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Shirley MacLaine Fast Facts | CNN

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Here is a look at best-selling author and Oscar-winning actress, Shirley MacLaine.

Birth date: April 24, 1934

Birth place: Richmond, Virginia

Birth name: Shirley MacLean Beaty

Father: Ira O. Beaty, school administrator

Mother: Kathlyn (MacLean) Beaty, drama teacher

Marriage: Steve Parker (1954-1982, divorced)

Children: Stephanie Sachiko “Sachi” Parker

Nominated for six Academy Awards and won one.

Nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards and won one.

Her brother is actor and director Warren Beatty.

Has said she believes in reincarnation and UFO’s.

Is named after the child star Shirley Temple.

1950s – Performs in a “subway circuit” production of “Oklahoma!”

May 28, 1953 – Makes Broadway debut in “Me and Juliet” as a member of the chorus.

1954 – As the understudy for star Carol Haney in “The Pajama Game” on Broadway, MacLaine gets her big break after the lead actress hurts her ankle. Hollywood producer Hal Wallis is impressed by MacLaine’s performance and offers her a film contract.

1955 – Makes her film debut in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Trouble with Harry.” Also co-stars with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in “Artists and Models.”

1955-1971 – Stars in close to 25 movies, including “Some Came Running” in 1958, “The Apartment” in 1960, “Irma La Douce” in 1963, and “Sweet Charity” in 1969.

1960s – Supports Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign, protests the Vietnam War and advocates for civil rights.

January 1, 1970 – MacLaine’s memoir, “Don’t Fall Off the Mountain,” is published. It’s the first of 15 books penned by the actress.

1971-1972 – Helps Democrat George McGovern campaign for president.

1973 – Spends three weeks in China leading an all-female delegation on a tour sanctioned by the Communist government. She makes an Oscar-nominated 1975 documentary about the trip, “The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir.”

September 11, 1977 – Wins a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Comedy, Variety or Music, for her role in “Gypsy in my Soul.”

1978 – Visits Fidel Castro at the Presidential palace in Havana while on a trip to Cuba. After telling him that she liked his uniform, he gives her a replica of one of his uniforms, according to MacLaine’s memoir, “My Lucky Stars.”

1984 – Wins the Oscar for Best Actress for her role as Aurora Greenway in “Terms of Endearment.”

1994 – Walks nearly 500 miles across Spain on a spiritual pilgrimage called El Camino de Santiago. During her month-long solo journey, MacLaine sleeps in shelters and begs for food. She chronicles the trek in her book, “The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit.”

2011 – Receives France’s most prestigious award for the arts, the Legion of Honor.

2012-2013 – Portrays a fashionable New Yorker on the hit show, “Downton Abbey.”

December 8, 2013 – Receives the Kennedy Center Honors for her achievements in the performing arts.

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April 10, 2024
Jack Nicholson Fast Facts | CNN

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Here’s a look at the life of actor Jack Nicholson, who has won three Academy Awards and been nominated for 12, the most of any male performer.

Birth date: April 22, 1937

Birth place: Neptune, New Jersey

Birth name: John Joseph Nicholson

Father: Identity not confirmed publicly

Mother: June Nicholson

Marriage: Sandra Knight (1961-1966, divorced)

Children: with Jennine Gourin: Tessa (though he has not claimed paternity publicly); with Rebecca Broussard: Lorraine and Raymond; with Winnie Hollman: Honey (though he has not claimed paternity publicly); with Susan Anspach: Caleb; with Sandra Knight: Jennifer

Raised by Ethel May Nicholson. It wasn’t until Nicholson was an adult that he learned that Ethel May was his grandmother and not his mother. His birth mother was June Nicholson, whom he grew up believing was his sister.

Worked in film for 10 years before his breakthrough role in “Easy Rider.”

Wrote, produced and starred in the 1966 western “Ride in the Whirlwind.”

Ardent Los Angeles Lakers fan.

1954 – Moves to Los Angeles.

1958 – Makes his film debut in “The Cry Baby Killer.”

1969 – The film “Easy Rider” is released and earns him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

1974 – The film “Chinatown” is released.

1976 – Wins the Best Actor Academy Award for his performance in “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”

1980 – The film “The Shining” is released.

1984 – Wins the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in “Terms of Endearment.”

1989 – The film “Batman” is released. Nicholson plays the Joker.

1998 – Wins the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in “As Good as It Gets.”

1994 – Smashes another man’s car windshield with a golf club during a traffic dispute. Later, charges are dropped and Nicholson reaches an undisclosed settlement with the car’s owner.

1999 – Receives the Cecil B. DeMille Award.

December 2001 – Kennedy Center honoree.

2006 – Co-stars in the Martin Scorsese film “The Departed.”

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April 4, 2024
Warren Beatty Fast Facts | CNN

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Here is a look at the life of actor, director, producer and writer Warren Beatty.

Birth date: March 30, 1937

Birth place: Richmond, Virginia

Birth name: Henry Warren Beaty

Father: Ira O. Beaty, school administrator

Mother: Kathlyn (MacLean) Beaty, drama teacher

Marriage: Annette Bening (March 1992-present)

Children: Stephen, Benjamin, Isabel and Ella

Education: Attended Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 1956; Attended the Stella Adler Theatre School, New York, New York, 1957

He is the younger brother of actress Shirley MacLaine.

Beatty turned down several football scholarships to study drama at Northwestern University instead.

Beatty dated many famous women, such as Jane Fonda, Faye Dunaway, Julie Christie and Madonna, before he was married at age 54 to actress Annette Bening.

Nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won once. He has also received an honorary award.

Beatty is one of a small group to have been nominated for an Oscar as writer, director, producer and actor on an individual film. Beatty did it twice, for “Heaven Can Wait” and “Reds.” Orson Welles was the first, for “Citizen Kane.”

Honorary chair of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, originally founded by the much-admired acting teacher. Other prominent alumni include Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Martin Sheen, and Bryce Dallas Howard.

In November 2015, singer-songwriter Carly Simon admitted to People magazine the second verse of her 1972 song, “You’re So Vain,” is about Beatty, a former beau, confirming a decades-old rumor.

1957 – Makes his television debut, in the lead role of a hitchhiker, on NBC’s “The Curly Headed Kid.”

1959-1963 – Appears in five episodes of the TV series “the Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.” Changes his last name to “Beatty.”

November 28, 1959 – Debuts on Broadway in “A Loss of Roses.”

1961 – Beatty makes his film-acting debut as Bud Stamper in “Splendor in the Grass” opposite Natalie Wood.

1967 – Makes his producing debut (and also stars) in the film “Bonnie and Clyde.” Initially panned, the film later receives critical recognition and is now considered a movie classic.

1975 – Makes his writing debut with “Shampoo,” co-written with Robert Towne, in which he also stars and produces.

1978 – Makes his directing debut with “Heaven Can Wait,” in which he is also the star, producer and writer.

1981 – For the second time, he serves as actor, director, producer and writer, for “Reds.”

March 29, 1982 – Winner, Academy Award for Best Director, for “Reds.” This is his only Academy Award win.

1987 – Produces and stars, with Dustin Hoffman, in the famous flop, “Ishtar,” about two lounge singers traipsing around North Africa.

1990 – Produces, directs and stars in the film, “Dick Tracy,” based on the hero police detective of the comic strip.

1991 – Meets his future wife, Annette Bening, when they star in the film “Bugsy,” a biopic about mobster Bugsy Siegel.

1998 – Produces, writes, directs and stars in the political satire, “Bulworth.”

August 12, 1999 – The New York Times reports Beatty, a Democrat, is considering a run for the White House in the 2000 election.

March 26, 2000 – Receives the Academy’s highest honor, the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial award, which is presented to “creative producers whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production.”

December 5, 2004 – Receives the Kennedy Center Honors.

March 25, 2011 – Wins a long-running legal fight in federal court against Tribune Media Services over rights to the Dick Tracy character.

February 26, 2017 – Beatty and Faye Dunaway – on hand to celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Bonnie and Clyde” – announce the wrong winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture after being handed the wrong envelope by one of the two partners from accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). “Moonlight” finally accepts the award for best picture after “La La Land” is mistakenly announced.

November 7, 2022 – Beatty is sued by Kristina Charlotte Hirsch for sexual assault and sexual battery. Hirsch accuses Beatty of coercing her into sex in 1973 when Hirsch was a minor. Beatty is not named directly in the lawsuit. In December 2023 the lawsuit is dismissed with prejudice.

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March 19, 2024
Eddie Murphy Fast Facts | CNN

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Here’s a look at the life of Oscar-nominated actor, singer, writer and comedian Eddie Murphy.

Birth date: April 3, 1961

Birth place: Brooklyn, New York

Birth name: Edward Regan Murphy

Father: Charles Murphy, police officer

Mother: Lillian Murphy, telephone operator

Marriage: Nicole Mitchell (March 18, 1993-April 17, 2006, divorced)

Children: with Paige Butcher: Max and Izzy; with Melanie Brown (Mel B, aka Scary Spice): Angel; with Nicole Mitchell: Bella, Zola, Shayne, Miles and Bria; with Tamara Hood: Christian; with Paulette McNeely: Eric

Education: Attended Nassau Community College

Nominated for three Grammy Awards and won one.

Nominated for one Academy Award.

Nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards and won one.

Murphy’s childhood heroes include Richard Pryor, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lewis.

When Murphy was three years old, his parents split up. His father was murdered by a girlfriend five years later. Murphy was raised by his mother and stepfather, Vernon Lynch.

His flair for celebrity voices springs from watching and imitating cartoons as a kid.

Demonstrating his slapstick versatility, Murphy portrayed multiple characters in “Coming to America,” “Bowfinger,” “Norbit,” “Vampire in Brooklyn,” “Meet Dave,” “The Adventures of Pluto Nash” and the “Nutty Professor” films.

Murphy’s musical output includes two Billboard Hot 100 singles, “Party All the Time” and “Put Your Mouth on Me,” as well as a duet with Michael Jackson, “Whatzupwitu.”

November 22, 1980 – Murphy makes his first appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He had auditioned six times before he was hired as a featured player to occasionally appear in skits. The comedian later gets promoted to the main cast and portrays such characters as a petulant version of Gumby, Buckwheat and Mister Robinson, a parody of Mister Rogers. He and Joe Piscopo are the only members of the 1980 ensemble who aren’t fired at the end of the season.

December 8, 1982 – Murphy’s first movie, “48 Hrs.” is released. The action comedy centers on a thief (Murphy) who helps a cop (Nick Nolte) track down a murderous fugitive.

1983 – HBO airs Murphy’s concert special, “Eddie Murphy – Delirious.”

June 8, 1983 – “Trading Places,” a comedy starring Murphy, Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis, debuts in theaters.

February 28, 1984 – Murphy’s live album, “Eddie Murphy: Comedian” wins a Grammy for Best Comedy Recording.

December 5, 1984 – “Beverly Hills Cop” opens. Sylvester Stallone had been originally slated to play the main character, Axel Foley, but he quit weeks before the shoot and Murphy replaced him.

December 18, 1987 – The comedy concert film, “Eddie Murphy Raw,” is released.

April 11, 1988 – Presenting the Best Picture award during the Oscars telecast, Murphy criticizes the Academy for failing to recognize the contributions of Black performers throughout film history. He quips that he likely will never get an Oscar because of the remark.

November 17, 1989 – “Harlem Nights,” directed by Murphy, is released. Two of Murphy’s childhood idols, Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx, costar in the 1930s-period piece about a wild New York nightspot.

June 28, 1996 – Murphy makes a comeback with the release of “The Nutty Professor,” a Jerry Lewis remake.

May 2, 1997 – The comedian gets pulled over after offering a ride to an alleged transgender prostitute. A spokesman for Murphy says the star was simply trying to help someone who appeared to be troubled and alone.

January 10, 1999 – “The PJs,” an animated series co-created by Murphy and Larry Wilmore, debuts on Fox. The series is criticized for perpetuating black stereotypes. It garners three Primetime Emmy awards, two for voice actress, Ja’Net DuBois and one for achievement in animation. It’s canceled after three seasons.

May 16, 2001 – “Shrek,” a computer animated fairy tale about an ogre (Mike Myers) who befriends a hapless donkey (Murphy), opens and grosses $42 million during its first weekend.

May 19, 2004 – “Shrek 2” opens in theaters. The movie tallies $441 million in ticket sales, making it the top box office hit of 2004.

December 15, 2006 – “Dreamgirls” opens in limited release. Critics praise Murphy for his dramatic turn as James “Thunder” Early, a fading star struggling with addiction.

September 6, 2011 – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces that Murphy will host the Oscars. On November 9, Murphy says he is stepping down as Oscar host. He and director Brett Ratner were slated to collaborate on the show but Ratner quit amid controversy over his usage of an anti-gay slur. Billy Crystal is selected as Murphy’s replacement.

February 15, 2015 – During a “Saturday Night Live” 40th anniversary special, Murphy makes a brief appearance. He declines to participate in a sketch mocking Bill Cosby, according to a series of Tweets by writer and former cast member, Norm McDonald. Cosby expresses gratitude through a spokesman, telling NBC News, “I am very appreciative of Eddie and I applaud his actions.”

October 18, 2015 – Murphy is awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

September 16, 2016 – After a four-year hiatus from the big screen, “Mr. Church” opens with Murphy playing the title role.

December 21, 2019 – Murphy returns to “Saturday Night Live” after 35 years, bringing back many of his most popular characters. The episode is the top rated show for “Saturday Night Live” in more than two years.

September 20, 2020 – Murphy wins an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series for hosting “Saturday Night Live” in December 2019.

March 5, 2021 – “Coming 2 America” debuts on Amazon.

January 10, 2023 – Receives the Cecil B. DeMille career achievement award at the 90th annual Golden Globes.

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March 19, 2024
Liza Minnelli Fast Facts | CNN

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Here is a look at the life of Liza Minnelli, award winning singer and actress.

Birth date: March 12, 1946

Birth place: Los Angeles, California

Birth name: Liza May Minnelli

Father: Vincente Minnelli, director

Mother: Judy Garland, actress and singer

Marriages: David Gest (March 16, 2002-April 2007, divorced); Mark Gero (December 4, 1979-January 27, 1992, divorced); Jack Haley Jr. (September 15, 1974-April 9, 1979, divorced); Peter Allen (March 3, 1967-July 24, 1974, divorced)

Nominated for four Emmy Awards and won once.

Nominated for two Academy Awards and won once.

Nominated for three Tony Awards and won two. Also received a Special Tony Award in 1974.

Has struggled with addictions to alcohol and painkillers.

Has suffered numerous health problems, including hip replacement surgery, throat surgery and encephalitis.

1949 – Makes her first film appearance, uncredited, “In the Good Old Summertime,” playing Judy Garland’s daughter.

1960s – Begins her cabaret career playing in nightclubs across the United States.

1963 – Appears Off-Broadway in the musical, “Best Foot Forward.”

1964 – Appears onstage with her mother at the London Palladium.

May 11, 1965 – Broadway debut in the musical, “Flora the Red Menace.”

1965 – Wins Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for “Flora the Red Menace” and is the youngest actress ever to receive a Tony at the time.

1968 – Makes her first film appearance as an adult in “Charlie Bubbles.”

1972 – Has a variety special on NBC called “Liza with a Z: A Concert for Television.”

1973 – Wins Best Actress Academy Award for “Cabaret.”

1973 – Wins Emmy Outstanding Single Program-Variety and Popular Music for “Liza with a Z.”

January 6-26, 1974 – Her one-woman show, “Liza,” runs on Broadway.

1974 – Receives a special Tony Award for “adding luster to the Broadway season.”

1978 – Wins Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for “The Act.”

1990 – Receives the Grammy Legend Award, a special merit award given out annually to members of the recording field for ongoing contributions and influence.

October 23, 2000 – Is stricken with viral encephalitis.

September 21, 2001 – During the first major sporting event in New York since the 9/11 attacks, Minnelli sings “New York, New York” during the 7th inning stretch at Shea Stadium.

October 2003 – David Gest sues wife Minnelli for $10 million claiming lingering emotional and physical damage due to beatings he suffered at her hands. The case is dismissed September 2006.

2004 – Minnelli is sued by her former bodyguard, M’Hammed Soumayah, for assault and battery, breach of contract and sexual harassment. She countersues claiming he violated the confidentiality terms of his employment. The case is settled out of court in November 2009 and all settlement terms are confidential.

January 2007 – Ending months of acrimonious charges from both sides, Minnelli and Gest work out their differences and agree to divorce without fault on either side.

December 13, 2007 – Collapses during a Christmas concert in Sweden and is flown back to the United States.

July 11, 2011 – Receives the Legion of Honor award from France.

March 2015 – Her spokesperson Scott Gorenstein announces that Minnelli has entered a treatment facility for her addictions. She is there through part of April, according to her publicist.

March 27, 2022 – Minnelli and Lady Gaga appear on stage together to present the Oscar for best picture.

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February 22, 2024
Woody Allen Fast Facts | CNN

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Here’s a look at the life of Oscar-winning filmmaker Woody Allen.

Birth date: December 1, 1935

Birth place: Brooklyn, New York

Birth name: Allan Stewart Konigsberg

Father: Martin Konigsberg, worked various jobs

Mother: Nettie (Cherry) Konigsberg, bookkeeper

Marriages: Soon-Yi Previn (December 22, 1997-present), Louise Lasser (divorced), Harlene Rosen (divorced)

Children: daughters adopted with Soon-Yi Previn: Manzie Tio Allen (2000), Bechet Dumaine Allen (1998); with Mia Farrow: Satchel Farrow (1987, now goes by Ronan), Dylan O’Sullivan Farrow (1985, adopted daughter), Moses Farrow (1978, adopted)

Education: Attended New York University and City College of New York.

He legally changed his name at 17 to Heywood Allen.

Allen has worked as a comedy writer, stand-up comic, screenwriter, actor, playwright, musician and director.

He has 24 Oscar nominations and four wins: 16 for writing, with three wins; seven for directing, with one win; and one nomination for acting.

Allen has one Emmy nomination for writing.

Allen has appeared in dozens of the movies he’s directed and claims to have never watched his films once they are released.

Although Allen is best known for comedies, he has explored different genres including dramas (“Interiors”), thrillers (“Match Point”) and musicals (“Everyone Says I Love You”).

Most of his movies have been filmed in and around New York.

He plays the jazz clarinet and piano.

1950-1960 – Comedy writer.

1961-1964 – A standup comic.

July 1964 – Releases his first comedy album, “Woody Allen.”

June 22, 1965 – The first movie he wrote and performed in, “What’s New Pussycat?” is released.

November 17, 1966 – “Don’t Drink the Water,” Allen’s first play, opens on Broadway.

February 12, 1969-March 14, 1970 – “Play It Again, Sam,” his second play, runs on Broadway with Allen in the lead. In 1972, he reprises his role in the movie adaptation.

1978 – “Annie Hall” wins four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay Written for the Screen and Best Actress. Allen earns two of the four Oscars as writer and director. He is also nominated for Best Actor but does not win.

1987 – Wins the Academy Award for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for “Hannah and Her Sisters.” He is also nominated for Best Director for the same film.

1992 – His 12 year relationship with actress Mia Farrow ends when she discovers his affair with her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Subsequently, allegations of sexual molestation are made by their adopted daughter, Dylan, 7. A two-year custody battle for their three children Satchel, Dylan and Moses ensues, which Farrow wins.

April 1998 – The documentary, “Wild Man Blues,” is released, showcasing Allen’s love for the jazz clarinet and his association with the Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band.

2002 – Makes his only appearance at an Academy Awards ceremony. He appeals for the continued use of New York as a setting for movies after September 11, 2001.

2012 – Wins an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for “Midnight in Paris.”

February 1, 2014 – An open letter written by Dylan Farrow is published in the New York Times, recounting her allegation that Allen sexually assaulted her when she was a child. A representative for Allen releases a statement the next day, denying the charges.

February 7, 2014 – Allen responds in an op-ed column released by The New York Times. He says the allegations are untrue and rooted in his acrimonious breakup with Mia Farrow.

September 30, 2016 – Allen’s first video streaming series, “Crisis in Six Scenes” debuts on Amazon.com.

January 2018 – Several actors who appeared in Allen’s latest film, “A Rainy Day in New York,” announce they will be donating their salaries to charity amid questions about longstanding sexual abuse claims against Allen. The movie has yet to be released.

September 16, 2018 – In a New York magazine profile, Soon-Yi Previn defends Allen against allegations of molestation.

February 7, 2019 – Allen and his production company file a lawsuit against Amazon claiming the company backed out of a $68 million four-picture deal.

November 8, 2019 – Allen and his production company reach a settlement with Amazon in a breach of contract lawsuit.

March 23, 2020 – Allen’s memoir “Apropos of Nothing” is published by Arcade Publishing. Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, originally acquired the rights to the book but canceled their plans to publish it after employees walked out in protest.

February 21, 2021 – “Allen v. Farrow,” a four-part HBO docuseries that examines Allen’s relationship with Farrow and sexual-assault allegations by their daughter Dylan premieres.

March 28, 2021 – In an interview for “CBS Sunday Morning,” Allen denies the sexual abuse allegation by his daughter Dylan.

June 7, 2022 – “Zero Gravity,” Allen’s new essay collection is published.

September 27, 2023 – Allen releases his 50th film and first French-language film, “Coupe de Chance.”

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November 21, 2023
Academy Awards Fast Facts | CNN

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Here is some background information about the Academy Awards, also known as the “Oscars.”

March 10, 2024 – The 96th Annual Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place, with Jimmy Kimmel hosting.

March 12, 2023 – The 95th Annual Academy Awards ceremony takes place, with Jimmy Kimmel hosting.

Best Picture

“Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Actor in a Leading Role

Brendan Fraser, “The Whale”

Actress in a Leading Role

Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Actor in a Supporting Role

Ke Huy Quan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Actress in a Supporting Role

Jamie Lee Curtis, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Director

Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

The full list of winners

Best Picture
“CODA”

Actor in a Leading Role
Will Smith, “King Richard”

Actress in a Leading Role
Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”

Actress in a Supporting Role
Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”

Actor in a Supporting Role
Troy Kotsur, “CODA”

Director
Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”

The full list of winners

PricewaterhouseCoopers accounting firm has tallied the ballots since 1934. Newspaper headlines announced the winners before the ceremony until 1941, when the sealed envelope system was put in place. Prior to a PwC envelope mix-up in 2017, when an error was made during the award announcement for Best Picture, only two partners from the firm knew the results until the envelopes were opened. After 2017, new procedures were adopted, which include adding a third balloting partner to also memorize the list of winners. The third partner sits with Oscar producers in the control room while the other two balloting partners are posted on opposite sides of the stage. Additionally, the PwC partners are prohibited from using cellphones and social media backstage during the show.

Walt Disney is the most honored person in Oscar history. He received 59 nominations and 26 competitive awards throughout his career.

Composer John Williams is the most nominated living person – 52 nominations (including five wins).

Meryl Streep is the most nominated performer in Academy history with 21 nominations.

Jack Nicholson is the most nominated male performer in Academy history with 12 nominations.

Katharine Hepburn had the most Oscar wins for a performer, with four.

Daniel Day-Lewis is the only person to have three Best Actor Oscars.

Tatum O’Neal is the youngest person to ever win a competitive Oscar at 10 years, 148 days old.

Only three films have won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Writing: in 1934, “It Happened One Night”; in 1975, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”; and in 1991, “The Silence of the Lambs.”

No one film has ever taken home all six top prizes, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress.

Scientific and Technical Awards are given out in a separate ceremony for methods, discoveries or inventions that contribute to the arts and sciences of motion pictures.

May 16, 1929 – The first Academy Awards are held in the Blossom Room at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Tickets cost $5.

1929 – The first Best Picture award goes to “Wings.”

1929 – The first statuette ever presented is to Emil Jannings, for his Best Actor performance in “The Last Command.”

1937 – The first presentation of the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award is given to Darryl F. Zanuck.

1938 – Due to extensive flooding in Los Angeles, the ceremony is delayed for one week.

March 19, 1953 – First televised ceremony is from the Pantages Theater in Hollywood.

1966 – The awards are first broadcast in color.

1968 – Due to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the ceremony is moved forward two days as the original date is the day of King’s funeral.

1976-present – ABC broadcasts the Oscars.

1981 – Due to the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, the ceremony is postponed 24 hours.

2001 – The Best Animated Feature Film category is added.

June 23, 2009 – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces that beginning in 2010, 10 films will receive nominations in the Best Picture category, instead of five.

June 26, 2009 – The Academy announces that beginning in 2010, new rules governing the Best Song category may eliminate that category in any given year. Also, the Irving G. Thalberg and Jean Hersholt honorary awards will be given at a separate ceremony in November.

June 14, 2011 – The Academy announces new rules governing the Best Picture category, the number of movies nominated may vary from 5 – 10 in any given year and will not be known until the nominees are announced. The new rule goes into effect in 2012.

November 9, 2011 – Eddie Murphy drops out as host of the Oscars in February 2012, one day after producer Brett Ratner quits the show, because of a remark he made that was considered homophobic.

January 18, 2016 – Following criticism two years in a row about the lack of diversity with Oscar nominees, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the president of the Academy, issues a statement saying that “in the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond.”

January 24, 2017 – The romantic musical, “La La Land,” picks up 14 Oscar nominations, tying the record held by “All About Eve” and “Titanic.” After complaints in 2016 about a lack of diversity, six Black actors receive nominations for their performances, a record.

February 26, 2017 – Following the moment “La La Land” is mistakenly announced as best picture, “Moonlight” becomes the first film with an all-Black cast to win the Academy Award for best picture. Additionally, Mahershala Ali is the first Muslim actor to win best supporting actor.

August 8, 2018 – In a letter to members, the Academy announces that it is adding a new category in 2019 for outstanding achievement in popular film. The letter doesn’t specify the criteria for a “popular” film.

September 6, 2018 – The Academy announces that it is rethinking the decision to add a popular film category. Academy CEO Dawn Hudson says in a statement, “There has been a wide range of reactions to the introduction of a new award, and we recognize the need for further discussion with our members.”

December 6, 2018 – Kevin Hart steps down from hosting the Oscars after past homophobic tweets surface.

February 5, 2019 – ABC confirms that the Academy Awards will be hostless. This will be the first time in 30 years that the ceremony will be without a host.

February 9, 2020 – “Parasite” becomes the first non-English film to win an Oscar for Best Picture. It is also the first film to win both Best International Feature and Best Picture.

February 9, 2020 – The 92nd Academy Awards draws an average of 23.6 million views, the lowest ratings in the show’s history.

June 15, 2020 – For the first time in 40 years, the Academy postpones the 93rd Oscars. The last time the Oscars were postponed was in 1981, when the ceremony was delayed 24 hours because of an assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. In addition to the delay, the Academy agrees to extend the eligibility window for films, which usually corresponds to the calendar year. For the 2021 Oscars, the new window will be extended until February 28, 2021.

September 8, 2020 – The Academy announces that movies must meet certain criteria in terms of representation in order to be eligible for the Academy Award for best picture beginning in 2024. Introduced under an initiative called Aperture 2025, the organization says the goal is to “encourage equitable representation on and off screen in order to better reflect the diversity of the movie-going audience.”

April 25, 2021 – Yuh-jung Youn is named best supporting actress for her role in “Minari” and becomes the first Korean actress to win an Oscar. Chloe Zhao is named best director for “Nomadland” and becomes the first woman of color and the first woman of Asian descent to earn the award. She is also only the second woman to win.

May 27, 2021 – The Academy announces that the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony will be held in March 2022, a month later than originally scheduled.

March 27, 2022 – Will Smith slaps Chris Rock on the face after Rock makes a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head while presenting the award for best documentary. Smith then says “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth!” twice. Censors muted the verbal part of the exchange for viewers at home in the United States.

March 12, 2023 – Michelle Yeoh is named best actress for her role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” becoming the first woman of Asian descent to win the award.

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November 16, 2023
Sophia Loren Fast Facts | CNN

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Here’s a look at the life of award-winning screen legend Sophia Loren.

Birth date: September 20, 1934

Birth place: Rome, Italy (grew up in Pozzuoli, outside of Naples)

Birth name: Sofia Villani Scicolone

Father: Riccardo Scicolone

Mother: Romilda Villani

Marriages: Carlo Ponti (April 9, 1966-January 10, 2007, his death; September 17, 1957-September 3, 1962, annulled)

Children: Edoardo, Carlo Jr.

At six, her chin was cut by shrapnel during a bombing in World War II.

Other screen names used before becoming Sophia Loren were Sofia Lazzaro and Sofia Scicolone.

Nominated for two Academy Awards and won one. She also received an honorary award.

Nominated for eight Golden Globes and won five. She also received the honorary Cecil B. DeMille Award.

Nominated for one Grammy Award and won.

An accomplished cook, she has written three cookbooks.

1949 – Enters the Queen of the Sea beauty contest and comes in second, winning a train ticket to Rome, where she begins modeling and acting in B-movies.

Early 1950s – Is the runner-up in a nightclub beauty contest for Miss Rome. Movie producer Carlo Ponti is one of the judges.

1951 – Makes her US film debut as an uncredited extra, with no lines, in the film “Quo Vadis?”

Early 1950s – Adopts the last name Loren.

October 23, 1953 – “Aida” opens; it’s her first major leading role.

1957 – Loren appears in her first English-speaking leading role, “The Pride and the Passion.” She learns her lines by using cue cards of English words written phonetically.

1962 – Wins the Best Actress Academy Award for “La ciociara (Two Women).”

September 3, 1962 – Her marriage of almost five years to Carlo Ponti is annulled. Neither the Vatican nor Italian law recognizes Ponti’s 1957 divorce by proxy from Giuliana Ponti. Loren and Ponti are forced to annul their marriage after warrants for their arrest are issued.

1964 – Stars in the movie, “Matrimonio all’italiana (Marriage Italian Style).” Nominated for an Academy Award.

1964-1965 – Moves to France with Carlo Ponti and becomes a French citizen.

1965 – Giuliana Ponti obtains a French divorce recognized by Italian law.

April 9, 1966 – Loren and Carlo Ponti marry for the second time.

July 24, 1968 – Loren and Ponti cleared of bigamy charges by Rome’s criminal court.

January 23, 1979 – Loren is tried (in absentia), and acquitted, of complicity with Ponti in income tax evasion, misuse of government subsidies, and illegal export of Italian funds and artwork. Carlo Ponti is convicted and sentenced to four years in prison (two years were pardoned) and fined 22 billion lire ($24 million). All charges against him were cleared in 1987.

1980 – Portrays both herself and her mother in the made-for-TV movie “Sophia Loren: Her Own Story,” based on her 1979 autobiography, “Sophia: Living and Loving, Her Own Story,” written with A. E. Hotchner.

May 20, 1982 – Loren begins her 30-day jail term for tax evasion, for unpaid supplementary taxes for 1963-1964.

June 5, 1982 – Serves 17 days of her 30-day jail term.

1991 – Receives Honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement.

2003 – Winner, Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children (along with Bill Clinton and Mikhail Gorbachev) for reading Prokofiev’s “Peter and The Wolf.”

2009 – Appears in the movie “Nine,” her first role in five years.

November 2014 – Loren’s memoir, “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: My Life,” is published.

November 13, 2020 – “The Life Ahead” premieres on Netflix. The film stars Loren and is directed by her son, Edoardo Ponti.

April 2021 – Loren opens Sophia Loren Original Italian Food, a restaurant and pizzeria, in Florence, Italy.

September 24, 2023 – Is taken to hospital for surgery after falling in her home and suffering several fractures to her hip and thighbone.

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November 9, 2023
Barbra Streisand Fast Facts | CNN

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Here is a look at the life of singer and actress Barbra Streisand.

Birth date: April 24, 1942

Birth place: Brooklyn, New York

Birth name: Barbara Joan Streisand

Father: Emanuel Streisand, a teacher

Mother: Diana (Rosen) Streisand Kind

Marriages: James Brolin (July 1, 1998-present); Elliott Gould (March 21, 1963-1971, divorced)

Children: with Elliott Gould: Jason Emanuel Gould

Changed her name from Barbara to Barbra.

Her father died when she was 15 months old.

Has suffered from severe stage fright.

Nominated for 46 Grammy Awards and has won eight.

Nominated for nine Primetime Emmy Awards and has won four.

Nominated for five Academy Awards and has won two.

Nominated for two Tony Awards, and has received a special Tony Award.

1962 – Makes her Broadway debut in “I Can Get It For You Wholesale.”

1962 – Signs a contract with Columbia Records.

1963 – Her debut album, “The Barbra Streisand Album,” is released and wins her two Grammy Awards.

1964 – The Broadway musical “Funny Girl,” in which Streisand plays Fanny Brice, debuts.

1965 – Her television special, “My Name Is Barbra,” airs. It earns Streisand an Emmy Award and a Grammy Award for the accompanying album.

April 14, 1969 – Wins the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the film “Funny Girl.”

1970 – Receives a special Tony Award.

1973 – The film “The Way We Were” opens.

March 28, 1977 – Receives the Academy Award for Best Original Song, for the song “Evergreen (Love Theme From A Star Is Born)” from the movie “A Star Is Born.”

1983 – Streisand’s directorial debut, “Yentl,” opens.

1986 – The Streisand Foundation is established.

1991 – “The Prince of Tides” opens, a film in which Streisand produces, directs and acts.

1995 – Receives a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

2008 – Receives the Kennedy Center Honors.

September 2014 – Streisand’s new album, “Partners,” is released and goes to the top of the Billboard 200 album chart. This makes her the first artist to have a No. 1 album in each of the past six decades.

November 24, 2015 – Is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

February 2018 – Variety magazine releases an interview in which Streisand reveals that two of her dogs are clones of her deceased dog Samantha, who passed away in 2017.

November 2, 2018 – Streisand’s album, “Walls,” is released. Streisand says the album embodies her feelings about Donald Trump and his presidency.

July 7, 2019 – Streisand reunites with her “A Star Is Born” co-star Kris Kristofferson on stage at London’s Hyde Park for a sold-out crowd of 65,000 – the biggest audience she’s performed for since a Central Park performance for 150,000 in 1968, according to Variety.

October 18, 2021 – Streisand funds The Barbra Streisand Institute at UCLA. The institute’s goal involves “solving societal challenges” and will focus on four areas the artist and activist is most passionate about.

November 4, 2022 – “Live at the Bon Soir,” a live album originally intended to be Streisand’s 1962 debut, is released for the first time.

November 7, 2023 – Streisand’s memoir, “My Name is Barbra,” is published.

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November 8, 2023
Beyoncé showing up for Taylor Swift’s movie premiere was a ‘fairytale’ | CNN

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Forget about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, she and Beyoncé are the true power pair of the year.

On Wednesday night it was the era of two queens when Beyoncé attended the premiere for Swift’s “Eras Tour” concert film in Los Angeles.

Naturally, the internet went bananas.

Both women have reigned supreme this year with powerhouse concert tours that they are capitalizing on by bringing them to the big screen.

First up is Swift’s, which “due to unprecedented demand” opened with early access shows on Thursday and will have additional showings over the weekend.

Queen Bey, who recently wrapped her “Renaissance Tour” in Kansas City, has announced that her “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” will hit theaters on December 1.

The women have been longtime admirers of each other and, early Thursday, Swift posted a video of the two of them together in a theater with Beyoncé tossing popcorn.

Swift wrote in the caption, “I’m so glad I’ll never know what my life would’ve been like without @beyonce’s influence.”

“The way she’s taught me and every artist out here to break rules and defy industry norms,” Swift wrote. “Her generosity of spirit. Her resilience and versatility. She’s been a guiding light throughout my career and the fact that she showed up tonight was like an actual fairytale.”

Given how often the world pits female superstars against each other, the mutual support of two of music’s biggest stars was a powerful statement.

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October 12, 2023
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour movie hits a presale record for Cinemark | CNN Business

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Taylor Swift’s concert film hasn’t even been released yet and it’s already toppling box-office records.

Cinemark, a theater chain with about 500 locations, said that ticket sales for “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” are “setting domestic presale records” with demand “10 times higher” than any other event film the company has exhibited. The reaction has “blown everyone away,” Cinemark announced in a press release.

Excitement has been building for the 3-hour-long film, which is opening Friday, October 13. An ad for the movie even aired during NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” last weekend, where Swift made an appearance to cheer on her possible boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.

Cinemark is not the first theater chain to experience an increase in sales via Swift: AMC Theaters previously announced that the singer’s Eras Tour concert movie “shattered records for single-day advance ticket sales revenue,” with $26 million sold on the first day that presales went live on August 31.

Swift’s movie crushed the single-day record less than three hours after tickets became available, prompting AMC to add extra showtimes where possible.

The concert film, which is being screened in some theaters in both IMAX and standard versions, is expected to rake in between $100 million to $125 million in its opening weekend, according to industry estimates.

Superstar Beyoncé is also releasing a film version of her “Renaissance World Tour” for a theatrical release. Ticket presales began Monday for the December 1 premiere.

For theaters eying a potentially grim fall with the ranks of movies thinned out by the (recently resolved) writers strike and the actors strike, the one-two punch looks like a gift from the musical gods. It’s a potential means of filling seats that doesn’t rely on what has come to look like an increasingly shaky theatrical business even with usually reliable studio blockbusters.

In addition to Swift and Beyoncé, the box office also has been helped out by another fierce female: “Barbie.” The film hit the $1 billion global box office mark barely three weeks into its run — only about 50 films in history, adjusted for inflation, have reached the benchmark. It’s made more than $630 million in the US box office since its July release. (CNN and “Barbie” movie distributor Warner Bros. Pictures share the same parent company.)

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October 5, 2023
Beyoncé announces ‘Renaissance’ concert film with new trailer | CNN

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Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” is coming to theaters.

The “Break My Soul” singer, who wrapped up her tour in in Kansas City on Sunday, released a trailer for the film, “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.” The project will debut in theaters on Dec. 1.

According to an official synopsis for the film, “It is about Beyoncé’s intention, hard work, involvement in every aspect of the production, her creative mind and purpose to create her legacy, and master her craft.”

“When I am performing, I am nothing but free,” Beyoncé says in the trailer. “The goal for this tour was to create a place where everyone is free and no one is judged.”

The trailer also shows images of Beyoncé’s family and features clips of her daughter Blue Ivy joining her onstage.

RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ

Tickets for “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” are available now.

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October 2, 2023
Why Taylor Swift wants you to watch the Eras concert film in theaters instead of on your couch | CNN Business

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Taylor Swift’s fans know the greatest films of all time were never made, but that could be called into question come October 13, when her Eras Tour concert movie is set for release in North America.

The bigger question might be: Why did Swift decide to release her highly anticipated film in theaters over a streaming service?

Already, the film has reached notable milestones. It has broken records for single-day advance ticket sales revenue with $26 million of tickets sold on August 31, according to AMC Theaters, blowing past previous record-holder “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

But Swift’s latest film is a pivot from recent years, when she released her concert films and documentaries on streaming services. Experts say that choosing movie theaters for the Eras Tour film’s debut over the small screen is a move fitting of both Swift’s business acumen and relationship with her fans.

Swift’s previous documentaries, “Miss Americana” and “Taylor Swift Reputation Stadium Tour” are on Netflix, while “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions” is available on Disney+. “Taylor Swift: Journey to Fearless” aired on The Hub, since re-branded as Discovery Family. “The 1989 World Tour Live” was released on Apple Music. Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company, also owns the Discovery network.

Unlike her previous concerts, the Eras Tour has become a cultural phenomenon. Many fans dress up in themed outfits to represent each of Swift’s “eras” or inside jokes among fans, donning everything from sparkly dresses to cowboy boots to cat costumes. Some make hundreds of friendship bracelets to trade during shows, and memorize lyrics and fan chants for her roughly three-hour performance.

At a movie theater, Swifties can partake in those rituals with other fans, which wouldn’t be the case for an at-home viewing on the couch. The theater’s ability to recreate the concert experience is likely a key reason why Swift decided to choose the big screen for her film, said Jonathan Kuuskoski, chair of the entrepreneurship and leadership department at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance.

“The movie basically functions as an overflow room for the concert tour,” said Kuuskoski.

Swift seemed to encourage the theater as a make-shift concert venue, posting on social media: “Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing encouraged,” adding “1, 2, 3, LGB!” the acronym to a concert fan chant.

Demand for Swift’s concerts has been astronomical, crashing Ticketmaster’s website last November and prompting US lawmakers to investigate whether the company has a monopoly on ticket sales. Ticketmaster was hit with more glitches in July when fans tried to purchase tickets for her shows in France.

While her concerts are in no short supply of attendees, a theater release opens the door to Swifties who couldn’t afford concert tickets, as well as potential new fans willing to pay for a movie ticket without committing to a concert, said Ralph Jaccodine, an assistant professor at Berklee College of Music and former concert promoter who has worked with Bruce Springsteen, Kiss and others.

Adult tickets for the film are set at $19.89, a nod to Swift’s album “1989,” whose re-recording is set for release two weeks after the “Eras Tour” theatrical debut. Swift’s favorite number is 13, and tickets for children and seniors are aptly set at $13.13.

Releasing the film in theaters is also a more financially lucrative decision than providing it to a streaming service, said Kuuskoski. For example, while moviegoers have to purchase a ticket each time they view a film, that’s not the case for streaming. Swift could also sell the film to a streaming service after it runs its course on the big screen.

Releasing the film in theaters before the tour is over seemingly runs the risk of potentially cannibalizing ticket sales for the actual concert. but the timing actually helps keep the momentum surrounding her tour going, says Jaccodine. Swift’s global tour ends in late 2024.

“I don’t think she could get any less publicity than what’s going on now,” he said.

Others seemed to have their own reasons for concern about the Eras Tour film release’s timing. The “Exorcist: Believer,” originally scheduled to be released on the same day as Swift’s film, moved it up a week.

“Look what you made me do. The Exorcist: Believer moves to 10/6/23 #TaylorWins,” the producer of the upcoming horror film posted on “X,” formerly Twitter, just hours after Swift announced her film.

The summer has already ushered in a film renaissance, as blockbusters “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” raked in a combined $511 million in global box office sales over their opening weekend and rekindled hopes that consumers are returning to movie theaters after the pandemic forced them to shutter their doors. “Barbie” is distributed by Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns CNN.

The Eras Tour’s film will likely extend the strong run of movie ticket sales set by the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, especially as theaters ramp up their own efforts to lure in moviegoers, said Michael O’Leary, chief executive of the National Association of Theater Owners.

AMC is selling collectible popcorn tubs and fountain drink cups in theaters starting the day of the film’s release, and offering free posters along with ticket purchases while supplies last.

“I don’t think this is something which is going to be a two- or three-week phenomenon,” O’Leary said. “You’re going to have people going multiple times.”

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September 7, 2023
Taylor Swift Eras Tour movie breaks presales records at AMC Theatres | CNN Business

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Taylor Swift’s concert film has already broken theater records more than a month ahead of its October 13 release. AMC Theaters said Friday that the singer’s Eras Tour concert movie “shattered records for single-day advance ticket sales revenue,” with $26 million of tickets sold on Thursday.

It beat the previous record holder, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which sold $16.9 million worth of tickets in one day ahead of its release in 2021, AMC said in a statement.

Swift’s movie crushed the daily record less than three hours after tickets became available, prompting the theater chain to say that it will add extra showtimes where possible.

Movie theaters have been recovering from a pandemic-era audience slump, driven by summer blockbuster hits like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” (“Barbie” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, which is owned by CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.)

But the ongoing Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strikes and the impasse with studio negotiations mean that the pool of movies making its way to theaters could dry up over the next year. While studios typically distribute movies to theaters, AMC is acting as the Eras Tour film distributor in what it called “the inaugural step of a new line of business for AMC Entertainment.”

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September 1, 2023
Jamie Dornan says he knew ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ movies would come with ‘baggage’ | CNN

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Jamie Dornan knew what he was getting tangled up with when he took on the role of Christian Grey in the spicy “Fifty Shades of Grey” franchise films – and we’re not talking about bedsheets.

During an appearance on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast last week, Dornan admitted that his decision to star in the erotic thriller “wasn’t an instant yes” because he knew that he’d catch some heat from critics.

“I knew that it came with a lot of baggage,” Dornan said. “The reality was it was going to make a ton of money and fans were going to love it, and the critics were going to despise it because that’s exactly what happened with the books. And that’s what we were making.”

Dornan starred in 2015’s “Fifty Shades of Grey” alongside Dakota Johnson and went on to appear in the two sequels, “Fifty Shades Darker” and “Fifty Shades Freed.” The movie trilogy is based on the book series by author E.L. James, who released the original three books of the same name between 2011 and 2012.

Initially, the “Tourist” star lost out on the role to “Sons of Anarchy” actor Charlie Hunnam, which he said came with “a bit of relief because I was like, that guy’s going to get wrecked here.”

“And then suddenly there I was but with way less time to make a decision,” Dornan said. “I got cast five weeks before we started shooting. My wife was 35 weeks pregnant, we had a lot of massive decisions to make very quickly. It was a crazy time when I think about it.”

Despite the initial trepidation, Dornan ultimately embraced the fandom.

“We were staying very truthful to the books, so we knew what that was going to be, but I think movies that are made for the fans, that the fans love, can only be seen as a success,” he said.

The movies were certainly a success, even if the critics panned them.

When “Fifty Shades of Grey,” the first film in the franchise, premiered in 2015, it broke box office records during its three-day opening weekend when it grossed $81.6 million and became the biggest opening ever for a film released on the combined Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day weekend.

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August 20, 2023
Willie Garson’s character on ‘And Just Like That…’ received a heartfelt tribute inspired by real life | CNN

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In the second to last episode of Season 2 of Max’s “Sex and the City” follow-up series “And Just Like That…” this week, the late actor Willie Garson’s beloved character Stanford Blatch received an extended and unexpected tribute, and its origins come from a bit of a surprising place.

In the episode, titled “The Last Supper, Part I: Appetizer,” Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) invites Stanford’s estranged husband Anthony Marentino (Mario Cantone) over to share an update on her good friend.

Garson, who died in 2021 after a bout with pancreatic cancer, played Carrie’s longtime confidant Blatch throughout the original series as well as three episodes in the first season of “AJLT,” but was too sick to continue and was written off the show with a device involving a sudden business move to Japan. (Max, like CNN, is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.)

In the scene in Thursday’s episode, Carrie tells Anthony while Stanford lost his job in Japan, he decided to stay and become a Shinto monk. She reads him a letter from Stanford stating how he is letting go of everything from his previous life, including his marriage to Anthony. The scene ends with Carrie and Anthony toasting Stanford with martinis, made all the most emotional due to Garson’s passing.

On the companion podcast for the show “And Just Like That… The Writers Room” this week, executive producer, writer and director Michael Patrick King discussed the telling moment, and mentioned how the maligned 2010 feature film sequel “Sex and the City 2” factored in as inspiration.

King, who also cowrote and directed the film, said on the podcast, “I went to Kyoto with Sarah Jessica after the second movie, which, spoiler alert, was not received well.”

While he said he had “growth” since the experience, he added “the critics were not nice to that movie. And we were in Japan, and we opened it, and then we went to Kyoto, and I was in some sort of an emotional shock wave, and I was going from temple to temple with Sarah Jessica. I was sitting there trying to release these complicated feelings, and I felt kind of at peace.”

“Sarah Jessica was just sitting there with me, and it was so beautiful,” King also said. “There wasn’t tears, but there wasn’t laughs. It was just feeling the space and these beautiful temples.”

Earlier in the podcast, King acknowledged the way they wrote Stanford off the show in the first season was “a band-aid, a fast fix” because, while Garson was tragically ill, “we didn’t want Stanford to die.”

“When I started thinking about where is Stanford, and what do we do, I somehow tapped into that feeling that Sarah Jessica and I had (in Japan), because I know Carrie and Stanford had a very deep bond, and I’m happy to say Sarah Jessica and I have a very deep personal bond. So I thought, what if he just stayed there in that beautiful blissful temple?”

King also said he wanted to “put Stanford someplace where it was golden and filled with light, because I hope Willie’s someplace that’s golden and filled with light, and it was poetic and it’s very emotional.”

Garson’s death was just one of several extenuating circumstances complicating the show’s first season. The others involved actor Chris Noth’s sexual assault allegations causing him to no longer be part of the show in a flashback scene later in the first season after his character Mr. Big’s shocking death in the series pilot, and the fact Kim Cattrall – one fourth of the quartet of women who made “Sex and the City” so special – was refusing to join the new show.

The last point will be changing, however, as next week’s Season 2 finale of “AJLT” will see a much-hyped cameo from her fan-favorite character Samantha Jones.

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August 19, 2023
Former quarterback Johnny Manziel talks drug abuse, suicide attempt in new documentary | CNN

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Former National Football League quarterback Johnny Manziel reveals in a new documentary his drug usage during his playing career and a suicide attempt following his release from the Cleveland Browns in 2016.

In Netflix’s upcoming documentary “Untold: Johnny Football,” Manziel – who became the first redshirt freshman to win the Heisman Trophy while playing at Texas A&M in 2012 – said that he began using OxyContin and cocaine every day following the 2015 season, which led to his weight dropping from 215 pounds that January to 175 pounds in September.

Poor play and legal troubles soon followed Manziel. A Texas grand jury indicted Manziel on a misdemeanor assault charge of his former girlfriend, Colleen Crowley. Manziel denied hitting Crowley at the time and the charges were later dropped after he met the court’s terms for a dismissal agreement.

The Browns would release Manziel in March 2016, which he said he was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Manziel said he refused to enter rehab twice and began “self-sabotaging,” going on a “$5 million bender” before attempting suicide.

“I had planned to do everything I wanted to do at that point in my life, spend as much money as I possibly could and then my plan was to take my life,” Manziel said in the documentary. “I wanted to get as bad as humanly possible to where it made sense, and it made it seem like an excuse and an out for me.”

Manziel said he had purchased a gun “months earlier” with the intention to use it for suicide but the gun “malfunctioned” when he pulled the trigger.

“Still to this day, don’t know what happened. But the gun just clicked on me,” he said.

Manziel’s relationship with his family at the time was “strained” due to his refusal to seek treatment, he said. Manziel later returned to his family’s home in Texas after leaving Los Angeles following the suicide attempt.

“It’s been a long, long road, and I don’t know if it’s been great or if it’s been bad – that’s kind of still up for debate,” Paul Manziel, his father, said in the documentary. “But we’re blessed. And he’s still with us. And we can mend all the fences still. I think Johnny’s got a lot better days coming than what he’s had.”

CNN has reached out to the Browns for comment.

Manziel was drafted in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Following his release from the Browns, Manziel played for multiple teams in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and in the now-defunct Alliance of American Football (AAF). Manziel last played in the Fan Controlled Football league.

The Netflix documentary is scheduled to be released on Tuesday.

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August 4, 2023
Netflix shutters its DVD rental business, marking the end of the red envelope era | CNN Business

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Netflix will send out its last red envelope on Friday, marking an end to 25 years of mailing DVDs to members.

The company announced earlier this year it is shutting down its DVD-by-mail service, 16 years after it gradually shifted its focus to streaming content online. Netflix will continue to accept returns of customers’ remaining DVDs until October 27.

Introduced in 1998 when Netflix first launched, the DVD service promised an easier rental experience than having to drive to the nearest Blockbuster or Hollywood Video. The red envelopes, which have long been synonymous with Netflix itself, littered homes and dorm rooms across the country.

Although the idea of receiving a DVD in the mail now may sound almost as outdated as dial-up internet, some longtime customers told CNN they continued to find value in the DVD option.

Colin McEvoy, a father of two from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and a self-described film fanatic, said he rushed through 40 movies in the last few weeks to get through the remainder of his queue before the service ends. McEvoy has remained faithful to Netflix’s DVD service so he can keep watching Bollywood and obscure independent films not often found on streaming services.

“I was basically watching them as soon as I got them, and then returning the discs as quickly as possible to get as many as I could,” said McEvoy, who has been using Netflix’s DVD-by-mail service since 2001, just three years after it launched.

“I remember I was in high school when I first signed up for it, and the concept was so novel I had to really convince my dad that it was a legit service and not some sort of Internet scam,” said McEvoy, who uses an old Xbox 360 to play his Netflix DVDs. “Now I have friends who’ve seen my red Netflix envelopes arrive in the mail, and either didn’t remember what they were or couldn’t believe that I still got the DVDs in the mail.”

Some other Netflix users stood by its DVD service not only for the selection but for added perks. Brandon Cordy, a 41-year-old graphic designer from Atlanta, previously told CNN he stuck with DVDs because many digital rentals don’t come with special features or audio commentaries.

There are other factors, too. Michael Inouye, an analyst at ABI Research, said some consumers may still not have access to reliable or fast enough broadband connections, or simply prefer physical media to digital, much in the way that some audio enthusiasts still purchase and collect CDs and records.

For Netflix, however, the offering has made less sense in recent years. “Our goal has always been to provide the best service for our members, but as the DVD business continues to shrink, that’s going to become increasingly difficult,” co-CEO Ted Sarandos wrote in a blog post in April.

Shutting down its DVD business could help Netflix better focus resources as it expands into new markets such as gaming as well as live and interactive content. Its DVD business has also declined significantly in recent years. In 2021, Netflix’s non-streaming revenue – mostly attributable to DVDs – amounted to 0.6% of its revenue, or just over $182 million.

The cost to operate its DVD business may also be a factor, especially as Netflix rethinks expenses broadly amid heightened streaming competition and broader economic uncertainty. “Moving plastic discs around costs far more money than streaming digital bits,” said Eric Schmitt, senior director analyst at Gartner Research. “Removing and replacing damaged and lost inventory are also cost considerations.”

Even before Netflix announced the news, some longtime subscribers said they could see the writing on the wall.

“The inventory of available titles, while still vast, had been contracting some over the years with some movies that were once available no longer being so,” Cordy said. “Turnaround times to get a new movie or movies also started to take longer, so I knew it was only a matter of time. But I didn’t want it to end if I could help it.”

Other DVD subscribers were hoping for a happy ending. Bill Rouhana, the CEO of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment – which owns DVD rental service Redbox – told The Hollywood Reporter in April he hoped to purchase Netflix’s DVD business. “I’d like to buy it… I wish Netflix would sell me that business instead of shutting it down,” he said. Redbox remains popular despite the shift in streaming, but took a hit during the pandemic because of the lack of new movies and TV shows to fill the boxes.

A Netflix spokesperson told CNN it has no plans to sell the DVD business and will be recycling the majority of its DVDs through third-party companies that specialize in recycling digital and electronic media. It will also donate some of its inventory to organizations focused on film and media.

Netflix is also offering subscribers a “finale surprise” where they could opt-in to receive up to 10 DVDs selected at random from their queue.

McEvoy, who already subscribes to Disney+, Hulu, the Criterion channel and Mubi, said he’s now testing out other services such as Eros (Indian cinema) and Viki (Korean and Chinese films) for harder-to-find content. Still, he said, he’s “sad” to see Netflix’s DVD service depart.

“I absolutely would not have been able to find all of those movies [I’ve watched] if not for the Netflix DVD service,” he said.

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August 2, 2023
Moviegoers have spotted a blooper in ‘Oppenheimer’ | CNN

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CNN
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Christopher Nolan’s latest film, “Oppenheimer,” has become one half of the box office and pop culture phenomenon “Barbenheimer,” sweeping up glowing reviews along the way.

But eagle-eyed fans have spotted a mistake in a scene set in 1945, as Cillian Murphy’s J. Robert Oppenheimer stands among a crowd waving American flags – bearing the wrong number of stars.

“It was good and all, but I’ll be that guy and complain they used 50-star flags in a scene set in 1945,” Twitter user Andy Craig wrote on Friday.

In 1945, the American flag featured 48 stars, as Alaska and Hawaii hadn’t yet become US states.

It wasn’t until July 4, 1960 that a 50-star flag was first flown in the US.

But in another scene set in the same year, the correct American flag flies behind Oppenheimer.

One Twitter user had a theory: “I can argue that this is done intentionally as the colored scenes were from Oppenheimer’s perspective, while the black and white scenes were from another. This would be a memory of Oppenheimer from his present day memory which does have 50 states on the flag.”

The film depicts the events of Oppenheimer’s life, flitting between his days as a student in the 1920s, his time overseeing the development of the nuclear bomb during World War II, and the US Atomic Energy Commission committee hearings in 1954 during the McCarthy era, in which he was stripped of his security clearance due to his associations with the Communist Party.

The true history behind J. Robert Oppenheimer

“Barbie called this in didn’t she,” another Twitter user joked, referencing the fact that “Oppenheimer’s” release date coincided with Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.

Coming in behind “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer” opened at $80.5 million in the US over the weekend, according to Comscore. Both movies essentially doubled predictions from weeks ago, Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, said.

It’s unprecedented to not only have two films do so well, but also to help each other with the “Barbenheimer” trend, Dergarabedian said.

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July 24, 2023
Matt Damon said no to a huge film franchise that he thinks could have made him $250 million | CNN

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CNN
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Matt Damon turned down a major role years ago – except this role was one that could have made the Oscar-winner upwards of $250 million.

Appearing on Friday’s episode of CNN’s “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace,” Damon spoke with the host about how in 2009, he was offered not just the lead role in James Cameron’s “Avatar,” but a percentage of the film’s earnings.

“It’s something awful like that,” Damon joked when asked about his $250 million calculation, going on to say he’s “sure it’s the most money an actor ever turned down.”

Damon said he was obligated to finish production on the “Bourne” series that he starred in between 2002 and 2016, and he didn’t want to “leave them in the lurch” to go do “Avatar.”

Cameron ended up casting Sam Worthington in the lead role, alongside Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Joel David Moore and Michelle Rodriguez in the franchise’s first installment.

“Avatar,” of course, went on to become the highest grossing movie of all time, with a lifetime gross of nearly $3 billion since its 2009 release.

The long-awaited sequel, “Avatar: The Way of the Water” came out last year, and is the third highest-grossing film ever, with a lifetime gross of $2.3 billion. “Water” sits behind “Avatar” and “Avengers: Endgame,” which has grossed nearly $2.8 billion since its release in 2019.

It’s a decision that may haunt him, but all signs seem to indicate that Damon did just fine without venturing around Cameron’s planet of Pandora.

For now, Damon stars in director Christopher Nolan’s latest war-era epic “Oppenheimer,” which premieres in theaters on Friday.

As for Damon’s claim that his decision resulted in the most money an actor has declined ever, that’s debatable.

Sean Connery was famously offered the role of the wizard Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s sweeping “Lord of the Rings” trilogy of films, but reportedly turned the role down because he “didn’t get it.”

What’s more, he was allegedly offered $30 million dollars for each movie, plus 15 percent of the box office take, which in retrospect would have netted the “Bond” actor a sum in the vicinity of $450 million dollars.

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July 22, 2023