Back to normal? Cannes Film Festival prepares to party
After the 2020 Cannes Film Festival was canceled by the pandemic and the 2021 edition was scaled back — even kisses were forbade on the red carpet — the lavish French Riviera cinema soiree is set to return with a festival that promises to be something like normal.
'Concrete Cowboy' shows Philadelphia's Black cowboy culture
“Concrete Cowboy,” an urban Western about African American riders in Philadelphia starring Idris Elba, is about an often unseen — and persisting — Black cowboy culture. “Concrete Cowboy" is a father-son drama set around Fletcher Street Stables, one of the oldest and last-remaining of Philadelphia's hardscrabble inner-city stables. But through tenacity and improvisation, Fletcher Street has remained a cherished refuge and an ardent pastime for both kids and adults on the streets of Philadelphia’s Strawberry Mansion. “It didn’t occur to me until the Bob Marley song ‘Buffalo Soldier,’ which opened my interest about Black cowboys. They’re trying to raise money for an equestrian center and to convince Philadelphia government officials that the Fletcher Street heritage is worth preserving.
New this week: Godzilla vs Kong, 'Concrete Cowboy' & Mahalia
This combination photo shows poster art for the film "Godzilla vs Kong," premiering on HBO Max on March 31, left, "Concrete Cowboy," premiering April 2 on Netflix and "Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia," premiering April 3 on Lifetime. (HBO Max/Netflix/Lifetime via AP)Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. MOVIES— Two of cinema’s most famous giants are headed for an old-fashioned big budget clash in “Godzilla vs. Kong,” available on HBO Max for 31 days starting Friday. After a pandemic-induced blockbuster drought, Henry told the AP that the film will be a welcome change of pace. Ad— Legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson gets overdue biopic attention in a Lifetime film debuting Saturday.
Spike Lee's children named Golden Globe ambassadors
FILE - Director Spike Lee, second right, and his family, from left, son Jackson Lee, wife Tonya Lewis Lee and daughter Satchel Lee, right, arrive at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Jan. 6, 2019. Lees daughter and son have been chosen as the Golden Globe ambassadors to assist with the awards ceremony. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)LOS ANGELES – Spike Lee’s daughter and son have been chosen as the Golden Globe ambassadors to assist with the awards ceremony. Jackson is partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, the volunteer-supported mentoring network. Callen-Lorde and Big Brothers Big Sisters will each receive a grant from the HFPA for $25,000 made on the Lees' behalf.
Roku buys library of the short-lived streaming service Quibi
FILE - This Aug. 13, 2020 file photo shows a logo for Roku on a remote control in Portland, Ore. On Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, Roku is buying short-lived streaming service Quibis content library to bolster content for its free Roku Channel. AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)Roku is buying the content library of Quibi, the short-lived streaming service, to bulk up its own free ad-supported channel. Quibi, short for quick bites, raised $1.75 billion from investors including major Hollywood players like Disney, NBCUniversal and Viacom. Roku created its business solely as a hub for other streaming services, but has recently begun piling up content for its free Roku Channel. Idris Elba, Kevin Hart, Liam Hemsworth, Anna Kendrick, Nicole Richie, Chrissy Teigen and Lena Waithe have all been in Quibi shows.
People magazine names Michael B. Jordan as Sexiest Man Alive
FILE - Michael B. Jordan arrives at the Hollywood Film Awards on Nov. 4, 2018, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Jordan has been crowned as 2020's Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine. Known for his critically-acclaimed performances in "Fruitvale Station," "Creed" and "Black Panther," he was revealed as this year's winner Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)LOS ANGELES – Actor Michael B. Jordan has been crowned as 2020's Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine. “When my grandmother was alive, it was something that she collected, and then my mom naturally reads it a lot and my aunts as well,” Jordan said. Jordan has been active in the Black Lives Matter movement and vocal about early voting registration for this year’s election.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson released from hospital after coronavirus treatment
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson attend the 92nd Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 09, 2020 in Hollywood, California. The couple left hospital and were in self-quarantine, son Chet Hanks said in a video message on his Instagram account. Actor Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, have been released from an Australian hospital after being treated for the new coronavirus. Hanks announced last Thursday on Instagram that he and his wife had come down with the virus. The couple were released from the Gold Coast University Hospital and are now quarantining themselves in their rented Queensland home, media reports say.
cnbc.comIdris Elba says he tested positive for coronavirus
British actor Idris Elba announced Monday that he tested positive for the novel coronavirus. This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. Elba is one of the first public figures to announce he has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Tom Hanks said he and wife Rita Wilson tested positive late last week. In the U.S., over 3,700 people have tested positive for the disease and at least 71 have died.
cbsnews.comCardi B's pledge to seek Nigerian citizenship sparks rivalry
LAGOS – Cardi B's announcement that she wants to seek Nigerian citizenship has set off a Twitter feud between her West African fans in friendly rivals Nigeria and Ghana. I'm filing for my Nigerian citizenship," she tweeted. But most Nigerian fans were quick to offer up a passport exchange, underscoring the mix of pride and confusion that the 27-year-old star would prefer Nigeria to America. It was not immediately clear how the rapper might acquire citizenship in Nigeria, though a number of celebrities have recently been given honorary citizenship in other African countries. And fellow rapper Ludacris recently acquired citizenship in Gabon after marrying a woman from the Central African nation.
Banana, duct tape add up to $150,000 at Art Basel Miami
In this Dec. 4, 2019 photo, gallery owner Emmanuel Perrotin poses next to Maurizio Cattlelan's "Comedian" at the Art Basel exhibition in Miami Beach, Fla. The most talked-about artwork of the week was titled “Comedian” — a spotty banana duct-taped to a wall by artist Maurizio Cattelan. The Paris-based Perrotin gallery raised the price to $150,000 for the third piece, which will be sold to a museum. On Saturday, David Datuna removed the banana from the wall, unpeeled it and took a bite as a large crowd documented it with their phones. The city of Miami Beach commissioned a million-dollar traffic jam by artist Leandro Erlich.
Mustang Mach-E: Five things to know about Ford's first all-electric SUV
Ford Motor Executive Chairman Bill Ford, left, and actor Idris Elba next to Ford's all-electric Mustang Mach-E GT SUV at Jet Center Los Angeles in Hawthorne, California on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019. FordLOS ANGELES Ford Motor on Sunday unveiled the 2021 Mustang Mach E, the automaker's first all-electric performance SUV and the beginning of a new EV strategy for the company. Ford,PerformanceTop performance models of the Mustang Mach-E will achieve 0 to 60 mph in the mid-3-second range with an estimated 459 horsepower and 612 lb.-ft. of torque. The range of the all-electric vehicle, depending on the model, is expected to achieve between roughly 210 miles and more than 300 miles on a full charge. Aside from its badging and performance, the Mach-E includes Mustang design aspects such as a long hood, rear haunch, aggressive headlights, and trademark tri-bar taillamps.
cnbc.comJohn Legend named "2019 Sexiest Man Alive" by People Magazine
John Legend has been named the Sexiest Man Alive by People Magazine this year. The Grammy-winning singer known for his silky-smooth vocals was revealed as this year's winner Tuesday night on NBC's "The Voice." Shelton, who was named Sexiest Man Alive in 2017, announced Legend's honor on "The Voice." Legend told the magazine in an issue out Friday that receiving the title comes with some pressure to follow Idris Elba, who was last year's winner. Legend has two children with model-television host-cookbook author Chrissy Teigen, who tweeted her excitement at the news Tuesday evening.
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