The 96th annual Academy Awards ceremony drew 19.5 million viewers on ABC Sunday night. Per the time zone adjusted fast national ratings, Sunday’s telecast drew 19.5 million viewers and a 3.8 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic airing from 7:00-10:29 p.m ET. By comparison, the 2023 telecast drew 18.8 million viewers and a 4.0 rating
Malachy McCourt, an Irish American author who also appeared on television as the bartender in “Ryan’s Hope,” died in Manhattan on March 11. He was 92. The New York Times received confirmation of his death from his wife, Diana McCourt. He told the newspaper last year that he dealt with a myriad of ailments, including
Oscar, BAFTA and Grammy-winning composer A.R. Rahman (“Slumdog Millionaire”) is set to release 16 new compositions with the Dubai-based Firdaus Orchestra. Firdaus Orchestra is an all-woman ensemble of 50 musicians from 23 Arab countries, mentored by the composer. It is the brainchild of Reem Al Hashimy, the U.A.E.’s minister of state for international co-operation and CEO of
Acclaimed filmmaker Hong Khaou‘s “Walled City” has been selected for the 22nd Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the project market that operates concurrently with FilMart. Khaou’s debut, “Lilting” (2014), starring Ben Whishaw and Cheng Pei-pei, premiered in the world cinema dramatic competition at Sundance, winning best cinematography. “Monsoon” (2019), his second feature, starred
China’s unprecedented economic and social transformation in the latter part of the 20th century has been picked over in dozens of movies by filmmakers ranging from Jia Zhangke to Wang Xiaoshuai. But with more than one billion people affected by China’s transformation, there is no shortage of personal stories and no end of ways to
All Ryan Gosling needed was a 40-piece orchestra, 62 dancing Kens, over 24 gigantic Barbie heads, four “cameo Kens” and a Guns N’Roses surprise to turn his highly anticipated performance of “Barbie” track “I’m Just Ken” into one of the most unbelievable moments in award show history. After all the protracted speculation about whether Gosling
Peter Chan Ho-sun has assembled a starry cast headed by Zhang Ziyi and box office sensation Lei Jiayin for his new feature film “She Has No Name.” The film, which recently completed principal photography, probes the progress of women’s rights in China. “One woman’s suffering gives rise to the revolution of women’s social rights in
India’s B62 Studios has an early 2024 hit with February release “Article 370,” and also has an ambitious slate lined up with plans for expanding into eastern Asia. B62 was launched by the brothers Dhar — Lokesh and Aditya — and is named after their address in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar neighborhood, where they grew up
“Escaping Man,” a Chinese drama feature about a man dragged into a kidnap plot, heads the FilMart slate of Hong Kong-based sales agency Autumn Sun Company. The protagonist is a man who spent 20 years in jail after being falsely accused of rape. After his release, he intends to confront the woman, but instead falls
Thailand is poised to get serious about its commitment to the film industry, and plans to launch a major new body, the Thailand Creative Culture Agency, with a budget of THB7 billion ($200 million). Long a destination for Hollywood, China and India productions, and currently playing host to the lensing of Season 3 of “The
Michael Keaton has some great news for “Beetlejuice” fans. During a recent interview on SiriusXM’s “The Jess Cagle Show,” the actor said he has watched a first cut of Tim Burton’s upcoming sequel, officially titled “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” and he has nothing but raves for it. “I’ve seen it now. I’m going to see it again
Belfast hip-hop trio Kneecap has canceled several shows they were due to perform at the SXSW festival to support their wild comedy biopic “Kneecap” in “in solidarity with the people of Gaza.” In a statement posted on its social media channels, the group — who go by the stage names of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and
Play video content WFAN Tiki Barber is furious with Saquon Barkley for leaving the New York Giants in favor of the rival Philadelphia Eagles … saying straight up Monday, “You’re dead to me!!” The NYG legend unleashed the harsh words on WFAN’s “Evan and Tiki” just minutes after it was reported that Barkley will ink
East Village Radio, the influential streetfront online radio station that broadcast from 2003-2016 and Mark Ronson hosted an influential show for several years, has announced it is planning to relaunch next month. The station, formerly located in a tiny studio behind a glass window at the front of a restaurant on First Avenue in New
Sir Elton John retired from touring last July, but the legendary singer got back behind the piano in front of a star-studded audience at his annual Academy Awards viewing party, benefitting the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The crowd, which included Patricia Arquette, Donatella Versace, Sharon Stone, Zooey Deschanel, Brandi Carlile, Danny DeVito, Rhea Pearlman, Tim Allen,
The Oscars ceremoniously wrapped a season dominated by blockbuster achievements, celebrating the extraordinary talents behind this year’s cinematic wonders. Despite the spotlight on artistic excellence, the awards season wasn’t without its missteps and controversies, notably influenced by voter apathy in the aftermath of prolonged industry strikes. This disengagement, particularly among American voters, may have bolstered
Gary Lennon has entered into an overall deal with Starz. Lennon is currently the showrunner on the network’s hit spinoff series “Power Book IV: Force,” which was renewed for a third season back in December. Under his deal, he will work with Lionsgate Television and Starz to develop expansions of the “Power” franchise. “Gary has
Just minutes before the Oscars were set to begin, the show’s producers realized they had a problem: Some of the year’s key A-listers and nominees weren’t inside the Dolby Theatre just yet. The perfect storm of traffic delays, protests, the first day of daylight saving time and an earlier start time had contributed to the
After 13 years, Kanye West, also known as Ye, returns to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with his and his “Vultures” collaborator’s “Carnival.” The song’s entrance to No. 1 comes weeks after its debut on the all-genre-inclusive chart in late February, where it came in at No. 3 behind Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em”
Can we get an Amen up in here? For the first time in “Drag Race” history, Emmy-award winner Michelle Visage, who has been a judge on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “RuPaul‘s Drag Race: U.K.,” will step onto the main stage and host the fourth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race: Down Under.” As he hands the
Although “” has remained a cult favorite show since its 2009 debut, Chevy Chase, one of the series’ stars, has been very vocal that he didn’t enjoy making it. Similarly, fellow cast member Joel McHale hasn’t been afraid to slam Chase in the press. Yet their on-set feud turned physical too, with one ending when
Mark Duplass was feeling insecure. At one point in his career, he would get greenlight after greenlight for the TV projects he pitched on behalf of Duplass Brothers Productions, the beloved indie banner he founded with Jay Duplass in the late ’90s, when the duo was focused on feature films. But recently, he and company
Karl Wallinger, the Welsh-born frontman of World Party and early member of the Waterboys, died Sunday, according to a statement from his publicist. No cause of death was announced, although he suffered a brain aneurysm in 2001 that paused his career for several years; he was 66. Wallinger formed World Party in 1986 shortly after
Gato Grande, an Amazon MGM Studios company, has unveiled the next project from its recently launched English-language division: mystery satire “Miami Spice.” Cuban-American showrunner Art Alamo, best known for his work on “Law & Order,” will be writing and producing “Miami Spice,” which is based on the novel “Mango, Mambo and Murder” from author Raquel V.
As the standoff between Universal Music Group and TikTok over royalties, AI and other matters continues to boil amid angry words from both sides — and the National Music Publishers Assn. stating last weekthat it does not plan to renew its license with the platform — the official trade group for independent publishers has weighed
Sports news and commentary Deadspin has been sold again — and its entire staff has been laid off. Deadspin, once owned by Gawker Media, became part of private-equity backed G/O Media in 2019. In a memo to company staff Monday, G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller announced that Deadspin was sold to European firm Lineup Publishing.
Zarrar Kahn‘s acclaimed psychological thriller film “In Flames” has unveiled a trailer ahead of its North American theatrical release. The film bowed at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight in 2023 and played at several global festivals including Toronto, Pingyao and Red Sea, where it won the top prize. It was Pakistan‘s entry to the Oscars’ international category.
“Spider-Verse” star Shameik Moore found himself in hot water on X (formerly Twitter) during the 2024 Oscars when he seemingly reacted to “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” losing the Academy Award for best animated feature to Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” by posting a one word reaction: “Robbed.” Many fans were quick to criticize
British director Dan Reed (“Leaving Neverland”) spent four years filming Sandy Hook Elementary parents as they attempt to hold Alex Jones — the infamous talk-news conspiracist guru of InfoWars — accountable for the lies he spread about their children’s murders in 2012. The result is the HBO documentary “The Truth vs. Alex Jones.” Bringing Jones
Who better to pay homage to than yourself? Lupita Nyong’o did just that at last night’s Oscars ceremony. The Academy Award winner wore a custom Armani Privé sequin gown, encrusted with crystals and feathers, in Nairobi blue—a nod to the Prada dress that she wore in 2014 when she won for Best Supporting Actress. To