THR's Awards Season Superlatives

►The good, the bad and the bathwater. From "snubs" saturation point to the increasingly crass conversation around Barry Keoghan, THR looks back at the 2024 FYC narratives to remember … and forget. The story. 

—The red carpet. In: ballerina buns and mega-bright menswear. Out: ballgowns and traditional tuxes. For THR, Merle Ginsberg has everything you need to know for awards-season style. The story.

—The parties! Movie stars, auteurs, influencers and Hollywood insiders are already in town celebrating at A-list bashes in the lead up to the 96th Oscars on Sunday. THR's Kirsten Chuba and Chris Gardner are on the scene everywhere from Vanity Fair and Elton John to MPTF’s Night Before and a Nominees Night with TikTok. The story.

—The opportunity. Disney has officially sold out its advertising inventory for this Sunday’s Oscar telecast. The company says that TikTok will sponsor a “first-of-its-kind red carpet live stream,” with tequila brand Don Julio sponsoring an “in-show moment.” Rolex and Bank of America will also be integrated into the broadcast, which will be hosted by ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel. The story. 

—The sneak peek. During the Oscars telecast, nominees and presenters will calm jitters, celebrate and schmooze in the Dolby Theatre's backstage VIP lounge, done in tonal hues of blue and green mixed with sustainably sourced materials. THR takes you inside the greenroom, designed by Rolex. The story. 

—The devastating news. Messi, the scene-stealing border collie from best picture nominee Anatomy of a Fall and unlikely star of the 2024 awards campaign season, will not return to Los Angeles for the Oscars. Though reps for the Academy did not comment, a source at the Neon-distributed film says the French pup's recent Hollywood sojourn, during which he overshadowed every human actor at the annual nominees' luncheon, was a one-off. The story.

—The nostalgia. For a bit of fun, THR takes a look at the big Academy Awards moments of the last 10 years, starting with John Travolta's infamous "Adele Dazeem" flub and the selfie that broke the internet. The story. 

Congress Moves Forward With TikTok Bill  

►Aggressive. TikTok's future in the U.S. is uncertain after a House committee voted unanimously Thursday to move forward with a bipartisan legislation that would force ByteDance — TikTok's Chinese parent company — to divest its ownership of the app within 180 days. The bill, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, was introduced earlier this month by representatives Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi. If enacted, the legislation would block ByteDance apps from being available in Apple and Google's app stores in the U.S. The story. 

—Reinforcements. As Disney continues its proxy battle with a pair of activist investors, a high-profile activist firm has come forward with its own thesis for Disney’s future, and pledged support for CEO Bob Iger and the Disney board. ValueAct Capital, led by co-CEO Mason Morfit, released a whitepaper Thursday outlining its own strategic ideas for Disney, and explaining why it supports Iger and Disney leadership. The story.

—Alleged violations of labor laws. Disney has been sued for allegedly underpaying maintenance workers at its Southern California hotels near its sprawling theme park, on top of a host of other alleged violations of labor laws. The lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court on Thursday, claims workers were forced to pay for their own tools while not being paid the required double minimum wage and correct overtime rate. The proposed class action seeks at least $1m in back pay. The story. 

—Crackdown cometh. Max will become the latest streamer to stop password sharing, as Warner Bros. Discovery plans to start its crackdown in late 2024 into 2025. Speaking at a Morgan Stanley conference on Thursday, WBD's president and chief executive of global streaming and games J.B. Perrette announced plans to limit password sharing, citing Netflix’s crackdown, which he said was “implemented extremely successfully.” All of this is part of WBD’s several-part plan to build streaming profits. The story. 

—🏆 Casting calls 🏆 The Casting Society of America announced the winners of the 39th annual Artios Awards on Thursday night. Winners in the film categories included Barbie, Killers of the Flower Moon and The Holdovers, while The Bear, Succession and Beef were honored in the television categories. Niecy Nash-Betts hosted the Los Angeles awards ceremony at the Beverly Hilton, while the New York ceremony was hosted by Alex Edelman at the Edison Ballroom. The London ceremony was hosted by Samantha Morton at the White City House. The winners.  

Oprah to Tackle Ozempic Craze in ABC Special  

►"A very personal topic for me." Oprah Winfrey is taking on the weight-loss injectable trend in a new primetime special. ABC announced An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution, with Winfrey hosting a sit-down conversation with medical experts and patients about “the radical impact” of prescription weight-loss medications like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy. The program will mark Winfrey’s first primetime special in three years. The story. 

—🎭 "16-year odyssey to set herself free" 🎭 Hulu has greenlit a limited series about Amanda Knox, with Margaret Qualley set to play the lead role. The currently untitled eight-episode series, from 20th Television and The Littlefield Company (Fargo, The Handmaid’s Tale), has been on a fast development track at the streamer. K.J. Steinberg (This Is Us, Gossip Girl) created the series and will serve as showrunner; Knox and Monica Lewinsky are also among the executive producers. The story. 

—Next up. Thomas Vinterberg, the Oscar-winning director of Another Round, is turning to television for his next project, signing on to adapt the fantasy novel The Brothers Lionheart as a limited event series for The Morning Show producers Media Res. Vinterberg will adapt the beloved children’s book, from Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren, together with Tony and Olivier Award-winning British playwright Simon Stephens. The story. 

—A fresh take. MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios are developing a limited series about the killing of JonBenét Ramsey. The project is in its early stages and doesn’t have an outlet attached yet. The currently untitled series will "detail the mysterious death and the surrounding media frenzy in the murder of JonBenét." The series is written and executive produced by Harrison Query and Tommy Wallach, with Richard LaGravenese on board as EP and showrunner. The story. 

—🤝 First-look deal 🤝 Fremantle has signed a first-look and development deal with Astral Projection, the production company run by the Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz and her Dead Ringers producer Polly Stokes. The three-year deal will see Fremantle become the primary home for all of Astral's TV and film projects. Astral will work closely with Fremantle’s Global Drama division under Global Drama CEO Christian Vesper and COO Seb Shorr, as well as its international distribution team. The story. 

Paul Giamatti Would Rather Talk About Bigfoot and UFOs

►"I get bored talking about myself, or a particular project, I gotta be honest." Since being nominated for an Oscar, Paul Giamatti has tripled the audience of Chinwag, his podcast about the paranormal, esoteric and downright weird. Now The Holdovers star is planning an extended Chinwag universe. The interview. 

—New home. The Ben Affleck-led sequel to his 2016 crime film The Accountant has a new home as it gears up for a production start later this month. The follow-up thriller has moved to Amazon MGM Studios after it was previously in development for many years at Warner Bros. The action thriller is already deep into the casting process and has J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal and Cynthia Addai-Robinson back on the call sheet after they appeared in the original. The story.

—🎭 Reunited 🎭 Noah Baumbach has rounded out the cast for his latest feature. Laura Dern, who won as Oscar for her role in Baumbach’s Marriage Story, is reteaming with the filmmaker on his untitled project, along with Billy Crudup and Riley Keough. The three actors are joining the previously announced stars Adam Sandler and George Clooney. Baumbach and actress Emily Mortimer wrote the screenplay for the film. Plot details are largely being kept under wraps. The story. 

—🎭 Late substitute 🎭 Terry Crews is joining Dave Bautista, Ben Kingsley and Sofia Boutella in the cast of The Killer’s Game. Crews will be playing a character that was previously reported to be played by Ice Cube in the J.J. Perry-directed movie, which has wrapped filming. Based on Jay Bonansinga’s novel, The Killer’s Game follows a veteran assassin (Bautista), who, according to the film’s synopsis, "is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and authorizes a hit on himself to avoid the pain that is destined to follow. But finds out that he was misdiagnosed." The story.

Was "Over the Rainbow" Plagiarized? 

►Scandal in Oz. "Over the Rainbow," the Academy Award-winning ballad from The Wizard of Oz, is perhaps the most enduring melody ever to come out of Hollywood. But its uncanny similarity to a long-forgotten piece by a Nazi-era composer has some questioning its authorship. The story. 

—Oscars biggest snub? In a guest column for THR, author and academic Chris Yogerst looks into Casablanca's win at the 1944 Academy Awards, when Warner Bros. mogul Jack Warner stole the Oscars statuette from Hal Wallis on stage, a move that proved the last straw in an increasingly contentious relationship. The story. 

Steve Lawrence 1935 - 2024

►Silky voice. Steve Lawrence, the charismatic Grammy- and Emmy-winning crooner who delighted audiences for decades in nightclubs, on concert stages and in film and television appearances, died Thursday. He was 88. Lawrence died in Los Angeles of complications from Alzheimer’s disease, publicist Susan DuBow announced. He partnered with the late Eydie Gormé, his wife of 55 years, in a very popular act. The obituary. 

—"He has left many manga titles and works of art to this world." Akira Toriyama, the Japanese manga artist who created the incredibly popular Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump series, has died. He was 68. Toriyama died March 1 from an acute subdural hematoma, the official Dragon Ball website revealed on Friday. One of Japan’s best-known and most-loved manga creators, Toriyama is indelibly linked with Dragon Ball, a series that gave the world Goku, Piccolo, Bulma and Krillin, and created a multimedia empire of anime, games and feature films. The obituary. 

—Legendary vocal coach. Debra Byrd, who had a long and varied career in the music industry and had an extended run as a vocal coach on the TV talent shows American Idol and The Voice, has died. She was 72. Byrd died in Los Angeles on March 5, although no cause of death was given. She was known in the industry as a backing singer for the likes of Barry Manilow, Bob Dylan and Mary J. Blige. The obituary. 

—Singing sister. Betty Brodel, a singer, actress and older sister of High Sierra and Sergeant York star Joan Leslie, died Sunday in Florida, family member Cathy Palmer told THR. She was 104. Brodel appeared with Leslie in the wartime charity films Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) and Hollywood Canteen (1944), plus Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Too Young to Know (1945) and Cinderella Jones (1946). The obituary. 

Film Review: 'Damsel' 

►"An uneven film sustained by an assured lead performance." THR's Lovia Gyarkye reviews Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's Damsel. Millie Bobby Brown, Angela Bassett, Ray Winstone, Nick Robinson and Robin Wright star in this Netflix feature fairy tale that subverts convention in overly familiar ways. The review. 

—"Not scary enough to make you look twice at your kid's teddy bear." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Jeff Wadlow's Imaginary. DeWanda Wise stars in this Blumhouse horror flick about a little girl who makes an imaginary friend in the form of a creepy teddy bear. The review. 

—"An ensemble full of rising stars." THR's chief TV critic Dan Fienberg reviews Tubi's Boarders. Daniel Lawrence Taylor's six-episode series looks at the fish-out-of-water adventures of five scholarship kids from South London at a posh prep school. The review. 

—"A lot of verve but little momentum." THR's Robyn Bahr reviews Tom Gustafson's Glitter & Doom. This queer pop-disco romance, featuring the music of the Indigo Girls, imagines a circus performer and a singer-songwriter falling in love in Mexico City. The review.

Thank Pod It's Friday

►All the latest content from THR's podcast studio.

—TV's Top 5. THR's Lesley Goldberg and Dan Fienberg break down the latest TV news. This week's episode begins with the headlines with news on Upload, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Tracker, Young Sheldon, Amanda Knox, Tim Allen, Dick Wolf and The Brothers Sun . There's a section on Netflix streaming the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight and another on Freeform's new strategy. There's also a preview of the Oscars and Dan reviews Netflix’s The Gentlemen, Hulu’s Extraordinary and Tubi’s Boarders. Listen here.

—Awards Chatter. THR's executive awards editor Scott Feinberg talks to the great and the good of Hollywood. In this episode, Scott spoke to Lily Gladstone. The trailblazing Killers of the Flower Moon actress reflects on deciding to pursue a screen acting career despite the historically limited opportunities for Native Americans; almost walking away from the business after her award-winning performance in 2016's Certain Women; and how she wound up hearing from Martin Scorsese and tackling the part that changed her life and career. Listen here.

—It Happened in Hollywood. THR senior writer Seth Abramovitch goes behind the scenes of the pop culture moments that shaped Hollywood history. In this episode, Seth spoke to Greg Mottola. The filmmaker joins the podcast to talk about his first film, the indie hit The Daytrippers that starred Hope Davis, Stanley Tucci, Parker Posey and Liev Schreiber and was made for a $60,000 budget. Listen here.

In other news...

—Stormy doc trailer shows Stormy Daniels’ chaotic life battling Donald Trump

—Maya Rudolph embarks on a wellness journey in Apple TV+’s Loot S2 trailer

—Inside Out 2 trailer: New emotions voiced by Paul Walter Hauser, Ayo Edebiri enter Riley’s head

—Jack Black releases full-length cover of "Baby One More Time"

—Fancy Dance director Erica Tremblay signs with CAA

—New Edition set to be inducted into NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame

—Rupert Murdoch is engaged, planning a June wedding

​​​What else we're reading...

—Michael D. Shear and Shane Goldmacher have the five major takeaways from Joe Biden's State of the Union speech [NYT]

—With Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos all losing their appeal for various reasons, Ross Andersen writes that in Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, tech fanboys have a new hero [Atlantic]

—Ellie Hall, a former royal correspondent for BuzzFeed News, tries to make sense of the whole Kate Middleton thing and offers a timeline of events [NiemanLab]

—Emily Gould wonders why every famous woman seems to have a book club now [The Cut]

—Here's your Friday list: "Dune novels, ranked by unfilmability" [Defector]

Today...  

...in 1996, the Coen brothers unleashed Fargo in limited theaters stateside. The film went on to earn seven nominations at the 69th Academy Awards, claiming honors for actress Frances McDormand and best original screenplay. The original review.

Today's birthdays: Lester Holt (65), Sebastián Lelio (50), James Van Der Beek (47), Aidan Quinn (65), Freddie Prinze Jr. (48), Ewan Mitchell (27), Kit Connor (20), Leon (62), Jessica Ann Collins (41), Micky Dolenz (79), Montana Jordan (21), Milana Vayntrub (37), Stephanie Arcila (34), Nick Zano (46), Camryn Manheim (63), Christiane Paul (50), Boris Kodjoe (51), John Kapelos (68), Alison Becker (47), Jed Rees (54), Kendrick Sampson (36), Reagan Pasternak (47), Meredith Scott Lynn (54), Barbara Eve Harris (65), Charlotte Ray Rosenberg (32), Devon Graye (37), Fernanda Andrade (40), Catherine Curtin (62), Robert Neary (59)