If it’s the end of June that means a new membership class for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences is ready to meet the world. This morning AMPAS revealed the 2024 class which featured a number of 2024 Oscar winners including Lily Gladstone, Justine Triet, Cord Jefferson, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, among others. And, notably, the number of invitees jumped up to 487 after three straight years of under 400 a year.

Continue reading Lily Gladstone, Catherine O’Hara & Celine Song Are New 2024 Academy Members at The Playlist.

The press tour for “The Fall Guy” had its stars championing the film’s crew, particularly its stuntpeople, for helping create jaw-dropping spectacle in Doug Leitch‘s latest. But Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt & co. also called for the AMPAS and the Oscars to recognize the feats of stuntmen and women, too: with a stunt category at the annual awards series.  

Continue reading AMPAS Reportedly Considering Adding A Stunt Category For The Oscars at The Playlist.

The 96th Academy Awards ceremony was held on Sunday, March 10th, in Los Angeles at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. And, of course, the “In Memoriam” is always a notable section, known for producing tears but also jeers at all the omissions that seem to occur each year.

Andrea Bocelli and Matteo Bocelli delivered this year’s Oscars In Memoriam performance singing “Time to Say Good-Bye (Con Te Partirò),” perhaps awkwardly more well-known to many these days as the song Will Ferrell and John C.

Continue reading Watch: The Oscars 2024’s ‘In Memoriam’ Segment Says Goodbye To Everyone We Lost But Still Neglected Key Names at The Playlist.

After a long awards season, thankfully without much of an Oscar villain to speak of, the 96th Academy Awards were held last night, and Academy trophies were bestowed on all the winners. Those victories obviously came with a fleet of emotional and earnest acceptance speeches (see below). While many acceptance speeches were quick or casual, some others, like Jonathan Glazer (“Zone of Interest”) and documentary director Mstyslav Chernov of “20 Days In Mariupol” were more political, using their speeches to make stands against the wars in both Gaza and Ukraine, respectively, with a sentiment of peace behind both.

Continue reading Oscars 2024: Watch All Of Last Night’s Major Acceptance Speeches at The Playlist.

The 2024 Oscars season has taken a final turn around the awards season race track. This morning, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Zazie Beetz and Jack Quaid announced the nominees for the 76th Academy Awards, and, as expected, Christopher Nolan‘s “Oppenheimer” led all films with 13 nominations, including a coveted Best Picture nom. “Poor Things” earned 11 noms, while “Killers of the Flower Moon” took 10 nods, and “Barbie” landed eight.

Continue reading Oppenheimer Dominates The 2024 Oscars Nominations With 13 Nods [Full List] at The Playlist.

It’s that time of year again. The time when Academy membership dreams are met or (in some cases) crushed. For 2023, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invited 398 new members, up only one candidate from 2022’s 397 candidates. The 2023 class includes a number of notable figures including none other than billion-dollar touring sensation Taylor Swift.

READ MORE: Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks & Carol Littleton To Recieve Honorary Oscars

The Music Branch invited the global music sensation for contributions including original songs for films such as “Where the Crawdads Sing,” “Fifty Shades Darker,” “Cats” and “The Hunger Games.” Besides Swift, the songwriters also invited Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (aka The Weeknd), David Byrne, and “Naatu Naatu” songwriters M.M.

Continue reading Taylor Swift, Keke Palmer & Paul Mescal Among 398 Invited To Join The Academy at The Playlist.

Djimon Hounsou is one of the best actors working today. And his career got off to an incredible start thanks to a role in Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad.” However, according to the actor, he feels a bit robbed of an even better career had he been able to win Oscars for his early work. 

READ MORE: ‘Rebel Moon’: Zack Snyder’s Latest Pic Adds Charlie Hunnam, Doona Bae, Djimon Hounsou, Ray Fisher & More

Speaking to The Guardian, Oscar-nominated actor, Djimon Hounsou explained how he feels about being nominated for Oscars years ago, well before such an emphasis on inclusion and representation.

Continue reading Djimon Hounsou Says He “Felt Seriously Cheated” By Not Winning His Oscars Years Ago & Is “Struggling To Make A Dollar” Now at The Playlist.

In the first big surprise of the night, Jamie Lee Curtis won for her role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” She was nominated alongside her co-star Stephanie Hsu, Kerry Condon for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Angela Bassett for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” and Hong Chau for “The Whale.” It was one of the most competitive categories, and Bassett, in particular, had long been considered to be the favorite as she had given a showstopping monologue that emerged as one of the best moments of her entire film.

Continue reading Jamie Lee Curtis Wins Supporting Actress Oscar For ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ at The Playlist.

In an awards season dominated by Oscars rules discussion and the multiversal “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the night is finally here. And guess what? Everything went just about as expected. Daniels‘ “Everything Everywhere All at Once” dominated the categories it was predicted to win, including the coveted Best Picture. And “All Quiet on the Western Front,” by director Edward Berger, ended up winning quite a few technical categories, as well as Best International Film.

Continue reading ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ Wins Best Picture & Dominates The 2023 Oscars [Full Winners List] at The Playlist.

The 95th Academy Awards are upon us and with it a number of highly anticipated musical performances. Rihanna is set to perform “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” for the first time publicly. Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava will sing “Naatu Naatu” from “RRR” no doubt accompanied by a pack of energetic backup dancers. David Byrne and Son Lux will join Supporting Actress nominee Stephanie Hsu to sing “This is a Life” from expected Best Picture winner “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” Lenny Kravitz will perform the In Memoriam and, maybe if we’re lucky, Lady Gaga will show up to sing “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick.” And it’s possible that one or two of these performances will join the increasingly long list of great musical numbers that have graced the Oscars stage.

Continue reading 25 Greatest Oscar Telecast Performances So Far: Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Holiday & More at The Playlist.

There will be some heartwarming news in the Oscar race for Supporting Actor in 2023. Barring some unforeseen event, acclaimed actor Brendan Gleeson should finally land an Academy Award nomination for his performance in “The Banshees of Inisherin.” And, the comeback story of the year, Ke Huy Quan, is likely to stand right beside him for his work in “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” The other three nominees in this category are honestly a coin flip.

Continue reading Best Supporting Actor Oscars 2023 Predictions & Contenders at The Playlist.

After a tumultuous reign under David Rubin, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has voted for a new president. The winner of that election is producer Janet Yang. The 66-year-old New York native becomes only the second person of color to hold the position at the Academy (after Cheryl Boone Isaacs) and the fourth woman (after Bette Davis, Fay Kanin, and Isaacs).

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The Dawn Hudson era of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is officially over. Today, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted in Bill Kramer as the new CEO of the Academy. Kramer is currently the director and President of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

READ MORE: Oscars New Rules: Social Media, Golden Globes, Original Song, and more

In his new position, Kramer will effectively remain president of the Academy Museum while taking on the larger responsibilities of running AMPAS.

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This year’s Oscars ceremony turned into a media circus after Will Smith slapped guest presenter Chris Rock for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith‘s hair, alluding to the actress making a sequel to the Ridley Scott film “G.I. Jane.” Since then, Smith has made multiple apologies and even resigned his membership in The Academy. Now, a longtime friend, co-worker, and connoisseur of explosions, violence, and mayhem has chimed in.

Continue reading Michael Bay On The Will Smith Slap: “I Don’t Really Care…Babies Are Getting Blown Up In Ukraine” at The Playlist.

While you may want the Oscar slap heard ’round the world to stop reverberating, its echo keeps gaining mileage. While Will Smith got ahead of the Academy and resigned last night before they could weigh in with any major punitive reprisals—a wise and canny move—the conversation continues.

READ MORE: Will Smith Resigns From The Academy: “My Actions Were Inexcusable”

Giving oxygen to the flames last night was Denzel Washington, who was asked his thoughts on the matter at a Leadership Summit with author and pastor T.D.

Continue reading Denzel Washington Weighs In On Will Smith Oscar Slap: “Who Are We To Condemn?” at The Playlist.

As “he said/she said” lines appear to be cementing in the aftermath of the 2022 Academy Awards, Will Smith has taken a step to minimize any formal censuring by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In a statement on Friday afternoon, Smith said he is resigning from the Academy and will “fully accept any and all consequences” for his conduct. The Best Actor winner for “King Richard” also apologized once again to Chris Rock and “the list of those I have hurt is long.”

READ MORE: Academy says Will Smith refused to leave the Oscars

During the 94th Oscars ceremony, Smith walked up on the stage and slapped Chris Rock who was presenting the Oscar for Best Documentary.

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It’s been almost 48 hours since “CODA” made history by winning Best Picture at the 2022 Oscars, but all the entertainment industry can seem to talk about are Will Smith‘s actions during the telecast. Now, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are beginning their investigation. And, in what was described as a shock to the 50 members of the organization’s Board of Governors, AMPAS has revealed that Smith was asked to leave the Dolby Theater and refused.

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As we wait on pins and needles for Chris Rock’s reaction to the now-infamous slap at Sunday’s Oscars ceremony, there are still reactions from attendees trickling in. Yesterday, fellow comedian Jim Carrey weighed in, defending Rock’s poise while calling Hollywood’s standing ovation for Smith’s Best Actor win “spineless” and “sickening.” As the controversy continues to metastasize and the Academy, SAG, and others review and consider disciplinary measures, Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, the target of Rock’s joke, has called for “healing.” However, that’s certainly not going to be the last of all the takes.

Continue reading Zoë Kravitz Criticizes The Will Smith Oscar Slap: We’re “Apparently Assaulting People On Stage Now” at The Playlist.

Last year’s Oscars ceremony saw a historical low, at 10.4 million viewers, which means the show on Sunday should have done much, much better, right? Well, the answer isn’t as clear. Despite a big bump from having the event in-person with red carpet coverage and a crowded venue packed with various stars as an extra draw, people still aren’t tuning in at the rate they used to before the pandemic and viewership had already been declining from year to year.

Continue reading Oscars Get Solid 60% Ratings Boost From 2021 But Still The Second-Lowest Viewed Ceremony at The Playlist.

After the dismal ratings of last year’s Oscar broadcast, a lot was in the balance for this year’s edition, one less severely curtailed by Covid protocols but with its own share of new worries and controversy. The decision to have the awards from eight categories (documentary short, film editing, makeup/hairstyling, original score, production design, animated short, live-action short, and sound) handed out at the beginning of the ceremony, before the event actually went live on television, was met with strong resistance from all corners of the industry.

Continue reading Analyze This: Why ‘Coda’ Won The 2022 Best Picture Oscar at The Playlist.

While ABC looks to cut live technical award speeches from the hard-working department heads, they don’t seem to be terribly concerned about the time spent on the multiple Best Song performances, which can be something many people still look forward to. Others might see that time spent could be reclaimed for the ceremony as producers keep looking for ways to shorten the runtime. No matter where you land, it’s hard to argue that the musical performances do add a little energy if comedic bits from the host/hosts fall flat on their faces.

Continue reading Oscars 2022: Watch Best Song Winner Billie Eilish, Beyonce & All The Musical Performances at The Playlist.

Last year’s Academy Awards was scaled-back, and while the pandemic isn’t over yet, you wouldn’t know it from how this year’s Oscars ceremony was put together along with serving alcohol to maskless celebrities, which might have been a poor choice in the wake of the BAFTAs turning into a super-spreader event. Then again, COVID-19 won’t likely end up being the most talked-about aspect of the awards.

READ MORE: Oscars 2022: The Snubs & Surprises

Highlights from the winner speeches include Jessica Chastain taking the Best Actress statue for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” and spending her acceptance speech calling out the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

Continue reading Oscars 2022: Watch All The Winner Acceptance Speeches at The Playlist.

You may want to avoid anything on Twitter dealing with Will Smith or Chris Rock over the next 24 hours. Or maybe the entire week. Actually, in this decade’s extraordinarily quick news cycle, the event may be tossed aside by the general public within the next day or so, but one thing is for sure: what occurred the actors during the 94th Academy Awards telecast will not be forgotten by Academy members any time soon.

Continue reading The Academy Faces Yet Another Unexpected Controversy at The Playlist.

In 2021, it felt like the Oscars had stumbled onto something profound. Limited by COVID restrictions — and not wanting to flash opulence in the midst of an ongoing pandemic — the Academy gave us an Oscars that felt intimate, candid, and fun. So, naturally, this year’s producers elected to create the complete opposite experience, with, uh, mixed results.

READ MORE: Oscars 2022: ‘CODA’ Wins Best Picture, ‘Dune’ Takes 6 Awards [Full Winners List]

There were some great moments at the 2022 Oscars, many of which were provided by the winners who accepted their awards with kindness and grace.

Continue reading 2022 Oscars: The Best & Worst at The Playlist.

For Jessica Chastain, the third time is the charm. After two previous nominations – one for Best Supporting Actress in “The Help,” another for Best Actress in “Zero Dark Thirty” – Chastain has been named Best Actress at the 94th Academy Awards for her portrayal of infamous televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker in Michael Showalter’s “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”

View Our Complete List of 2022 Oscar Winners

Even before the nominees were announced, Chastain had been considered one of the leading candidates for the Best Actress award; she made our shortlist all the way back in September 2021.

Continue reading Jessica Chastain Wins Best Actress For ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ at The Playlist.