Aaron Sorkin recalls how Lucille Ball's daughter gave him permission to 'take the gloves off' in his biopic because she knew her mom 'wasn't an easy woman'
The "Being the Ricardos" director told THR that Lucie Arnaz gave him the go-ahead over lunch to "go for it" in telling Lucille Ball's story.
news.yahoo.com'Borat,' 'Promising Young Woman' win at Writers Guild Awards
This image released by Amazon Studios shows Sacha Baron Cohen in a scene from "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm." (Amazon Studios via AP)NEW YORK โ Sacha Baron Cohen's โBorat Subsequent Moviefilmโ was partly improvised and scripted by nine writers, but it still walked away Sunday night with one of the Writers Guild Awards' top honors, best adapted screenplay. Best original screenplay went to the script for the feminist revenge thriller โPromising Young Woman,โ by writer-director Emerald Fennell. โThank you for this incredible award, though I canโt help thinking we won it because 60% of the Writers Guild worked on this movie,โ said Baron Cohen. The guild's awards came after the conclusion of a two-year battle with talent agencies over potential conflicts of interest as representatives of film and TV writers.
Where to stream the best picture Oscar nominees
(Sony Pictures Classics/Warner Bros. Pictures, Netflix, A24, Searchlight Pictures, Focus Features, Amazon Studios, Netflix via AP)Normally, Academy Award nominations mean an Oscar bump in box office. This year, streaming services and digital rental platforms may get a bounce. On March 26, it will become available to rent on premium on-demand platforms and soon after for digital rental. โ โPromising Young Womanโ: Emerald Fennell's pitch-black #MeToo revenge comedy, from Focus Features, is available for $19.99 rental on digital platforms. Fennell, in her directorial debut, was nominated for best director and best screenplay, and star Carey Mulligan is up for best actress.
'Mank' leads Oscar nominations in a year of record diversity
Zhao, the first woman of color nominated for best director, is the most nominated woman in a single year in Oscar history. She was also tipped for the filmโs adapted screenplay, editing and as a producer in the best picture category. โI just quietly gave thanks and felt some gratitude.โDavis, who won for her performance in 2016โs โFences,โ landed her fourth Oscar nomination, making her the most nominated Black actress ever. The Academy Awards would typically have happened by now but this year will be telecast April 25. โCollective,โ the Romanian documentary about investigative journalism and government corruption, became just the second film nominated for both best documentary and best international film.
Chloรฉ Zhao, Emerald Fennell make history in DGA nominations
This image released by Focus Features shows Carey Mulligan, left, Emerald Fennell and Laverne Cox on the set of "Promising Young Woman." (Focus Features via AP)NEW YORK โ Chloรฉ Zhao and Emerald Fennell have been nominated for outstanding directorial achievement by the Directors Guild of America, marking the first time two women have ever competed for the guild's top honor. The 73rd Annual DGA Awards, considered a strong indicator of directing honors at the Academy Awards, announced nominees Tuesday. The Directors Guild Awards will be held virtually April 10. ___This story corrects the date of the Directors Guild Awards to April 10.
'Nomadland,' 'Rocks' lead more diverse BAFTA nominations
This image released by Altitude shows, from left, Kosar Ali, Ruby Stokes and Bukky Bakray in a scene from "Rocks." Much like previous Academy Awards controversies, last year's nominations by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts were denounced for their all-male directing nominees and all-white acting nominees, a backlash that spawned a #BaftasSoWhite hashtag. The British academy responded with a seven-month review. Also nominated are Lee Isaac Chung for the family drama โMinariโ and Thomas Vinterberg for the Danish dark comedy โAnother Round.โMore films were nominated, too. ___AP's Hilary Fox contributed to this report from London___Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
Clooney, 'Billie Holiday' among AARP movie award honorees
This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Andra Day in "The United States vs Billie Holiday." (Takashi Seida/Paramount Pictures via AP)โThe United States vs. Billie Holiday,โ โMinari,โ โDa 5 Bloodsโ and โOne Night in Miamiโ are among the films AARP is honoring at its annual Movies for Grownups Awards, the nonprofit organization said Thursday. Director Lee Danielsโ โThe United States vs. Billie Holiday,โ starring Andra Day as the jazz singer, was named best picture, while the Korean American family drama โMinariโ got best intergenerational film. โWe focus on films made by and for grownups,โ said Tim Appelo, the film and television critic for AARP. Catherine OโHara took best actress for โSchittโs Creek,โ Mark Ruffalo got best actor for โI Know This Much is Trueโ and โThis Is Usโ was named best series.
With loved ones and pets, Globes winners embrace cozier show
Instead, most of Sunday nightโs winners accepted from their own homes or hotel rooms in laidback settings unheard of for Hollywood's biggest awards shows. Friends watching on television downstairs raised a delayed shout when she was announced as the winner for supporting actress in a motion picture drama. โIt was really fun,โ said Aaron Sorkin, winner for motion picture screenplay. Their daughters, Sunday and Faith, both wore white dresses while making a rare appearance. Known for her singing career, Day became the second Black woman to win for actress in a motion picture drama in her acting debut.
Chloรฉ Zhao is 2nd woman to win best director prize at Globes
Zhao accepted the award for best director for a motion picture for "Nomadland" at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021. (Photo by Taylor Jewell/Invision/AP, File)LOS ANGELES โ Chloรฉ Zhao became the second woman to win best director at the Golden Globes and the first female winner of Asian descent on a night in which her film โNomadlandโ was crowned the top drama film. โThis is what he said about compassion,โ Zhao said. Zhao also was nominated for best motion picture screenplay and lost to Aaron Sorkin. McDormand received a nod for actress in a motion picture drama, but lost.
'Nomadland,' 'Borat' win at a socially distant Golden Globes
Sheโs only the second woman in the history of the Globes to win, and the first since Barbra Streisand won for โYentlโ in 1984. Its star, guerilla comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, also won best actor in a comedy. โThe Queen's Gambitโ won best limited series, and best actress in the category for Anya Taylor-Joy. โSchitt's Creek,โ the Pop TV series that found a wider audience on Netflix, won best comedy series for its final season. Catherine O'Hara also took best actress in a comedy series.
'Ma Rainey,' 'Minari' and Boseman lead SAG nominations
The Screen Actors Guild has nominated the cast for a SAG Award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture. But the SAG Awards, presented by SAG-AFTRA, are considered a far better barometer for the Academy Awards, where actors account for the largest percentage of the academy. Usually, the eventual Oscar best picture winner is first nominated for best ensemble by the SAG Awards, though โGreen Bookโ and โThe Shape of Water" were two recent exceptions. Aside from Boseman and Oldman, the nominees for best male actor in a lead role were Riz Ahmed (โSound of Metalโ), Anthony Hopkins (โThe Fatherโ) and Steven Yeun (โMinariโ). All of the female leads in a drama series nominees came from either โThe Crownโ (Gillian Anderson, Colman, Emma Corrin) or โOzarkโ (Laura Linney, Julia Garner).
Hugh Grant, Maria Bakalova react to Golden Globe nominations
This image released by Amazon Studios shows Maria Bakalova, left, and Sacha Baron Cohen in a scene from "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm." The film was nominated for a Golden Globe for best musical/comedy. (Amazon Studios via AP)LOS ANGELES โ Reactions from nominees for the the 78th Golden Globe Awards. โ Bob Odenkirk, nominated for best actor in a TV drama for โBetter Call Saul," in a phone interview. But Iโm just so hyped.โ โ Nicholas Hoult, nominated for best actor in a TV musical or comedy for โThe Great."
With โMankโ and โThe Crown,โ Netflix dominates Globes noms
In this image released by Netflix, Gary Oldman portrays Herman Mankiewicz in a scene from "Mank." On Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021 the film was nominated for a Golden Globe for best motion picture drama. โMank,โ about โCitizen Kaneโ co-writer Herman Mankiewicz, landed nominations for best film, drama; best actor for Gary Oldman; best director for Fincher, best supporting actress for Amanda Seyfried; best score; and best screenplay for Jack Fincher, the directorโs father who penned the script before dying in 2003. Netflix, which topped all studios at the Globes last year, too, led with a commanding 42 nominations, with 22 coming in film categories and 20 in television. AdThe Globes are typically the first major show of Hollywoodโs awards season, which ends with the crowning of the best picture winner at the Oscars.
Golden Globes nominations Wednesday could belong to Netflix
Nominations for the 78th annual Golden Globes will be announced on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2021. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK โ Whether anyone will be attending the Golden Globes in person remains uncertain and improbable. On Tuesday, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association said the Globes โ typically a bubbly dinner gathering with flowing drinks โ will be held bi-coastally for the first time. digital channels and the Golden Globes' website. Last year's Golden Globes culminated in awards for โ1917โ and โOnce Upon a Time ... in Hollywood."
โSoul,โ โMa Raineyโsโ among AFIโs top 10 films of the year
This image released by Netflix shows, from second left, Norm Lewis, Clarke Peters Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Delroy Lindo in a scene from "Da 5 Bloods," named one of the top 10 films of the year by The American Film Institute. (David Lee/Netflix via AP)The American Film Institute on Monday announced its top 10 films of the year, including Pixarโs jazz themed โSoulโ and two of Chadwick Bosemanโs final films: the August Wilson adaptation โMa Raineyโs Black Bottomโ and Spike Leeโs Vietnam drama โDa 5 Bloods,โ both of which are Netflix films. AFI also selected Warner Bros.โ Black Panther Party film โJudas and the Black Messiahโ which will have its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on Feb. 1. The AFI also named its top 10 television shows, including Netflixโs โThe Queenโs Gambit,โ the Disney+ phenomenon โThe Mandalorianโ and Apple TV+โs โTed Lasso.โThe selection jury included filmmakers Rian Johnson and Lulu Wang. The group also included a special citation for โHamilton.โIn lieu of the annual luncheon celebrating the honorees, AFI will hold a virtual benediction on Feb. 26 streaming on YouTube and the AFI website.
Gothams give virtual start to Oscar season, 'Nomadland' wins
The film won best feature at the Gotham Awards on Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Opening the show, Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of the Gotham Film & Media Institute, predicted that there would be โglitches and gremlinsโ throughout the event. All of the films nominated for best feature were directed by women, including lead-nominee getter โFirst Cow,โ by Kelly Reichardt. Zhao, whose โThe Riderโ won best feature at the Gothams two years ago, thanked the festivals that, like the Gothams, carried on despite the trying circumstances. Nicole Behaire won best actress for โMiss Juneteenth.โ โOh, my God,โ she mouthed while still on mute.
The AP names its Breakthrough Entertainers of 2020
Making a breakthrough in pop culture during any year is hard. This year's five Associated Pressโ Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year managed to create buzz and art against a year like no other. They brightened a 2020 that badly needed light. They are Anya Taylor-Joy, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sarah Cooper and Finneas. "Now as an adult, Iโm like, โI live in Narnia.โ Like, this is amazing.โ In a year like 2020, it was appropriate that millions escaped with her.
With red carpets rolled up, the Oscar race goes virtual
Hollywoods awards season has gone virtual. For Awards Daily founder Sasha Stone, who has been covering the Oscars since 2000, itโs like nothing sheโs ever seen โ an awards season without glamour, without red carpets, without anything that feels real. And awards season, such as it is, has gone virtual. The Oscar race will Zoomed. Not everyone is sorry that awards season โ an increasingly bloated, overlong, high-priced slog from September to February โ has been turned upside down.
New this week: The Boss, Billie Eilish, Borat & 'Bad Hair'
(Columbia Records via AP)Hereโs a collection curated by The Associated Pressโ entertainment journalists of whatโs arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. Edgier than the (also great) Gwyneth Paltrow version, Anya Taylor-Joy takes on the role of the matchmaker extraordinaire this time. โ Billie Eilish was on the road for just three days before she had to cancel her worldwide tour due to the coronavirus pandemic in March. But thankfully on Saturday the Grammy-winning star will host her first global livestream concert. โEssential Heroes: A Momento Latino Eventโ uses music, comedy, short documentaries and celebrity appearances to explore the Latino experience.
'The West Wing' cast reunites again, this time for a book
NEW YORK โ The stars of โThe West Wingโ are once again joining together, this time for a book about the award-winning White House television drama. On Monday, Dutton announced that it had acquired โWhat's Next: A Citizen's Guide to The West Wing,โ organized by actors Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack, with the participation of Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney and series creator Aaron Sorkin among others. โWhat's Nextโ will combine memories of the NBC program, which ran from 1999-2006, with โa powerful case for competent and empathetic leadership, and for hope and optimism in what lies ahead," according to Dutton, which has not set a release date. In a joint statement, Fitzgerald and McCormack said the book was "for the millions of fans who love the show, and also to show how that love, hope and optimism it has engendered has been channeled into real world service and action. The series won four consecutive best drama series Emmy Awards beginning in 2000.
TV gives viewers a split-screen comparison of Trump, Biden
President Donald Trump wipes his face during a break in an NBC News Town Hall, at Perez Art Museum Miami, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020, in Miami. NBC News chief executive Cesar Conde said Thursday that NBC scheduled Trump out of fairness after Biden did a town hall at the same time last Thursday. There were apparently still hard feelings, given that Muir twice mentioned a nameless โanother networkโ holding a Trump town hall. โHas there ever been two more different presidential candidates than Trump or Biden?โ asked The Washington Post's Glenn Kessler in a tweet. At a rally in North Carolina on Thursday, Trump called NBC โthe worst" and said he was being set up with the town hall.
New this week: David Byrne, 'The Amazing Race' & Tommy Lee
Hereโs a collection curated by The Associated Pressโ entertainment journalists of whatโs arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. โ Gretchen Sorin and Ric Burns' โDriving While Black: Race, Space and Mobility in Americaโ was, unfortunately, always going to be of the moment. โ Rocker Tommy Lee is in a collaborative state of mind on his new album, โAndro,โ out Friday. Sundance Nowโs true crime drama โDesโ stars David Tennant (โDoctor Whoโ) as Dennis Nilsen, a serial killer who targeted young men, including the homeless. The three-part โDes,โ debuting Thursday on the streaming service, was a recent U.K. TV hit and drew raves for Tennantโs performance.
Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle on the making of "Steve Jobs"
Four years ago this week, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died. A new movie bearing his name takes a look at his genius, flaws and legacy. Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle teamed up for this film. Sorkin and Boyle join "CBS This Morning" to discuss the premise of "Steve Jobs" and challenges they encountered with the Jobs family and friends.
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