News

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) has named Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden as this year’s recipient of the Guild’s Milestone Award.

The award, which honours individuals or teams who have made historic contributions to the entertainment industry, will be presented at the 36th annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony on February 8 in Los Angeles.

In her current position, Walden leads Disney’s portfolio of global television assets and shares oversight of the company’s streaming services, including Hulu and Disney+.

Before joining Disney after the company’s 2019 acquisition of most of Fox’s film and TV assets, Walden...

The iconic scores of John Williams will be celebrated with documentary “Music by John Williams.”

The Disney+ film reunites legendary composer Williams with his frequent collaborators Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, and Kathleen Kennedy, who all produce the documentary. Williams has scored films such as “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” and “Jurassic Park,” and in 2023 made history as the oldest Oscar nominee in any category for “The Fabelmans.” The composer has a total of 54 Oscar nominations and five wins.

“Music by John Williams” will “offer a fascinating and insightful look at the prolific life and career of the legendary composer,” according to the official logline. “From his early days as a jazz pianist to his Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy wins, the documentary takes an in-depth look at Williams’ countless contributions to film, including many iconic franchises, as well as his music for the concert stage and his impact on popular culture.”

The...

The world premiere of Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2 will close AFI Fest in Hollywood on October 27.

The Warner Bros film stars Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, and J.K. Simmons in the story of family man Justin Kemp, who serves as a juror in a high-profile murder trial and wrestles with a moral dilemma that could determine the outcome of the case.

The cast includes Chris Messina, Gabriel Basso, Zoey Deutch, Cedric Yarbrough, Leslie Bibb, Kiefer Sutherland, and Francesca Eastwood.

This is the latest Eastwood film to play the festival after world premieres in prior years for American Sniper, J Edgar, and Richard Jewell.

AFI Film Festival has announced that Warner Bros.’ “Juror No. 2,” the new thriller from Oscar-winning director Clint Eastwood, will have its world premiere as the closing night film on Sunday, Oct. 27. The studio will then release the movie in limited theaters on Friday, Nov. 1.

Written by Jonathan Abrams, the film follows Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult), who, while serving as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, struggles with a severe moral dilemma — one he could use to sway the jury’s verdict and potentially convict or free the accused killer. “Juror No. 2” also stars Oscar nominee Toni Collette (“The Sixth Sense”), Oscar winner J.K. Simmons (“Whiplash”), as well as Zoey Deutch, Chris Messina, Gabriel Basso, Leslie Bibb and Kiefer Sutherland.

“There is only one Clint Eastwood – and AFI is proud to present the world premiere of this next chapter in his historic canon,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO,...

Prolific filmmaker Clint Eastwood’s thriller Juror #2 will open in select theaters on Nov. 1, days after making its world premiere as the closing-night film of the 38th AFI Fest.

The 94-year-old director’s new film stars Nicholas Hoult as a family man who, while serving as a juror on a high-profile murder trial, finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma he could use to influence the verdict and potentially convict, or free, the wrong killer. Toni Collette, J.K. Simmons, Chris Messina, Gabriel Basso, Zoey Deutch, Cedric Yarbrough, Leslie Bibb and Kiefer Sutherland also star.

There’s been speculation as to whether Juror #2 will be a part of this year’s awards race, and that chatter will only increase now that it is opening during the heart of awards season and playing at AFI, just like his Oscar contenders American Sniper and Richard Jewell.

In this instance, however, the AFI...

Clint Eastwood’s latest film “Juror #2” will make its world premiere as the closing night film for the upcoming 38th edition of AFI Fest, the festival announced Thursday.

Nicholas Hoult leads the cast of the film that will be released later this year by Warner Bros. Pictures. The world premiere of “Juror #2” will screen at the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre on October 27.

“There is only one Clint Eastwood – and AFI is proud to present the World Premiere of this next chapter in his historic canon,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “We are honored to bring the community together once again – artists and audiences – to celebrate an American icon.”

Several of Eastwood’s more recent films behind the camera have all premiered at AFI Fest, including “American Sniper,” “J. Edgar,” and “Richard Jewell.” In 1996, Eastwood was awarded with the 24th AFI Life Achievement Award, and he received...

AFI Fest will feature a lot of music by John Williams.

Laurent Bouzereau’s new documentary, Music by John Williams, is set to have its world premiere on opening night of the 2024 edition of the Los Angeles film festival, which will be presented by new exclusive sponsor Canva with additional support from Fiji Water. The 38th AFI Fest kicks off Oct. 23 and runs through Oct. 27 at Hollywood’s Tcl Chinese Theatres.

Hailing from Lucasfilm, Amblin Documentaries and Imagine Documentaries, Music by John Williams is billed as comprehensive look at the life and legendary career of the prolific composer who has been nominated for 54 Oscars and won five. In 2016, he was presented with an AFI Life Achievement Award, which made him the first composer to receive the honor. Williams, now 92, has so many credits on his résumé (hundreds) that there’s not enough space to fit them all here. But he...

“The Long Goodbye,” “Home Alone,” “Harry Potter,” “Star Wars,” “Jurassic Park” — these are just a few of the legendary films composer and conductor John Williams has scored throughout his 72 (!) year career. At the 95th Academy Awards in 2023, he became the oldest Oscar nominee in any category for his work on Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans,” then beat that record again the following year, being nominated in Best Original Score for “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” This is in addition to his other 52 Academy Award nominations and five wins. To honor his storied career, Lucasfilms Ltd., Amblin Documentaries, and Imagine Documentaries have joined forces to produce the documentary, “Music by John Williams,” which will have its world premiere on Wednesday, October 23 at the 38th edition of AFI Fest presented by Canva.

The documentary aims to celebrate the life and legacy of John Williams, his countless contributions to the medium of film,...

Though they’ve worked together only once (the animated “Happy Feet”), Australian director George Miller and recent AFI Life Achievement Award winner Nicole Kidman share a distinction this week. Both of their most recent films lead on respective home viewing charts.

For Warner Bros. and Miller, the #1 status for the newly released “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is positive news after its very disappointing theatrical results. But even more than a normal high-return PVOD release, it is available for a $24.99 digital purchase price rather than the standard initial $19.99 rental.

Kidman has provided an eclectic filmography that spans from Jane Campion and Lars von Trier to “Batman Forever” and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.” Her latest, rom-com “A Family Affair” where she credibly plays at the age of 57 the love interest for Zac Efron, testifies to a star quality along with enduring talent. A Netflix original, it started as #1 this weekend...

In honor of her receiving this year’s AFI Life Achievement Award, Nicole Kidman is being celebrated with a career retrospective at Nashville’s non-profit film center, The Belcourt, starting next week. Having undergone extensive renovations and preservations in 2016, The Belcourt is now one of Nashville’s most beloved homes for the arts, attracting audiences from all over Tennessee and the Southeast region, as well as visitors from across the country and globe. The theater programs over 300 films a year across 4,500 screenings, some of which feature Q&As with filmmakers and scholars.

Born in Hawaii, but raised in Australia, Kidman made her feature acting debut at the age of 16 and has been working steadily ever since. During her speech at the AFI ceremony, Kidman said, “It is a privilege to make films. And glorious to have made films and television with these storytellers who allowed me to run wild and...

Few actresses of her era take as many chances as Nicole Kidman. The Oscar- and Emmy Award-winning actress has been one of the industry’s most sought-after performers since the early 1990s, and appeared in everything from splashy musicals like “Moulin Rouge!” (which netted Kidman her first of five Academy Award nominations) to historical fiction like “The Hours” (which won Kidman the Best Actress Oscar for playing Virginia Woolfe) to psychological thrillers like “Eyes Wide Shut” (where she starred opposite her now-ex-husband Tom Cruise) to blockbuster superhero movies like “Aquaman.”

And that’s just on the big screen. In recent years, Kidman has acquitted herself exceedingly well in a spate of prestige television series, winning an Emmy for her nuanced work in “Big Little Lies” and scoring a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for “The Undoing.”

But her biggest challenge yet was arguably her turn as Lucille Ball in Aaron Sorkin...

If Nicole Kidman is ever looking to cast her own biopic, she won’t have to look far.

Reese Witherspoon delivered a spot-on impersonation of her close friend and Big Little Lies co-star at the recent 49th AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Nicole Kidman, airing Monday on TNT.

“Most actors wait by a phone to be chosen by a director,” said Witherspoon in her speech. “But as an actor, Nicole has always been proactive. Even in her earliest work, she picks her directors.”

She then recounted a common experience of watching a foreign film with Kidman, switching from her southern U.S. accent to a hilariously accurate Australian impression.

“And she’s like, ‘But do you see that director?'” said Witherspoon, earning laughs from everyone, including Kidman. “‘I mean, it’s incredible. Reese, we must get her. We must!'”

Reese Witherspoon does one hell of Nicole Kidman impression.

Nicole Kidman has taken on a series of tough roles, but to play a domestic violence survivor in HBO’s “Big Little Lies” brought a new level of stress.

The Oscar winner and recent AFI Life Achievement Award recipient told The Hollywood Reporter that while filming the beloved series, she realized there really wasn’t “the time to go, ‘I need to take care of myself'” on set, which led to her being so frustrated that she threw a rock through a locked door of her house, breaking its window to get through.

Kidman was asked about the incident during the interview.

“Whoa, that’s right!” Kidman said. “I threw a rock because [the door] was locked, and I couldn’t get in. I’d never done that in my life. I obviously [had a lot] pent up. I broke the whole thing. It cost a fortune.”

She continued, “And then I went back the next day,...

Anyone expecting the usual A-list documentary fodder — wacky on-set anecdotes, salacious showbiz gossip — will come away disappointed from this 90-minute deep dive into William Shatner's life, work, wit and wisdom. Instead, You Can Call Me Bill takes the form of a meandering, stream-of-consciousness monologue, with its subject mostly sitting moist-eyed in a darkened room, pondering everything from the "exquisite agony" of evolution to the potential existence of God.

If this makes the film sound pretentious, well... it is, a little. Indeed, some of the lengthier sections, in which Shatner ruminates on death, loneliness and existential terror, are a bit like being trapped inside a Samuel Beckett novel. But the Star Trek icon is also so immensely likeable and engaging that for the most part, it's a joy to spend time in his company — even when he's earnestly extolling the "preciousness of snails".

Amid the experimentalism, some of the more traditional documentary boxes are ticked,...

Carrie Fisher’s Star Wars movies made her a global star. The actor joined the franchise when she was just 19. Starring alongside Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, Fisher’s Princess Leia has been one of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars universe. The creator of Star Wars, George Lucas, once fell victim to a friendly roast from Fisher at the AFI Life Achievement Award in her tribute to Lucas.

Carrie Fisher on the set of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. Credit: Sunset Boulevard/Corbis

Following Fisher’s legacy, MCU star Natalie Portman joined the franchise. She was 16 when the actor made her debut in the franchise with Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Fisher humorously referred to Portman in her joke about Lucas as he had once told her that there was no underwear in space.

Carrie Fisher Roasted Star Wars Creator George...

Clint Eastwood, the actor-turned-director and producer, has had one of the longest and most varied careers of anyone working in the entertainment world. In addition to his film work he has also amassed an impressive resume as a musician and composer and even served as the mayor of the California town Carmel-by-the-Sea during the 1980s.

Eastwood began his film career in westerns and later also found success in crime dramas. He was mostly known for his striking good looks and stoic demeanor though and was not really considered a serious or talented actor. He would slowly work to change that fact and would eventually receive two Oscar nominations for his acting, both as Best Actor for “Unforgiven” in 1992 and “Million Dollar Baby” in 2004. While he didn’t win either of those acting awards, he would win two Oscars for each of those films as Best Director and as a producer...

“She’s one of my fashion girls — she loves fashion and is very spirited when it comes down to it.” So says veteran stylist Petra Flannery about one of her A-list longtime clients, Zoe Saldaña. And it shows. The actress, who moves seamlessly from blockbuster franchises like Avatar and Guardians of the Galaxy to indie fare like Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez, the film that leads her back to the Palais this year, catches eyes whenever she steps on a red carpet. On the eve of her return, Flannery looks back on their memorable Cannes collaborations and teases what to expect this year: “The beautiful premiere moments are a really magical stage for fashion. These are the moments that we live for.”

Victoria Beckham in 2014

“This was a fun dress. I like the softness of the pleating mixed with the hardware like the gold chain and big earrings. Zoe has always worn Victoria Beckham really,...

Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for The Fall Guy, The Idea of You and Unfrosted.

AFI Life Achievement Award

The American Film Institute presented the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award to Nicole Kidman on Saturday in Hollywood, with Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts, Zoe Saldaña, Aaron Sorkin, Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Joey King, Mike Myers and Kidman’s husband Keith Urban all on hand to honor the star.

Miles Teller, Reese Witherspoon, Lee Daniels, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Zac Efron Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelley

The Idea of You premiere

Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Reid Scott and Ella Rubin joined producer Gabrielle Union and director Michael Showalter at the New York premiere of their Prime Video rom-com on Monday.

Reid Scott, Ella Rubin, Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine Gabrielle...

Mel Brooks will receive this year’s Career Achievement Award at the 84th Peabody Awards, and Quinta will be honored with the Peabody Trailblazer Award. Both received a unanimous vote of the Peabody Board of Jurors and will be recognized at the June 9 awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days. Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own. And Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody. “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers, but particularly for their use of comedy to tell stories that matter, enriching the lives of so many.”

The Career Achievement Award is...

The Peabody Awards will honor actor, comedian, writer, and director Mel Brooks with this year’s Career Achievement Award, while “Abbott Elementary” award-winning writer, producer, actor, and comedian Quinta Brunson will receive the org’s Trailblazer Award. Both Brooks and Brunson were chosen by the Peabody Board of Jurors in a unanimous vote and will be recognized at the 84th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony on June 9 in Los Angeles.

“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days. Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own. And Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody, in a statement. “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers,...

Joey King’s attendance at this year’s AFI Life Achievement Award Gala honoring Nicole Kidman made perfect sense, as the two are co-starring in the upcoming Netflix movie A Family Affair.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joey King (@joeyking)

What didn’t quite make sense was her choice of ensemble. Although she looked amazing, I thought the dress was too provocative for the event, and it seemed like she was overshadowing the night’s honoree.

I must admit I like the dress a lot; it’s not your typical red-carpet black dress, and I think it captures Joey King’s daringly feminine yet edgy sense of style. The thing is, I find it inappropriate for the occasion.

Joey King’s Daring Take on Black Cutout Dress Trend

With a quick look, I can already tell the dress is by David Koma. One characteristic that sets...

Julio Torres is crediting Ryan Gosling for being a “world-builder” of a comedic actor.

The “Problemista” writer/director/star told Entertainment Weekly that Gosling had more than a few sketch ideas when he returned to host “SNL.” Torres previously worked as a “Saturday Night Live” writer, and also returned with a skit per Gosling’s request to follow-up their viral “Papyrus” sequence parodying the font used in James Cameron’s “Avatar.” And much like the “Avatar” franchise itself, Gosling had a vision for making multiple installments of the “Papyrus” sketch.

“With no Ryan Gosling, there’s no ‘Papyrus 1,’ and there’s no ‘Papyrus 2,’” Torres said. “The first one was this sort of throwaway joke I made that he really latched on to. He was like, ‘Oh, I think maybe there’s an idea there,’ and I was like, ‘I really don’t think so.’ I didn’t tell him that,...

Since The Last Update

With the May 31 Emmys eligibility cutoff almost exactly one month away, Emmys-related action is picking up.

On April 22, Ryan Seacrest, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan came out for a screening and reception in Hollywood on behalf of ABC’s American Idol. Meanwhile, in New York, Peter Morgan, creator and principal writer of Netflix’s The Crown, was feted at the opening of his new Broadway play Patriots. And that same night, FX’s Shōgun had a well-received series — or season? — finale. (The following evening its lead actress, Anna Sawai, sat down with yours truly at Chapman University to record an episode of THR’s Awards Chatter podcast.)

On April 24, Max toasted the third season of Hacks (which debuts on May 2) with a party at the Chateau Marmont attended by the show’s creators and stars, including Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder. And at the same time,...

Nicole Kidman was honored with the Life Achievement Award on Saturday, making history as the first Australian to earn the top honor from the American Film Institute.

The 56-year-old Being the Ricardos actress becomes the 49th person to be awarded this accolade by the AFI, which honors an individual for their contribution to the advancement of the American culture through motion pictures and television.

Nicole Kidman’s Supportive Family

Nicole celebrated her new accomplishment with her husband, Keith Urban, and their two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, turning the event into a family affair—a glamorous one, if I may add. Her sister Antonia was also at the event with her husband, Craig Marran, and their daughter, Sybella Hawley.

Sunday and Faith, who made their red carpet debut at the event, looked lovely in Monique Lhuillier. Sunday, 16, donned a white floral-printed gown with a sweetheart neckline, while Faith, 13, wore a strapless coral trumpet gown.

Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were once the Hollywood “it” couple. They were married for 11 years after meeting on a movie set, but soon realized that their marriage was not going to last forever. They divorced in 2001.

Nicole Kidman in Days of Thunder

It’s quite sad to see famous couples breaking up, but Kidman and Cruise remained good pals who share mutual respect and love for each other. The actress even acknowledged her ex-husband in a recent event.

Nicole Kidman Makes A Heartwarming Reference To Tom Cruise In Her Acceptance Speech

Nicole Kidman received a 49th AFI Life Achievement Award on Saturday as the actress and her colleagues relive the journey of her career in Hollywood. She gave a moving speech that chronicled the joys and the sorrows of being a celebrity as well as forging relationships with her costars.

Suggested“You won’t have a career, you’re...

Nicole Kidman has no plans to turn her hand to directing.The 56-year-old actress has taken on the role of producer for many of her projects over the years, but she's admitted she won't go one step further and try helming a movie as the job involves making a lot of "choices" and that's not her "strong suit".She told The Hollywood Reporter: "I feel like I would be a terrible director because I always have so many ideas. A director has to make choices, and that’s not my strong suit."I’m very good at being passionate and supporting the voices and reading a script and going ‘I love this script,’ or seeing somebody and going, ‘I love this actor, I love this director, how do I support them?’ "And they maybe have done nothing [before], but I want to get behind them. That’s what I love doing; it excites me,...

Nicole Kidman enjoyed a memorable evening as an honoree at the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute on April 27 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The actress, 56, also reunited with her Big Little Lies co-stars, Meryl Streep and Reese Witherspoon.

Five years after starring together in the critically acclaimed film drama by David E. Kelley, the trio was seen catching up at the gala event, where Kidman was presented with the Life Achievement Award. The two-season series ran on HBO from February 19, 2017, until July 21, 2019 for a total of 14 episodes.

Nicole Kidman in Big Little Lies

Based on Liane Moriarty’s 2014 novel of the same title, the highly regarded drama’s first season garnered 16 Primetime Emmy Award nominations and took home eight wins. Having said that, Kidman’s performance was so breathtaking, that, in one scene, co-star Streep was left completely traumatized.

Big Little Lies: How Nicole Kidman...

“Film is forever.”

Nicole Kidman, the 49th recipient of the prestigious AFI Life Achievement Award, made her acceptance speech on the Dolby Theatre stage on Saturday, April 27 about the filmmakers who’ve shaped her career — and her love for movies and storytelling.

The Academy Award-winning actress was joined by presenters including her “Big Little Lies” co-stars Reese Witherspoon and Meryl Streep, a past AFI recipient who handed Kidman the honors at the night’s end. “Can I just say, Meryl Streep? I just loved you. I always loved you. I don’t know what it is. You’re a beacon of excellence and warmth and generosity, and you’ve been my guiding light. To see this from you, you have no idea. My husband can attest, my parents can attest, it’s always been you, and no one can touch you.”

Kidman’s opening remarks set the tone for a...

April came to a close with a number of smaller releases, ahead of the start of the summer movie season launching in May, though one movie definitely stood out ahead of the others. Read on for the weekend box office report.

Luca Guadagnino‘s tennis romance, “Challengers,” starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, opened in 3,477 theaters on Friday with solid reviews, racking up $1.9 million in previews from Thursday and earlier. After pulling in $6.2 million on Friday (including previews), “Challengers” won the weekend with ease, making an estimated $15 million, and receiving a fair “B+” CinemaScore from audiences polled, as the movie became the talk of social media all weekend. “Challengers” also added another $9 million overseas in 52 markets to bring its global total to $25 million.

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Lionsgate opened “Unsung Hero,” the inspirational story of the Smallbone musical family, co-written, co-directed, and starring Joel Smallbone,...

If you thought season one of Hulu’s limited series Nine Perfect Strangers gave a new definition of locked up, there’s going to be plenty of cabin fever come season 2.

We caught up with the series star and EP Nicole Kidman last night on the red carpet for her AFI Life Achievement Award to ask how the next season is coming along.

“Swiss Alps And Crazy! Hold on tight!” exclaimed Kidman. She was talking about the series’ setting which switches up from the Tranquillum House retreat in the fictional town of Cabrillo, CA to the Swiss Alps. Kidman plays the wellness resort’s founder Masha Dmitrichenko who has it out for her guests by dispensing to them a psychoactive drug, namely Psilocybin. Masha is arrested, cradling her hallucinated late daughter in her arms. However, she appears to have beaten the rap as the Tranquillum House guests covered for her illegal actions during police interviews.

Nicole Kidman was honored with the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award on Saturday night, as an A-list group of her friends and collaborators looked back on her long Hollywood career.

Reese Witherspoon, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts, Zoe Saldaña, Aaron Sorkin, Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Joey King, Mike Myers and husband Keith Urban all took the Dolby Theatre stage throughout the event to pay tribute to Kidman. To close out the evening, Meryl Streep presented her with the award.

Streep — joking after a clip was shown, “did anyone notice that [costume designer] Ann Roth gave her my nose in The Hours? You’re welcome” — took the time to reflect on working opposite Kidman in season two of Big Little Lies.

“For me, the very, very hardest part of being incessantly called the greatest actress of my generation,” Streep teased as the audience roared, throwing her hand theatrically over her head, “What is the hardest part?...

Nicole Kidman received the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award Saturday at a gala in Los Angeles, where she became the first-ever Australian to earn the honor.

Kidman co-stars like Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Naomi Watts, and Morgan Freeman — who spoofed Kidman’s iconic AMC ad at the ceremony — were on hand to celebrate the Oscar-winning Moulin Rouge actress.

Morgan Freeman parodies Nicole Kidman’s AMC spot at #AFILife pic.twitter.com/LHnblEh33Y

— Deadline Hollywood (@Deadline) April 28, 2024

Fellow Australians Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and Cate Blanchett also contributed video tributes to Kidman,...

Los Angeles, April 28 (Ians) Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman received the prestigious AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honour given by the American Film Institute at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre.

At the event, she was greeted by a special video message from her friend Morgan Freeman, who sang a line from Elton John’s song ‘Your Song’, reports ‘Variety’.

The actor sang the line, “How wonderful life is while you’re in the world” from the song.

The annual tribute saw Kidman’s closest friends and colleagues, including Oscar winners Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Reese Witherspoon and Oscar nominee Naomi Watts in attendance as they paid tribute to her illustrious career.

As per ‘Variety’, Nicole Kidman wore a form-fitting gold sequin gown. She entered the theatre to a standing ovation as a recording of ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’ played overhead.

The programme began with a video featuring Freeman...

Morgan Freeman was among the stars who paid tribute to Nicole Kidman when the actress received the AFI Life Achievement Award.

Freeman parodied Kidman’s viral AMC spot, which has been spoofed by many over the years.

Related: AFI Life Achievement Award Honors Nicole Kidman Red Carpet Photos: Keith Urban, Reese Witherspoon, Ava DuVernay & More

Kidman recently revealed that she would like to parody the advertisement as well, but with a drag queen, after many performers shared their takes on social media.

“My dream will be to be onstage doing it with a drag queen,” she said in an interview with Elle. “I’ve got to be able to do that at some point.”

Watch Freeman’s parody in the video below.

Morgan Freeman parodies Nicole Kidman’s AMC spot at #AFILife pic.twitter.com/LHnblEh33Y

— Deadline Hollywood (@Deadline) April 28, 2024

The advertisement starring Kidman played before the feature films...

Hollywood legends gathered Saturday night to celebrate Nicole Kidman as she received the prestigious AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor bestowed by the American Film Institute.

The ceremony featured tributes from Kidman’s esteemed peers and collaborators, including Meryl Streep, Zoe Saldaña, Naomi Watts, Zac Efron, David E. Kelley, Morgan Freeman, Keith Urban, Aaron Sorkin and Reese Witherspoon. The audience also included Lee Daniels, Mimi Leder and “Expats” creator and director Lulu Wang along with Kidman’s co-stars Ji-young and Sarayu Blue. The 56-year-old Oscar-winning actress expressed her deep gratitude for her distinguished career.

Kidman was visibly moved by the accolades from numerous distinguished colleagues, including Miles Teller, who was personally cast by Kidman in his first-ever film role “Rabbit Hole ” which was also her first produced feature. However, her husband, Keith Urban, shared intimate details about their life together, highlighting when he entered rehabilitation for substance abuse five months into their marriage,...

Nicole Kidman is the 2024 AFI Life Achievement Award honoree for her film career.

“Nicole Kidman embodies the glamour and romance of Hollywood past – a true screen icon – but she is also a risk taker – and so each performance is something new and something profound,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “And like all truly great artists – Nicole not only gives back – she drives culture forward with her commitment to amplifying the voices of female directors and producers.”

Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts and Reese Witherspoon are some of the presenters who honored Kidman at the event at the Dolby Theatre on April 27.

Related: Nicole Kidman’s Career In Photos: From ‘Days of Thunder’ And ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ To ‘Moulin Rouge!’

The AFI Life Achievement Award, was established by the AFI Board of Trustees in 1973, and is presented to a single honoree each year based on the following...

The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner will bring together celebrities, journalists covering the political beat, and the President of the United States on a night to celebrate the First Amendment.

Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost will roast Joe Biden at the star-studded event.

Related: AFI Life Achievement Award Honors Nicole Kidman Red Carpet Photos: Keith Urban, Reese Witherspoon, Ava DuVernay & More

The White House Correspondents’ Association president, Kelly O’Donnell, said of choosing Jost as the featured entertainer, “His sharp insights perfectly meet this remarkable time of divided politics, and a presidential campaign careening toward a rematch. His smart brand of comedy and keen observation will turn up the heat on the national news media and across the political spectrum.”

Related: How To Watch The White House Correspondents’ Dinner With Potus & Colin Jost On TV & Livestream

She continued, “A night of laughs and reflections as our dinner honors freedom of...

After a year-long delay brought about by the 2023 Hollywood strikes, Nicole Kidman is finally set to receive the prestigious AFI Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. The Oscar winner is the 49th overall recipient of this special honor, with the last one being Julie Andrews in 2022. Kidman’s ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024 in Hollywood, with Meryl Streep tasked to present.

Kidman is a five-time nominee at the Academy Awards, winning for Best Actress in the 2003 film “The Hours.” Her other nominations were for “Moulin Rouge!,” “Rabbit Hole,” “Lion” and “Being the Ricardos.” (She has also two Emmys on her mantel for producing and starring in “Big Little Lies.”) What do You think is her best movie performance of all time? Vote in our poll right here and then defend your choice down in the comments section:

See American Film Institute (AFI) Life Achievement Recipients

Starting in the early 1970s,...

Four decades after her feature debut in 1983’s BMX Bandits, Oscar and two-time Emmy winner Nicole Kidman is set to receive a history-making honor: the AFI Life Achievement Award, which for the first time in 49 years will go to an Australian performer. But the (American-born) Kidman considers herself a part of world cinema, having worked with such renowned filmmakers as Stanley Kubrick (Eyes Wide Shut), Jane Campion (The Portrait of a Lady), Park Chan-wook (Stoker), Sofia Coppola (The Beguiled), Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!) and Jonathan Glazer (Birth). The actress and producer reflects on how the honor represents both a robust career and a life well traveled.

You’ve received many awards throughout your career. What is so special about this honor?

The list of honorees that have come before me. I’m floored, actually, because there are so few, and there are no Australians. I was overwhelmed by it.

Do...

Nicole Kidman’s friends and collaborators will be in the building when she is honored at the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala.

AFI shared that Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts and Reese Witherspoon are set as presenters for the gala, scheduled to take place at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on April 27.

Fellow AFI Life Achievement Award winner Streep worked with Kidman on HBO’s Big Little Lies, as did Witherspoon. Both Kidman and Witherspoon served as executive producers of the Emmy Award-winning hit series. Watts is a longtime friend of Kidman, dating back to their early acting careers. They both starred in the 1991 feature Flirting. Freeman and Kidman collaborated on the Paramount series Lioness for Taylor Sheridan.

“Nicole Kidman embodies the glamour and romance of Hollywood past — a true screen icon — but she is also a risk taker — and so each performance is something new and something profound,...

“I never felt comfortable with myself, because I was never part of the majority. I always felt awkward and shy and on the outside of the momentum of my friends’ lives. I was never on the inside of that. I was always on the outside.” – Steven Spielberg

Director, Executive Screenwriter, Restaurateur, and Producer Steven Spielberg has been listed as the most powerful and influential figure in the motion picture industry. Spielberg has won three Academy Awards. He has been nominated for six Academy Awards for the category of Best Director, winning two of them (Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan_), and seven of the films he directed were up for the Best Picture Oscar (_Schindler’s List won). In 1987 he was awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for his work as a creative producer. Spielberg received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1995.

The Righteous Persons Foundation was established with...

Richard Lewis, who last year announced that he was stepping down from stand-up after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, sadly passed away at the age of 76 at his home in Los Angeles. But despite retiring from stand-up, the self-deprecating comedian did reprise his role in Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 12, set to be its final outing.

From appearing in the very first episode of the show, Lewis was ingrained into the show’s DNA, and his chemistry with Larry David ensued for some of the funniest moments in the show.

Richard Lewis | Curb Your Enthusiasm

“F-ck You, I’m Paying”

Arguably one of the funniest interactions between Larry David and Richard Lewis takes in episode 3 of Season 10, Artificial Fruit. After engaging in a funny banter when Lewis initially rejects David’s offer to go on lunch, Lewis eventually agrees, but following their stubborn tendencies, both of them offer to pay.

“The first time I came to this studio was 1940 when my father brought me here to show me the stage, and I was about 9 or 10 years old, and I thought, ‘Some day this will all be mine!’ It’s finally come to be – it’s only taken me 92 years to get here!” That’s what five-time Oscar winner and 53-time nominee John Williams said as the curtain was raised on the iconic Sony Pictures Entertainment lot’s newly renamed John Williams Music Building.

Joining in the celebration — and it was a celebration — were Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group Chairman and CEO Tom Rothman, Spe Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra (who made opening remarks), filmmaker J.J. Abrams and of course, Williams’ longtime collaborator Steven Spielberg, who instigated the idea of putting the legendary composer’s name on the building where they have worked on 20 or their 29 films, as Spielberg noted.

Rothman...

A column chronicling conversations and events on the awards circuit.

One of my very favorite events, if not the favorite of all of Oscar season, is the AFI Awards, which started a wild holiday weekend of awards ceremonies and parties. All that will culminate in the Primetime Emmys Monday night, and then the end of Oscar nomination voting on Tuesday at 5 Pm Pt. In other words, this is crunch time.

Emma Stone and Carey Mulligan at the AFI Awards 2023

But for a brief three hours or so (including mingling time), AFI CEO and President Bob Gazzale reminded everyone in a room you want to be in at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons Hotel, that everyone there was a winner, no “losers” in sight, unlike other awards shows which also charge you to buy a table for the honor of being recognized. No, the AFI Awards are as pure as it...

Martin Scorsese, the guest on this episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, and, in the eyes of many, the greatest filmmaker alive today.

Over the course of a career spanning nearly 60 years, Scorsese has directed 26 narrative features and 16 documentary features, among them 1973’s Mean Streets, 1976’s Taxi Driver, 1980’s Raging Bull, 1990’s Goodfellas, 1995’s Casino, 2006’s The Departed, 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street and, most recently, 2023’s Killers of the Flower Moon. The adaptation of David Grann’s bestselling book features a script co-written by Eric Roth and Scorsese, who also produced the film, which stars his two great muses, Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, plus breakout Lily Gladstone. It follows a series of murders in the Osage Nation after oil was discovered on tribal land in the 1920s.

Described by Time magazine as one of...

Matthew Libatique, the Academy Award-nominated cinematographer most recently lending his talents to Bradley Cooper’s Netflix pic Maestro, has been set to receive the American Film Institute’s Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal at the AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to Nicole Kidman, taking place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 27th.

The Schaffner Alumni Medal recognizes the extraordinary creative talents of AFI Conservatory Alumni who embody the qualities of filmmaker Franklin J. Schaffner: talent, taste, dedication and commitment to quality storytelling in film and television. Past recipients include Libatique’s frequent collaborator (and one-time classmate) Darren Aronofsky, Lesli Linka Glatter, Siân Heder, Patty Jenkins, Janusz Kamiński, Mimi Leder, David Lynch, Terrence Malick, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison.

While this year will be the ninth that the AFI Life Achievement Award special airs on TNT, air dates for the Kidman tribute special on TNT and...

Meryl Streep has won Oscars, Emmys, a bevy of Golden Globes and multiple SAG Awards. She was awarded the AFI Life Achievement Award, a Kennedy Center Honor and even the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama. If there’s an award, Streep has probably won it. But there’s a prize that has eluded her all these years: the Grammy. This year she received her seventh nomination from the recording academy. Will she finally take the trophy home?

This year she’s up for Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording for “Big Tree,” the audio book recording of Brian Selznick‘s middle-grade adventure novel. She was previously nominated five times for recording children’s projects: “The Velveteen Rabbit,” “The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” “The Tailor of Gloucester,” “The One and Only Shrek” and “Charlotte’s Web.” And she has one musical nomination for her contributions to the “Mamma Mia!

There are many films that have quotable last lines such as “After all, tomorrow is another day” from “Gone with the Wind.” And who can forget Humphrey Bogart telling Claude Rains: “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” But the beloved 1953 George Stevens’ Western “Shane” perhaps has one of the most endearing and emotional final lines. Young Joey (Brandon De Wilde) wants his idol, the former gunslinger Shane (Alan Ladd), to stay with his family. But the wounded hero continues to ride off.

“Shane………come back,” Joey cries out.

Be prepared to bring you handkerchiefs to the Academy Museum’s 70th anniversary screening Dec 10 at the David Geffen Theatre. Ladd, in his strongest performance, plays a world-weary gunslinger who wants to hang up his six-shooter. He ends up working for an honest, struggling rancher Joe, (Van Heflin), his wife Marian (Jean Arthur) and young son...

Martin Scorsese has has received virtually every award possible for his work, including an Oscar, a Grammy, Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTA and DGA awards, the AFI Life Achievement Award, the HFPA’s Cecil B. DeMille Award and a Kennedy Center Honor.

On February 25, the Killers of the Flower Moon director will add to that list a biggie: the 2024 David O. Selznick Achievement Award for his monumental achievements in more than six decades of producing. Scorsese will accept the honor at the 35th Annual Producers Guild Awards on Sunday, February 25.

The award recognizes producers for their outstanding body of work in motion pictures. Past recipients include producers such as Steven Spielberg, Barbara Broccoli, Mary Parent, Tom Cruise, Brian Grazer, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, and George Lucas.

The honor comes nearly 60 years after Scorsese was first honored by the PGA.

“In March 1965, I was flown out to Los Angeles by the PGA...

A24 is keeping in business with Halina Reijn.

Following the indie box office success of the Dutch actress-turned-feature-filmmaker’s 2022 word-of-mouth hit “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” A24 has another upcoming project with Reijn. “Babygirl,” the studio announced on November 21, will star Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson in an erotic thriller about a successful CEO who begins an illicit affair with her much younger intern. Antonio Banderas, Sophie Wilde (breakout star of A24’s “Talk to Me”), and Jean Reno also join the cast, IndieWire has confirmed. “Babygirl” will mark Reijn’s second feature film, which she wrote as well.

David Hinojosa of 2Am will produce alongside Reijn of Man Up Film and A24, who is financing the project. Julia Oh, Zach Nutman, and Christine D’Souza Gelb of 2Am will serve as executive producers on “Babygirl.”

Reijn’s satirical slasher “Bodies Bodies Bodies” is already headed for cult classic status since premiering at...