes, will feature never-before-heard archival interviews with the likes of John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode and Ford himself.
TCM says Mankiewicz will “strip back the mythology to reveal Ford’s brilliance — alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist.”
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” the host said in a statement. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered...
- 4/18/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The award-winning Turner Classic Movies podcast “The Plot Thickens” is ready to take on the Manifest Destiny of filmmaker John Ford.
The new fifth season, titled “Decoding John Ford,” centers on the legendary auteur best known for Westerns like “The Searchers.” Host Ben Mankiewicz dives into the mythology behind Ford’s filmography.
The seven-part podcast also examines Ford’s shelved WWII film that was commissioned by the U.S. military in 1944. Host Ben Mankiewicz travels to Europe to trace the mystery of whether the D-Day movie exists. The season debuts on June 6, the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The season features never-before-heard archival interviews with stars like John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode, and director Ford himself.
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz said in a release. “This is a man defined...
The new fifth season, titled “Decoding John Ford,” centers on the legendary auteur best known for Westerns like “The Searchers.” Host Ben Mankiewicz dives into the mythology behind Ford’s filmography.
The seven-part podcast also examines Ford’s shelved WWII film that was commissioned by the U.S. military in 1944. Host Ben Mankiewicz travels to Europe to trace the mystery of whether the D-Day movie exists. The season debuts on June 6, the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The season features never-before-heard archival interviews with stars like John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode, and director Ford himself.
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz said in a release. “This is a man defined...
- 4/18/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Embankment Films is making Garbo: Leave Me Alone, a feature documentary about the enigmatic movie star who died in 1990. The doc will have previously unseen archive material including personal photographs of Garbo and letters written by the iconic actress, who is regarded as one of the all-time greats.
Production is underway and the film will have a theatrical release at the end of this year before bowing on Sky in the UK in 2025. It is being made in partnership With Non Stop Entertainment and co-produced with Mylla Films, the Scandi label founded by Patrik Andersson and Jakob Abrahamsson. Fremantle is on board for international sales.
Lorna Tucker, whose previous work includes Katharine Hepburn feature doc Call Me Kate, will direct. “This is a natural follow on to Call Me Kate in a way because it’s a similar era, but it is a very different story because here is...
Production is underway and the film will have a theatrical release at the end of this year before bowing on Sky in the UK in 2025. It is being made in partnership With Non Stop Entertainment and co-produced with Mylla Films, the Scandi label founded by Patrik Andersson and Jakob Abrahamsson. Fremantle is on board for international sales.
Lorna Tucker, whose previous work includes Katharine Hepburn feature doc Call Me Kate, will direct. “This is a natural follow on to Call Me Kate in a way because it’s a similar era, but it is a very different story because here is...
- 4/7/2024
- by Stewart Clarke
- Deadline Film + TV
Spencer Tracy was the two-time Oscar winner starred in a variety of classics before his death in 1967, including nine films opposite fellow legend Katharine Hepburn. Let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Tracy pulled off the rare hat-trick of winning back-to-back Best Actor Oscars, first for his performance as a Portuguese sailor in “Captains Courageous” (1937), then for playing a dedicated priest helping wayward youths in “Boys Town” (1938). It’s a feat that would only be repeated once more in this category by Tom Hanks (“Philadelphia” in 1993 and “Forrest Gump” in 1994).
Tracy would compete seven more times in the category: “San Francisco” (1936), “Father of the Bride” (1950), “Bad Day at Black Rock” (1955), “The Old Man and the Sea” (1958), “Inherit the Wind” (1960), “Judgment at Nuremberg” (1961), and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” (1967), which was recognized posthumously.
He’s perhaps best remembered for starring in nine films with Hepburn,...
Tracy pulled off the rare hat-trick of winning back-to-back Best Actor Oscars, first for his performance as a Portuguese sailor in “Captains Courageous” (1937), then for playing a dedicated priest helping wayward youths in “Boys Town” (1938). It’s a feat that would only be repeated once more in this category by Tom Hanks (“Philadelphia” in 1993 and “Forrest Gump” in 1994).
Tracy would compete seven more times in the category: “San Francisco” (1936), “Father of the Bride” (1950), “Bad Day at Black Rock” (1955), “The Old Man and the Sea” (1958), “Inherit the Wind” (1960), “Judgment at Nuremberg” (1961), and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” (1967), which was recognized posthumously.
He’s perhaps best remembered for starring in nine films with Hepburn,...
- 3/30/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
At the inaugural Academy Awards in 1929, native Pennsylvanian Janet Gaynor made history as the first American-born performer to win an Oscar by taking the Best Actress prize for her body of work in “7th Heaven,” “Street Angel,” and “Sunrise.” Over the subsequent 95 years, 215 more thespians originating from the United States won the academy’s favor, meaning the country has now produced 68.1% of all individual acting Oscar recipients. Considering the last decade alone, the rate of such winners is even higher, at 70.3%.
At this point, 96.8% of American-born acting Oscar victors have hailed from one of 34 actual states. Of those constituting the remainder, three originated from the federal District of Columbia, while four were born in the territory of Puerto Rico. New York (home to 49 winners) is the most common birth state among the entire group, followed by California (34), Illinois (13), Massachusetts (11), and Pennsylvania (11).
Bearing in mind our specific birthplace focus, the 16 states...
At this point, 96.8% of American-born acting Oscar victors have hailed from one of 34 actual states. Of those constituting the remainder, three originated from the federal District of Columbia, while four were born in the territory of Puerto Rico. New York (home to 49 winners) is the most common birth state among the entire group, followed by California (34), Illinois (13), Massachusetts (11), and Pennsylvania (11).
Bearing in mind our specific birthplace focus, the 16 states...
- 3/18/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
By delivering performances that add up to almost four and a half hours, the four acting Oscar winners of 2024 came within six minutes of setting a new academy record for highest single-year screen time average. Ultimately, they landed in fifth place with a mean of one hour, four minutes, and 57 seconds, thus becoming only the 12th winning quartet (and sixth in 10 years) to exceed 60 minutes.
Newly crowned Best Actor and Actress champs Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) are credited with a whopping 81% of their foursome’s screen time total, respectively clocking in at 1:53:10 and 1:37:19 and outpacing all of the 2024 nominees by at least four minutes. Supporting honorees Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”) gave the fourth and sixth shortest nominated performances of the year, reaching individual screen times of 23:50 and 25:29.
Considering this group’s screen time percentages,...
Newly crowned Best Actor and Actress champs Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) are credited with a whopping 81% of their foursome’s screen time total, respectively clocking in at 1:53:10 and 1:37:19 and outpacing all of the 2024 nominees by at least four minutes. Supporting honorees Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”) gave the fourth and sixth shortest nominated performances of the year, reaching individual screen times of 23:50 and 25:29.
Considering this group’s screen time percentages,...
- 3/12/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Since 1940, the record for highest average screen time between same-year lead acting Oscar winners has been held by Robert Donat and Vivien Leigh (“Gone with the Wind”), whose mean of one hour, 54 minutes, and 43 seconds will likely never be surpassed. Nonetheless, there is a brand new pair in second place, as 2024 Best Actor and Actress champs Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) came within 10 minutes of dethroning the long-reigning duo. Indeed, both together and separately, their especially lengthy performances inspired several brushes with Oscars screen time history.
Murphy was specifically awarded for one hour, 53 minutes, and 10 seconds of acting work, while Stone clocked in slightly lower at one hour, 37 minutes, and 19 seconds. Understandably, each far outpaced all of their fellow nominees, respectively landing 27 and 22 minutes above their lineups’ averages. Their own average of one hour, 45 minutes, and 15 seconds makes them only the second pair of lead victors to exceed 100 minutes.
Murphy was specifically awarded for one hour, 53 minutes, and 10 seconds of acting work, while Stone clocked in slightly lower at one hour, 37 minutes, and 19 seconds. Understandably, each far outpaced all of their fellow nominees, respectively landing 27 and 22 minutes above their lineups’ averages. Their own average of one hour, 45 minutes, and 15 seconds makes them only the second pair of lead victors to exceed 100 minutes.
- 3/12/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
The Academy Awards have been handing out a Best Actress trophy since the very first ceremony in 1928. Janet Gaynor for a combo of “7th Heaven,” “Street Angel” and “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans” was the first recipient for his leading roles. The most recent champ was Renee Zellweger for “Judy.”
Since then, only one woman has won the category four times: Katharine Hepburn for “Morning Glory,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” “The Lion in Winter” and “On Golden Pond.” Next with three is Frances McDormand. The ladies with two lead wins have included Ingrid Bergman, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Sally Field, Jane Fonda, Jodie Foster, Glenda Jackson, Vivien Leigh, Luise Rainer, Meryl Streep and Hilary Swank. Streep holds the record of most lead nominations at 17.
The oldest winner was Jessica Tandy (“Driving Miss Daisy”) at age 80. The oldest nominee was Emmanuelle Riva (“Amour”) at age 85. The youngest winner...
Since then, only one woman has won the category four times: Katharine Hepburn for “Morning Glory,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” “The Lion in Winter” and “On Golden Pond.” Next with three is Frances McDormand. The ladies with two lead wins have included Ingrid Bergman, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Sally Field, Jane Fonda, Jodie Foster, Glenda Jackson, Vivien Leigh, Luise Rainer, Meryl Streep and Hilary Swank. Streep holds the record of most lead nominations at 17.
The oldest winner was Jessica Tandy (“Driving Miss Daisy”) at age 80. The oldest nominee was Emmanuelle Riva (“Amour”) at age 85. The youngest winner...
- 3/11/2024
- by Tony Ruiz, Marcus James Dixon and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The decades-long history of the Oscars is filled with numerous records. And the acclaimed Hollywood star Cate Blanchett has also earned a place in the history of the prestigious awards with her remarkable performance in the 2004 crime drama The Aviator. Starring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, she took on the role of Katharine Hepburn, a four-time Best Actress Oscar winner, who graced the silver screen for over six decades.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Cate Blanchett in The Aviator
Based on Charles Higham’s 1993 Howard Hughes: The Secret Life, the film follows Howard Hughes, a pioneering aviator, and film producer, showcasing his rise to success, struggles with mental health, and passionate pursuits in aviation and filmmaking during the golden age of Hollywood.
Cate Blanchett’s Singular Achievement at the Oscars
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Cate Blanchett, Martin Scorsese’s 2004 film The Aviator received critical acclaim and numerous accolades. It received 11 nominations at the 77th Academy Awards,...
Leonardo DiCaprio and Cate Blanchett in The Aviator
Based on Charles Higham’s 1993 Howard Hughes: The Secret Life, the film follows Howard Hughes, a pioneering aviator, and film producer, showcasing his rise to success, struggles with mental health, and passionate pursuits in aviation and filmmaking during the golden age of Hollywood.
Cate Blanchett’s Singular Achievement at the Oscars
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Cate Blanchett, Martin Scorsese’s 2004 film The Aviator received critical acclaim and numerous accolades. It received 11 nominations at the 77th Academy Awards,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
It looks like “Dune: Part Two” reinvigorated the box office so well last weekend that it had to take a backseat to a perfectly-timed family animated sequel in its second weekend. Read on for the weekend box office report.
DreamWorks Animation and Universal knew that they were likely to have a big hit with the animated sequel “Kung Fu Panda 4,” returning Jack Black to the popular martial arts cartoon character Po, which would benefit from the character’s presence on streaming, as well as from the lack of animated movies in theaters. The mostly positive reviews put “Kung Fu Panda 4” at 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, and being the only animated feature for family audiences allowed it to bring in $19.25 million on Friday, including $3.8 million from Thursday previews. Universal has estimated it winning the weekend quite soundly with $58.3 million in 4,035 theaters, and audiences were generally positive, giving it an “A-” on audience polling site CinemaScore.
DreamWorks Animation and Universal knew that they were likely to have a big hit with the animated sequel “Kung Fu Panda 4,” returning Jack Black to the popular martial arts cartoon character Po, which would benefit from the character’s presence on streaming, as well as from the lack of animated movies in theaters. The mostly positive reviews put “Kung Fu Panda 4” at 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, and being the only animated feature for family audiences allowed it to bring in $19.25 million on Friday, including $3.8 million from Thursday previews. Universal has estimated it winning the weekend quite soundly with $58.3 million in 4,035 theaters, and audiences were generally positive, giving it an “A-” on audience polling site CinemaScore.
- 3/10/2024
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
It’s the one thing we all watch for at the Oscars, and it’s the reason why – especially if you’re a performer – getting nominated for an Academy Award is kind of a mixed bag. The odds are that you’re not going to win, and the camera is going to capture it live. And we’ll all be watching today to see if you reveal your despondency or manage to cover it convincingly.
Barring an extremely rare tie (hello Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand in 1969), only one person out of five can win in the acting categories. I’m no math whiz, but my unofficial count is that this means you have an 80 percent chance of walking away empty-handed. Let’s not sugarcoat it: that sucks. And the chief reason why it sucks is that literally the whole world is watching to see how you will react in...
Barring an extremely rare tie (hello Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand in 1969), only one person out of five can win in the acting categories. I’m no math whiz, but my unofficial count is that this means you have an 80 percent chance of walking away empty-handed. Let’s not sugarcoat it: that sucks. And the chief reason why it sucks is that literally the whole world is watching to see how you will react in...
- 3/10/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Robert De Niro is one of the most celebrated actors in Hollywood with films like The Godfather Part II, Taxi Driver, Cape Fear, and Silver Linings Playbook. His collaborations with director Martin Scorsese are considered some of the best films ever created. They played a pivotal role in pushing him to international success. Despite being one of the greatest actors ever, he is also afraid of rejection, but it’s not the rejection from films.
Robert De Niro in Heat
The rejection from films was never a concern for Robert De Niro. The actor has worked with some of the greatest directors in memorable films. However, the Travis Bickle starrer proved to be an adorable family man when he claimed that he can feel rejected by his children. He admitted that he would feel very rejected if his children humbled him.
What did Robert De Niro say about rejection?
Robert...
Robert De Niro in Heat
The rejection from films was never a concern for Robert De Niro. The actor has worked with some of the greatest directors in memorable films. However, the Travis Bickle starrer proved to be an adorable family man when he claimed that he can feel rejected by his children. He admitted that he would feel very rejected if his children humbled him.
What did Robert De Niro say about rejection?
Robert...
- 3/10/2024
- by Subham Mandal
- FandomWire
Pageantry. Screw ups. Touching tributes. Private beefs made public. There are plenty of reasons to watch the Oscars. But they all amount to partaking in, witnessing, movie history in its many forms — the high art, the gossip, the record-breaking moments when an arthouse director becomes a household name.
However, there are a lot of ways to set a record. There are big moments like Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tying the record with 11 trophies or Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite becoming the first film not in English (or silent) to win Best Picture. And then, beyond those sit the oddities and records that are nearly impossible to break. Give me records like Walter Brennan winning three Best Supporting Actor awards because, as a former extra, he was popular with the Union of Film Extras, who were allowed to vote. At least, the story goes, they were allowed...
However, there are a lot of ways to set a record. There are big moments like Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tying the record with 11 trophies or Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite becoming the first film not in English (or silent) to win Best Picture. And then, beyond those sit the oddities and records that are nearly impossible to break. Give me records like Walter Brennan winning three Best Supporting Actor awards because, as a former extra, he was popular with the Union of Film Extras, who were allowed to vote. At least, the story goes, they were allowed...
- 3/10/2024
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Oscars Trivia: Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn. (Photo Credit – IMDb)
As everyone gears up for the 2024 Academy Awards, we have another interesting Oscars Trivia for you. If you’ve followed the award ceremony for years, you must be aware that there have been times when the Academy grabbed headlines for unexpected events. From The Godfather actor Marlon Brando not attending the awards to the Will Smith and Chris Rock slap gate, there’s a lot that startles the audience. But did you know, once, two actresses won the Best Actress Award at the same time?
Yes, you read it right. In 1969, there was a tie between Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn for the Best Actress category at the Oscars. Barbra was nominated for Funny Girl, and Katharine was nominated in the same category for her performance in The Lion in Winter. However, only one of the actresses was present for the award ceremony.
As everyone gears up for the 2024 Academy Awards, we have another interesting Oscars Trivia for you. If you’ve followed the award ceremony for years, you must be aware that there have been times when the Academy grabbed headlines for unexpected events. From The Godfather actor Marlon Brando not attending the awards to the Will Smith and Chris Rock slap gate, there’s a lot that startles the audience. But did you know, once, two actresses won the Best Actress Award at the same time?
Yes, you read it right. In 1969, there was a tie between Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn for the Best Actress category at the Oscars. Barbra was nominated for Funny Girl, and Katharine was nominated in the same category for her performance in The Lion in Winter. However, only one of the actresses was present for the award ceremony.
- 3/10/2024
- by Pooja Darade
- KoiMoi
Best Actress has come down to the two-horse race we always thought it would do as we enter Oscars weekend. “Poor Things” star Emma Stone took home the Best Comedy Actress Golden Globe as well as the Critics Choice and BAFTA awards for Best Actress. Meanwhile, “Killers of the Flower Moon” performer Lily Gladstone landed the Best Drama Actress Golden Globe and snagged the SAG award for Best Actress. That has left us Oscarologists split. Gladstone is slightly ahead in our Oscars odds chart for Best Actress but, truthfully, it could go either way.
Or could it go the same way?
Could Stone and Gladstone produce a delightful shock and share the Best Actress Oscar in a tie? Wouldn’t that be fun? Stone and Gladstone both seem like they’d be overjoyed if that were to happen, and so would we be. Best Actress has ended in a tie before.
Or could it go the same way?
Could Stone and Gladstone produce a delightful shock and share the Best Actress Oscar in a tie? Wouldn’t that be fun? Stone and Gladstone both seem like they’d be overjoyed if that were to happen, and so would we be. Best Actress has ended in a tie before.
- 3/9/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is a classic horror flick that really gets under your skin. It’s all about this guy named Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson, who goes totally off the deep end. The 86-year-old’s performance is unforgettable, as he nails the whole tormented, crazy thing. But here’s the kicker: he never got an Oscar for it. Can you believe that?
Jack Nicholson in How Do You Know
Despite all the creepy vibes and stellar acting, the Academy just looked the other way. It’s a real head-scratcher and one of those moments where you wonder what they were thinking.
The Shining Deserved An Oscar Win For Jack Nicholson
The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is a horror classic that really packs a punch. And Jack Nicholson’s performance as Jack Torrance is what makes it so unforgettable. He really nails the whole unraveling, going crazy thing,...
Jack Nicholson in How Do You Know
Despite all the creepy vibes and stellar acting, the Academy just looked the other way. It’s a real head-scratcher and one of those moments where you wonder what they were thinking.
The Shining Deserved An Oscar Win For Jack Nicholson
The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is a horror classic that really packs a punch. And Jack Nicholson’s performance as Jack Torrance is what makes it so unforgettable. He really nails the whole unraveling, going crazy thing,...
- 3/9/2024
- by Muskan Chaudhary
- FandomWire
Throughout the past decade, Gold Derby has been creating photo galleries for many performers and directors. We rank the best movies for each person from all stages of their careers. For the Oscars 2024 nominees, we’ve also added in their current projects to the rankings. Click each name below to see if you agree with our rankings for those nominees with at least 10 films in their careers.
Annette Bening, acting nominee for “Nyad” (ranking 13 best performances)
Emily Blunt, acting nominee for “Oppenheimer” (ranking 16 best performances)
Bradley Cooper, nominee for producing, writing and acting in “Maestro” (ranking 16 best performances)
Robert De Niro, acting nominee for “Killers of the Flower Moon” (ranking 28 best performances)
Robert Downey, Jr., acting nominee for “Oppenheimer” (ranking 21 best performances)
Jodie Foster, acting nominee for “Nyad” (ranking 16 best performances)
Paul Giamatti, acting nominee for “The Holdovers”(ranking 16 best performances)
Ryan Gosling, acting nominee for “Barbie” (ranking 15 best performances)
Carey Mulligan,...
Annette Bening, acting nominee for “Nyad” (ranking 13 best performances)
Emily Blunt, acting nominee for “Oppenheimer” (ranking 16 best performances)
Bradley Cooper, nominee for producing, writing and acting in “Maestro” (ranking 16 best performances)
Robert De Niro, acting nominee for “Killers of the Flower Moon” (ranking 28 best performances)
Robert Downey, Jr., acting nominee for “Oppenheimer” (ranking 21 best performances)
Jodie Foster, acting nominee for “Nyad” (ranking 16 best performances)
Paul Giamatti, acting nominee for “The Holdovers”(ranking 16 best performances)
Ryan Gosling, acting nominee for “Barbie” (ranking 15 best performances)
Carey Mulligan,...
- 3/7/2024
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
When I was a little kid back during the Pleistocene era, there were annually three things you had to watch that were can’t-miss viewing: the annual broadcasts of “The Wizard of Oz” on CBS at Thanksgiving and “It’s a Wonderful Life” on NBC at Christmastime – and the Academy Awards in April. I didn’t have a particularly close family growing up, but we would all huddle on the couch and practically join hands while tuned to this trio of yearly spectacles. It’s hard to imagine now in our everything-on-demand viewing culture, but in the years before streaming and video, “Wizard of Oz” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” were once massive, once-a-year events.
And the Academy Awards still is.
What’s that you say? The Oscar ratings have fallen off a cliff over the past several years? Well, maybe. But it doesn’t matter. They’re still the granddaddy (and grandmama?...
And the Academy Awards still is.
What’s that you say? The Oscar ratings have fallen off a cliff over the past several years? Well, maybe. But it doesn’t matter. They’re still the granddaddy (and grandmama?...
- 3/6/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Robert Downey Jr. looks to have Best Supporting Actor locked up after he swept the precursors for his sterling turn in Christopher Nolan‘s “Oppenheimer.” But while Downey Jr. would be more than a deserving winner for his phenomenal performance, the Oscars always throws up a surprise or two on the actual night. Could we see an upset in Best Supporting Actor?
Downey Jr. is nominated alongside Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”), Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”), Sterling K. Brown (“American Fiction”), and Robert De Niro (“Killers of the Flower Moon”). Gosling has lots of support for his sublime “Barbie” performance while Ruffalo and Brown also have their backers, too. However, the legendary De Niro could prove to be the closest challenger to Downey Jr. thanks to his iconic career and status.
This is De Niro’s ninth Oscar nomination. He’s been nominated for Best Actor five times — in 1977 for “Taxi Driver,...
Downey Jr. is nominated alongside Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”), Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”), Sterling K. Brown (“American Fiction”), and Robert De Niro (“Killers of the Flower Moon”). Gosling has lots of support for his sublime “Barbie” performance while Ruffalo and Brown also have their backers, too. However, the legendary De Niro could prove to be the closest challenger to Downey Jr. thanks to his iconic career and status.
This is De Niro’s ninth Oscar nomination. He’s been nominated for Best Actor five times — in 1977 for “Taxi Driver,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
The Academy Award, popularly known as the Oscars, is the most prestigious award that someone from within the film fraternity can win. It is every actor’s dream to etch their name in the annals of film history, a recognition of their mastery over the art form that takes a significant amount of time to refine. Over the years, several actors have won the award, thus setting themselves apart from the rest. In this article, we will take a look at five such actors whose Oscar records will not be broken anytime soon.
The film industry has seen the rise and fall of actors. While not everyone can make it big, those who have managed to do so have left their mark forever.
It is worth noting that an Oscar alone does not determine one’s talent, as it is merely a reward for the work that they put in.
The film industry has seen the rise and fall of actors. While not everyone can make it big, those who have managed to do so have left their mark forever.
It is worth noting that an Oscar alone does not determine one’s talent, as it is merely a reward for the work that they put in.
- 3/6/2024
- by Sreshtha Roychowdhury
- FandomWire
The Oscar heavyweight, Grammy-winning great and all-around icon, Barbra Streisand was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.
“This is such a wonderful award to get because you know in advance you’re going to get it. You don’t have to sit there in squirm… And if you don’t have to put on such a happy face, ‘I’m so happy to lose!’ Anyway, you all know what I mean,” the legend joked.
Pivoting to more serious matters, Streisand revealed that she was proud to be a SAG-AFTRA member for over 60 years, “I can’t believe it. I remember dreaming of being an actress as a teenager, sitting in my bed in Brooklyn with a pint of coffee ice cream and a movie magazine.”
But in the end, Streisand dedicated her lifetime achievement speech to the actors among her in the auditorium.
“This is such a wonderful award to get because you know in advance you’re going to get it. You don’t have to sit there in squirm… And if you don’t have to put on such a happy face, ‘I’m so happy to lose!’ Anyway, you all know what I mean,” the legend joked.
Pivoting to more serious matters, Streisand revealed that she was proud to be a SAG-AFTRA member for over 60 years, “I can’t believe it. I remember dreaming of being an actress as a teenager, sitting in my bed in Brooklyn with a pint of coffee ice cream and a movie magazine.”
But in the end, Streisand dedicated her lifetime achievement speech to the actors among her in the auditorium.
- 2/25/2024
- by Meredith Woerner
- Variety Film + TV
Despite three new releases, Paramount’s Bob Marley biographical drama “One Love” is projected to top the box office again.
This weekend’s newcomers, Hilary Swank’s inspirational drama “Ordinary Angels” and director Ethan Coen’s comedic thriller “Drive-Away Dolls,” are targeting single digits in their debuts. With those paltry ticket sales, “Bob Marley: One Love” looks to repeat No. 1 after scoring a better-than-expected $28.6 million over the weekend and $52 million through the extended holiday frame. The musical film could add $12 million to $14 million in its sophomore outing.
Sony and Crunchyroll’s “Demon Slayer” sequel “Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training” also opens this weekend and is aiming for about $10 million to start. That’s on par with its immediate predecessor, 2023’s anime adventure “Demon Slayer: To the Swordsmith Village” ($10.1 million in its initial weekend) but far behind 2021’s “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train” (an impressive $21 million amid pandemic-era theater closures...
This weekend’s newcomers, Hilary Swank’s inspirational drama “Ordinary Angels” and director Ethan Coen’s comedic thriller “Drive-Away Dolls,” are targeting single digits in their debuts. With those paltry ticket sales, “Bob Marley: One Love” looks to repeat No. 1 after scoring a better-than-expected $28.6 million over the weekend and $52 million through the extended holiday frame. The musical film could add $12 million to $14 million in its sophomore outing.
Sony and Crunchyroll’s “Demon Slayer” sequel “Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training” also opens this weekend and is aiming for about $10 million to start. That’s on par with its immediate predecessor, 2023’s anime adventure “Demon Slayer: To the Swordsmith Village” ($10.1 million in its initial weekend) but far behind 2021’s “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train” (an impressive $21 million amid pandemic-era theater closures...
- 2/21/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The Coen brothers broke up four years ago, and it has taken them a while to come out with solo albums that define their identities. In 2021, Joel Coen directed “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” which was a dazzling black-and-white pastiche of a Shakespeare drama. It was well-done but felt like a one-off, a decision by Coen to serve the material. One year later, Ethan Coen came out with “Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind,” a small-scale rock ‘n’ roll documentary that he made during the pandemic; it was a YouTube clip job, and on those terms expertly crafted — but even after Jerry Lee died (five months after the film’s Cannes premiere), it took ages for the film to be released.
Now, though, we finally have a Coen movie in which one of the brothers puts his solo stamp on filmmaking. “Drive-Away Dolls,” directed by Ethan Coen, is a crime-speckled road-trip...
Now, though, we finally have a Coen movie in which one of the brothers puts his solo stamp on filmmaking. “Drive-Away Dolls,” directed by Ethan Coen, is a crime-speckled road-trip...
- 2/21/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
From left: Enchanted (Buena Vista Pictures), When Harry Met Sally (Columbia Pictures), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images)Graphic: The A.V. Club
Chemistry is perhaps the most elusive of all cinematic ingredients. Critics can point to craft in elements like directorial technique, set design, editing, and the...
Chemistry is perhaps the most elusive of all cinematic ingredients. Critics can point to craft in elements like directorial technique, set design, editing, and the...
- 2/14/2024
- by Gwen Ihnat, A.A. Dowd, David Anthony, Becca James, Caitlin PenzeyMoog, Alex McLevy, Danette Chavez, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, Cameron Scheetz, and Marah Eakin
- avclub.com
The Screen Actors Guild has been presenting its annual life achievement award for many decades. The most recent recipient for 2024 was double Oscar winner Barbra Streisand.
For the 2023 event, Sally Field was the latest veteran performer to receive the Screen Actor’s Guild life achievement award. Starting in 1995, audiences around the world have been able to enjoy this celebration of a beloved thespian’s work, crammed right in the middle of a nail-biting awards telecast. In honor of De Niro’s accomplishment, let’s take a look back at every person to be given this prize since the event was first televised. Our gallery includes Helen Mirren, Robert De Niro, Alan Alda, Morgan Freeman, Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno, Betty White, Shirley Temple and more.
SAG began handing out a career achievement prize to actors who left their mark on both the big screen and small in 1962. It wasn’t until...
For the 2023 event, Sally Field was the latest veteran performer to receive the Screen Actor’s Guild life achievement award. Starting in 1995, audiences around the world have been able to enjoy this celebration of a beloved thespian’s work, crammed right in the middle of a nail-biting awards telecast. In honor of De Niro’s accomplishment, let’s take a look back at every person to be given this prize since the event was first televised. Our gallery includes Helen Mirren, Robert De Niro, Alan Alda, Morgan Freeman, Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno, Betty White, Shirley Temple and more.
SAG began handing out a career achievement prize to actors who left their mark on both the big screen and small in 1962. It wasn’t until...
- 2/14/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
‘Is it autobiographical?’ is usually a question that female novelists can’t escape, but when David Nicholls published One Day in 2009, it also plagued him. Perhaps writing in the romantic genre encouraged interviewers to grant Nicholls honorary-woman status? Lucky him.
One Day is the story of Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew, whose lives we dip into on the same date each year for a couple of decades. They first meet as students at their Edinburgh University graduation ball in 1988, after which their lives weave in and out of each other’s all the way into their mid-30s. The book was a word-of-mouth hit that was made into a very middling film in 2011, and has since been adapted into a terrific 14-part Netflix series starring This is Going to Hurt’s Ambika Mod and The White Lotus’ Leo Woodall.
Because Emma and Dexter become mildly public figures in the story...
One Day is the story of Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew, whose lives we dip into on the same date each year for a couple of decades. They first meet as students at their Edinburgh University graduation ball in 1988, after which their lives weave in and out of each other’s all the way into their mid-30s. The book was a word-of-mouth hit that was made into a very middling film in 2011, and has since been adapted into a terrific 14-part Netflix series starring This is Going to Hurt’s Ambika Mod and The White Lotus’ Leo Woodall.
Because Emma and Dexter become mildly public figures in the story...
- 2/9/2024
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Upon securing a spot in the 2024 Best Supporting Actress Oscar lineup, Jodie Foster (“Nyad”) officially shattered the Academy Awards record for longest span between fourth and fifth acting nominations. Following her two Best Actress wins for “The Accused” (1989) and “The Silence of the Lambs” (1992), she had last been recognized in that category for “Nell” (1995), making for a general nomination gap of 29 years. Coincidentally, she took this particular distinction from fellow “Silence of the Lambs” winner Anthony Hopkins, who waited 22 years between his supporting bids for “Amistad” (1998) and “The Two Popes” (2020).
Previously, the female record for longest wait for a fifth nomination was 12 years, as shared by Julianne Moore and Frances McDormand. Considering gaps between any two consecutive acting nominations, Foster ranks well behind overall record holder Judd Hirsch, whose first and second career notices for “Ordinary People” (1981) and “The Fabelmans” (2023) came 42 years apart. His female counterpart is Helen Hayes (39 years...
Previously, the female record for longest wait for a fifth nomination was 12 years, as shared by Julianne Moore and Frances McDormand. Considering gaps between any two consecutive acting nominations, Foster ranks well behind overall record holder Judd Hirsch, whose first and second career notices for “Ordinary People” (1981) and “The Fabelmans” (2023) came 42 years apart. His female counterpart is Helen Hayes (39 years...
- 2/6/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Anne Edwards, dubbed “The Queen of Biography” for her work on best-selling books about the actresses Vivien Leigh and Katharine Hepburn, as well as 14 other celebrity biographies, died on Jan. 20 in Beverly Hills, Calif. She was 96 and her daughter said she passed from lung cancer at a senior living facility.
In addition to her biographies, the prolific writ.er had eight novels, three children’s books, two memoirs and one autobiography.
A child performer on radio and the stage, Ms. Edwards sold her first screenplay in 1949, when she was 22.
Her first novel, the mystery The Survivors arrived in 1968; and her first biography, of Judy Garland, in 1975.
Her “Vivien Leigh: A Biography” (1977) spent 19 weeks on The New York Times’s hardcover best-seller list.
Edwards also wrote biographies of Maria Callas, Ronald Reagan, Barbra Streisand and Diana, Princess of Wales.
Her...
In addition to her biographies, the prolific writ.er had eight novels, three children’s books, two memoirs and one autobiography.
A child performer on radio and the stage, Ms. Edwards sold her first screenplay in 1949, when she was 22.
Her first novel, the mystery The Survivors arrived in 1968; and her first biography, of Judy Garland, in 1975.
Her “Vivien Leigh: A Biography” (1977) spent 19 weeks on The New York Times’s hardcover best-seller list.
Edwards also wrote biographies of Maria Callas, Ronald Reagan, Barbra Streisand and Diana, Princess of Wales.
Her...
- 2/1/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
For the second time in six years, the Best Actress category looked to be on track to feature nominees from films nominated for Best Picture. But just like six years ago, it came up short — and it once again involved Margot Robbie.
Annette Bening (“Nyad”), Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Sandra Hüller (“Anatomy of a Fall”), Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) made the Best Actress cut on Tuesday. Every film but “Nyad” is nominated for Best Picture. Gladstone, Hüller, Mulligan and Stone were all expected to get in, but Bening was in seventh place in the odds. Now a five-time nominee, she made it in over Robbie, who was in fifth place in the odds and headlines Best Picture nominee “Barbie” (Robbie is nominated as producer).
Six years ago, it was the reverse situation with Robbie. She earned her first career Oscar nomination for her...
Annette Bening (“Nyad”), Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Sandra Hüller (“Anatomy of a Fall”), Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) made the Best Actress cut on Tuesday. Every film but “Nyad” is nominated for Best Picture. Gladstone, Hüller, Mulligan and Stone were all expected to get in, but Bening was in seventh place in the odds. Now a five-time nominee, she made it in over Robbie, who was in fifth place in the odds and headlines Best Picture nominee “Barbie” (Robbie is nominated as producer).
Six years ago, it was the reverse situation with Robbie. She earned her first career Oscar nomination for her...
- 1/24/2024
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Of the 272 films that have earned lone acting Oscar nominations – meaning they were each recognized in one performance category and nowhere else – a whopping 101 (or 37.1%) accomplished the feat thanks to lead actresses. Whereas just 60 examples have occurred in the Best Actor category, the corresponding female one reached that benchmark in 1991 and is on track to double it less than two decades from now. Its triple digit total has now been intact for one full year, having directly resulted from the simultaneous nominations of Ana de Armas (“Blonde”) and Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie”).
Although an Oscar bid was generally expected to follow de Armas’s 2023 BAFTA, Golden Globe, and SAG Award nominations, Riseborough very memorably came out of nowhere, having defied precedent by benefiting from an enthusiastic grassroots campaign. While most of the earlier lone Best Actress contenders belong in de Armas’s camp, many align with Riseborough in having pulled off major surprises.
Although an Oscar bid was generally expected to follow de Armas’s 2023 BAFTA, Golden Globe, and SAG Award nominations, Riseborough very memorably came out of nowhere, having defied precedent by benefiting from an enthusiastic grassroots campaign. While most of the earlier lone Best Actress contenders belong in de Armas’s camp, many align with Riseborough in having pulled off major surprises.
- 1/22/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
In the 95-year history of the Academy Awards, 88 films have each received nominations for both Best Actor and Best Actress. Although there have been 19 cases of two or more movies doing so in a single year, there hasn’t been such an occurrence since 1996, when both lead lineups included performers from “Dead Man Walking” and “Leaving Las Vegas.” However, according to Gold Derby’s late-stage 2024 Oscar nominations predictions, that nearly three-decade gap is set to soon be closed by costar pairs from “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Maestro.”
The vast majority of the Oscars prognosticators who’ve been shaping our odds all season agree that Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) and Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) will all clinch academy mentions for their lead performances. The last such quartet consisted of eventual winners Nicolas Cage (“Leaving Las Vegas”) and Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”) and their respective costars,...
The vast majority of the Oscars prognosticators who’ve been shaping our odds all season agree that Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) and Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) will all clinch academy mentions for their lead performances. The last such quartet consisted of eventual winners Nicolas Cage (“Leaving Las Vegas”) and Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”) and their respective costars,...
- 1/21/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
One of the most quoted pieces of Hollywood wisdom holds that 90 percent of directing is casting. You bring the right actors together, and you're off to the races. This is, of course, laughably simplistic. You could argue that 90 percent of directing is writing because there's no movie or show to make if there's nothing on the page. And many directors will tell you that their films don't truly come together until they're hunkered down with their editor in post-production.
The truth, obviously, is that film and television production is a collaborative process that requires numerous people with expertise in different disciplines to do what they do at the highest level possible. And when it comes to casting, there is absolutely an art to finding, after untold hours of reels and cold reads, the ideal actor for each role — especially if you're trying to launch a successful television series. Because no...
The truth, obviously, is that film and television production is a collaborative process that requires numerous people with expertise in different disciplines to do what they do at the highest level possible. And when it comes to casting, there is absolutely an art to finding, after untold hours of reels and cold reads, the ideal actor for each role — especially if you're trying to launch a successful television series. Because no...
- 1/13/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
From the will-they-won’t-they romance of When Harry Met Sally to the acid-burn comedy of Festen, organised jollity is a gift for film-makers
It’s New Year’s Eve, the one night a year when otherwise commonplace parties take on a slightly desperate significance, a need to succeed. You have to set the tone for the year ahead, and warm prosecco on an emptying dancefloor doesn’t bode well for anyone. This degree of pressure sets up almost any celebration to fail – though a bad party can launch as many formative memories as a good one. Look at the movies where parties pave the way for swooning romantic connection, social catastrophe or the end of the world: with the help of a few drinks, any drama speeds up.
It’s a New Year’s Eve party, specifically, that finally brings closure to the will-they-won’t-they relationship dance that keeps Rob Reiner...
It’s New Year’s Eve, the one night a year when otherwise commonplace parties take on a slightly desperate significance, a need to succeed. You have to set the tone for the year ahead, and warm prosecco on an emptying dancefloor doesn’t bode well for anyone. This degree of pressure sets up almost any celebration to fail – though a bad party can launch as many formative memories as a good one. Look at the movies where parties pave the way for swooning romantic connection, social catastrophe or the end of the world: with the help of a few drinks, any drama speeds up.
It’s a New Year’s Eve party, specifically, that finally brings closure to the will-they-won’t-they relationship dance that keeps Rob Reiner...
- 12/30/2023
- by Guy Lodge
- The Guardian - Film News
While the Best Supporting Actress Oscar is often awarded to an ingenue, like the 2022 winner Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”), it can also be a way to reward a more seasoned performer. In 2023, Jamie Lee Curtis reaped her first Oscar bid at age 64 and won for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” In 2021 Youn Yuh-jung, who is renowned in her native South Korea, won at age 73 for her first English film, “Minari.” And in 2020, the academy honored past nominee Laura Dern who finally took home an Oscar for her scene-stealing performance in “Marriage Story.” (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2024 Oscar predictions for Best Supporting Actress.)
While Dern was clearly a featured player in her picture, two of her rival nominees, Florence Pugh and Margot Robbie, could easily have submitted themselves in lead for their roles in “Little Women” and “Bombshell” respectively. But the studios decided to campaign only their co-stars,...
While Dern was clearly a featured player in her picture, two of her rival nominees, Florence Pugh and Margot Robbie, could easily have submitted themselves in lead for their roles in “Little Women” and “Bombshell” respectively. But the studios decided to campaign only their co-stars,...
- 12/29/2023
- by Paul Sheehan and Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
The motion picture academy has handed out Oscars for leading performances since the first ceremony in 1929. While the Best Actor prize is typically taken by a veteran, the Best Actress Oscar has tended to go to an ingenue. However, those age biases could be changing.
While a whopping 32 of the 96 Best Actress champs were in their 20s when they picked up their Oscars, the last five women to win were: 60-year-old Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”); 45-year old Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”); double champ Frances McDormand, 45-year-old Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”) and 50-year-old Renee Zellweger (“Judy”). Yeoh’s closest rival last year was Cate Blanchett, 53, for “Tar.” (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2024 Oscar predictions for Best Actress.)
Besides Zellweger, the only other Best Actress champs in their 50s were both 54 when they won: Julianne Moore, who finally prevailed after four losses for “Still Alice...
While a whopping 32 of the 96 Best Actress champs were in their 20s when they picked up their Oscars, the last five women to win were: 60-year-old Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”); 45-year old Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”); double champ Frances McDormand, 45-year-old Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”) and 50-year-old Renee Zellweger (“Judy”). Yeoh’s closest rival last year was Cate Blanchett, 53, for “Tar.” (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2024 Oscar predictions for Best Actress.)
Besides Zellweger, the only other Best Actress champs in their 50s were both 54 when they won: Julianne Moore, who finally prevailed after four losses for “Still Alice...
- 12/29/2023
- by Paul Sheehan and Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
The current Oscar frontrunners for Best Actor and Best Actress according to the combined predictions of Gold Derby users are Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”). However, they both face serious competition from the stars of “Maestro,” Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan. If the co-stars both win, “Maestro” would be the first film since “As Good As It Gets” to win both lead acting Oscars.
SEEBradley Cooper (‘Maestro’) makes Critics Choice Awards history
“Maestro” chronicles the decades-long relationship between conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) and actress Felicia Montealegre (Mulligan). Their love story spans over 30 years from the time they met at a party in 1946 and continuing through their quarter-century marriage. But winning matching Oscars isn’t easy. To date only seven films have won both lead acting awards. They are:
“It Happened One Night” (1934) – Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975) – Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher...
SEEBradley Cooper (‘Maestro’) makes Critics Choice Awards history
“Maestro” chronicles the decades-long relationship between conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) and actress Felicia Montealegre (Mulligan). Their love story spans over 30 years from the time they met at a party in 1946 and continuing through their quarter-century marriage. But winning matching Oscars isn’t easy. To date only seven films have won both lead acting awards. They are:
“It Happened One Night” (1934) – Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975) – Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher...
- 12/27/2023
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Emma Stone and filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos are on a roll, so much so they could be one of the next great actor/director partnerships like Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio or perhaps a more appropriate analogy, George Cukor and Katharine Hepburn (who did eight films between 1932 and 1952).
Read More: Yorgos Lanthimos Retitles His Upcoming Film ‘And’ To ‘Kinds Of Kindness’
The duo, who are currently promoting their third film together, the fabulous demented Frankenstein-esque tale of self-actualization, “Poor Things,” have actually made three films together.
Continue reading Yorgos Lanthimos Says He & Emma Stone Are Already Talking About Another Project After ‘Kind Of Kindness’ at The Playlist.
Read More: Yorgos Lanthimos Retitles His Upcoming Film ‘And’ To ‘Kinds Of Kindness’
The duo, who are currently promoting their third film together, the fabulous demented Frankenstein-esque tale of self-actualization, “Poor Things,” have actually made three films together.
Continue reading Yorgos Lanthimos Says He & Emma Stone Are Already Talking About Another Project After ‘Kind Of Kindness’ at The Playlist.
- 12/21/2023
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
Howard Rosenman made his way to a screening of Bradley Cooper’s Maestro at the Academy a few weeks back, and admits that before he took a seat, he really wanted to not like it.
The veteran producer (Father of the Bride, Call Me by Your Name) tried to sell a project based on the life and career of Leonard Bernstein years ago but says he “didn’t have the juice” to get it off the ground. But what Rosenman does have is close personal ties to the iconic composer, a man he says dramatically changed the course of his life — and then some. Instead of hating it, Rosenman, 78, tells The Hollywood Reporter that he was so floored by Cooper’s film that he couldn’t stop crying. “It’s a masterpiece,” he says.
The quick backstory. In 1967, Rosenman, who is Jewish, was in medical school in Philadelphia. Amid a rising conflict in Israel,...
The veteran producer (Father of the Bride, Call Me by Your Name) tried to sell a project based on the life and career of Leonard Bernstein years ago but says he “didn’t have the juice” to get it off the ground. But what Rosenman does have is close personal ties to the iconic composer, a man he says dramatically changed the course of his life — and then some. Instead of hating it, Rosenman, 78, tells The Hollywood Reporter that he was so floored by Cooper’s film that he couldn’t stop crying. “It’s a masterpiece,” he says.
The quick backstory. In 1967, Rosenman, who is Jewish, was in medical school in Philadelphia. Amid a rising conflict in Israel,...
- 12/14/2023
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Not a single human on this or any other continent was surprised that Meryl Streep was nominated for a 2024 Golden Globe on Monday morning for her energetic and uproarious supporting performance in Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building.” The instant her name was read, she became a heavy favorite to win, too. It would be her ninth Globe statuette if it comes to pass on January 7 (if you don’t count her career achievement Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2017). Ho hum, just another day.
It’s already long since been established that Streep is consistently the greatest actress of our time, as effective doing comedy as she’s riveting performing drama. And yet maybe because she’s as dependable as the sunrise, it’s absurdly easy to take her and her achievements for granted. For instance, it’s been a dozen years since she won her last Globe – in...
It’s already long since been established that Streep is consistently the greatest actress of our time, as effective doing comedy as she’s riveting performing drama. And yet maybe because she’s as dependable as the sunrise, it’s absurdly easy to take her and her achievements for granted. For instance, it’s been a dozen years since she won her last Globe – in...
- 12/12/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
In the 1920s, a pair of comedians were paired together by chance, and showed a chemistry that caught the attention of audiences; Laurel and Hardy went on to make over 100 short and feature-length films that pioneered movie comedy. Over the next few decades, the studios were quick to seize upon a popular pairing, both comedic and romantic, creating some of the most popular duos in screen history – some of which carried over into offscreen friendships and real-life love stories. In the years since the downfall of the studio system, actors haven’t been paired as they were during the Golden Age, when they were contracted to do a studio’s bidding, but friendships and mutual respect has led to some memorable modern-day pairings.
From the earliest days of cinema to Abbott and Costello to Martin and Lewis to Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, a successful comedy pairing can lead to big box office returns.
From the earliest days of cinema to Abbott and Costello to Martin and Lewis to Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, a successful comedy pairing can lead to big box office returns.
- 12/7/2023
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
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