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With ‘CODA’ best picture win, Apple beats Netflix to Oscar glory

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With ‘CODA’ best picture win, Apple beats Netflix to Oscar glory

Apple paid $25 million for the rights to launch “CODA.” It was value each penny.

“CODA’s” come-from-behind finest image triumph on the 94th Academy Awards delivered a significant stamp of legitimacy for Apple and its younger unique movie enterprise, snatching one more victory from rival Netflix to develop into the primary streaming service to land the Oscars’ most coveted trophy.

Written and directed by Sian Heder, “CODA” charmed academy voters with its feel-good portrayal of a younger girl (Emilia Jones), who has to resolve whether or not to assist her deaf household’s fishing enterprise or pursue her musical ambitions.

The movie prevailed over Netflix’s “The Energy of the Canine,” Jane Campion’s twist on the Western style that for weeks was thought-about the favourite earlier than “CODA’s” late surge.

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“CODA” was Apple’s first nominee for finest image, whereas Netflix has had a string of nominees in its pursuit of the academy’s most desired honor.

The Cupertino tech large’s $25-million acquisition of “CODA” finally 12 months’s Sundance Movie Pageant set a document for the competition. Apple considerably quietly launched the film on Apple TV+ in August.

The large win marks the quick rise of Tim Prepare dinner’s iPhone-making behemoth as a bona fide movie trade participant, after solely launching its streaming service in late 2019 to a lot skepticism inside Hollywood. Trade estimates peg Apple’s promotional marketing campaign for “CODA” at greater than $10 million, which is typical for a critical finest image contender.

“CODA” gained all three of the awards for which it was nominated. Troy Kotsur took house the award for supporting actor, making historical past as the primary male deaf actor to win an performing Oscar. Heder gained for tailored screenplay.

It’s the newest slender defeat for Netflix, which has been pushing arduous for Oscars throughout the previous few awards seasons. The agency managed to get seven films nominated for finest image in 4 years by backing prestigious administrators equivalent to David Fincher (“Mank”), Martin Scorsese (“The Irishman”) and Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story”). The Los Gatos firm got here shut in 2019 with Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma,” which gained three statuettes, however not finest image.

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Netflix didn’t go house empty-handed, due to Campion securing the honour for director. Campion is the primary girl to have been nominated for finest director greater than as soon as.

Netflix got here to the ceremony as probably the most nominated studio, with 27 nods for movies together with Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up,” Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Misplaced Daughter,” musical “Tick, Tick… Increase!” animated function “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” and a number of shorts.

For a steaming service to earn Hollywood’s prime accolade is a symbolic second within the leisure trade. Sunday’s result’s one more signal of how a lot Hollywood’s angle towards the tech takeover has advanced since Amazon grew to become the primary streaming studio to area a finest image nominee with 2016’s “Manchester By the Sea.”

It was solely three years in the past that members of the academy, together with Steven Spielberg, led a motion to stop streaming companies equivalent to Netflix, Amazon and Hulu from competing within the Oscars with out their tasks getting a full theatrical run first.

However the movie trade has modified. Streamers are actually probably the most lively monetary backers of indie movies and competition darlings — the kinds of critically acclaimed films the academy likes to have a good time.

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The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift. With theaters compelled to shut, audiences grew accustomed to watching films debut on their lounge TV screens, somewhat than on the native multiplex. Comfort gained out over the lauded theatrical expertise for a lot of followers.

Three of the most effective image nominees — “The Energy of the Canine,” “CODA” and “Don’t Look Up” — had been launched by streaming corporations. Warner Bros.’ “King Richard” and “Dune” debuted concurrently on HBO Max and in theaters, as the corporate briefly tailored its technique for the lingering public well being disaster.

Victory didn’t come low-cost. Streaming companies have spent huge sums of cash to get into the pantheon of Oscar winners. Studios blanketed the Los Angeles space with billboards, TV spots, social media promotion and full-page spreads in newspapers and commerce publications.

Warner Bros. was the winningest studio total with seven complete victories, together with six for Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune” and one for “King Richard.” “Dune” dominated the technical classes. The science fiction visible stunner, produced by Legendary Photos, gained manufacturing design, sound, movie modifying, unique rating, cinematography and visible results.

Will Smith gained his long-awaited lead actor award for his efficiency because the patriarch Richard Williams in “King Richard.” He accepted the award shortly after slapping Chris Rock onstage in the course of the telecast after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s spouse, Jada Pinkett Smith.

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Walt Disney Co. scored six kudos for films together with Steven Spielberg’s “West Aspect Story” remake, which gained for supporting actress (Ariana DeBose). Lead actress went to Jessica Chastain for the title function in Disney unit Searchlight Photos’ “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” which additionally gained for make-up and hairstyling.” Disney’s Colombian-set musical phenomenon “Encanto” gained for animated function. Different Disney winners had been Questlove’s “Summer season of Soul” for documentary function, and “Cruella” for costume design.

A number of studios gained a single award. MGM’s “No Time to Die” gained unique track for Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell’s Bond theme. Focus Options’ “Belfast,” set within the turmoil of Sixties Northern Eire, gained unique screenplay for Kenneth Branagh. Sideshow and Janus Movies’ Japanese movie “Drive My Automobile,” directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, took house the Oscar for worldwide function.

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Selena Gomez reveals health diagnosis in response to body shamers: 'This makes me sick'

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Selena Gomez reveals health diagnosis in response to body shamers: 'This makes me sick'

Selena Gomez has shut down social media body shamers once again — and she revealed another health condition while doing so.

The “Only Murders in the Building” star and Rare Beauty cosmetics founder slammed speculation about her weight on TikTok, revealing that she lives with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. She shared her revelation days after hitting the red carpet last week for the premiere of her film “Emilia Pérez” at the American French Film Festival in Hollywood.

At the Oct. 29 event, the Emmy-nominated “Wizards of Waverly Place” alum posed in a black, body-hugging gown. In a since-deleted post, TikTok users reportedly observed that Gomez posed with her hands across her stomach, alleging she was hiding her body, according to TMZ. Gomez, who has previously addressed body shamers on social media, replied to the video: “This makes me sick.”

Gomez, 32, responded with the revelation that she has SIBO, according to multiple screenshots shared on social media. “It flares up. I don’t care that I don’t look like a sick [sic] figure. I don’t have that body. End of story.”

She added: “No I am NOT a victim. I’m just human.”

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The Mayo Clinic says SIBO occurs when the small intestine experiences an “abnormal increase in the overall bacterial population,” particularly bacteria types that aren’t commonly found in that part of the body. SIBO, also known as blind loop syndrome, commonly occurs “when a circumstance — such as surgery or disease — slows the passage of food and waste products in the digestive tract.” The former Disney Channel child star revealed in 2017 that she had undergone a kidney transplant due to lupus nephritis, where the autoimmune disease lupus causes a person’s kidneys to fail.

Symptoms of SIBO include bloating, abdominal pain and nausea.

Gomez has long been public about her physical and mental health conditions, including her battle with lupus and her experiences with bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression. In September, Gomez revealed she can’t carry a child because of her numerous health conditions and will likely turn to surrogacy or adoption when she decides to start a family.

“That was something I had to grieve for a while,” she told Vanity Fair in an interview published two months ago.

In February 2023, Gomez also publicly addressed her weight and body shamers. She said during a TikTok live that the medication she takes to manage her lupus makes her retain water. “Not a model. Never gonna be,” she said at the time before reminding followers of their own beauty.

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“I just want people to know that you’re beautiful and you’re wonderful and yeah, we have days where maybe we feel like s—, but I would much rather be healthy and take care of myself,” Gomez said at the time, adding “my medications are important and I believe they help me.”

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Film Review | 'Emilia Pérez' Is an Audaciously Over-the-Top Original

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Film Review | 'Emilia Pérez' Is an Audaciously Over-the-Top Original

An incredible roller coaster of a film, I can easily imagine Bill Hader’s Stefon character from Saturday Night Live describing Emilia Pérez: “It’s got drug kingpins, drag queens, courtroom drama, characters returning from the dead, a Bonnie and Clyde–level kidnapping, but it’s also a family drama, a story of female empowerment, an exploration of family dynamics, of violence and redemption. Oh, and did I also mention it’s mostly in Spanish and it’s also a musical adjacent piece of spoken-word poetry with some strong operatic vibes!”

I kid you not.

In other words, Emilia Pérez is fabulously unlike any film you’ve ever seen. It’s a LOT. And it’s definitely not for everybody. But for me, it’s one of the most compelling, refreshing, and original pieces of cinema I’ve seen.

At a Santa Barbara International Film Festival Cinema Society screening on October 26, French Writer/Director Jacques Audiard — yes, he’s French and the film is in Spanish because, as he explained, the story demanded it — the original idea for the film came from a book called Écoute [Listen], with a character who is a drug kingpin who wants to transition to become a woman. But the development of the character into one of three key women in the film — played by Karla Sofía Gascón (Manitas Del Monte and Emilia Pérez), Zoe Saldaña (Rita Mora Castro, Manitas’s lawyer), and Selena Gomez (Jessi Del Monte, Manitas’s wife) — ultimately evolved into the creation of a telenovela-style fantasy version of Mexico with an over-the-top dose of operatic drama to contrast with the intimate emotions the three main characters experience. The stars collectively (with co-star Adriana Paz, who has a pivotal but much smaller role) and deservedly won Best Actress at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

The deceptively campy style of the plot doesn’t diminish the seriousness of what these women go through, but the film definitely walks a tightrope in terms of tone, which is what makes their performances so impressive.

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Without giving too much of this delicious and outrageous fever dream away, let me say that through song, dance and bold visuals, Emilia Pérez tells the story of some remarkable women trying to pursue happiness in their own ways, in some pretty wild circumstances. And Emilia Pérez is absolutely one of the most original pieces of film you’ll see this year. Don’t miss it.

Zoe Saldaña, who will be honored at SBIFF with the American Riviera Award on February 7, gives a particularly fabulous performance as the most grounded character in the film. I’m looking forward to hearing what she has to say about working on this groundbreaking film, currently playing at the Riviera Theatre and coming to Netflix on November 13. View the trailer here and see the SBIFF interview with writer/director Jacques Audiard and composers Camille and Clément Ducol here.

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Ariana Grande celebrates romance with co-star Ethan Slater as 'Wicked' premieres Down Under

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Ariana Grande celebrates romance with co-star Ethan Slater as 'Wicked' premieres Down Under

Although it hasn’t always been pop-u-lar with the public, Ariana Grande’s relationship with her “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater is now Instagram-official.

The “Eternal Sunshine” singer on Monday celebrated the Jon M. Chu-directed movie musical’s upcoming release with a carousel of photos from its Australian premiere. Among them is a candid shot of Slater — who plays Boq, of Munchkinland — carrying the train of Grande’s Glinda-inspired Vivienne Westwood gown as she makes her way down the stairs at Sydney’s State Theatre. (Slater shared the same photo on his account.)

Slater’s appearance on the Sunday premiere’s red (yellow) carpet also swept across social media after a fan filmed the Tony Award nominee accepting a friendship bracelet on Grande’s behalf.

“Is it possible for you to give this to Ari for me?” the fan asks in the video, to which Slater replies, “I’m pretty sure she’s coming if you want [to give it to her], but I can do that.” He also reassured the fan, saying, “I’m sure she’ll love it.”

Footage of the interaction went viral shortly after it was re-shared by a “Wicked” fan account, whose owner wrote, “Ethan Slater seems like the kindest and most genuine person. The world owes him an apology.”

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Slater and Grande, who met on the “Wicked” set, came under scrutiny when they first sparked dating rumors in 2023 — after their respective (and highly publicized) splits from previous partners. At the time of the coinciding divorce filings, Slater’s ex-wife, singer Lilly Jay, with whom he shares a 2-year-old son, told Page Six, “My family is collateral damage.”

The pair has since kept mum about their romance. But that changed in September, when Grande addressed the media stir surrounding her relationship with Slater in a Vanity Fair cover story.

While declining to delve into “certain details,” the Grammy-winning songstress said, “It definitely doesn’t get any easier, seeing some of the negativity that was birthed by disreputable tabloids.”

She continued to say that, like many other “Wicked” cast members, she “went through a lot of life changes during the filming of this movie.”

“The most disappointing part,” Grande said, “was to see so many people believe the worst version of it. … There couldn’t be a less accurate depiction of a human being than the one that the tabloids spread about [Slater]. No one on this earth tries harder or spreads themselves thinner to be there for the people that he loves and cares about.”

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Slater echoed Grande’s comments in his October GQ cover story, saying the blowback was difficult to manage.

“There were a lot of big changes in private lives that were really happening,” he said, “so it’s really hard to see people who don’t know anything about what’s happening commenting on it and speculating, and then getting things wrong about the people you love.”

“But, of course,” he conceded, “it was an amazing year and a really beautiful thing, and I’m just really excited.”

Slater added that he’s “really, really proud of Ari and the work she’s done” on “Wicked.”

“She’s poured herself into it,” he said, “and I’m really excited to be there for this next step of it when the world gets to see the amazing thing that she did.”

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The Journey Through Oz press tour will continue across four more cities around the world, with stops scheduled in Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York and London before “Wicked” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 22.

And when the credits roll, Grande will be listed with her full name, Ariana Grande-Butera — which incorporates the last names of her mother, Joan Grande, and her father, Edward Butera.

“Technically, it’s little Ari’s name,” she said, explaining the decision in a recent interview with Australian radio station Hit 104.7 Canberra. “I feel like I came home to myself in a lot of ways through what I learned from Glinda, from Elphaba, and you know, that was my name when I went to see the show when I was 10 years old — and it felt like a really lovely way of honoring that.”

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