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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.

On Friday, the ongoing 10th edition of Dhaka Lit Fest (DLF) featured a handful of exciting and interesting events for the little ones, including a storytelling session by Hong Kong-based Bangladeshi writer-scholar Maria Chaudhuri of her brand new book for children titled ‘Nobo Opens a Door’. At the Nazrul Stage in the afternoon, Maria Chaudhuri read from the book surrounded by child listeners and introduced them to the character Nobo, an adventurous child who averts disaster at her school’s Pahela Baishakh festival with an imaginative twist on traditional sarees, followed by reimagining themselves by creating their own capes, just as Nobo does. Published in Bangladesh by Ignite Publications featuring Illustrations by Istela Imam, the book was launched on Friday introducing the title character, which is conceptualized by Nobo Dhaka -- a socially aware business enterprise set up to support the preservation of the cultural heritage and traditions of Bangladesh. Explaining the idea of the character and the book, Maria Chaudhuri told UNB that the reason she was particularly interested in writing Nobo is that this collaboration connects with a great passion. “The Dhaka society is constantly changing, and the values and experiences that our children are growing up with are completely different from our times. What we want to do with this book, as well as the entire series, is to create a space for the younger generation to talk about things in a way that reflects the different sets of values that they struggle with, in their reality right now.” “Although the society that we grew up in is constantly changing, that’s not to say people can’t follow tradition in a new way that works for them. That’s exactly what the character, Nobo, does in this book and series. She explores a twist within a traditional idea so that she can still be a part of the Bangla new year celebrations without feeling left alone. We have to recognise that the current generation struggles with traditional values to incorporate into their lifestyle, and they also have different sets of values due to living in a constantly changing world, especially after the pandemic.” “So this book based on the ‘social superhero’ character Nobo can remind the generations -- both children and their parents -- that culture is an ever-evolving phenomenon that we need to accept and get ourselves accustomed to, and we should celebrate our culture. My hope is that when a child reads this book, they will not only appreciate the culture visually but may absorb it more spiritually too,” Maria told UNB. Read more: Curtain rises on 10th Dhaka Lit Fest About the book, author and one of DLF's three directors, Kazi Anis Ahmed, wrote: "This is a wonderful and inventive tale about how tradition survives by being made new, again and again. And the courage it takes to do so. The young protagonist will be an inspiration to her peer-age readers. Chaudhuri's lilting, literary prose hits just the right tone. Nobo is a terrific new addition to our children's literature.”

A total of 34 names in 27 categories have been named for Bangladesh's ‘National Film Award-2021’ this year. The cabinet committee on ‘National Film Award Affairs’ has recently approved the names of winners for the award. However, the authority concerned is yet to announce the date and venue where the awards will be handed over to the recipients.   Though the film award is given in 28 categories every year, the number now stands at 27 as no one was found in the ‘best dance director’ category.   Read: 2022 rewind: A year of abundance for silver screens, OTT platforms A total of 21 full length films, 17 short films and seven documentary films were submitted for the national award-2021. Of them, 34 were selected for the awards.   Actors Siam Ahmed and Mir Sabbir Mahmud have jointly been named for the best actor award in principal in Mridha Bonam Mrida and Raat Jaga Phool films.   On the other hand, actresses Azmeri Haque Badhon and Tasnova Tamanna jointly bag the best actress award for principal roles in Rehana Maryam Noor and Nonajoler Kabbo films. The best film award will jointly go to Matia Banu Shuku and Rezwan Shahriar Sumit for their Laal Moroger Jhuti and Nonajoler Kabbo films. Read: The year in music: A melodious, rocking 2022 The best short film award will be given to Aka Reza Ghalib for Dhor and best documentary film award to Kawsar Chowdhury for Boddhobhumite Ekdin. Apart from this, Sumit will receive the best director award for his Nonajoler Kabbo film while the best supporting actor and actress awards will go to Fazlur Rahman Babu and Shampa Reza for their performance in Nonajoler Kabbo and Padmapuran films respectively. Abdul Mannan Joyraj will be awarded the best villain award for the Laal Moroger Jhuti. The awards for best comedian actor, child and special award in the child actor category will go to Probash Kumar Bhattacharya Milon, Afifa Tabassum and Jannatul Mawa Jhilik for their roles in Mridha Bonam Mridha, Rehana Maryam Noor and Ja Hariye Jay movies respectively.   Read More: Netflix New Release January 2023: 10 Most Hyped English Movies, Series Dolly Johur and Ilias Kanchan will jointly get the lifetime achievement award. Sujoy Shyam will get the best music director award for song Juboti Konnar Mon, best singer (male and female) award will go to Abdullah Al Mortuza Muhin and Chandana Mazumdar for songs Sonate Esechi and Dekhle Chobi Pagol Hobi in Padmapuron film. Late Gazi Mazharul Anwar will be given the best lyrist award for Antore Antor Jhala while the best composer award will go to Sujoy Shyam for the same film. The best story writer award will go to Rezwan Shahriar Sumit for Nonajoler Kabbo, the best screenplay award to Nurul Alam Atik for Laal Moroger Jhuti and the best dialogue award to Tauquir Ahmed for Spurlinga. Read More: Top 10 Upcoming South Indian Films in January 2023 Samir Ahmed will get the best editor award for Laal Moroger Jhuti, the best art director award to Shihab Nurun Nabi for Nonajoler Kabbo. The best cinematographer award will jointly be given to Syed Kashef Shahbazi, Suman Kumar Sarkar, Mazharul Islam Raju for Laal Moroger Jhuti. The best sound director award will go to Shoaib Talukdar for the Rehana Maryam Noor film. The best costume designer award will be awarded to Kachhrin Farid for Nonajoler Kabbo while the best makeup artiste award will jointly go to Md Farukh, Md Farhad Reza Milon for Laal Moroger Jhuti.  Read More: 10 Less Known Facts about A.R. Rahman

A.R. Rahman is an Indian composer, singer, and music producer, who has worked in the Indian film industry as well as internationally. He is one of the most successful and influential composers in the world and is known for his unique sound that fuses Indian classical music with electronic music and world music. At A Glance: A. R. Rahman's Life Rahman was named A. S. Dileep Kumar when he was born in Madras, Tamil Nadu, on January 6, 1967. His father, R. K. Shekhar, was a film-score composer as well as a conductor for Tamil and Malayalam films. A.R. Rahman started his schooling at Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan. However, he was dismissed from school due to poor academic results. Later he was admitted to Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School and showed his musical talent. But, he dropped out the school to pursue a music career. Then, he started musical training under Master Dhanraj. Read More: 5 Best Movies of Vidya Balan Rahman’s big break came in 1992 when he was asked to compose the score for the Tamil film “Roja.” The soundtrack was a huge success and established Rahman as one of the leading film composers in India. He went on to compose music for many other successful films, including “Bombay,” “Taal,” “Lagaan,” “Rang De Basanti,” and “Slumdog Millionaire,” which earned him two Academy Awards. Rahman has also composed music for stage productions, including the “Bombay Dreams” and the Toronto productions of “The Lord of the Rings.” In addition to his work in film and theater, Rahman has also released several solo albums and worked on various philanthropic projects. Rahman has received numerous awards and accolades for his work, including six National Film Awards, two Academy Awards, and two Grammy Awards. He has also been honored with the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian awards in India, and the Padma Shri, another prestigious award given by the Indian government. Read More: 5 Best Movies of Mel Gibson 10 Lesser-Known Facts About A. R. Rahman Composer A. R. Rahman is well known for his musical achievements, but the following are some of the lesser-known facts about him that everyone is less concerned about. Converted to Islam Although Rahman was born a Hindu, he along with other family members converted to Islam at the age of 2023 in 1989 and changed his name to Allah Rakha Rahman (A. R. Rahman). Musical Training Under Master Dhanraj Rahman took a music lesson from Ustad Dhanraj. At the age of 11, he joined the orchestra of renowned Malayalam composer MK Arjunan, a close friend of his father, as a player. He quickly mastered vocals, guitar, percussion, drums, harpsichord, fingerboard, keyboard, piano, accordion, goblet, drums, concert harp, etc. Impressed by his talent, renowned composers like MS Viswanathan and Ramesh Naidu, Raj Koti also offered him an opportunity to work with them. Read More: 2022 rewind: A year of abundance for silver screens, OTT platforms Scholarship in Trinity College of Music He embarked on a world tour with Zakir Hussain, Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, and L Shankar in his teenage. At that time, Rahman got a scholarship from Trinity College London to the Trinity College of Music. Later, while studying in Madras, he obtained a diploma in ‘Western Classical Music’ from a local school.

The 10th edition of Dhaka Lit Fest officially began on Thursday, after a three-year hiatus due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Revered as Bangladesh's biggest event showcasing world literature and culture with the participation of around 500 writers, poets, performers, intellectuals, journalists and internationally acclaimed prize-winning speakers, the 2023 edition is featuring 170 sessions during the four-day event. State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid inaugurated the event alongside Nobel laureate litterateur Abdulrazak Gurnah, and Indian writer-literary critic Amitav Ghosh at Bangla Academy's Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad (AKSB) auditorium in the morning. DLF Directors Sadaf Saaz Siddiqi, Kazi Anis Ahmed and Ahsan Akbar were also present at the inauguration ceremony. "After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, Dhaka Lit Fest is finally being held with the presence of global literary dignitaries. The Ministry of Cultural Affiars is proud to be associated with this prestigious event as always, and I wish the event the success it deserves," KM Khalid said at the ceremony. Indian writer and literary critic Amitabh Ghosh said, "I grew up hearing stories about Bangladesh as my grandmother was from Madaripur district and all her life, she had her Madaripuri accent. It was amazing for me growing up hearing this wonderful dialect, this wonderful language. However, Bangladesh was a kind of absence in my life as I live in India, and I think only those of us who have the experience of that separation can really understand what this absence means.” Nobel laureate writer Abdulrazak Gurnah said, "Unlike Amitav Ghosh, I cannot tell the story of how I began here and how I belong here because, for me, this is the first time coming to Dhaka and Bangladesh, or indeed, this whole side of the subcontinent,” he said. “So I’m expecting all kinds of revelations, events to happen that I have not seen before. And I’ve already got a bit of a taste from the performances earlier, the dance – the very beautiful dances – the lovely costumes, the music, and then that incredibly energetic performance by the drummers.” Earlier in the morning, the proceedings began with a performance of spiritual songs at the Bangla Academy lawn. Read more: Curtain rises on Dhaka Lit Fest 2023 Thursday The event remained suspended for three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The ninth DLF was held in November 2019. Organizers say the historic Bangla Academy premises will become more vibrant due to the presence of eminent personalities from five continents, including two Nobel Prize-winning authors -- namely Orhan Pamuk and Abdulrazak. The event will feature winners of the Pulitzer, International Booker, Neustadt International, PEN/Pinter, Prix Médicis, Academy Award, Windham-Campbell Prize, Albert Medal, Waterstones Children's Book Prize, and Aga Khan Award. This event features with conversations, dialogues, film screenings, art exhibitions, music, cultural shows and much more. According to the organizers, only children up to 12 years of age will not need any ticket to enter. Read more: Dhaka International Folk Fest underway