United News of Bangladesh

Nothing — not Tom Cruise’s snub nor Austin Butler’s lingering Elvis Presley inflections — has caused quite as much a stir around this year’s Oscars as the best-actress nomination for British actress Andrea Riseborough. Riseborough was unexpectedly nominated for her performance as an alcoholic Texas single mother in the scantly seen indie drama “To Leslie,” a pick that shocked Oscar pundits and has since brought scrutiny from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. For a movie that has grossed $27,322 at the box office, “To Leslie” and Riseborough have made a lot of noise. At issue is the way Riseborough’s candidacy was promoted. Though many awards contenders are backed by orchestrated campaigns paid for by their film’s studio, Riseborough rose into the Oscar ranks thanks largely to the grassroots efforts of “To Leslie” director Michael Morris and his wife, actor Mary McCormack. They urged stars to see the film and either host a screening or praise Riseborough’s performance on social media. And a whole lot of them did. So what’s the big deal? Cronyism in Hollywood isn’t exactly news; it’s more or less the modus operandi. But Riseborough’s nomination — and the strong response it’s engendered — has disrupted this year’s Oscar season, with potential repercussions for the Academy Awards in March and the bids of all future Oscar hopefuls. Read: Michael Jackson's nephew to star in King of Pop biopic WHO IS ANDREA RISEBOROUGH? For about 15 years, the 41-year-old Riseborough has been a regular presence in film, television and London theater, but she’s sometimes hard to register because of her chameleonic performances. She appeared in Mike Leigh’s “Happy-Go-Lucky” (2008). She made an impression as Riggan’s girlfriend in “Birdman” (2014). She played Stalin’s daughter in “The Death of Stalin” (2017). In “Mandy” (2018), alongside Nicolas Cage, she played his character’s kidnapped girlfriend. Riseborough had several other notable credits in 2022, including David O. Russell’s “Amsterdam” and as Mrs. Wormwood in “Matilda the Musical.” She’s been doing acclaimed work in adventurous independent film for long enough that an Oscar vote for her may have also been partly for her unassuming body of work. HOW UNEXPECTED WAS RISEBOROUGH’S NOMINATION? Almost no one expected Riseborough’s late-breaking campaign to actually land her a nomination. It wasn’t totally out of left field, though. Riseborough’s performance in “To Leslie” had been nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. But she wasn’t expected to be in the mix in what was generally considered the hardest category to break into this year. Riseborough was nominated along with Cate Blachett (“Tár”), Michelle Williams (“The Fabelmans”), Ana de Armas (“Blonde”) and Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”). “I’m astounded,” Riseborough told Deadline shortly after the nominations were announced. “It was so hard to believe it might ever happen because we really hadn’t been in the running for anything else. Even though we had a lot of support, the idea it might actually happen seemed so far away.” Two highly regarded performances were left out: Viola Davis in “The Woman King” and Danielle Deadwyler in “Till.” That the category’s most glaring snubs were both Black women has been a point of discussion. “Till” director Chinonye Chukwu, in a post on Instagram, suggested the system had failed. “We live in a world and work in industries that are so aggressively committed to upholding whiteness and perpetuating an unabashed misogyny towards Black women.” WHAT MADE RISEBOROUGH’S CAMPAIGN DIFFERENT? Most every acting nominee participates in some kind of Oscar campaign to help highlight their performance and get voters to watch their film. It’s a game that’s played. The playwright and screenwriter Jeremy O. Harris noted on Twitter: “Do people not realize that what the actresses did for Andrea Riseborough happens in private every night for months starting in October for every movie/performance (with) a chance.” REad: Angela Bassett’s Oscar nomination for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” first acting nod for a Marvel movie There are rules that limit the kinds of events that are held and even how much someone can email promotions to academy members during the voting period. Most campaigns have veteran strategists behind them and a substantial amount of money. Those pushing Riseborough, though, managed to draw attention to her without such backing. Instead, they counted on A-listers to spread the word. Kate Winslet, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Amy Adams and Courtney Cox all hosted screenings for the film. “You should be winning everything,” Winslet told her in a virtual Q&A. Other stars like Edward Norton, Susan Sarandon, Mira Sorvino and Rosie O’Donnell added their praise for her on social media. Those who supported Riseborough saw in the campaign — no billboards on Sunset, no “For Your Consideration” ads, just a deep Rolodex — a groundbreaking way to circumvent traditional Oscar rituals. In a since-deleted post, actress Christina Ricci wrote of the backlash to Riseborough’s nomination: “So it’s only the films and actors that can afford the campaigns that deserve recognition? Feels elitist and exclusive and frankly very backward to me.” DID THAT BREAK ANY RULES? There is no public evidence that Riseborough or anyone on her behalf clearly broke academy regulations. The screenings and endorsements that propelled Riseborough are commonplace. Some have speculated that Riseborough may have received a boost because of the strong passion of her supporters, who might have made her their top nominee. But if the academy found that anyone violated the rules about contacting academy members “directly and in a manner outside of the scope of these rules,” the academy’s board of governors “may take any corrective actions or assess any penalties, including disqualification,” according to academy bylaws. “Furthermore, any academy member who has authorized, executed or otherwise enabled a campaign activity that is determined by the board of governors to have undermined the letter or spirit of these regulations may be subject to suspension of membership or expulsion from the academy.” Oscar nominations have rarely been rescinded but it has happened. In 2014, composer Bruce Broughton, nominated for best original song, was disqualified after it was revealed he had emailed music branch members to call attention to the song’s submission. At the time, Broughton, a former governor for the academy, was a member of the music branch’s executive committee. HOW HAS THE ACADEMY RESPONDED? The academy has not commented on Riseborough’s nomination. But on Friday, it announced that it will conduct a review of the campaign procedures arounds this year’s nominees “to ensure that no guidelines were violated, and to inform us whether changes to the guidelines may be needed in a new era of social media and digital communication.” “We have confidence in the integrity of our nomination and voting procedures, and support genuine grassroots campaigns for outstanding performances,” the academy added.  

Season 15 of the popular children’s television show, Sisimpur, is about to hit television screens beginning the first week of February as Halum, Tuktuki, Ikri and Shiku return with fun new stories and a new friend, Julia. The new season, supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and produced by Sesame Workshop Bangladesh, will support children in developing their literacy and numeracy skills, as well as focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion, their emotional well-being, and self-care skills. The new season will also feature special episodes with sign language, said a press release issued on Monday. In this new season, Halum, Ikri, Shiku and Tuktuki return to share new stories and are joined by a new friend named Julia, a four-year-old Muppet who has autism. The introduction of Julia is a special addition to this new season for building autism awareness in Bangladesh and reminding us that all children are amazing. New episodes of season 15 will premiere on Duronto Television from February 3, 2023. The slogan for the season is “Fifteen comes on rhythm, together let’s proceed on.” There will be edutainment stories and content focusing on foundational literacy, numeracy, the importance of nutritious food, problem-solving, gender equity, autism, and other key topics. The new season will feature some fantastic new animated content on mathematics, science, and healthy habits. Additionally, there will be live-action film segments featuring children and their caregivers, as well as segments with Ikri for learning the alphabet, and segments with Tuktuki for learning numbers. Season fifteen of Sisimpur features narrative formats like “Shikhu’s World of Science” and “Ikri’s Playtime.” Since, an overarching theme of this new season is ensuring access and participation for all children, families will see characters from a range of backgrounds and ethnicities, as well as children with different abilities, plus several episodes will feature sign language. It will be amazing to see a new character named Julia join the Sisimpur friends of Halum, Ikri, Shiku, and Tuktuki. Season 15 of Sisimpur was officially launched on Monday by the chief guest, Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education Mr. Shah Rezwan Hayat and the guest of honor, USAID Mission Director Ms. Kathryn Davis Stevens. The event was held at Bangladesh Film Archive’s Auditorium located at Agargaon where Director-Training of the Directorate of Primary Education Dr. Uttam Kumar Das, Member-Primary of the National Curriculum and Text Board (NCTB) Prof. Dr. AKM Reazul Hassan and Chief Operating Officer of Shuchona Foundation Dr. Saqui Khandoker attended as special guests. Read more: Making the virtual world a safer place for kids! Director of Bangladesh Television Mr. Jagadis Esh, Executive Director of Maasranga Television Mr. Ajoy Kumar Kundu, Co-Chairman of Asiatic Ms. Sara Zaker and Chief of Party of this project Mohammad Shah Alam were also present at the event. Familiar friends from Sisimpur Bahadur, Ikri, Shiku, Tuktuki, Halum, and their new friend Julia brought joy and fun to the day. Made possible through the generous support of the American people through USAID, the Early Childhood Development Mass Media Activity, Sisimpur, has been helping children across Bangladesh grow smarter, stronger, and kinder since 2005. The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs is providing support in the airing of Sisimpur, and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education provides support for implementing its school-based programs.

Sharmeen Akhee, an actress on the small screen, suffered burn injuries in an explosion in the bathroom of a make-up room at a shooting spot in the capital on Saturday. The explosion occurred from electrical sparks in the bathroom of the shooting spot near Pallabi police station in Mirpur on Saturday afternoon, leaving her seriously injured. She was first taken to Islamia hospital and later shifted to the high dependency unit (HDU) of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery around 6:45pm. She is currently receiving treatment at the hospital, said Dr Samanta Lal Sen, Chief Coordinator of the burn institute. He said that her condition was critical as her respiratory tract was affected with 35 percent burns.

OTT (Over-the-Top) platforms have revolutionized the service of watching TV with web content on the Internet. OTT offers users an alternative way to watch their favorite TV shows, movies, and other content. Nowadays, different local OTT platforms have become increasingly popular in Bangladesh. The emergence of new forms of Bengali serials following the trend of international web series is giving a power boost to the entertainment industry. In his legacy, the Bangla OTT platform Binge offers a wide range of available content.  The popular playwright and director Vicky Zahed's first web series 'Silence' is going to be a more blazing example of this evolution. The web series stars a bunch of popular and talented actors from old to new generations. Let’s get updated about this thriller series which is waiting to be released on Binge screen in the upcoming February month. Vicky Zahed: A Storyteller Who Plays with the Psychology of his Audience The birth date of Vicky Zahed is August 29, 1990. He spent his entire childhood and adolescence in Dhaka. Although he studied textile engineering, he went straight to visual media after his studies from the Bangladesh University of Textiles. Taking this new career turn was not very pleasant. On the other hand, he had to fight a lot with himself and his family in addition to pursuing his career against the tide. Read More: Angela Bassett’s Oscar nomination for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” first acting nod for a Marvel movie After several works, 26-year-old Vicky Zahed finally got the limelight in 2016 for the short film 'Moments'. In line with its popularity, 'Maya', 'Doyal', 'Durbin', and 'Aaj Amar Pala' were released one by one. Through these works, he basically tried to understand his audience as well as taught himself. With 'Dwitiyo Shuchona', 'Priyo Adnan', and 'Kaikobaad', he continued to redefine the thriller genre in Bangladesh. Each of his creations comes with fresh themes, concepts, and storylines which have entertained the fans of the Bangla thriller genre. The drama 'Chirokal Aaj' and the web film series ‘Punorjonmo’ finally marked a long milestone in his career. Vicky became the focus of patronage for many prominent figures in the entertainment industry. Punorjonmo-3 became one of the most viewed videos on YouTube within just 12 hours of its release. Even those who did not know Vicky till then watched the film and went back to watch its first parts. Read More: Top 10 Upcoming English TV Shows on Netflix in February 2023 Now, Vicky Zahed’s creations come first, when it comes to crime, thriller, supernatural, and suspense dramas or movies in Bangladesh. This is very obvious for him to be a devoted fan of Alfred Hitchcock, the father of the modern thriller genre in Hollywood. He candidly admits his interest in playing with the psychology of the audience. Even to critics, he is unabashed, straightforward, and spontaneous in his storytelling.

Reactions from some of the nominees for the 95th Academy Awards: “I’m literally sitting here holding my head, and holding my heart. It’s coming in waves. I’m excited, I’m grateful, I’m nervous. I’m going to have to start journaling (laughs). Queen Ramonda to me is reflective of what mothers have been doing forever, and also a representation of what Black mothers have been doing — holding families together. holding memories, holding wisdom... That’s what she is attempting to do in spite of the trauma she has experienced herself... I’m always thinking of Chadwick and his legacy with this film and how he led us in the first ”Panther.” I’m always thinking of him, he is always present. It’s a continuation of his legacy — Angela Bassett, nominated for best supporting actress in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” in an interview. ( Chadwick Boseman, who starred in the first “Black Panther,” died in 2020.) “The peaks are so high, the valleys have been so low. I’m just trying to stay as present as I can. A moment like today is bittersweet because I wish Lisa Marie were here with us to celebrate. And at times amid intense grief and shattering loss it feels sort of bizarre to celebrate. I also know how much this film meant to Lisa Marie and how much her father’s legacy meant to her, so I feel so proud and so humbled to be a part of that story. — Austin Butler, nominated for best actor for “Elvis,” in an interview. ( Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ daughter, died Jan. 12.) “Even just to be nominated means validation, love, from your peers. What it means for the rest of the Asians around the world, not just in America but globally, is to say we have a seat at the table. We finally have a seat at the table. We are being recognized and being seen.” — Michelle Yeoh, nominated for best actress for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” in an interview. “It just seemed so far-fetched. Especially when I had to step away from acting for so many years, that dream seemed like it was dead. My whole thing was: I just wanted a job.” — Ke Huy Quan, nominated for best supporting actor for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” in an interview. “I’ve had a career of 30 years and more than 15 have been dedicated to making this movie. The lesson? I always say that it sounds really nice when they say, ‘If you build it, they will come.’ The real notion is, if you build it they will come, or not. But if you don’t build it, you’ll never know.” — Guillermo del Toro, whose “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” is nominated for best animated feature, in an interview. “It’s interesting when you see the kind of prestige the Oscars have. In Sweden, it’s more prestigious than the Nobel prize actually. I have seen all the films from this year, and it’s just a really prominent group.” — Ruben Östlund, nominated for best director and best original screenplay for “Triangle of Sadness,” in an interview. “I’m absolutely overjoyed and deeply grateful to the Academy for this recognition and for recognizing Hong Chau’s beautiful performance and Adrien Morot’s incredible makeup. I wouldn’t have this nomination without Darren Aronofsky, Samuel D. Hunter, A24 and the extraordinary cast and crew who gave me the gift of Charlie. A gift I certainly didn’t see coming, but it’s one that has profoundly changed my life. — Brendan Fraser, nominated for best actor for “The Whale,” in a statement. “On behalf of Tom, all the filmmakers, cast, Paramount and everyone who worked on ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ we are so honored by this recognition from the Academy. This being my first ever Oscar nomination makes it that much more special.” — Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, nominated for best picture for “Top Gun: Maverick,” in a statement. “You never know. Everybody tries to do their best work. But to be recognized by this body in this community in this manner — words are poor things. We all know what that means. It’s not something you ever allow yourself to even hope for because it’s so fanciful. Hopefully, it affords the opportunity for more people to see the thing that you’ve all be working on. That’s the main thing.” — Todd Field, writer-director of “Tár,” in an interview. “Tar” is his first film in 16 years. “l am overjoyed by this morning’s news. Being a part of this film was an unforgettable experience, and I share this nomination with the creative and talented people alongside whom I worked on this project.” — Hong Chau, nominated for best supporting actress for “The Whale,” in a statement. “I jumped up and down. I jumped ... my body needed to jump. And, like, the hotel lobby probably got really scared because it was just like a high-pitched scream out of my throat.” — Belgian director Lukas Dhont, whose “Close” is nominated for best international feature, in an interview.

The multiverse-skipping sci-fi indie hit “Everything Everywhere All at Once” led nominations to the 95th Academy Awards as Hollywood heaped honors on big-screen spectacles like “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” a year after a streaming service won best picture for the first time. Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” landed a leading 11 nominations on Tuesday, including nods for Michelle Yeoh and comeback kid Ke Huy Quan, the former child star of “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” Released back in March, the A24 film has proven an unlikely Oscar heavyweight against the expectations of even its makers. Yeoh became the first Asian actor nominated for best actress. “Even just to be nominated means validation, love, from your peers,” said an “overwhelmed” Yeoh speaking by phone from London. “What it means for the rest of the Asians around the world, not just in America but globally, is to say we have a seat at the table. We finally have a seat at the table. We are being recognized and being seen.” The 10 movies up for best picture are: “Everything Everywhere All at Once,”“The Banshees of Inisherin,” “The Fabelmans,” “Tár,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Elvis,” “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Women Talking” and “Triangle of Sadness.” Nominations were announced Tuesday from the academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California, by Riz Ahmed and Allison Williams. If last year’s Oscars were dominated by streaming — Apple TV+’s “CODA” won best picture and Netflix landed a leading 27 nominations — movies that drew moviegoers to multiplexes after two years of pandemic make up many of this year’s top contenders. READ: Oscar nominations Tuesday could give blockbusters a boost For the first time, two sequels — “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” — were nominated for best picture. The two films together account for some $3.5 billion in box office. Tom Cruise missed out on an acting nomination, but “Top Gun: Maverick” — often credited with bringing many moviegoers back to theaters — walked away with seven nominations, including best sound, best visual effects and best song for Lada Gaga’s “Hold My Hand.” Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” made in the wake of Chadwick Boseman’s death, also scored five nominations, including the first acting nod for a performance in a Marvel movie: Angela Bassett, the likely favorite to win best supporting actress. Nine of the 10 best-picture nominees were theatrical releases — something cheered by “Tár” filmmaker Todd Field, nominated for direction and screenplay. Field noted the theatrical marketplace — especially the specialty business — is still in recovery mode. “I hope that the faith and the enthusiasm that’s been paid for theatrical films continues,” Field said by phone Tuesday from Los Angeles. Going by earlier guild nominations, Martin McDonagh’s Ireland-set dark comedy “The Banshees of Inisherin” may be the stiffest competition for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” at the Oscars. The Searchlight Pictures film landed nine nominations Tuesday, including nods for McDonagh’s directing and screenplay, and a quartet of acting nominations: Colin Farrell for best actor, Kerry Condon for best supporting actress and both Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan for best supporting actor. Baz Luhrmann’s bedazzled biopic “Elvis” — another summer box-office hit, with $287.3 million worldwide — came away with eight nominations, including a best actor nod for star Austin Butler and nominations for its costumes, sound and production design. Though Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” struggled to catch on with audiences, the director’s autobiographical coming-of-age tale landed Spielberg his 20th Oscar nomination and ninth nod for best-director. John Williams, his longtime composer, extended his record for the most Oscar nominations for a living person, and, at 90, became the oldest nominee ever. Williams’ 53rd nominations trails only Walt Disney’s 59. In the ultra-competitive best actress race, “Fabelmans” star Michelle Williams was nominated after being passed over by the Screen Actors Guild. The other nominees for best actress are: Ana de Armas, “Blonde”; Cate Blanchett, “Tár” and Andrea Riseborough, who emerged as a late contender after a host of celebrities rallied around her performance as an alcoholic West Texas mother in the little-seen “To Leslie.” Notably left out of the category were Viola Davis (“Woman King”) and Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”). Only one streaming title broke into the best picture field: The German WWI film “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Though Netflix for the first time in years lacks a possible best picture frontrunner, “All Quiet on the Western Front” landed a better-than-expected nine nominations, including best international film and best adapted screenplay. The streaming service also has the top animated film contender in “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” which was nominated for best animated feature alongside “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” “The Sea Beast” and “Turning Red.” READ: Netflix's 4Q subscribers surge, long-time CEO passes baton Along with Butler and Farrell, the best actor nominees are: Brendan Fraser, hailed for his comeback performance as an overweight shut-in in “The Whale,” Bill Nighy for “Living” and, in a surprise for one of the most critically lauded films of the year, Paul Mescal, for Charlotte Wells’ father-daughter tale “Aftersun.” Brian Tyree Henry landed his first Oscar nomination for his supporting turn in “Causeway,” in which he starred opposite Jennifer Lawrence. (Said Tyree in a statement: “To the random man in the elevator who saw me scream at the news, thank you for hugging me and not freaking out!!!!!!”) In the supporting actress category, two “Everything Everywhere All at Once” actors — Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu — were nominated along with Hong Chau (“The Whale”), Condon and Bassett.Quan and Chau — both the children of Vietnam War refugees — and the California-born Hsu and the Malaysia-born Yeoh together make it the most acting nominations ever for Asian or Asian American actors. (Some count Merle Oberon, of Sri Lankan and Welsh heritage, the first Asian best actress nominee, in 1936, though she hid her ancestry.) For Quan, a much-loved face of the 1980s from “Goonies” and “Temple of Doom,” the nomination was a once-unfathomable pinnacle. After his acting opportunities dried up, Quan quit acting for years before being offered the part of Waymond. Speaking by phone from Los Angeles, Quan remembered having dreams as a child of attending the Academy Awards. “It just seemed so far-fetched. Especially when I had to step away from acting for so many years, that dream seemed like it was dead,” Quan said. “My whole thing was: I just wanted a job.” After the best director category saw back-to-back landmark wins for female filmmakers — Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”) in 2021, Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”) last year — no women were nominated for best director. But in the best picture group, one of the up-for-grabs final slots went to Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking,” a parable of sexual assault and justice. Polley was also nominated for best adapted screenplay. In the end, the Oscar push for the Indian action sensation “RRR” landed a sole nomination: best song for M.M. Keeravaani’s “Naatu Naatu.” The Palme d’Or-winning satire from Swedish director Ruben Östlund, “Triangle of Sadness,” scored three big nominations, for best picture, best director and best original screenplay. Along with “All Quiet on the Western Front,” the nominees for best international film are: “Argentina, 1985” (Argentina); “Close” (Belgium); “EO” (Poland); “The Quiet Girl” (a first for Ireland). The category has been criticized for allowing submissions to be chosen by each country’s government, a process that disadvantages filmmakers working in oppressive regimes. Iranian director Jafar Panahi, whose “No Bears” was hailed as one of 2022′s best, was imprisoned earlier this year. Current politics were also front and center in the documentary category. Nominees include “Navalny,” an up-close portrait of the jailed Russian dissident Alexei Navalny; “A House Made of Splinters,” about a Ukrainian halfway house; and Laura Poitras’ “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” about Nan Goldin’s opioid activism. They were joined by the volcanologist romance “Fire of Love” and Shaunak Sen’s “All That Breathes,” about three men’s efforts to save New Delhi’s pollution-ravaged birds of prey. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences will surely celebrate a best-picture field populated with blockbusters; according to data firm Comscore, their collective domestic box office of $1.574 billion is the most ever at the time of nominations. Last year’s awards had been looking like a comeback edition before “the slap” came to define the ceremony. In the aftermath, the academy banned Will Smith from attending for the next 10 years. Though he could have still been nominated, Smith’s performance as a runaway slave in “Emancipation” didn’t catch on with voters. But larger concerns are swirling around the movie business. Last year saw flashes of triumphant resurrection for theaters, like the success of “Top Gun: Maverick,” but less stellar results for most dramas. Partially due to an inconsistent stream of major releases, ticket sales for the year recovered only about 70% of pre-pandemic business. Stocks for streaming services, meanwhile have plunged as Wall Street looked to streaming services to earn profits, not just add subscribers. Last year’s Oscar broadcast drew 16.6 million viewers, according to Nielsen, up from the record-low audience of 10.5 million for the pandemic-marred 2021 telecast. This year, ABC is bringing back Jimmy Kimmel to host the March 12 ceremony, one that will surely be seen as a return to the site of the slap.

A year after a streaming service won Hollywood's top honor for the first time, big-screen spectacles are poised to dominate nominations to the 95th Academy Awards on Tuesday (January 24, 2023). Nominations will be announced at 8:30 am EST from the academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California. They will air live on ABC's “Good Morning America” and be live-streamed on Oscars.org, Oscars.com, and on several of the academy's social media platforms. Riz Ahmed ("Sound of Metal") and Allison Williams ("M3gan") will read the nominees. If things go as expected, “Top Gun: Maverick," “Avatar: The Way of Water," “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and “Elvis” could all rack up somewhere between six and nine nominations. If last year's Oscars were dominated by streaming — Apple TV+'s “CODA” won best picture and Netflix landed 27 nominations — movies that drew moviegoers to multiplexes make up many of this year's top contenders. Read more: 'Top Gun,' 'Black Panther' advance in Oscars shortlist That includes “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the A24 sci-fi indie hit. Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan's multiverse-skipping tale could walk away with the most nominations Tuesday, including nods for Michelle Yeoh and comeback kid Ke Huy Quan. Also at the front of the pack is “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Martin McDonagh's Ireland-set dark comedy, which is set to score as many as four acting nods, including nominations for Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. Steven Spielberg's “The Fabelmans” struggled to catch on with audiences, but the director's autobiographical coming-of-age tale is set to land Spielberg his 20th Oscar nomination and eighth nod for best-director. John Williams, his longtime composer, should extend his record for the most Oscar nominations for a living person. Another nod for best score will give Williams his 53rd nomination, a number that trails only Walt Disney's 59. Read more: Oscar winners cut off their hair to support Iran protests Many questions remain, though, like whether the love for “Top Gun: Maverick” will go far enough to win Tom Cruise a best actor nomination. The year's other highest-grossing blockbuster, “Avatar: The Way of Water," should score well in the technical categories, though less certain is whether director James Cameron will make it into the best director field. After that category saw the first back-to-back wins for female filmmakers — Chloé Zhao ("Nomadland") in 2021, Jane Campion ("The Power of the Dog") last year — no women are expected to be nominated for best director. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences will surely celebrate a best picture field populated with blockbusters. Ratings for the telecast have typically been higher in years with much-watched films as favorites. Last year's awards had been looking like a comeback edition for the Oscars before “the slap” came to define the ceremony. In the aftermath, the academy banned Will Smith from attending for the next 10 years. Though he could have still been nominated, Smith's performance as a runaway slave in “Emancipation” didn't catch on. Last year's broadcast drew 15.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen, up 56% from the record-low audience of 10.5 million for the pandemic-marred 2021 telecast. This year, ABC is bringing back Jimmy Kimmel to host the March 12 ceremony, one that will surely be seen as a return to the site of the slap. Read More: Oscar Best Picture Winners: Looking Back at the Last 15 Years But larger concerns are swirling around the movie business. Last year saw flashes of triumphant resurrection for theaters, like the success of “Top Gun: Maverick,” after two years of pandemic. But partially due to a less steady stream of major releases, ticket sales for the year recovered only about 70% of pre-pandemic business. Regal Cinemas, the nation's second-largest chain, announced the closure of 39 cinemas this month. At the same time, storm clouds swept into the streaming world after years of once-seemingly boundless growth. Stocks plunged as Wall Street looked to streaming services to earn profits, not just add subscribers. A retrenchment has followed, as the industry again enters an uncertain chapter. In stark contrast to last year's Academy Awards, this year may see no streaming titles vying for the Oscars' most sought-after award — though the last spots in the 10-movie best-picture field remain up for grabs. Netflix's best shots instead are coming in other categories, notably with animated film favorite “Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio” and the German submission, “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Read More: Will Smith confronts Chris Rock, then wins best actor Oscar

Netflix’s subscriber growth is surging again, providing an early sign that its shift to include ads in a cheaper version of its video streaming service is helping to combat tougher competition and attract cost-conscious customers grappling with inflation. The company on Thursday disclosed a gain of 7.7 million subscribers during the October-December period, a stretch that included the debut of an ad-supported option for $7 per month — less than half the price of its most popular commercial-free plan. The performance followed subscriber gains that topped analysts’ modest expectations during a July-September period that followed Netflix’s second consecutive quarter of customer losses. Having regained its momentum, Netflix also announced its co-founder Reed Hastings will relinquish its title of co-CEO, completing a transition that began in July 2020 with the appointment of its programming chief, Ted Sarandos, as co-CEO. Greg Peters, Netflix's chief operating officer, will join Sarandos as co-CEO while Hastings becomes executive chairman. Hastings, 62, had been Netflix's CEO for more than 20 years after taking over the role from his friend and fellow company co-founder Marc Randolph in the late 1990s. Losing Hastings as co-CEO “leaves some big shoes for me and Greg to fill," Sarandos said during a conference call late Thursday. “Fortunately, we have four feet to do it with." Read more: Netflix New Release January 2023: 10 Most Hyped English Movies, Series As he handed off the CEO baton, Hastings said Sarandos and Peters were “more than ready" to succeed him. “They both have such amazing talents and gifts," Hastings said during the conference call. “Frankly, more and more, they have already been leading the company." Insider Intelligence analyst Paul Verna interpreted the new leadership as another step in Netflix's evolution from its roots as a technology company led by a mathematical whiz in Hastings to an entertainment service led by Sarandos, who has long negotiated deals with Hollywood studios, and Peters, who oversaw the expansion into advertising. “The current shift puts advertising in the center of the picture, alongside content,” Verna said. The upturn in Netflix's subscribers didn't boost profits, largely because the strong dollar weighed on international results. The Los Gatos, California, company earned $55.3 million, or 12 cents per share, during the fourth quarter, a 91% decline from the same time in the prior year. Revenue rose 2% from the previous year to $7.85 billion, a modest gain that suggest some ongoing subscribers may have hopscotched from a more expensive plan to the lower priced ad-backed option. The earnings fell below the predictions of analysts who shape investors’ expectations. But investors appeared to be more focused on the subscriber gains that were far above projections. Netflix’s shares climbed nearly 7% in extended trading to $337.60. The stock price has double from a five-year low of $162.71 reached last May, but is still far below its all-time high of nearly $701 in November 2021. Last year’s subscriber downturn, unprecedented since Netflix separated its streaming and DVD-by-mail services in 2011, prompted management to embrace advertising for the first time. The company is now preparing to crack down on the rampant sharing of passwords that has enabled an estimated 100 million people worldwide to watch popular shows such as “The Crown” and “Stranger Things” for free. Read more: Netflix aims to curtail password sharing, considers ads Bolstered by its holiday-season uptick, Netflix now boasts nearly 231 million worldwide subscribers – more than any rival in an increasingly crowded field of video streaming competition that includes the likes of Amazon, Hulu, Google’s YouTube, Walt Disney Co. and Apple, the world’s richest company. Now that consumers have so many choices with only so much discretionary income to spend, Netflix has conceded it will be difficult to attract more customers as it historically has done. Its growth peaked during the first phase of the pandemic when the video streaming service added more than 36 million subscribers during 2020 while most people were corralled at home. By comparison, Netflix picked up fewer than 9 million subscribers for all of last year. The slowdown prompted Netflix to stop its long-standing practice of projecting how many subscribers it expects to gain from one quarter to the next, an attempt to lessen investors’ focus on that number. Instead, Netflix is putting more emphasis on revenue and profits growth, a goal that figures to be helped by more money pouring in from ad sales.

David Crosby, the brash rock musician who evolved from a baby-faced harmony singer with the Byrds to a mustachioed hippie superstar and an ongoing troubadour in Crosby, Stills, Nash & (sometimes) Young, has died at 81, several media outlets reported Thursday. The New York Times reported, based on a text message from Crosby's sister in law, that the musician died Wednesday night. Several media outlets reported Crosby's death citing anonymous sources; The Associated Press was unable to reach Crosby's representatives and his widow. Crosby underwent a liver transplant in 1994 after decades of drug use and survived diabetes, hepatitis C and heart surgery in his 70s. While he only wrote a handful of widely known songs, the witty and ever opinionated Crosby was on the front lines of the cultural revolution of the ’60s and ’70s — whether triumphing with Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Young on stage at Woodstock, testifying on behalf of a hirsute generation in his anthem “Almost Cut My Hair” or mourning the assassination of Robert Kennedy in “Long Time Gone.” He was a founder and focus of the Los Angeles rock music community from which such performers as the Eagles and Jackson Browne later emerged. He was a twinkly-eyed hippie patriarch, the inspiration for Dennis Hopper’s long-haired stoner in “Easy Rider.” He advocated for peace, but was an unrepentant loudmouth who practiced personal warfare and acknowledged that many of the musicians he worked with no longer spoke to him. “Crosby was a colorful and unpredictable character, wore a Mandrake the Magician cape, didn’t get along with too many people and had a beautiful voice — an architect of harmony,” Bob Dylan wrote in his 2004 memoir, “Chronicles: Volume One.” Crosby's drug use left him bloated, broke and alienated. He kicked the addiction in 1985 and 1986 during a year’s prison stretch in Texas on drug and weapons charges. The conviction eventually was overturned. “I’ve always said that I picked up the guitar as a shortcut to sex and after my first joint I was sure that if everyone smoked dope there’d be an end to war,” Crosby said in his 1988 autobiography, “Long Time Gone,” co-written with Carl Gottlieb. “I was right about the sex. I was wrong when it came to drugs.” Read more: World’s oldest known person, French nun, dies at 118 He lived years longer than even he expected and in his 70s enjoyed a creative renaissance, issuing several solo albums while collaborating with others including his son James Raymond, who became a favorite songwriting partner. “Most guys my age would have done a covers record or duets on old material,” he told Rolling Stone in 2013, shortly before “Croz” was released. “This won’t be a huge hit. It’ll probably sell nineteen copies. I don’t think kids are gonna dig it, but I’m not making it for them. I’m making it for me. I have this stuff that I need to get off my chest.” In 2019, Crosby was featured in the documentary “David Crosby: Remember My Name,” produced by Cameron Crowe. While his solo career thrived, his seemingly lifetime bond with Nash dissolved. Crosby was angered by Nash’s 2013 memoir “Wild Tales” (whiny and dishonest, he called it) and relations between the two spilled into an ugly public feud, with Nash and Crosby agreeing on one thing: Crosby, Stills and Nash was finished. Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president did lead Crosby to suggest that he was open to a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young protest tour, but his old bandmates declined to respond. Crosby became a star in the mid-1960s with the seminal folk-rock group The Byrds, known for such hits as “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and “Mr. Tambourine Man.” Clean-cut and baby-faced at the time, he contributed harmonies that were a key part of the band’s innovative blend of The Beatles and Dylan. Crosby was among the first American stars to become close to The Beatles, and helped introduce George Harrison to Eastern music. Troubled relations with bandmates pushed Crosby out of The Byrds and into a new group. Crosby, Stills and Nash's first meeting is part of rock folklore: Stills and Crosby were at Joni Mitchell’s house in 1968 (Stills would contend they were at Mama Cass'), working on the ballad “You Don’t Have to Cry,” when Nash suggested they start over again. Nash’s high harmony added a magical layer to Stills' rough bottom and Crosby’s mellow middle and a supergroup was born. Their eponymous debut album was an instant success that helped redefine commercial music. The songs were longer and more personal than their individual prior outputs, yet easily relatable for an audience also embracing a more open lifestyle. Their spirited harmonies and themes of peace and love became emblematic of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their version of the Mitchell song “Woodstock” was the theme for the documentary about the 1969 rock concert during which the group made only its second live appearance together. Crosby had produced Mitchell’s first album, “Song to a Seagull,” in 1968, and for a time was her boyfriend (as was Nash). Now wearing the drooping, bushy mustache that would define him ever after, Crosby provided harmony and rhythm guitar, and his songs reflected his own volatile personality. They ranged from the misty-eyed romanticism of “Guinevere,” to the spirituality of “Deja Vu,” to the operatic paranoia of “Almost Cut My Hair.” Some critics panned the group as soft-headed and self-indulgent. “If you’re into living-room rock, fireplace harmonies and just a taste of good old social consciousness, this is your group,” reported Rolling Stone, which nonetheless rarely missed a chance to write about the band. But CSN, as they would soon be called, won a best new artist Grammy and remained a worldwide touring act and brand name decades later. The first album was an easy, happy recording, but the mood darkened during the second album, “Deja Vu.” The band was joined by Neil Young, who had feuded with Stills while both were in Buffalo Springfield and continued to do so. Everyone in the band was troubled: Nash and Mitchell were splitting up, and so were Stills and singer Judy Collins. Crosby, meanwhile, was so devastated by the death of girlfriend Christine Hinton in a car accident, that he would lay on the studio floor and sob. Featuring a rougher, less unified sound, the album released in 1970 and was another commercial smash. Yet within two years, the quartet had broken up, destined to continuously reunite and splinter for the rest of their lives. Read more: Danish screenwriter Lise Nørgaard dies at age 105 They worked in every combination possible — as solo artists, as duos, trios and, occasionally, all four together. They played stadiums and clubs. They showed up at the Berlin Wall in 1989 as the Cold War was ending and turned up in 2011 for the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York. In recent years, Crosby toured often, and candidly answered questions on Twitter with a blend of affection and exasperation, whether commenting on rock star peers or assessing the quality of a fan’s marijuana joint. He loved sailing and his greatest regret, besides hard drugs, was selling his 74-foot boat because of money problems. Among the songs completed on the boat was the classic “Wooden Ships,” co-written with Stills and Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner. Crosby was born David Van Cortlandt Crosby on Aug. 14, 1941, in Los Angeles. His father was Oscar-winning cinematographer Floyd Crosby of “High Noon” fame. The family, including his mother, Aliph, and brother, Floyd Jr., later moved to Santa Barbara. Crosby was exposed early to classical, folk and jazz music. In his autobiography, Crosby said that as a child he used to harmonize as his mother sang, his father played mandolin and his brother played guitar. “When rock ‘n’ roll came in during that era and the Age of Elvis possessed America, I wasn’t into it,” he recalled. His brother taught him to play guitar and, still in his teens, he began performing in Santa Barbara clubs. He moved to Los Angeles to study acting in 1960 but abandoned the idea and became a folk singer, working around the country before joining The Byrds. Like so many folk performers, Crosby was dazzled by the Beatles’ 1964 movie “A Hard Day’s Night” and decided to become a rock star. Crosby married longtime girlfriend Jan Dance in 1987. The couple had a son, Django, in 1995. Crosby also had a daughter, Donovan, with Debbie Donovan. Shortly after he underwent the liver transplant, Crosby was reunited with Raymond, who had been placed for adoption in 1961. Raymond, Crosby and Jeff Pevar later performed together in a group called CPR. “I regretted losing him many times,” Crosby told the AP of Raymond in 1998. “I was too immature to parent anybody, and too irresponsible.” In 2000, Melissa Etheridge revealed that Crosby was the father of the two children she shared with then-partner Julie Cypher. Cypher carried the children Crosby fathered by artificial insemination, Etheridge told Rolling Stone. One son, Beckett, died in 2020. Crosby didn’t help raise the children but said, “If, you know, in due time, at a distance, they’re proud of who their genetic dad is, that’s great.”

 R’Bonney Gabriel, a fashion designer, model and sewing instructor from Texas who competition officials said is the first Filipino American to win Miss USA, was crowned Miss Universe on Saturday night. Gabriel closed her eyes and clasped hands with runner-up Miss Venezuela, Amanda Dudamel, at the moment of the dramatic reveal of the winner, then beamed after her name was announced. Thumping music rang out, and she was handed a bouquet of flowers, draped in the winner’s sash and crowned with a tiara onstage at the 71st Miss Universe Competition, held in New Orleans. The second runner-up was Miss Dominican Republic, Andreina Martinez. In the Q&A at the last stage of the competition for the three finalists, Gabriel was asked how she would work to demonstrate Miss Universe is “an empowering and progressive organization” if she were to win. “I would use it to be a transformational leader,” she responded, citing her work using recycled materials in her fashion design and teaching sewing to survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence. “It is so important to invest in others, invest in our community and use your unique talent to make a difference,” Gabriel continued. “We all have something special, and when we plant those seeds to other people in our life, we transform them and we use that as a vehicle for change.” According to Miss Universe, Gabriel is a former high school volleyball player and graduate of the University of North Texas. A short bio posted on the organization’s website said she is also CEO of her own sustainable clothing line. Nearly 90 contestants from around the world took part in the competition, organizers said, involving “personal statements, in depth interviews and various categories including evening gown & swimwear.” Miss Curacao, Gabriela Dos Santos, and Miss Puerto Rico, Ashley Carino, rounded out the top five finalists. Last year’s winner was Harnaaz Sandhu of India.