There will not be a host and Sunday`s Oscars ceremony will not open with the traditional monologue in which celebrities and politicians are skewered. 
Yet, with rock band Queen, pop superstar Lady Gaga and two musicals in the race for best picture, the highest honours in the movie industry will have an unusually strong music vibe as the Oscars seek to regain television audiences. 
 
British band Queen, featuring Adam Lambert as lead vocalist, will open the 24th February show with a live performance celebrating the box-office success of best picture nominee 'Bohemian Rhapsody,'&nbsp;a representative of the band told Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
Bette Midler, Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lopez and record producer Pharrell Williams are also set to attend or present, along with James Bond actor Daniel Craig, tennis champion Serena Williams, ' Black Panther' &nbsp;star Chadwick Boseman and comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. 
 
Details have been scant about the first Academy Awards ceremony in 30 years to go ahead without a host, bringing a curiosity factor to the last and biggest awards show of the season. Comedian Kevin Hart withdrew from the host job in December after past homophobic tweets resurfaced. 
 
"Hollywood is all about suspense," said Tom O`Neil, founder of awards website Goldderby.com.

One thing is certain; it will not be shorter. A pledge to broadcaster ABC to keep the show to three hours was wrecked last week when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences bowed to protests and scrapped plans to hand out four of the 24 Oscars during commercial breaks. 
 
In 1989, the last time there was no host, the telecast opened with an 11-minute song and dance number featuring Rob Lowe and an actress dressed as Snow White that was widely derided. 
 
Under pressure to deliver a compelling show for viewers after last year`s TV audience hit an all-time low, producers have made the most of the best original song contenders.&nbsp; 
 
Lady Gaga and actor-director Bradley Cooper will perform a live duet of her hit song "Shallow" from their best picture contender 'A Star is Born,' &nbsp;while Jennifer Hudson has been tapped to sing 'Fight' from documentary 'RBG.' 
 
Midler will do the honours for the 'Mary Poppins Returns' song "The Place Where Lost Things Go" and country duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings will perform "When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings."&nbsp; 
 
"That is one of the places where the star wattage can make a difference," said Alison Willmore, critic and culture writer at BuzzFeed News. 
 
"Lady Gaga is a music superstar and I would imagine her hard core fans will be tuning in for her," Willmore added. 
 
Organizers have not said whether rapper Kendrick Lamar will perform his Oscar-nominated song "All the Stars" from superhero movie 'Black Panther.' 
 
The academy on Wednesday said that Serena Williams, talk show host Trevor Noah and Congressman John Lewis would appear to talk about what the best picture nominees mean to them. Spanish-American chef Jose Andres, musician Tom Morello and Barbra Streisand will also be among those introducing the nominees.&nbsp; 
 
Sunday`s show is also expected to dispense with the segments between award handouts that in recent years have focused on pizza deliveries or surprising people on bus tours. 
 
"I`m not going to miss a lot of those little bits. That often feels like the part that makes the ceremony long, so maybe without a host it won`t feel like it`s dragging," said BuzzFeed`s Willmore.

There will not be a host and Sunday`s Oscars ceremony will not open with the traditional monologue in which celebrities and politicians are skewered. Yet, with rock band Queen, pop superstar Lady Gaga and two musicals in the race for best picture, the highest honours in the movie industry will have an unusually strong music vibe as the Oscars seek to regain television audiences.

There will not be a host and Sunday`s Oscars ceremony will not open with the traditional monologue in which celebrities and politicians are skewered. Yet, with rock band Queen, pop superstar Lady Gaga and two musicals in the race for best picture, the highest honours in the movie industry will have an unusually strong music vibe as the Oscars seek to regain television audiences. British band Queen, featuring Adam Lambert as lead vocalist, will open the 24th February show with a live performance celebrating the box-office success of best picture nominee 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' a representative of the band told Reuters. Bette Midler, Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lopez and record producer Pharrell Williams are also set to attend or present, along with James Bond actor Daniel Craig, tennis champion Serena Williams, ' Black Panther' star Chadwick Boseman and comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Details have been scant about the first Academy Awards ceremony in 30 years to go ahead without a host, bringing a curiosity factor to the last and biggest awards show of the season. Comedian Kevin Hart withdrew from the host job in December after past homophobic tweets resurfaced. "Hollywood is all about suspense," said Tom O`Neil, founder of awards website Goldderby.com. One thing is certain; it will not be shorter. A pledge to broadcaster ABC to keep the show to three hours was wrecked last week when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences bowed to protests and scrapped plans to hand out four of the 24 Oscars during commercial breaks. In 1989, the last time there was no host, the telecast opened with an 11-minute song and dance number featuring Rob Lowe and an actress dressed as Snow White that was widely derided. Under pressure to deliver a compelling show for viewers after last year`s TV audience hit an all-time low, producers have made the most of the best original song contenders. Lady Gaga and actor-director Bradley Cooper will perform a live duet of her hit song "Shallow" from their best picture contender 'A Star is Born,' while Jennifer Hudson has been tapped to sing 'Fight' from documentary 'RBG.' Midler will do the honours for the 'Mary Poppins Returns' song "The Place Where Lost Things Go" and country duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings will perform "When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings." "That is one of the places where the star wattage can make a difference," said Alison Willmore, critic and culture writer at BuzzFeed News. "Lady Gaga is a music superstar and I would imagine her hard core fans will be tuning in for her," Willmore added. Organizers have not said whether rapper Kendrick Lamar will perform his Oscar-nominated song "All the Stars" from superhero movie 'Black Panther.' The academy on Wednesday said that Serena Williams, talk show host Trevor Noah and Congressman John Lewis would appear to talk about what the best picture nominees mean to them. Spanish-American chef Jose Andres, musician Tom Morello and Barbra Streisand will also be among those introducing the nominees. Sunday`s show is also expected to dispense with the segments between award handouts that in recent years have focused on pizza deliveries or surprising people on bus tours. "I`m not going to miss a lot of those little bits. That often feels like the part that makes the ceremony long, so maybe without a host it won`t feel like it`s dragging," said BuzzFeed`s Willmore.

No host? No problem. Queen, Lady Gaga to bring Grammys vibe to Oscars

Directors of Oscar-nominated documentaries attended a reception in their honour at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, California on Tuesday (February 19).

Filmmaker RaMell Ross, whose film 'Hale County This Morning, This Evening'&nbsp;is an intimate portrait of two young black men in rural Alabama, said the nomination has opened up the documentary genre to more experimental films.

"It's allowed a lot of other filmmakers who are interested in making films that are kind of outside of the norm a permission and a sort of marker for them to reference or for them to look to for the language that perhaps can be accepted," he said.

'Free Solo'&nbsp;director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi said she hopes the film's story of the first person to climb Yosemite National Park's El Capitan rock formation without a rope, inspires viewers to follow their dreams.

"You never know how it is going to land, but we just hope that people come away inspired by Alex's courage and this idea that if you work really, really hard towards your dream, anything is possible."

To make 'Of Fathers and Sons,'&nbsp;director Talal Derki spent two and a half years living with an Islamist family in Syria. He said the hardest part was seeing the impact of the father's decisions on his children.

"I had emotion for the kids because they are innocent, it's not their mistake, it's the adult mistake that takes them on this path, to be a jihadist fighter and I wish all of this not to happen," he said.

'RBG,'&nbsp;about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, should uplift viewers, director Julie Cohen said, joking that it should also inspire them to take up planking, which Ginsburg is seen doing during her gym sessions in the film.

"We hope people learn something about how equal rights for women were secured in the US, about how far we've come for women's legal rights, but we were also hoping that people would come out of movie theatres or come away from television streaming seeing this movie and feeling really good, really inspired and ready to take on the world and start planking," she said.

The final film competing for the Oscar is 'Minding the Gap,'&nbsp;which follows a group of young men who share a love of skateboarding as they grow up in the US midwest. Director Bing Liu said he resisted exploring the group's political views as the 2016 election campaign took place.

"It's a film that's very evergreen. I mean, we had an opportunity to actually go into the political leanings of one of the characters around 2016, but we chose not to. I mean this is a story that, I mean, me being from this community could have kind of told in different eras, just because so much of it is just cyclical. Again, it's like, why are these same patterns happening over and over," he said.

The Oscars, the highest honours in the movie industry, will be handed out in Hollywood on Sunday (February 24).

Directors of Oscar-nominated documentaries attended a reception in their honour at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, California on Tuesday (February 19).

Directors of Oscar-nominated documentaries attended a reception in their honour at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, California on Tuesday (February 19). Filmmaker RaMell Ross, whose film 'Hale County This Morning, This Evening' is an intimate portrait of two young black men in rural Alabama, said the nomination has opened up the documentary genre to more experimental films. "It's allowed a lot of other filmmakers who are interested in making films that are kind of outside of the norm a permission and a sort of marker for them to reference or for them to look to for the language that perhaps can be accepted," he said. 'Free Solo' director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi said she hopes the film's story of the first person to climb Yosemite National Park's El Capitan rock formation without a rope, inspires viewers to follow their dreams. "You never know how it is going to land, but we just hope that people come away inspired by Alex's courage and this idea that if you work really, really hard towards your dream, anything is possible." To make 'Of Fathers and Sons,' director Talal Derki spent two and a half years living with an Islamist family in Syria. He said the hardest part was seeing the impact of the father's decisions on his children. "I had emotion for the kids because they are innocent, it's not their mistake, it's the adult mistake that takes them on this path, to be a jihadist fighter and I wish all of this not to happen," he said. 'RBG,' about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, should uplift viewers, director Julie Cohen said, joking that it should also inspire them to take up planking, which Ginsburg is seen doing during her gym sessions in the film. "We hope people learn something about how equal rights for women were secured in the US, about how far we've come for women's legal rights, but we were also hoping that people would come out of movie theatres or come away from television streaming seeing this movie and feeling really good, really inspired and ready to take on the world and start planking," she said. The final film competing for the Oscar is 'Minding the Gap,' which follows a group of young men who share a love of skateboarding as they grow up in the US midwest. Director Bing Liu said he resisted exploring the group's political views as the 2016 election campaign took place. "It's a film that's very evergreen. I mean, we had an opportunity to actually go into the political leanings of one of the characters around 2016, but we chose not to. I mean this is a story that, I mean, me being from this community could have kind of told in different eras, just because so much of it is just cyclical. Again, it's like, why are these same patterns happening over and over," he said. The Oscars, the highest honours in the movie industry, will be handed out in Hollywood on Sunday (February 24).

Oscar-nominated documentaries celebrated at pre-awards reception

First, it was the furore over a proposed new<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/academy-postpones-most-popular-film-category-after-facing-severe-backlash-164112"> "popular" film category</a>, then it was the fiasco over planned <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/im-over-it-comedian-kevin-hart-rules-out-hosting-the-oscars-189323">host Kevin Hart,</a> and last month the organisers of the Oscars were accused of intimidating celebrities not to present at rival award shows.

Last week, another storm erupted when, as part of a pledge to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/the-academy-faces-backlash-from-cuaron-del-toro-as-it-decides-to-give-techincal-oscars-during-ad-break-196991">shorten next Sunday's Oscars ceremony</a>, plans to present awards for cinematography, film editing, live-action shorts and makeup/hairstyling during commercial breaks were slammed as insulting by actors, directors and cinematographers. Five days later, the plan was scrapped.

It's been a tough 12 months for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as it battles to restore its annual Oscars show to a must-see event after the US television audience slumped to an all-time low last year.

"This year, the bigger question than who will win at the Oscars is what the heck is going on at the academy?" said Tim Gray, awards editor at Hollywood trade publication Variety.

"There have been a slew of bungles," Gray added. "I feel they are flailing around and acting out of desperation."

Under pressure from the ABC television network to trim and liven up the ceremony, the academy has seen many of its efforts backfire.

Bungles include a retreat in September over a proposed new "popular film" category, the withdrawal in December of Oscars host Kevin Hart because of past homophobic tweets, and an accusation in January by the US&nbsp;actors union that the academy was pressuring celebrities not to appear or present at award ceremonies other than the Oscars.

The Oscars is the last in a long Hollywood season that sees award shows and celebrity-packed red carpets every week over two months.

"The academy is caught between its role as a venerable institution that confers honours for the ages on film and the demands of the hurly-burly of social media, the 24/7 news cycle and the demands of the ratings," said Sharon Waxman, founder and editor in chief of Hollywood website The Wrap.

The Academy did not return a request for comment for this story, but said in a letter to members last week that show producers "have given great consideration to both Oscar tradition and our broad global audience."

ABC Entertainment President Karey Burke told reporters earlier this month she believed that the publicity around the Kevin Hart withdrawal showed the Oscars was still relevant. "I, ironically, have found that the lack of clarity around the Oscars has kept the Oscars really in the conversation and that the mystery has really been compelling," Burke said. "People really care."

The missteps have all but drowned out initial kudos over this year's diverse Oscar nominations list, which range from art house films like 'Roma'&nbsp;to superhero blockbuster 'Black Panther'&nbsp;and crowd-pleasing musicals 'Bohemian Rhapsody'&nbsp;and 'A Star is Born.'

Awards watchers say the Academy's efforts to deliver a compelling show for viewers next week still risk falling flat.

"The Academy is dealing yet again with what appears to be a leading film that is a very small film, in Spanish, and in black and white, that has not been seen by that many people," Waxman said, referring to best picture front-runner 'Roma.'&nbsp;Recent best-picture winners include small art-house films 'The Shape of Water'&nbsp;last year and 'Moonlight'&nbsp;in 2017.

"That is the more fundamental problem the Academy is facing with this telecast," Waxman added.

Variety's Gray said that, for the movie industry, the Oscars ceremony is always an enjoyable family get-together.

"The Oscars should also be fun for the viewing audience," he said. "We will see if they are."

First, it was the furore over a proposed new "popular" film category, then it was the fiasco over planned host Kevin Hart, and last month the organisers of the Oscars were accused of intimidating celebrities not to present at rival award shows.

First, it was the furore over a proposed new "popular" film category, then it was the fiasco over planned host Kevin Hart, and last month the organisers of the Oscars were accused of intimidating celebrities not to present at rival award shows. Last week, another storm erupted when, as part of a pledge to shorten next Sunday's Oscars ceremony, plans to present awards for cinematography, film editing, live-action shorts and makeup/hairstyling during commercial breaks were slammed as insulting by actors, directors and cinematographers. Five days later, the plan was scrapped. It's been a tough 12 months for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as it battles to restore its annual Oscars show to a must-see event after the US television audience slumped to an all-time low last year. "This year, the bigger question than who will win at the Oscars is what the heck is going on at the academy?" said Tim Gray, awards editor at Hollywood trade publication Variety. "There have been a slew of bungles," Gray added. "I feel they are flailing around and acting out of desperation." Under pressure from the ABC television network to trim and liven up the ceremony, the academy has seen many of its efforts backfire. Bungles include a retreat in September over a proposed new "popular film" category, the withdrawal in December of Oscars host Kevin Hart because of past homophobic tweets, and an accusation in January by the US actors union that the academy was pressuring celebrities not to appear or present at award ceremonies other than the Oscars. The Oscars is the last in a long Hollywood season that sees award shows and celebrity-packed red carpets every week over two months. "The academy is caught between its role as a venerable institution that confers honours for the ages on film and the demands of the hurly-burly of social media, the 24/7 news cycle and the demands of the ratings," said Sharon Waxman, founder and editor in chief of Hollywood website The Wrap. The Academy did not return a request for comment for this story, but said in a letter to members last week that show producers "have given great consideration to both Oscar tradition and our broad global audience." ABC Entertainment President Karey Burke told reporters earlier this month she believed that the publicity around the Kevin Hart withdrawal showed the Oscars was still relevant. "I, ironically, have found that the lack of clarity around the Oscars has kept the Oscars really in the conversation and that the mystery has really been compelling," Burke said. "People really care." The missteps have all but drowned out initial kudos over this year's diverse Oscar nominations list, which range from art house films like 'Roma' to superhero blockbuster 'Black Panther' and crowd-pleasing musicals 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and 'A Star is Born.' Awards watchers say the Academy's efforts to deliver a compelling show for viewers next week still risk falling flat. "The Academy is dealing yet again with what appears to be a leading film that is a very small film, in Spanish, and in black and white, that has not been seen by that many people," Waxman said, referring to best picture front-runner 'Roma.' Recent best-picture winners include small art-house films 'The Shape of Water' last year and 'Moonlight' in 2017. "That is the more fundamental problem the Academy is facing with this telecast," Waxman added. Variety's Gray said that, for the movie industry, the Oscars ceremony is always an enjoyable family get-together. "The Oscars should also be fun for the viewing audience," he said. "We will see if they are."

Fiascos and fumbles: Oscar organisers stumble to restore glory

&nbsp;A year after best actress winner Frances McDormand used the Oscars stage to advocate for more women in front of and behind the camera, Hollywood is celebrating some progress - but remains far from reaching parity with men. 
 
McDormand urged powerful celebrities to insist on inclusion riders: contractual provisions that require producers to interview female candidates for jobs ranging from gaffer to director.&nbsp; 
 
In the aftermath of McDormand`s speech, one major Hollywood studio, Warner Bros., adopted policies based on the idea, and A-list stars such as Matt Damon and Michael B. Jordan, who also work as producers, committed to pushing for inclusion riders. 
 
"It`s been remarkable," said Kalpana Kotagal, a civil rights attorney who co-developed the inclusion rider concept, which also is being used to encourage hiring of people of color, as well as gay, disabled and older people. "We are actually seeing it being implemented." 
 
Kotagal pointed to coming-of-age movie 'Hala,'&nbsp;which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and will be distributed by Apple Inc. Producers adopted inclusion riders and filled many off-screen jobs, including the majority of department head positions, with women. 
 
The publicity around the riders kick-started a nascent effort to pressure filmmakers into boosting female representation. 
 
A study released this month showed some gains. Forty of the top 100 films in 2018 featured a female as a lead character, the highest number since tracking began 12 years earlier, according to University of Southern California`s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. Those movies included best picture nominees 'A Star is Born,' 'The Favourite'&nbsp;and 'Roma.'

And 28 percent of this year`s Oscar nominees are women, the highest percentage in history. 
 
The industry is taking other steps to promote gender diversity.&nbsp; 
 
The 4 Percent Challenge asks for a commitment to announcing at least one feature film with a female director in the next 18 months. Four percent refers to the pool of women-directed films among the top 1,200 movies of the past 10 years. 
 
"For decades, directors have been viewed as a male job," said Oscar-nominated 'Vice'&nbsp;director Adam McKay. 
 
But he said that attitude is changing, and his production company has made five feature films with female directors. 
 
"I think you are seeing the whole town rally around the idea that there are voices that need to heard," he said. 
 
More than 120 actors, producers and writers, and seven studios, have signed on to the 4 Percent Challenge. Many studios also have established mentoring programs for women.&nbsp;Still, "the work is far from done," Kotagal said. 
 
The industry remains far below the 50/50 parity that advocates are pushing for among on-screen talent, behind-the-scenes workers and studio executives. The number of female cinematographers is particularly low, comprising just 3 percent of last year`s 100 top-grossing films, according to data from San Diego State University. 
 
And none of the major studios aside from AT&amp;T Inc-owned Warner Bros. has committed to using inclusion riders across the board on productions.&nbsp; 
 
Actress Natalie Portman said she had encountered resistance to the idea. "I think a lot of people are making the argument that you`re hiring people for their talent, not their gender," she told Hollywood website Deadline in December. 
 
A common refrain across the movie business is that decades of inequality make it hard to find qualified women to fill positions.&nbsp; 
 
Betsy West, co-director of Oscar-nominated documentary 'RBG'&nbsp;about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, rejected that argument. Key jobs on "RBG," including editor, producer and cinematographer, were performed by women.&nbsp; 
 
"People say `How did you find the people?`" West said. "It wasn`t that hard. They are out there, and you just have to look."

A year after best actress winner Frances McDormand used the Oscars stage to advocate for more women in front of and behind the camera, Hollywood is celebrating some progress - but remains far from reaching parity with men.

A year after best actress winner Frances McDormand used the Oscars stage to advocate for more women in front of and behind the camera, Hollywood is celebrating some progress - but remains far from reaching parity with men. McDormand urged powerful celebrities to insist on inclusion riders: contractual provisions that require producers to interview female candidates for jobs ranging from gaffer to director. In the aftermath of McDormand`s speech, one major Hollywood studio, Warner Bros., adopted policies based on the idea, and A-list stars such as Matt Damon and Michael B. Jordan, who also work as producers, committed to pushing for inclusion riders. "It`s been remarkable," said Kalpana Kotagal, a civil rights attorney who co-developed the inclusion rider concept, which also is being used to encourage hiring of people of color, as well as gay, disabled and older people. "We are actually seeing it being implemented." Kotagal pointed to coming-of-age movie 'Hala,' which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and will be distributed by Apple Inc. Producers adopted inclusion riders and filled many off-screen jobs, including the majority of department head positions, with women. The publicity around the riders kick-started a nascent effort to pressure filmmakers into boosting female representation. A study released this month showed some gains. Forty of the top 100 films in 2018 featured a female as a lead character, the highest number since tracking began 12 years earlier, according to University of Southern California`s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. Those movies included best picture nominees 'A Star is Born,' 'The Favourite' and 'Roma.' And 28 percent of this year`s Oscar nominees are women, the highest percentage in history. The industry is taking other steps to promote gender diversity. The 4 Percent Challenge asks for a commitment to announcing at least one feature film with a female director in the next 18 months. Four percent refers to the pool of women-directed films among the top 1,200 movies of the past 10 years. "For decades, directors have been viewed as a male job," said Oscar-nominated 'Vice' director Adam McKay. But he said that attitude is changing, and his production company has made five feature films with female directors. "I think you are seeing the whole town rally around the idea that there are voices that need to heard," he said. More than 120 actors, producers and writers, and seven studios, have signed on to the 4 Percent Challenge. Many studios also have established mentoring programs for women. Still, "the work is far from done," Kotagal said. The industry remains far below the 50/50 parity that advocates are pushing for among on-screen talent, behind-the-scenes workers and studio executives. The number of female cinematographers is particularly low, comprising just 3 percent of last year`s 100 top-grossing films, according to data from San Diego State University. And none of the major studios aside from AT&T Inc-owned Warner Bros. has committed to using inclusion riders across the board on productions. Actress Natalie Portman said she had encountered resistance to the idea. "I think a lot of people are making the argument that you`re hiring people for their talent, not their gender," she told Hollywood website Deadline in December. A common refrain across the movie business is that decades of inequality make it hard to find qualified women to fill positions. Betsy West, co-director of Oscar-nominated documentary 'RBG' about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, rejected that argument. Key jobs on "RBG," including editor, producer and cinematographer, were performed by women. "People say `How did you find the people?`" West said. "It wasn`t that hard. They are out there, and you just have to look."

Women in Hollywood see some gains after Oscars equality plea

Making an unforgettable movie is not the only requirement to win the prestigious best picture Oscar. Add millions of dollars for TV and digital ads, plus actors' travel, hair and makeup for events to promote their work on the busy film campaign trail.

If the race is close, as it is heading into Sunday's awards ceremony, studios must dig deeper to gain an edge with the roughly 8,000 voters in the Academy for Motion Picture Arts &amp; Sciences.

Netflix Inc and AT&amp;T Inc's Warner Bros. are among the distributors opening their chequebooks to try to land the most-coveted golden statuette.

"You have to spend money," said Matthew Belloni, editorial director at The Hollywood Reporter. "You have to shake hands. You have to have a message for your movie."

"It's about working the people out there and getting the academy to know you and to believe in your film," he added.

For the eventual winner, the investment will pay off. A best picture trophy brings in extra box office dollars, plus cachet to help attract A-listers for future projects.

So from December through late February, actors, directors, producers and writers attend a heavy schedule of lunches, screenings, cocktail receptions and panel discussions, crisscrossing the country to get in front of voters in the industry hubs of New York and Los Angeles.

Aside from the movie's stars, studios recruit A-list fans to host events, such as a 'Roma'&nbsp;screening with Angelina Jolie, part of Netflix's push to secure the first best picture award for a streaming service.

The 'Roma'&nbsp;publicity campaign cost roughly $25 million, according to estimates from Hollywood publication Variety. The tab for Warner Bros.' 'A Star is Born'&nbsp;was just under $20 million, Variety said.

Much of that spending was dedicated to TV commercials, plus online ads on Hollywood-oriented news sites or Facebook. Some ads also are aimed at encouraging consumers to see films.

Part of the Warner Bros. campaign involved covering a Sunset Strip billboard with a picture of Ally, Lady Gaga's 'A Star is Born'&nbsp;character. The signage is a replica of one seen in the film and looks like a promotion for the fictional star.

Studios also are trying out new experiences, said Marc Becker, chief executive of The Tangent Agency, which works with Hollywood studios on marketing campaigns. Netflix, for example, put together an exhibition of 'Roma'&nbsp;costumes and props.

"They have always wined and dined people," Becker said of awards campaigners, "but now they are immersing them even more in the world of the properties."

Other films in the best-picture race are 'Green Book'&nbsp;and 'BlacKkKlansman'&nbsp;from Comcast Corp, 21st Century Fox's 'Bohemian Rhapsody'&nbsp;and 'The Favourite,'&nbsp;Annapurna Pictures' 'Vice,'&nbsp;and Walt Disney Co's 'Black Panther.'

Disney's campaign elevated 'Black Panther'&nbsp;from superhero tale to an important cinematic milestone for its celebration of black culture, Belloni said.

"They've successfully reintroduced this comic book movie as a very serious artistic endeavour," he said, "and they've been rewarded for that."

Making an unforgettable movie is not the only requirement to win the prestigious best picture Oscar. Add millions of dollars for TV and digital ads, plus actors' travel, hair and makeup for events to promote their work on the busy film campaign trail.

Making an unforgettable movie is not the only requirement to win the prestigious best picture Oscar. Add millions of dollars for TV and digital ads, plus actors' travel, hair and makeup for events to promote their work on the busy film campaign trail. If the race is close, as it is heading into Sunday's awards ceremony, studios must dig deeper to gain an edge with the roughly 8,000 voters in the Academy for Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Netflix Inc and AT&T Inc's Warner Bros. are among the distributors opening their chequebooks to try to land the most-coveted golden statuette. "You have to spend money," said Matthew Belloni, editorial director at The Hollywood Reporter. "You have to shake hands. You have to have a message for your movie." "It's about working the people out there and getting the academy to know you and to believe in your film," he added. For the eventual winner, the investment will pay off. A best picture trophy brings in extra box office dollars, plus cachet to help attract A-listers for future projects. So from December through late February, actors, directors, producers and writers attend a heavy schedule of lunches, screenings, cocktail receptions and panel discussions, crisscrossing the country to get in front of voters in the industry hubs of New York and Los Angeles. Aside from the movie's stars, studios recruit A-list fans to host events, such as a 'Roma' screening with Angelina Jolie, part of Netflix's push to secure the first best picture award for a streaming service. The 'Roma' publicity campaign cost roughly $25 million, according to estimates from Hollywood publication Variety. The tab for Warner Bros.' 'A Star is Born' was just under $20 million, Variety said. Much of that spending was dedicated to TV commercials, plus online ads on Hollywood-oriented news sites or Facebook. Some ads also are aimed at encouraging consumers to see films. Part of the Warner Bros. campaign involved covering a Sunset Strip billboard with a picture of Ally, Lady Gaga's 'A Star is Born' character. The signage is a replica of one seen in the film and looks like a promotion for the fictional star. Studios also are trying out new experiences, said Marc Becker, chief executive of The Tangent Agency, which works with Hollywood studios on marketing campaigns. Netflix, for example, put together an exhibition of 'Roma' costumes and props. "They have always wined and dined people," Becker said of awards campaigners, "but now they are immersing them even more in the world of the properties." Other films in the best-picture race are 'Green Book' and 'BlacKkKlansman' from Comcast Corp, 21st Century Fox's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and 'The Favourite,' Annapurna Pictures' 'Vice,' and Walt Disney Co's 'Black Panther.' Disney's campaign elevated 'Black Panther' from superhero tale to an important cinematic milestone for its celebration of black culture, Belloni said. "They've successfully reintroduced this comic book movie as a very serious artistic endeavour," he said, "and they've been rewarded for that."

Want to win an Oscar? Spend millions on the film campaign trail

Christian Bale has a penchant for creative roles.&nbsp;

The ‘Batman’ star is now nominated for Oscars in Best Actor category for his <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/christian-bale-shaved-his-head-bleached-eyebrows-and-gained-18-kg-to-play-former-us-vp-dick-cheney-181320">portrayal of Dick Cheney</a>, the former US Vice President in the Bush administration in the film ‘Vice’. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/oscars-2019-complete-list-of-nominees-192050">See the complete list of nominees here.&nbsp;</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/oscars-2019-why-you-must-watch-all-the-best-picture-nominees-of-the-year-194109#roma-194092">In Photos:&nbsp;Why you must watch all the Best Picture nominees of Oscars 2019</a>

Speaking about his role and the film at the Berlin Film Festival on February 11, Bale feels that the film character he played is much richer than the current US President Donald Trump&nbsp;because Cheney exercised his massive power "in the shadows". &nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/christian-bale-on-meeting-donald-trump-he-thought-i-was-bruce-wayne-183741">This is what Bale said after meeting Trump.&nbsp;</a>

He added that Cheney had been "phenomenally pivotal for the last few decades in America and global situations in politics".

Comparing the two, Bale said, "Even though he might have led to this era, he's entirely different from Trump in the way that Cheney was always terrible at retail politics and didn't like it at all. With Trump, it seems to be the only thing he likes.”

"Cheney understood the power of silence... Trump can't be accused of that. He enjoyed knowing that true power was being in the shadows and working in that way."

Bale underwent extreme transformation to play Cheney’s part in the film. He gained more than 40 pounds (18 kilogrammes) to play his part. He added that if he was asked to do the same for Trump’s role, he couldn't imagine making the effort as he found his character uninteresting.

He said, "I think there'd be far better people playing Trump, right. You've probably seen some pretty good impersonations of him. But remember those books 'For Dummies'? You'd start with that, wouldn't you? Dictatorship for Dummies. That'd be the beginning."

It was not a cakewalk for Bale to play Cheney too. He said, "In terms of actual consequences of choices made and everything and power -- (Cheney was) far more powerful and terrifying than any other character I've ever come close to playing, any iconic character.”

"One thing that's essential is that you've gotta know you're going to be obsessed with it (a character) for at least three months, otherwise you're going to get bored part-way through filming which wouldn't be good news."

‘Vice’ is nominated for eight Academy Awards including best picture, best actor and best director. The Oscars 2019 will be announced on February 24 (February 25 in India).&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/from-christian-bale-to-bradley-cooper-heres-what-oscar-best-actor-nominees-have-been-busy-with-192516">In Photos:&nbsp;Christian Bale to Bradley Cooper, Oscars 2019 Best Actor nominees are a bunch of talent!</a>

Christian Bale has a penchant for creative roles. The ‘Batman’ star is now nominated for Oscars in Best Actor category for his portrayal of Dick Cheney, the former US Vice President in the Bush administration in the film ‘Vice’.

Christian Bale has a penchant for creative roles. The ‘Batman’ star is now nominated for Oscars in Best Actor category for his portrayal of Dick Cheney, the former US Vice President in the Bush administration in the film ‘Vice’. See the complete list of nominees here. In Photos: Why you must watch all the Best Picture nominees of Oscars 2019 Speaking about his role and the film at the Berlin Film Festival on February 11, Bale feels that the film character he played is much richer than the current US President Donald Trump because Cheney exercised his massive power "in the shadows". This is what Bale said after meeting Trump. He added that Cheney had been "phenomenally pivotal for the last few decades in America and global situations in politics". Comparing the two, Bale said, "Even though he might have led to this era, he's entirely different from Trump in the way that Cheney was always terrible at retail politics and didn't like it at all. With Trump, it seems to be the only thing he likes.” "Cheney understood the power of silence... Trump can't be accused of that. He enjoyed knowing that true power was being in the shadows and working in that way." Bale underwent extreme transformation to play Cheney’s part in the film. He gained more than 40 pounds (18 kilogrammes) to play his part. He added that if he was asked to do the same for Trump’s role, he couldn't imagine making the effort as he found his character uninteresting. He said, "I think there'd be far better people playing Trump, right. You've probably seen some pretty good impersonations of him. But remember those books 'For Dummies'? You'd start with that, wouldn't you? Dictatorship for Dummies. That'd be the beginning." It was not a cakewalk for Bale to play Cheney too. He said, "In terms of actual consequences of choices made and everything and power -- (Cheney was) far more powerful and terrifying than any other character I've ever come close to playing, any iconic character.” "One thing that's essential is that you've gotta know you're going to be obsessed with it (a character) for at least three months, otherwise you're going to get bored part-way through filming which wouldn't be good news." ‘Vice’ is nominated for eight Academy Awards including best picture, best actor and best director. The Oscars 2019 will be announced on February 24 (February 25 in India). In Photos: Christian Bale to Bradley Cooper, Oscars 2019 Best Actor nominees are a bunch of talent!

'Vice': Christian Bale feels Dick Cheney makes for a richer movie character than Donald Trump

You win or lose the coveted golden statue but you will go home on a 'high' on Oscar night. French champagne house Piper-Heidsieck is giving Oscar nominated actors and actresses $ 2,000 worth bottles of champagne.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/oscars-2019-complete-list-of-nominees-192050">Check out the full list of nominees here.</a> 
 
As part of the deal for the 91st Oscars ceremony to be held on February 24, all best actor and best actress nominees have been gifted a bottle of Rare Le Secret<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/oscars-2019-get-to-know-the-best-actress-nominees-of-the-year-192317">. Also see:&nbsp;Oscars 2019: Get to know the Best Actress nominees of the year</a> 
 
Furthermore, during the ceremony, 1,500 bottles (or 8,500 glasses) will be served including Cuvée Brut Limited Edition Magnums, Rare 2002, and Rare 1998 Magnums. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/from-christian-bale-to-bradley-cooper-heres-what-oscar-best-actor-nominees-have-been-busy-with-192516">Also see:&nbsp;Christian Bale to Bradley Cooper, Oscars 2019 Best Actor nominees are a bunch of talent!</a> 
 
The limited-edition magnum is being custom made for the Oscars and features the brand`s signature cuvée brut. 
 
The champagne will be poured exclusively at the awards ceremony inside the Dolby Theatre and at the Governors Ball, the Academy’s official Oscars after-party in the adjacent Dolby Ballroom. 
 
In addition, Piper-Heidsieck champagne will be poured at Academy events in Los Angeles, New York and London.&nbsp;

You win or lose the coveted golden statue but you will go home on a 'high' on Oscar night. French champagne house Piper-Heidsieck is giving Oscar nominated actors and actresses $ 2,000 worth bottles of champagne.

You win or lose the coveted golden statue but you will go home on a 'high' on Oscar night. French champagne house Piper-Heidsieck is giving Oscar nominated actors and actresses $ 2,000 worth bottles of champagne. Check out the full list of nominees here. As part of the deal for the 91st Oscars ceremony to be held on February 24, all best actor and best actress nominees have been gifted a bottle of Rare Le Secret. Also see: Oscars 2019: Get to know the Best Actress nominees of the year Furthermore, during the ceremony, 1,500 bottles (or 8,500 glasses) will be served including Cuvée Brut Limited Edition Magnums, Rare 2002, and Rare 1998 Magnums. Also see: Christian Bale to Bradley Cooper, Oscars 2019 Best Actor nominees are a bunch of talent! The limited-edition magnum is being custom made for the Oscars and features the brand`s signature cuvée brut. The champagne will be poured exclusively at the awards ceremony inside the Dolby Theatre and at the Governors Ball, the Academy’s official Oscars after-party in the adjacent Dolby Ballroom. In addition, Piper-Heidsieck champagne will be poured at Academy events in Los Angeles, New York and London.

Oscar's best actor, actress nominees to get bottles of champagne worth $2,000

The 2019 BAFTA film and television awards ceremony was dominated by two films – 'The Favourite', a romp through 18th-century British history, and 'Roma', a love letter to director Alfonso Cuarón’s home town of Mexico City.

'The Favourite' has been greeted with considerable critical acclaim in the UK and it was no surprise that it took home seven awards, including best British film. But the best film gong went to 'Roma' and Cuarón also picked up best director. The Netflix film has already attracted several awards (including best director for Cuarón at the Golden Globes), but beating big British films 'The Favourite' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody' to the top prize is a considerable coup for the streaming service, a relative newcomer to the world of movie awards.

'Roma'’s success cements Netflix’s position as a place for original and high-quality movies. It’s an unusual winner in several ways: A foreign language film shot in black and white and featuring largely unknown actors. Such films are often well-received but rarely pick up the biggest gongs.

'Roma'’s win means that the Oscar race for best picture is well and truly open. The Golden Globes awarded the big prizes to 'Bohemian Rhapsody', for best drama, and 'Green Book' for best musical or comedy, and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) gave Black Panther a nod for best ensemble cast. But I wouldn’t rule 'The Favourite' out of contention yet, either.

The players

Best actress awards have been a two-horse race this year between Olivia Colman (in 'The Favourite') and Glenn Close (in 'The Wife'). They each bagged a Golden Globe, for example, due to those awards using different categories for drama and comedy/musical, while Close won the SAG Award. Now Colman&nbsp;has the BAFTA, too. It’s unsurprising that the British awards ceremony celebrated Colman – and it’s too close to call as to which will bring home the Oscar in a few weeks’ time.

Personally, I’m torn, because both genuinely deserve it – and it’s an exceptionally strong category this year (in any other year, Melissa McCarthy’s superlative turn in 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' would have been a strong favourite as well). But my heart says it should be Close, not only for her performance in 'The Wife' – she is heartbreakingly good – but because it’s crazy that an actor of her stature has yet to win an Academy Award.

Rami Malek took the best actor award for 'Bohemian Rhapsody' – with the British film again taking precedence over Christian Bale’s outstanding performance as former US vice-president Dick Cheney in Vice. As with Colman and Close, Bale and Malek have been in a close race for awards, with both picking up Golden Globes. But Malek’s triumph both at the BAFTAs and at the SAG awards must make his Oscar chances stronger.

Mahershala Ali – who is proving an astonishingly versatile performer – picked up another best-supporting actor trophy for 'Green Book', while Rachel Weisz took the best supporting actress award for 'The Favourite'. These wins highlight some of the issues with defining the difference between “lead” and “supporting”. 'Green Book' is largely a two-hander between Ali and Viggo Mortensen, while Weisz, Colman and Emma Stone are equal leads in 'The Favourite'. Colman herself pointed this out in her acceptance speech.

Talking points

The biggest misses of the night were the presenters’ scripts. Unfunny joke after unfunny joke were greeted with awkward silences and gritted teeth. When even talented comedic performers such as Melissa McCarthy, Riz Ahmed and host Joanna Lumley can’t raise a smile, there’s something seriously wrong. Jettisoning jokes altogether would have been far less embarrassing than “gags” that were barely coherent, never mind amusing.

Last year’s awards season was all about the big political statement, with the #TimesUp and #MeToo movements and big speeches from the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Frances McDormand. This year, there have been fewer grand gestures –nunless we count Rising Star winner Letitia Wright’s somewhat cringeworthy speech about God, which might have worked across the Atlantic, but in the British context just felt awkward.

Variety show

But let’s not forget that the darlings of this awards season have included a film about a woman whose husband has kept her in the shadows taking back control (The Wife), a female-centred power battle featuring lesbianism and political satire ('The Favourite') and a Spike Lee film about a black man infiltrating the KKK ('BlackKKlansman', which won best adapted screenplay).

We also had a critique of the political elite ('Vice'), a celebration of a queer idol ('Bohemian Rhapsody'), a multiracial buddy story featuring a gay black musician encountering racial hatred in the Deep South ('Green Book'), and two triumphantly diverse superhero flicks ('Black Panther' and best animation winner 'Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse'). Not to mention Cuarón’s story of a Mexican housekeeper, set against a time of political upheaval, with clear messages about nation, gender and class ('Roma').

It remains to be seen which films the Oscars will recognise – and what those choices might say about the Trump era. Awards for stories celebrating women, and the black and LGBTQ+ communities would send a message about the need for these voices to be heard (although there is still some way to go), but as plans for the president’s beloved wall project are under intense scrutiny, I wouldn’t bet against another triumph for the Mexican film.

(Ruth Deller is Reader and Principal Lecturer in Media and Communication, Sheffield Hallam University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/baftas-2019-diverse-set-of-winners-led-by-the-favourite-and-roma-bodes-well-for-the-oscars-111395">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) 
&nbsp;

The 2019 BAFTA film and television awards ceremony was dominated by two films – 'The Favourite', a romp through 18th-century British history, and 'Roma', a love letter to director Alfonso Cuarón’s home town of Mexico City.

The 2019 BAFTA film and television awards ceremony was dominated by two films – 'The Favourite', a romp through 18th-century British history, and 'Roma', a love letter to director Alfonso Cuarón’s home town of Mexico City. 'The Favourite' has been greeted with considerable critical acclaim in the UK and it was no surprise that it took home seven awards, including best British film. But the best film gong went to 'Roma' and Cuarón also picked up best director. The Netflix film has already attracted several awards (including best director for Cuarón at the Golden Globes), but beating big British films 'The Favourite' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody' to the top prize is a considerable coup for the streaming service, a relative newcomer to the world of movie awards. 'Roma'’s success cements Netflix’s position as a place for original and high-quality movies. It’s an unusual winner in several ways: A foreign language film shot in black and white and featuring largely unknown actors. Such films are often well-received but rarely pick up the biggest gongs. 'Roma'’s win means that the Oscar race for best picture is well and truly open. The Golden Globes awarded the big prizes to 'Bohemian Rhapsody', for best drama, and 'Green Book' for best musical or comedy, and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) gave Black Panther a nod for best ensemble cast. But I wouldn’t rule 'The Favourite' out of contention yet, either. The players Best actress awards have been a two-horse race this year between Olivia Colman (in 'The Favourite') and Glenn Close (in 'The Wife'). They each bagged a Golden Globe, for example, due to those awards using different categories for drama and comedy/musical, while Close won the SAG Award. Now Colman has the BAFTA, too. It’s unsurprising that the British awards ceremony celebrated Colman – and it’s too close to call as to which will bring home the Oscar in a few weeks’ time. Personally, I’m torn, because both genuinely deserve it – and it’s an exceptionally strong category this year (in any other year, Melissa McCarthy’s superlative turn in 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' would have been a strong favourite as well). But my heart says it should be Close, not only for her performance in 'The Wife' – she is heartbreakingly good – but because it’s crazy that an actor of her stature has yet to win an Academy Award. Rami Malek took the best actor award for 'Bohemian Rhapsody' – with the British film again taking precedence over Christian Bale’s outstanding performance as former US vice-president Dick Cheney in Vice. As with Colman and Close, Bale and Malek have been in a close race for awards, with both picking up Golden Globes. But Malek’s triumph both at the BAFTAs and at the SAG awards must make his Oscar chances stronger. Mahershala Ali – who is proving an astonishingly versatile performer – picked up another best-supporting actor trophy for 'Green Book', while Rachel Weisz took the best supporting actress award for 'The Favourite'. These wins highlight some of the issues with defining the difference between “lead” and “supporting”. 'Green Book' is largely a two-hander between Ali and Viggo Mortensen, while Weisz, Colman and Emma Stone are equal leads in 'The Favourite'. Colman herself pointed this out in her acceptance speech. Talking points The biggest misses of the night were the presenters’ scripts. Unfunny joke after unfunny joke were greeted with awkward silences and gritted teeth. When even talented comedic performers such as Melissa McCarthy, Riz Ahmed and host Joanna Lumley can’t raise a smile, there’s something seriously wrong. Jettisoning jokes altogether would have been far less embarrassing than “gags” that were barely coherent, never mind amusing. Last year’s awards season was all about the big political statement, with the #TimesUp and #MeToo movements and big speeches from the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Frances McDormand. This year, there have been fewer grand gestures –nunless we count Rising Star winner Letitia Wright’s somewhat cringeworthy speech about God, which might have worked across the Atlantic, but in the British context just felt awkward. Variety show But let’s not forget that the darlings of this awards season have included a film about a woman whose husband has kept her in the shadows taking back control (The Wife), a female-centred power battle featuring lesbianism and political satire ('The Favourite') and a Spike Lee film about a black man infiltrating the KKK ('BlackKKlansman', which won best adapted screenplay). We also had a critique of the political elite ('Vice'), a celebration of a queer idol ('Bohemian Rhapsody'), a multiracial buddy story featuring a gay black musician encountering racial hatred in the Deep South ('Green Book'), and two triumphantly diverse superhero flicks ('Black Panther' and best animation winner 'Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse'). Not to mention Cuarón’s story of a Mexican housekeeper, set against a time of political upheaval, with clear messages about nation, gender and class ('Roma'). It remains to be seen which films the Oscars will recognise – and what those choices might say about the Trump era. Awards for stories celebrating women, and the black and LGBTQ+ communities would send a message about the need for these voices to be heard (although there is still some way to go), but as plans for the president’s beloved wall project are under intense scrutiny, I wouldn’t bet against another triumph for the Mexican film. (Ruth Deller is Reader and Principal Lecturer in Media and Communication, Sheffield Hallam University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

BAFTA 2019: Diverse set of winners led by 'The Favourite' and 'Roma' bodes well for the Oscars

Oscar nominees get together for an official lunch ahead of the big night

"Bohemian Rhapsody" heads into this year's Oscars with five nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor for Rami Malek and his portrayal of Freddie Mercury.

The movie charts the rise, the successes and challenges of the iconic, flamboyant frontman and the British rock band, Queen.

Despite a mixed reaction from critics, and controversy surrounding the film's director, "Bohemian Rhapsody" has proved to be a force to be reckoned with this awards season having already walked secured two Golden Globes for Best Picture and Best Actor and the SAG Award for Best Male Actor.

At the Oscars, Malek will face off against Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Willem Dafoe and Viggo Mortensen.

Matthew Belloni of industry publication The Hollywood Reporter said a win could change Malek's life and the course of his career.

"This is his first major movie role where he's playing the star of the movie and, lo and behold, he gets nominated for best actor. He wins the Golden Globe. The movie makes 800 million dollars worldwide. Rami Malek is now a box office star and if he wins the Oscar, he's a pedigreed actor with an Oscar win -- he'll be able to do big budget mainstream, whatever he wants," he said.

The winners will be announced in Los Angeles on February 24, 2019.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" heads into this year's Oscars with five nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor for Rami Malek and his portrayal of Freddie Mercury.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" heads into this year's Oscars with five nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor for Rami Malek and his portrayal of Freddie Mercury. The movie charts the rise, the successes and challenges of the iconic, flamboyant frontman and the British rock band, Queen. Despite a mixed reaction from critics, and controversy surrounding the film's director, "Bohemian Rhapsody" has proved to be a force to be reckoned with this awards season having already walked secured two Golden Globes for Best Picture and Best Actor and the SAG Award for Best Male Actor. At the Oscars, Malek will face off against Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Willem Dafoe and Viggo Mortensen. Matthew Belloni of industry publication The Hollywood Reporter said a win could change Malek's life and the course of his career. "This is his first major movie role where he's playing the star of the movie and, lo and behold, he gets nominated for best actor. He wins the Golden Globe. The movie makes 800 million dollars worldwide. Rami Malek is now a box office star and if he wins the Oscar, he's a pedigreed actor with an Oscar win -- he'll be able to do big budget mainstream, whatever he wants," he said. The winners will be announced in Los Angeles on February 24, 2019.

How Freddie Mercury paved the way to the Oscars for Rami Malek

In what might not come as a surprise anymore, the Oscar ceremony this year will run without a host. This will only be so for the second time in the history of the prestigious awards ceremony. The news came out on February 5 as an ABC television executive confirmed the same. This is<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/oscars-2019-complete-list-of-nominees-192050">&nbsp;the full list of nominees</a>.

Karey Burke, ABC entertainment president said that the event will not have a host and "just have presenters host the Oscars." For the uninitiated, ABC is a unit of Walt Disney Co that televises the Oscars ceremony annually and is closely involved in planning the telecast.

Oscars never planned to go hostless but it happened after comedian Kevin Hart stepped back from the role, two days after accepting it. He dropped from the job after there were reports that he was asked to apologise for his past homophobic tweets. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/kevin-hart-steps-down-as-oscars-2019-host-following-outcry-over-his-controversial-past-tweets-182112">Read what happened here.</a>

After the withdrawal, Burke said that the Academy was clear on not getting a replacement. She told reporters, "After that, it was pretty clear that we were going to stay the course and just have presenters host the Oscars. We all got on board with that idea pretty quickly."&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pictures-oscar-nominees-get-together-for-an-official-lunch-ahead-of-the-big-night-195355">Also</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pictures-oscar-nominees-get-together-for-an-official-lunch-ahead-of-the-big-night-195355"> see in pictures: Oscar nominees get together for an official lunch ahead of the big night</a>

On whether Oscars is still relevant, she said, "I have found that the lack of clarity around the Oscars has kept the Oscars in the conversation and that the mystery has been really compelling. People really care."

The only time Oscars went without a host, was in 1989.&nbsp;

In what might not come as a surprise anymore, the Oscar ceremony this year will run without a host. This will only be so for the second time in the history of the prestigious awards ceremony.

In what might not come as a surprise anymore, the Oscar ceremony this year will run without a host. This will only be so for the second time in the history of the prestigious awards ceremony. The news came out on February 5 as an ABC television executive confirmed the same. This is the full list of nominees. Karey Burke, ABC entertainment president said that the event will not have a host and "just have presenters host the Oscars." For the uninitiated, ABC is a unit of Walt Disney Co that televises the Oscars ceremony annually and is closely involved in planning the telecast. Oscars never planned to go hostless but it happened after comedian Kevin Hart stepped back from the role, two days after accepting it. He dropped from the job after there were reports that he was asked to apologise for his past homophobic tweets. Read what happened here. After the withdrawal, Burke said that the Academy was clear on not getting a replacement. She told reporters, "After that, it was pretty clear that we were going to stay the course and just have presenters host the Oscars. We all got on board with that idea pretty quickly." Also see in pictures: Oscar nominees get together for an official lunch ahead of the big night On whether Oscars is still relevant, she said, "I have found that the lack of clarity around the Oscars has kept the Oscars in the conversation and that the mystery has been really compelling. People really care." The only time Oscars went without a host, was in 1989.

It's confirmed! The Oscars this year will not have a host

Pop singer Lady Gaga, Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron and African-American filmmaker Spike Lee were among scores of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/oscars-2019-complete-list-of-nominees-192050">Oscar nominees</a> who gathered for a group photo on Monday ahead of the Academy Awards ceremony in three weeks time, when only a handful will go home as winners.

Actors Glenn Close, Bradley Cooper, Rami Malek and Amy Adams, along with dozens of producers, editors, costume designers, documentary makers and musicians in 24 categories were also among those attending the annual Oscar nominees luncheon in Beverly Hills.

John Bailey, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences whose members vote on the Oscar winners, said the class of 2019 was notable for its diversity.

"This year has the largest class of women nominees. Far from parity, and of course we need to do better. Gender parity is an industry matter, not just an Academy matter," Bailey told the guests.

"Inclusion, diversity, racial, ethnic and gender equality are not just buzzwords. They go to the heart of what our Academy is doing," he added.

The luncheon took place with still no official word on whether the Feb. 24 Oscar ceremony would go ahead without a host for only the second time in its 91-year history.

The Oscar show producers urged the eventual winners to keep their acceptance speeches short on the big night, particularly as the Academy has pledged to cut this year's telecast by about 30 minutes to three hours.

Producer Glenn Weiss said the goal was to deliver "an enjoyable and entertaining evening while we work hard to produce a three-hour show for the first time."

Cuaron's 'Roma'&nbsp;and Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos comedy 'The Favourite'&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/oscars-2019-meet-the-nominees-192058">lead nominations for the Oscars</a> with 10 apiece.

Pop singer Lady Gaga, Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron and African-American filmmaker Spike Lee were among scores of Oscar nominees who gathered for a group photo on Monday ahead of the Academy Awards ceremony in three weeks time, when only a handful will go home as winners.

Pop singer Lady Gaga, Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron and African-American filmmaker Spike Lee were among scores of Oscar nominees who gathered for a group photo on Monday ahead of the Academy Awards ceremony in three weeks time, when only a handful will go home as winners. Actors Glenn Close, Bradley Cooper, Rami Malek and Amy Adams, along with dozens of producers, editors, costume designers, documentary makers and musicians in 24 categories were also among those attending the annual Oscar nominees luncheon in Beverly Hills. John Bailey, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences whose members vote on the Oscar winners, said the class of 2019 was notable for its diversity. "This year has the largest class of women nominees. Far from parity, and of course we need to do better. Gender parity is an industry matter, not just an Academy matter," Bailey told the guests. "Inclusion, diversity, racial, ethnic and gender equality are not just buzzwords. They go to the heart of what our Academy is doing," he added. The luncheon took place with still no official word on whether the Feb. 24 Oscar ceremony would go ahead without a host for only the second time in its 91-year history. The Oscar show producers urged the eventual winners to keep their acceptance speeches short on the big night, particularly as the Academy has pledged to cut this year's telecast by about 30 minutes to three hours. Producer Glenn Weiss said the goal was to deliver "an enjoyable and entertaining evening while we work hard to produce a three-hour show for the first time." Cuaron's 'Roma' and Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos comedy 'The Favourite' lead nominations for the Oscars with 10 apiece.

Oscars 2019: Academy raises a glass to diversity as nominees gather for class photo and lunch

Hollywood’s big night is coming and the celebs are already planning to make a glamorous appearance on the red carpet as the world watches them with bated breath.&nbsp;

While red carpet appearances are quite a thing, what viewers also wait for, are the exclusive performances by celebs who are either nominated in the race or have had a great year and have something to show. According to Variety though there is bad news on that front as not all five Oscar-nominated songs will be performed live on the Academy Awards. Reportedly, only two will be performed.

Out of the amazing songs nominated, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s ‘All the Stars’ from ‘Black Panther and Lady Gaga’s ‘Shallow’ from ‘A Star Is Born’ are apparently&nbsp;the two chosen by Academy executives and show producers for performance.&nbsp;

The other three in the list -- ‘The Place Where Lost Things Go’ from ‘Mary Poppins Returns,’ ‘I’ll Fight’ from ‘RBG’ and ‘When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings’ from ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ -- is likely to get acknowledged only during the announcement of the song nominees.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/oscars-2019-directors-who-made-it-to-the-nomination-list-and-their-films-you-cant-miss-out-on-192765">Oscars 2019: Directors who made it to the nominations and their past work</a>

Ever since this news has come out, there are reports of dislike and consternation among people from the music industry and those from the camps of the nominated folks.&nbsp;

There is no official word on this from the Academy.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/oscars-2019-meet-the-nominees-192058">Black Panther, Roma, The Favourite: Meet the Oscar nominees of 2019</a>

If it’s true, then this move could be in sync with the push to cut the length of Oscars, so that the audience does not lose interest. The Oscars plans to keep this telecast short and between 3 hours.&nbsp;

Oscars will air on February 24, 2018 (Feb 25 in India).&nbsp;

Hollywood’s big night is coming and the celebs are already planning to make a glamorous appearance on the red carpet as the world watches them with bated breath.

Hollywood’s big night is coming and the celebs are already planning to make a glamorous appearance on the red carpet as the world watches them with bated breath. While red carpet appearances are quite a thing, what viewers also wait for, are the exclusive performances by celebs who are either nominated in the race or have had a great year and have something to show. According to Variety though there is bad news on that front as not all five Oscar-nominated songs will be performed live on the Academy Awards. Reportedly, only two will be performed. Out of the amazing songs nominated, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s ‘All the Stars’ from ‘Black Panther and Lady Gaga’s ‘Shallow’ from ‘A Star Is Born’ are apparently the two chosen by Academy executives and show producers for performance. The other three in the list -- ‘The Place Where Lost Things Go’ from ‘Mary Poppins Returns,’ ‘I’ll Fight’ from ‘RBG’ and ‘When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings’ from ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ -- is likely to get acknowledged only during the announcement of the song nominees. Oscars 2019: Directors who made it to the nominations and their past work Ever since this news has come out, there are reports of dislike and consternation among people from the music industry and those from the camps of the nominated folks. There is no official word on this from the Academy. Black Panther, Roma, The Favourite: Meet the Oscar nominees of 2019 If it’s true, then this move could be in sync with the push to cut the length of Oscars, so that the audience does not lose interest. The Oscars plans to keep this telecast short and between 3 hours. Oscars will air on February 24, 2018 (Feb 25 in India).

Oscars 2019: Not all 5 Best Song nominees will perform on telecast?

Ever since Mexican film ‘Roma’ reached the various Hollywood awards’ platform and especially after getting nominated for Oscars best picture right after winning <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/golden-globes-2019-live-michael-douglas-wins-the-first-award-of-the-night-188625">best picture in a&nbsp;foreign language at Golden Globes</a> this year; it has seen a lot of positive reviews all around the world.&nbsp;

Raising tourism for its city, a house on a suburban street in the Mexico City suburb of Roma has become a hit among people who have seen the film and want to see the location it was shot at.&nbsp;

Those who are not aware, the Spanish-language film chronicles the life of a housekeeper and the family she works for in 1970s Mexico. The movie was filmed in black and white and was named after the neighbourhood in Mexico City where the writer, director and cinematographer Alfonso Cuaron grew up.

While the film focuses on one house, it reflects on the era’s political and cultural state.&nbsp;

‘Roma’ has grabbed 10 Academy Award nominations in total, tying with ‘The Favourite’ as the year's most-nominated film.

The Mexican actress who stars in the film, Yalitza Aparicio, has also got a nomination in the Best Actress category. She became the first indigenous Mexican woman to get a Best Actress nod. 
&nbsp;

Ever since Mexican film ‘Roma’ reached the various Hollywood awards’ platform and especially after getting nominated for Oscars best picture right after winning best picture in a foreign language at Golden Globes this year; it has seen a lot of positive reviews all around the world.

Ever since Mexican film ‘Roma’ reached the various Hollywood awards’ platform and especially after getting nominated for Oscars best picture right after winning best picture in a foreign language at Golden Globes this year; it has seen a lot of positive reviews all around the world. Raising tourism for its city, a house on a suburban street in the Mexico City suburb of Roma has become a hit among people who have seen the film and want to see the location it was shot at. Those who are not aware, the Spanish-language film chronicles the life of a housekeeper and the family she works for in 1970s Mexico. The movie was filmed in black and white and was named after the neighbourhood in Mexico City where the writer, director and cinematographer Alfonso Cuaron grew up. While the film focuses on one house, it reflects on the era’s political and cultural state. ‘Roma’ has grabbed 10 Academy Award nominations in total, tying with ‘The Favourite’ as the year's most-nominated film. The Mexican actress who stars in the film, Yalitza Aparicio, has also got a nomination in the Best Actress category. She became the first indigenous Mexican woman to get a Best Actress nod.

'Roma' house becomes Mexico City's latest tourist attraction after Oscar nod

Marvel Studios film 'Black Panther'&nbsp;made Oscars history on Tuesday, landing the first best picture nomination for a superhero movie, as crowd-pleasing blockbusters muscled into a contest recently dominated by art-house fare.

Other box-office hits among the eight nominees for the movie industry's top prize included musical remake 'A Star is Born'&nbsp;and rock biopic 'Bohemian Rhapsody.'

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The inclusion of popular films contrasted with the past few years when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences favoured independent dramas with small audiences and snubbed commercial successes such as 'Wonder Woman.'

The academy attempted to address the issue in August by proposing a new popular film category. But the idea was quickly scrapped after criticism that it would create a two-tier system of popular and less mainstream films.

Tuesday's nominations showed popular films had broken into the best picture race. The field reflected "the perfect intersection of art and commerce," said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at measurement firm Comscore.

"The academy is clearly honouring blockbuster films&nbsp;this year," he said, "and is&nbsp;acknowledging their contributions to the art of filmmaking and thus recognizing the level of talent involved."

Having widely seen films in the running could help boost ratings for the February 24 Oscars telecast on Walt Disney Co's ABC. The audience for last year's show dropped to an all-time low, and critics said a crop of little-seen nominees likely was a factor.

'Black Panther'&nbsp;was 2018's top-grossing movie in the United States and Canada, and second-highest worldwide, with $1.3 billion in ticket sales. Released by Disney-owned Marvel, it was the first superhero film to feature a predominantly black cast.

The movie was hailed for bringing African pride and beauty to a big-screen adventure. It received seven nominations in total.

Rivals include 21st Century Fox's 'Bohemian Rhapsody'&nbsp;about late Queen singer Freddie Mercury, which has rung up $798 million at global box offices. 'A Star is Born'&nbsp;from AT&amp;T Inc's Warner Bros, also a contender has grossed $409 million.

The nominees also include Fox's British period comedy 'The Favourite,'&nbsp;which has grossed $43 million, and political satire 'Vice'&nbsp;with $39.5 million.

Nominees typically see a boost in tickets sales after the Oscar nominations are announced.

It is unknown how many people have seen another best picture nominee, Netflix Inc's Spanish-language drama 'Roma.'&nbsp;Netflix has not released ticket sales data from theatres or disclosed how many people have watched 'Roma'&nbsp;on the streaming service.

Marvel Studios film 'Black Panther' made Oscars history on Tuesday, landing the first best picture nomination for a superhero movie, as crowd-pleasing blockbusters muscled into a contest recently dominated by art-house fare.

Marvel Studios film 'Black Panther' made Oscars history on Tuesday, landing the first best picture nomination for a superhero movie, as crowd-pleasing blockbusters muscled into a contest recently dominated by art-house fare. Other box-office hits among the eight nominees for the movie industry's top prize included musical remake 'A Star is Born' and rock biopic 'Bohemian Rhapsody.' Congratulations to the Best Picture nominees #OscarNoms pic.twitter.com/KF8m9vaM5h — The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 22, 2019 × The inclusion of popular films contrasted with the past few years when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences favoured independent dramas with small audiences and snubbed commercial successes such as 'Wonder Woman.' The academy attempted to address the issue in August by proposing a new popular film category. But the idea was quickly scrapped after criticism that it would create a two-tier system of popular and less mainstream films. Tuesday's nominations showed popular films had broken into the best picture race. The field reflected "the perfect intersection of art and commerce," said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at measurement firm Comscore. "The academy is clearly honouring blockbuster films this year," he said, "and is acknowledging their contributions to the art of filmmaking and thus recognizing the level of talent involved." Having widely seen films in the running could help boost ratings for the February 24 Oscars telecast on Walt Disney Co's ABC. The audience for last year's show dropped to an all-time low, and critics said a crop of little-seen nominees likely was a factor. 'Black Panther' was 2018's top-grossing movie in the United States and Canada, and second-highest worldwide, with $1.3 billion in ticket sales. Released by Disney-owned Marvel, it was the first superhero film to feature a predominantly black cast. The movie was hailed for bringing African pride and beauty to a big-screen adventure. It received seven nominations in total. Rivals include 21st Century Fox's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' about late Queen singer Freddie Mercury, which has rung up $798 million at global box offices. 'A Star is Born' from AT&T Inc's Warner Bros, also a contender has grossed $409 million. The nominees also include Fox's British period comedy 'The Favourite,' which has grossed $43 million, and political satire 'Vice' with $39.5 million. Nominees typically see a boost in tickets sales after the Oscar nominations are announced. It is unknown how many people have seen another best picture nominee, Netflix Inc's Spanish-language drama 'Roma.' Netflix has not released ticket sales data from theatres or disclosed how many people have watched 'Roma' on the streaming service.

'Black Panther' leads popular films in Oscars 2019 best picture pack

Hollywood’s biggest night is around the corner as The Academy released the list of nominees in 24 categories for 91st Oscars today.&nbsp;

Actors Kumail Nanjiani and Tracee Ellis Ross announced the nominees.&nbsp;

The Oscars 2019 will take place on February 24 at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

The full nominations list:&nbsp;

Best Picture:

'Black Panther' 
'BlacKkKlansman' 
'Bohemian Rhapsody' 
'The Favourite' 
'Green Book' 
'Roma' 
'A Star Is Born' 
'Vice'

Lead Actor:

Christian Bale, 'Vice' 
Bradley Cooper, 'A Star Is Born' 
Willem Dafoe, 'At Eternity’s Gate' 
Rami Malek, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' 
Viggo Mortensen, 'Green Book'

Lead Actress:

Yalitza Aparicio, 'Roma' 
Glenn Close, 'The Wife' 
Olivia Colman, 'The Favourite' 
Lady Gaga, 'A Star Is Born' 
Melissa McCarthy, 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?'

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/oscars-2019-meet-the-nominees-192058#black-panther-192024">Also see: Meet the nominees of Oscars 2019</a>

Supporting Actor:

Mahershala Ali, 'Green Book' 
Adam Driver, 'BlacKkKlansman' 
Sam Elliott, 'A Star Is Born” 
Richard E. Grant, 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' 
Sam Rockwell, 'Vice'

Supporting Actress:

Amy Adams, 'Vice' 
Marina de Tavira, 'Roma' 
Regina King, 'If Beale Street Could Talk' 
Emma Stone, 'The Favourite' 
Rachel Weisz, The Favourite'

Director:

Spike Lee, 'BlacKkKlansman' 
Pawel Pawlikowski, 'Cold War' 
Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite' 
Alfonso Cuarón, 'Roma' 
Adam McKay, 'Vice'

Animated Feature:

'Incredibles 2', Brad Bird 
'Isle of Dogs', Wes Anderson 
'Mirai', Mamoru Hosoda 
'Ralph Breaks the Internet', Rich Moore, Phil Johnston 
'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse', Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

Animated Short:

'Animal Behaviour', Alison Snowden, David Fine 
'Bao',&nbsp;Domee Shi 
'Late Afternoon', Louise Bagnall 
'One Small Step', Andrew Chesworth, Bobby Pontillas 
'Weekends', Trevor Jimenez

Adapted Screenplay:

'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs', Joel Coen , Ethan Coen 
'BlacKkKlansman', Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, Spike Lee 
'Can You Ever Forgive Me?', Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty 
'If Beale Street Could Talk', Barry Jenkins 
'A Star Is Born'&nbsp;Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper, Will Fetters

Original Screenplay:

'The Favourite', Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara 
'First Reformed', Paul Schrader 
'Green Book', Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly 
'Roma', Alfonso Cuarón 
'Vice', Adam McKay

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/oscars-2019-black-panther-creates-history-becomes-first-superhero-film-to-get-best-picture-nomination-192061">Also see:&nbsp;'Black Panther' creates Oscar&nbsp;history, becomes first superhero film to get best picture nomination</a>

Cinematography:

'Cold War' 
'The Favourite' 
'Never Look Away' 
'Roma' 
'A Star Is Born'

Best Documentary Feature:

'Free Solo' 
'Hale County This Morning, This Evening' 
'Minding the Gap' 
'Of Fathers and Sons' 
'RBG'

Best Documentary Short Subject:

'Black Sheep' 
'End Game' 
'Lifeboat' 
'A Night at the Garden' 
'Period. End of Sentence.'

Best Live Action Short Film:&nbsp;

'Detainment' 
'Fauve' 
'Marguerite' 
'Mother' 
'Skin'

Best Foreign Language Film:

'Capernaum'&nbsp;(Lebanon) 
'Cold War'&nbsp;(Poland) 
'Never Look Away'&nbsp;(Germany) 
'Roma'&nbsp;(Mexico) 
'Shoplifters'&nbsp;(Japan)

Film Editing:

'BlacKkKlansman': Barry Alexander Brown 
'Bohemian Rhapsody': John Ottman 
'Green Book': Patrick': Don Vito 
'The Favourite': Yorgos Mavropsaridis 
'Vice': Hank Corwin

Sound Editing:

'Black Panther': Benjamin A. Burtt, Steve Boeddeker 
'Bohemian Rhapsody': John Warhurst 
'First Man': Ai-Ling Lee, Mildred Iatrou Morgan 
'A Quiet Place': Ethan Van der Ryn, Erik Aadahl 
'Roma': Sergio Diaz, Skip Lievsay

Sound Mixing:

'Black Panther' 
'Bohemian Rhapsody' 
'First Man' 
'Roma' 
'A Star Is Born'

Production Design:

'Black Panther': Hannah Beachler 
'First Man': Nathan Crowley, Kathy Lucas 
'The Favourite': Fiona Crombie, Alice Felton 
'Mary Poppins Returns': John Myhre, Gordon Sim 
'Roma': Eugenio Caballero, Bárbara Enrı́quez

Original Score:

'BlacKkKlansman': Terence Blanchard 
'Black Panther': Ludwig Goransson 
'If Beale Street Could Talk': Nicholas Britell 
'Isle of Dogs': Alexandre Desplat 
'Mary Poppins Returns': Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman

Original Song:

“All The Stars” from 'Black Panther'&nbsp;by Kendrick Lamar, SZA 
“I’ll Fight” from 'RBG'&nbsp;by Diane Warren, Jennifer Hudson 
“The Place Where Lost Things Go” from 'Mary Poppins Returns'&nbsp;by Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman 
“Shallow” from 'A Star Is Born'&nbsp;by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt and Benjamin Rice 
“When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings” fromThe Ballad of Buster Scruggs'&nbsp;by Willie Watson, Tim Blake Nelson

Makeup and Hair:

'Border' 
'Mary Queen of Scots' 
'Vice'

Costume Design:

'Ballad of Buster Scruggs' 
'Black Panther': Ruth E. Carter 
'The Favourite': Sandy Powell 
'Mary Poppins Returns': Sandy Powell 
'Mary Queen of Scots': Alexandra Byrne

Visual Effects:

'Avengers: Infinity War' 
'Christopher Robin' 
'First Man' 
'Ready Player One' 
'Solo: A Star Wars Story' 
&nbsp;

Hollywood’s biggest night is around the corner as The Academy released the list of nominees in 24 categories for 91st Oscars today. Actors Kumail Nanjiani and Tracee Ellis Ross announced the nominees.

Hollywood’s biggest night is around the corner as The Academy released the list of nominees in 24 categories for 91st Oscars today. Actors Kumail Nanjiani and Tracee Ellis Ross announced the nominees. The Oscars 2019 will take place on February 24 at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. The full nominations list: Best Picture: 'Black Panther' 'BlacKkKlansman' 'Bohemian Rhapsody' 'The Favourite' 'Green Book' 'Roma' 'A Star Is Born' 'Vice' Lead Actor: Christian Bale, 'Vice' Bradley Cooper, 'A Star Is Born' Willem Dafoe, 'At Eternity’s Gate' Rami Malek, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Viggo Mortensen, 'Green Book' Lead Actress: Yalitza Aparicio, 'Roma' Glenn Close, 'The Wife' Olivia Colman, 'The Favourite' Lady Gaga, 'A Star Is Born' Melissa McCarthy, 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' Also see: Meet the nominees of Oscars 2019 Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, 'Green Book' Adam Driver, 'BlacKkKlansman' Sam Elliott, 'A Star Is Born” Richard E. Grant, 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' Sam Rockwell, 'Vice' Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, 'Vice' Marina de Tavira, 'Roma' Regina King, 'If Beale Street Could Talk' Emma Stone, 'The Favourite' Rachel Weisz, The Favourite' Director: Spike Lee, 'BlacKkKlansman' Pawel Pawlikowski, 'Cold War' Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite' Alfonso Cuarón, 'Roma' Adam McKay, 'Vice' Animated Feature: 'Incredibles 2', Brad Bird 'Isle of Dogs', Wes Anderson 'Mirai', Mamoru Hosoda 'Ralph Breaks the Internet', Rich Moore, Phil Johnston 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse', Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman Animated Short: 'Animal Behaviour', Alison Snowden, David Fine 'Bao', Domee Shi 'Late Afternoon', Louise Bagnall 'One Small Step', Andrew Chesworth, Bobby Pontillas 'Weekends', Trevor Jimenez Adapted Screenplay: 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs', Joel Coen , Ethan Coen 'BlacKkKlansman', Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, Spike Lee 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?', Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty 'If Beale Street Could Talk', Barry Jenkins 'A Star Is Born' Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper, Will Fetters Original Screenplay: 'The Favourite', Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara 'First Reformed', Paul Schrader 'Green Book', Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly 'Roma', Alfonso Cuarón 'Vice', Adam McKay Also see: 'Black Panther' creates Oscar history, becomes first superhero film to get best picture nomination Cinematography: 'Cold War' 'The Favourite' 'Never Look Away' 'Roma' 'A Star Is Born' Best Documentary Feature: 'Free Solo' 'Hale County This Morning, This Evening' 'Minding the Gap' 'Of Fathers and Sons' 'RBG' Best Documentary Short Subject: 'Black Sheep' 'End Game' 'Lifeboat' 'A Night at the Garden' 'Period. End of Sentence.' Best Live Action Short Film: 'Detainment' 'Fauve' 'Marguerite' 'Mother' 'Skin' Best Foreign Language Film: 'Capernaum' (Lebanon) 'Cold War' (Poland) 'Never Look Away' (Germany) 'Roma' (Mexico) 'Shoplifters' (Japan) Film Editing: 'BlacKkKlansman': Barry Alexander Brown 'Bohemian Rhapsody': John Ottman 'Green Book': Patrick': Don Vito 'The Favourite': Yorgos Mavropsaridis 'Vice': Hank Corwin Sound Editing: 'Black Panther': Benjamin A. Burtt, Steve Boeddeker 'Bohemian Rhapsody': John Warhurst 'First Man': Ai-Ling Lee, Mildred Iatrou Morgan 'A Quiet Place': Ethan Van der Ryn, Erik Aadahl 'Roma': Sergio Diaz, Skip Lievsay Sound Mixing: 'Black Panther' 'Bohemian Rhapsody' 'First Man' 'Roma' 'A Star Is Born' Production Design: 'Black Panther': Hannah Beachler 'First Man': Nathan Crowley, Kathy Lucas 'The Favourite': Fiona Crombie, Alice Felton 'Mary Poppins Returns': John Myhre, Gordon Sim 'Roma': Eugenio Caballero, Bárbara Enrı́quez Original Score: 'BlacKkKlansman': Terence Blanchard 'Black Panther': Ludwig Goransson 'If Beale Street Could Talk': Nicholas Britell 'Isle of Dogs': Alexandre Desplat 'Mary Poppins Returns': Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman Original Song: “All The Stars” from 'Black Panther' by Kendrick Lamar, SZA “I’ll Fight” from 'RBG' by Diane Warren, Jennifer Hudson “The Place Where Lost Things Go” from 'Mary Poppins Returns' by Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman “Shallow” from 'A Star Is Born' by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt and Benjamin Rice “When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings” fromThe Ballad of Buster Scruggs' by Willie Watson, Tim Blake Nelson Makeup and Hair: 'Border' 'Mary Queen of Scots' 'Vice' Costume Design: 'Ballad of Buster Scruggs' 'Black Panther': Ruth E. Carter 'The Favourite': Sandy Powell 'Mary Poppins Returns': Sandy Powell 'Mary Queen of Scots': Alexandra Byrne Visual Effects: 'Avengers: Infinity War' 'Christopher Robin' 'First Man' 'Ready Player One' 'Solo: A Star Wars Story'

Oscars 2019: 'The Favourite', 'Roma' lead with ten nominations each; 'Black Panther' creates history

'Black Panther', the Marvel blockbuster fronted by virtually an all-black cast, has created history by becoming the first superhero film to get the Best Picture nomination at the Oscars.

The film, directed by Ryan Coogler and featuring Chadwick Boseman in the titular role, received total seven nominations for the 91st Academy Awards.&nbsp; 
Apart from the Best Picture category, the Marvel project has received nods for original song, original score, sound mixing, sound editing, costume design and production design.&nbsp; 
 
In the Best Picture category, the film is pitted against 'The Favourite', 'Vice' , 'Roma', 'Green Book', 'A Star Is Born', 'BlacKkKlansman'&nbsp;and 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. 
 
'Black Panther', set in a fictional African country of Wakanda, became a massive hit earning USD 1.3 billion worldwide. 
 
The film, featuring Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Forrest Whitaker, Angela Bassett and Letitia Wright among others, received praise from both the critics and the audiences for its authentic portrayal of African culture.&nbsp; 
 
The film has had a spectacular awards season, as it received nods at the Critics' Choice Awards, SAG, BAFTAs and a history-making Golden Globe nomination.&nbsp; 
 
In the past, superhero films have been nominated and have also won a few Academy Awards, but mainly in the technical categories.&nbsp; 
 
Last year, James Mangold and Michael Green had a break through as they received the Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for Hugh Jackman's 'Logan'. 
 
Prior to that, Heath Ledger won a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2009 for his portrayal of one of the most notorious DC villains, the Joker, in Christopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight'.&nbsp; 
 
Nolan's film had raked in eight nominations, but could not make it to the Best Picture category.

'Black Panther', the Marvel blockbuster fronted by virtually an all-black cast, has created history by becoming the first superhero film to get the Best Picture nomination at the Oscars.

'Black Panther', the Marvel blockbuster fronted by virtually an all-black cast, has created history by becoming the first superhero film to get the Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. The film, directed by Ryan Coogler and featuring Chadwick Boseman in the titular role, received total seven nominations for the 91st Academy Awards. Apart from the Best Picture category, the Marvel project has received nods for original song, original score, sound mixing, sound editing, costume design and production design. In the Best Picture category, the film is pitted against 'The Favourite', 'Vice' , 'Roma', 'Green Book', 'A Star Is Born', 'BlacKkKlansman' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. 'Black Panther', set in a fictional African country of Wakanda, became a massive hit earning USD 1.3 billion worldwide. The film, featuring Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Forrest Whitaker, Angela Bassett and Letitia Wright among others, received praise from both the critics and the audiences for its authentic portrayal of African culture. The film has had a spectacular awards season, as it received nods at the Critics' Choice Awards, SAG, BAFTAs and a history-making Golden Globe nomination. In the past, superhero films have been nominated and have also won a few Academy Awards, but mainly in the technical categories. Last year, James Mangold and Michael Green had a break through as they received the Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for Hugh Jackman's 'Logan'. Prior to that, Heath Ledger won a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2009 for his portrayal of one of the most notorious DC villains, the Joker, in Christopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight'. Nolan's film had raked in eight nominations, but could not make it to the Best Picture category.

Oscars 2019: 'Black Panther' creates history, becomes first superhero film to get best picture nomination

Black Panther, Roma, The Favourite: Meet the Oscar nominees of 2019

The largest actors union in the United States on January 14 accused the organisers of the Oscars of trying to intimidate celebrities not to present at rival award shows.

In an unprecedented statement, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) accused the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of "graceless pressure tactics."

The 160,000-member union said it was responding to widespread reports in Hollywood that the Academy was pressuring actors not to appear or present at award ceremonies other than the Oscars.&nbsp;

The SAG statement was issued as the Academy is still without a host for the Oscars just six weeks ahead of the ceremony and is looking for big-name presenters to draw in viewers.

Organizers of the Oscars, the last in a long round of award shows and red carpets in January and February, are trying to revamp the show after ratings for the most prestigious honours in the movie business hit an all-time low in 2018.

The Academy on Monday did not respond to a request for comment on SAG's statement, which was released two weeks before actors hold their own SAG awards show in Los Angeles on Jan. 26.

SAG said it had received "multiple reports" of pressure from the Academy, as well as experiencing first-hand what it called "attempts to control the awards show talent pipeline."

"The apparent attempt by the Academy to keep our members from presenting on their own awards show is utterly outrageous and unacceptable," SAG said in a statement.

"Actors should be free to accept any offer to participate in industry celebrations," it added, describing the Academy's tactics as "self-serving intimidation."

The Oscars look set to go ahead without a host for only the second time in its 91-year history after comedian Kevin Hart dropped out last month two days after being announced when past anti-gay tweets surfaced. A brief attempt to bring him back, championed by comedian Ellen DeGeneres, failed earlier this month and no replacement has been announced.

The U.S. television audience for the 2018 Oscars hit an all-time low of 26.5 million viewers, prompting the Academy to pledge to shorten the show by about 30 minutes to three hours and to hand out some awards during commercial breaks.

Nominations for the 2019 Oscars will be announced on January 22.&nbsp;

The largest actors union in the United States on January 14 accused the organisers of the Oscars of trying to intimidate celebrities not to present at rival award shows.

The largest actors union in the United States on January 14 accused the organisers of the Oscars of trying to intimidate celebrities not to present at rival award shows. In an unprecedented statement, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) accused the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of "graceless pressure tactics." The 160,000-member union said it was responding to widespread reports in Hollywood that the Academy was pressuring actors not to appear or present at award ceremonies other than the Oscars. The SAG statement was issued as the Academy is still without a host for the Oscars just six weeks ahead of the ceremony and is looking for big-name presenters to draw in viewers. Organizers of the Oscars, the last in a long round of award shows and red carpets in January and February, are trying to revamp the show after ratings for the most prestigious honours in the movie business hit an all-time low in 2018. The Academy on Monday did not respond to a request for comment on SAG's statement, which was released two weeks before actors hold their own SAG awards show in Los Angeles on Jan. 26. SAG said it had received "multiple reports" of pressure from the Academy, as well as experiencing first-hand what it called "attempts to control the awards show talent pipeline." "The apparent attempt by the Academy to keep our members from presenting on their own awards show is utterly outrageous and unacceptable," SAG said in a statement. "Actors should be free to accept any offer to participate in industry celebrations," it added, describing the Academy's tactics as "self-serving intimidation." The Oscars look set to go ahead without a host for only the second time in its 91-year history after comedian Kevin Hart dropped out last month two days after being announced when past anti-gay tweets surfaced. A brief attempt to bring him back, championed by comedian Ellen DeGeneres, failed earlier this month and no replacement has been announced. The U.S. television audience for the 2018 Oscars hit an all-time low of 26.5 million viewers, prompting the Academy to pledge to shorten the show by about 30 minutes to three hours and to hand out some awards during commercial breaks. Nominations for the 2019 Oscars will be announced on January 22.

US actors accuse Oscar body of intimidation over awards presenters

With just a month left for the Oscars to take place, the race for a host for the big night seems to have picked up.&nbsp;

Last we heard Kevin Hart who had <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/kevin-hart-steps-down-as-oscars-2019-host-following-outcry-over-his-controversial-past-tweets-182112">stepped down</a>&nbsp;just two days after&nbsp;being offered the role was discussing what went wrong with TV host Ellen DeGeneres on her chat show. Ellen then <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/ellen-degeneres-wants-kevin-hart-as-oscars-2019-host-says-i-believe-in-second-chances-188287">took to her Twitter</a> and wrote why she felt that Kevin should be considered for the role again, as much has been said and discussed. She wrote that everyone deserves a second chance, a chance to be forgiven.&nbsp;

According to the last development, Kevin Hart has now issued an apology again to the LGBTQ community for his old homophobic tweets that created a furore in the social media. It had led him to step down from his hosting role. On a radio show, ‘Straight From the Heart’, the comedian said that his words have been "chopped up" following previous apologies. "Once again, Kevin Hart apologises for his remarks that hurt members of the LGBTQ community. I apologise," he said.

He then went on to explain what had happened and how he should have thought before putting it all out on Twitter.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, former host Chris Rock has denied taking upon the role or even considering it. He said, "If it was five years ago, I could say something really offensive and funny right now, but I can't do that anymore, so... Hey!"&nbsp;

He added, "Steve Martin is here. You should host the Oscars. You're the best. Steve Martin should host the Oscars! Because I'm not doing it, goddammit! You're not getting me."

With just a month left for the Oscars to take place, the race for a host for the big night seems to have picked up. Last we heard Kevin Hart who had stepped down just two days after being offered the role was discussing what went wrong with TV host Ellen DeGeneres on her chat show.

With just a month left for the Oscars to take place, the race for a host for the big night seems to have picked up. Last we heard Kevin Hart who had stepped down just two days after being offered the role was discussing what went wrong with TV host Ellen DeGeneres on her chat show. Ellen then took to her Twitter and wrote why she felt that Kevin should be considered for the role again, as much has been said and discussed. She wrote that everyone deserves a second chance, a chance to be forgiven. According to the last development, Kevin Hart has now issued an apology again to the LGBTQ community for his old homophobic tweets that created a furore in the social media. It had led him to step down from his hosting role. On a radio show, ‘Straight From the Heart’, the comedian said that his words have been "chopped up" following previous apologies. "Once again, Kevin Hart apologises for his remarks that hurt members of the LGBTQ community. I apologise," he said. He then went on to explain what had happened and how he should have thought before putting it all out on Twitter. Meanwhile, former host Chris Rock has denied taking upon the role or even considering it. He said, "If it was five years ago, I could say something really offensive and funny right now, but I can't do that anymore, so... Hey!" He added, "Steve Martin is here. You should host the Oscars. You're the best. Steve Martin should host the Oscars! Because I'm not doing it, goddammit! You're not getting me."

Oscars hunt for host still on; Chris Rock says 'can't do' as Kevin Hart issues apology again

Norman Gimbel, the Oscar and Grammy-winning lyricist behind "Killing Me Softly", "The Girl From Ipanema" and the theme from the iconic sitcom "Happy Days" has died aged 91.

His death was announced on Friday by BMI, which described him as "a truly gifted and prolific writer" who will be greatly missed by friends and fans at the music rights organization.&nbsp;

The Brooklyn native died at his home in Montecito, California, on December 19, his son Tony Gimbel told The Hollywood Reporter.

Norman Gimbel won an Academy Award for Best Original Song alongside co-composer David Shire for Jennifer Warnes' "It Goes Like It Goes" in the 1979 film "Norma Rae".

He also wrote Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly" with his longtime collaborator Charles Fox, winning the Song of the Year Grammy in 1973. The hit was later famously covered by 1990s hip-hop group the Fugees.

Gimbel's English lyrics for Brazilian bossa nova hit "The Girl from Ipanema," which won the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965, made the jazz standard one of the most covered songs of all time.&nbsp;

The lyricist was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984.

Writing on Facebook, one of Gilbert's co-writers Robert Folk, who collaborated on about 15 songs with him, said: "Norman was an incredible talent; brilliant in every way, and one who had successfully navigated every genre in popular music.&nbsp;

"I remember one of countless moments with Norman so fondly, when after a playback via phone of a newly finished song for a prominent filmmaker, he said to me privately...

"'Don't ever tell them how easy this work is for us, and how much fun we've had writing these songs!.... Or else they'll never pay us all this money again!'"

Norman Gimbel, the Oscar and Grammy-winning lyricist behind "Killing Me Softly", "The Girl From Ipanema" and the theme from the iconic sitcom "Happy Days" has died aged 91.

Norman Gimbel, the Oscar and Grammy-winning lyricist behind "Killing Me Softly", "The Girl From Ipanema" and the theme from the iconic sitcom "Happy Days" has died aged 91. His death was announced on Friday by BMI, which described him as "a truly gifted and prolific writer" who will be greatly missed by friends and fans at the music rights organization. The Brooklyn native died at his home in Montecito, California, on December 19, his son Tony Gimbel told The Hollywood Reporter. Norman Gimbel won an Academy Award for Best Original Song alongside co-composer David Shire for Jennifer Warnes' "It Goes Like It Goes" in the 1979 film "Norma Rae". He also wrote Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly" with his longtime collaborator Charles Fox, winning the Song of the Year Grammy in 1973. The hit was later famously covered by 1990s hip-hop group the Fugees. Gimbel's English lyrics for Brazilian bossa nova hit "The Girl from Ipanema," which won the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965, made the jazz standard one of the most covered songs of all time. The lyricist was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984. Writing on Facebook, one of Gilbert's co-writers Robert Folk, who collaborated on about 15 songs with him, said: "Norman was an incredible talent; brilliant in every way, and one who had successfully navigated every genre in popular music. "I remember one of countless moments with Norman so fondly, when after a playback via phone of a newly finished song for a prominent filmmaker, he said to me privately... "'Don't ever tell them how easy this work is for us, and how much fun we've had writing these songs!.... Or else they'll never pay us all this money again!'"

Award-winning lyricist behind "Killing Me Softly" dead at 91

While Rima Das’s ‘Village Rockstars’ might have slipped out of the race for Oscars in foreign film category there’s hope for another movie with an Indian connection to make it. The Assamese film’s Oscar run was cut short when the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced on Monday, the list of films shortlisted in 9 categories.&nbsp;

The other film that might do India proud, purely because of where the story is based out -- a village near national capital Delhi; is Iranian-American filmmaker Rayka Zehtabchi’s ‘Period. End of Sentence’. It has been shortlisted for the Documentary Short Subject category.&nbsp;

The film follows the efforts of a group of women to push for menstrual hygiene in a village near Delhi. The film’s producer is Guneet Monga (of the fame ‘The Lunchbox’).&nbsp;

The documentary chronicles the women’s experiences after low-cost pad manufacturing machine, invented by Arunachalam Muruganantham (the inspiration for the Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘PadMan’), is installed in the village.

India has never won an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category.&nbsp;

While Rima Das’s ‘Village Rockstars’ might have slipped out of the race for Oscars in foreign film category there’s hope for another movie with an Indian connection to make it.

While Rima Das’s ‘Village Rockstars’ might have slipped out of the race for Oscars in foreign film category there’s hope for another movie with an Indian connection to make it. The Assamese film’s Oscar run was cut short when the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced on Monday, the list of films shortlisted in 9 categories. The other film that might do India proud, purely because of where the story is based out -- a village near national capital Delhi; is Iranian-American filmmaker Rayka Zehtabchi’s ‘Period. End of Sentence’. It has been shortlisted for the Documentary Short Subject category. The film follows the efforts of a group of women to push for menstrual hygiene in a village near Delhi. The film’s producer is Guneet Monga (of the fame ‘The Lunchbox’). The documentary chronicles the women’s experiences after low-cost pad manufacturing machine, invented by Arunachalam Muruganantham (the inspiration for the Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘PadMan’), is installed in the village. India has never won an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Rural India-set drama ‘Period. End of Sentence’ in Oscar race

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das' critically acclaimed film 'Village Rockstars is out of the Oscar race. The film was India's official entry in the Best Foreign Language films category. &nbsp;Iram Haq's Norwegian drama 'What Will People Say', starring Indian actors also did not make the cut.&nbsp; 
 
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Monday announced that nine films have advanced to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 91st Academy Awards, according to the official Oscars website. 
 
So far only three Indian films have been nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars. 'Mother India', 'Salaam Bombay!' and 'Lagaan' made it to the top five in the category at the Academy Awards, but none have won the honour.

Hopes were also pinned on 'What Will People Say', which stars Indian actors Adil Hussain and Ekavali Khanna. It is set in Pakistan and Norway and traces how a Pakistani immigrant family deals with its teenage daughter`s affair with a local boy in Norway.&nbsp; 
 
A total of 87 films had originally been considered in the Foreign Language Film category. Among the shortlisted ones are 'Birds of Passage' (Colombia), 'The Guilty' (Denmark), 'Never Look Away' (Germany), 'Shoplifters'&nbsp;(Japan), 'Ayka' (Kazakhstan), 'Capernaum' (Lebanon), 'Roma' (Mexico), 'Cold War' (Poland) and 'Burning' (South Korea). 
 
Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron is excited about 'Roma' making it to the list. 
 
"Made the shortlist of the Oscars for foreign language," tweeted the Academy Award winner, whose film is set in the early 1970s and is a semi-autobiographical take on his upbringing in Mexico City. 
 
The movie, available on Netlfix, is among the front-runners for an Oscar this year. 
 
The Academy also announced shortlists for the Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Make-up And Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film and Visual Effects categories. 
 
Nominations for the 91st Oscars will be announced on January 22, 2019, over a month ahead of the Oscars ceremony which is slated to be held on February 24, 2019.

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das' critically acclaimed film 'Village Rockstars is out of the Oscar race. The film was India's official entry in the Best Foreign Language films category.

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das' critically acclaimed film 'Village Rockstars is out of the Oscar race. The film was India's official entry in the Best Foreign Language films category. Iram Haq's Norwegian drama 'What Will People Say', starring Indian actors also did not make the cut. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Monday announced that nine films have advanced to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 91st Academy Awards, according to the official Oscars website. So far only three Indian films have been nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars. 'Mother India', 'Salaam Bombay!' and 'Lagaan' made it to the top five in the category at the Academy Awards, but none have won the honour. Hopes were also pinned on 'What Will People Say', which stars Indian actors Adil Hussain and Ekavali Khanna. It is set in Pakistan and Norway and traces how a Pakistani immigrant family deals with its teenage daughter`s affair with a local boy in Norway. A total of 87 films had originally been considered in the Foreign Language Film category. Among the shortlisted ones are 'Birds of Passage' (Colombia), 'The Guilty' (Denmark), 'Never Look Away' (Germany), 'Shoplifters' (Japan), 'Ayka' (Kazakhstan), 'Capernaum' (Lebanon), 'Roma' (Mexico), 'Cold War' (Poland) and 'Burning' (South Korea). Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron is excited about 'Roma' making it to the list. "Made the shortlist of the Oscars for foreign language," tweeted the Academy Award winner, whose film is set in the early 1970s and is a semi-autobiographical take on his upbringing in Mexico City. The movie, available on Netlfix, is among the front-runners for an Oscar this year. The Academy also announced shortlists for the Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Make-up And Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film and Visual Effects categories. Nominations for the 91st Oscars will be announced on January 22, 2019, over a month ahead of the Oscars ceremony which is slated to be held on February 24, 2019.

Oscars 2019: Indian film 'Village Rockstar' by Rima Das is out of the race

Kevin Hart fans will be disappointed after reading this news as the actor-comedian stepped down as the Oscars 2019 host, following hue and cry on the social media over his controversial past tweets.&nbsp;

This comes just <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/kevin-hart-to-host-oscars-2019-181557">two days after it was announced</a> that he will woo the audience with his wit on Hollywood’s biggest night.&nbsp;

Taking to Twitter, he wrote just after midnight Friday that he was withdrawing from hosting. He tweeted: “I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past.”

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I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscar's....this is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past.
— Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinHart4real/status/1070906075812118529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Explaining himself, Hart posted a video on Instagram in which he detailed what ensued between the Academy and himself. Apparently, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences gave him an ultimatum -- to apologize or “we’re going to have to move on and find another host.”

He refused to apologise and said: “I chose to pass on the apology,” Hart said. “The reason why I passed is because I’ve addressed this several times.”

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BrEjHFCFe83/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">I know who I am &amp; so do the people closest to me. #LiveLoveLaugh</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kevinhart4real/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Kevin Hart</a> (@kevinhart4real) on <time datetime="2018-12-07T03:31:03+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Dec 6, 2018 at 7:31pm PST</time>
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The tweets thus mentioned were shared by the actor several years earlier. He deleted most of them and even apologised then. But these were screen-captured and have been shared online multiple times. In 2011, he wrote in a since-deleted tweet: “Yo if my son comes home &amp; try’s 2 play with my daughters doll house I’m going 2 break it over his head &amp; say n my voice ‘stop that’s gay.”

Addressing these tweets, he thus wrote in an earlier post on Thursday, that the critics should “stop being negative” about his earlier anti-gay remarks.

“I’m almost 40 years old. If you don’t believe that people change, grow, evolve? I don’t know what to tell you,” said Hart, who added, in all-caps: “I love everybody.”

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I'm sorry that I hurt people.. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love &amp; appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again.
— Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinHart4real/status/1070906121551007745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Another time he slipped on this issue was in his 2010 special ‘Seriously Funny,’ as he said “one of my biggest fears is my son growing up and being gay,” and added, “Keep in mind, I’m not homophobic, I have nothing against gay people, do what you want to do, but me, being a heterosexual male, if I can prevent my son from being gay, I will.”

When it was announced that Hart would host the Oscars, many advocacy groups for LGBTQ rights approached the Academy. One of them was GLAAD that reached out to Oscars to “discuss Kevin’s anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and record.”

What’s to note, is that this isn't the first time when a celeb has had to step down because of anti-gay remarks. Ahead of 2012 oscars, producer Brett Ratner, who had been paired with Eddie Murphy, had to resign after using a gay slur at a film screening. Murphy also exited soon after.&nbsp;

Kevin Hart fans will be disappointed after reading this news as the actor-comedian stepped down as the Oscars 2019 host, following hue and cry on the social media over his controversial past tweets.

Kevin Hart fans will be disappointed after reading this news as the actor-comedian stepped down as the Oscars 2019 host, following hue and cry on the social media over his controversial past tweets. This comes just two days after it was announced that he will woo the audience with his wit on Hollywood’s biggest night. Taking to Twitter, he wrote just after midnight Friday that he was withdrawing from hosting. He tweeted: “I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past.” I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscar's....this is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past. — Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) December 7, 2018 × Explaining himself, Hart posted a video on Instagram in which he detailed what ensued between the Academy and himself. Apparently, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences gave him an ultimatum -- to apologize or “we’re going to have to move on and find another host.” He refused to apologise and said: “I chose to pass on the apology,” Hart said. “The reason why I passed is because I’ve addressed this several times.” View this post on Instagram I know who I am & so do the people closest to me. #LiveLoveLaugh A post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) on Dec 6, 2018 at 7:31pm PST × The tweets thus mentioned were shared by the actor several years earlier. He deleted most of them and even apologised then. But these were screen-captured and have been shared online multiple times. In 2011, he wrote in a since-deleted tweet: “Yo if my son comes home & try’s 2 play with my daughters doll house I’m going 2 break it over his head & say n my voice ‘stop that’s gay.” Addressing these tweets, he thus wrote in an earlier post on Thursday, that the critics should “stop being negative” about his earlier anti-gay remarks. “I’m almost 40 years old. If you don’t believe that people change, grow, evolve? I don’t know what to tell you,” said Hart, who added, in all-caps: “I love everybody.” I'm sorry that I hurt people.. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again. — Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) December 7, 2018 × Another time he slipped on this issue was in his 2010 special ‘Seriously Funny,’ as he said “one of my biggest fears is my son growing up and being gay,” and added, “Keep in mind, I’m not homophobic, I have nothing against gay people, do what you want to do, but me, being a heterosexual male, if I can prevent my son from being gay, I will.” When it was announced that Hart would host the Oscars, many advocacy groups for LGBTQ rights approached the Academy. One of them was GLAAD that reached out to Oscars to “discuss Kevin’s anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and record.” What’s to note, is that this isn't the first time when a celeb has had to step down because of anti-gay remarks. Ahead of 2012 oscars, producer Brett Ratner, who had been paired with Eddie Murphy, had to resign after using a gay slur at a film screening. Murphy also exited soon after.

Kevin Hart steps down as Oscars 2019 host, two days after announcement

If there were any doubts that the upcoming Academy Awards of 2019 would be boring to watch, erase them as star comedian Kevin Hart has just confirmed that he will be hosting the Hollywood’s biggest night.&nbsp;

Taking to Instagram on Tuesday to confirm the news, Kevin wrote: "I will be sure to make this year's Oscars a special one," adding, "now it's time to rise to the occasion."

This will be the first time when Kevin will get to host the Oscars night, one of the most-watched and loved awards night globally.&nbsp;

First-time producers Donna Gigliotti and Glenn Weiss will oversee the show, with Gigliotti as the producer and Weiss on hand as co-producer and director.

Kevin also thanked The Academy for the opportunity and wrote: "I appreciate @TheAcademy for the opportunity," and added, "For years I have been asked if I would ever Host the Oscars and my answer was always the same...I said that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian and that it will happen when it's supposed to."&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq_Ig_EFiOx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">For years I have been asked if I would ever Host the Oscars and my answer was always the same...I said that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian and that it will happen when it’s suppose to. I am so happy to say that the day has finally come for me to host the Oscars. I am blown away simply because this has been a goal on my list for a long time....To be able to join the legendary list of host that have graced that stage is unbelievable. I know my mom is smiling from ear to ear right now. I want to thank my family/friends/fans for supporting me &amp; riding with me all this time....I will be sure to make this years Oscars a special one. I appreciate the @TheAcademy for the opportunity ....now it’s time to rise to the occasion #Oscars</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kevinhart4real/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Kevin Hart</a> (@kevinhart4real) on <time datetime="2018-12-05T01:01:22+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Dec 4, 2018 at 5:01pm PST</time>
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The last two Oscar nights were hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and produced by Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd.&nbsp;

It is expected that the Oscars 2019 will offer something different from the previous years, so as to retain the TV audience which has been<a href="https://www.wionews.com/life-fun/oscars-draw-lowest-us-audience-since-2008-with-329-million-viewers-12872"> declining every year. </a>We told you earlier that among the first few changes, the show will run for much shorter than three hours. Also, not all the awards in the 24 Oscar categories will be revealed live. Instead, six to eight categories will be announced before the audience at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood during commercial breaks, and edited excerpts from the acceptance speeches will be broadcasted later.

The Academy board had also decided to<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/oscars-to-add-popular-film-category-wont-televise-all-awards-158105"> introduce a “popular” Oscar categor</a>y, to recognise “outstanding achievement in popular film,” ensuring that some of the biggest box office successes of the year have a prominent place at the awards. The idea couldn’t get through as it wasn’t received well by the people and the management. They shelved the idea.&nbsp;

The Oscars will air live on February 9. It was pulled forward by two weeks as the initial date of the awards was February 24. In another news,&nbsp;BAFTA&nbsp; has also<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/after-oscars-bafta-shifts-2020-award-ceremony-date-181496"> shifted its 2020 award ceremony date</a>.

If there were any doubts that the upcoming Academy Awards of 2019 would be boring to watch, erase them as star comedian Kevin Hart has just confirmed that he will be hosting the Hollywood’s biggest night.

If there were any doubts that the upcoming Academy Awards of 2019 would be boring to watch, erase them as star comedian Kevin Hart has just confirmed that he will be hosting the Hollywood’s biggest night. Taking to Instagram on Tuesday to confirm the news, Kevin wrote: "I will be sure to make this year's Oscars a special one," adding, "now it's time to rise to the occasion." This will be the first time when Kevin will get to host the Oscars night, one of the most-watched and loved awards night globally. First-time producers Donna Gigliotti and Glenn Weiss will oversee the show, with Gigliotti as the producer and Weiss on hand as co-producer and director. Kevin also thanked The Academy for the opportunity and wrote: "I appreciate @TheAcademy for the opportunity," and added, "For years I have been asked if I would ever Host the Oscars and my answer was always the same...I said that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian and that it will happen when it's supposed to." View this post on Instagram For years I have been asked if I would ever Host the Oscars and my answer was always the same...I said that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian and that it will happen when it’s suppose to. I am so happy to say that the day has finally come for me to host the Oscars. I am blown away simply because this has been a goal on my list for a long time....To be able to join the legendary list of host that have graced that stage is unbelievable. I know my mom is smiling from ear to ear right now. I want to thank my family/friends/fans for supporting me & riding with me all this time....I will be sure to make this years Oscars a special one. I appreciate the @TheAcademy for the opportunity ....now it’s time to rise to the occasion #Oscars A post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) on Dec 4, 2018 at 5:01pm PST × The last two Oscar nights were hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and produced by Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd. It is expected that the Oscars 2019 will offer something different from the previous years, so as to retain the TV audience which has been declining every year. We told you earlier that among the first few changes, the show will run for much shorter than three hours. Also, not all the awards in the 24 Oscar categories will be revealed live. Instead, six to eight categories will be announced before the audience at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood during commercial breaks, and edited excerpts from the acceptance speeches will be broadcasted later. The Academy board had also decided to introduce a “popular” Oscar category, to recognise “outstanding achievement in popular film,” ensuring that some of the biggest box office successes of the year have a prominent place at the awards. The idea couldn’t get through as it wasn’t received well by the people and the management. They shelved the idea. The Oscars will air live on February 9. It was pulled forward by two weeks as the initial date of the awards was February 24. In another news, BAFTA has also shifted its 2020 award ceremony date.

Kevin Hart to host Oscars 2019, says 'it's time to rise to the occasion'

Rima Das, director and producer of 'Village Rockstars' which is India's official entry for the 2019 Oscars in the Best Foreign Language film category, will receive an additional Rs 50 lakh from the Assam government as announced by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Friday, a government release said. 
 
The state government had earlier granted Rs 50 lakh to Das. 
 
Now a total amount of Rs 1 crore will be provided to the filmmaker, said a government release here. 
 
Das had called on the chief minister and expressed her happiness over the selection of 'Village Rockstars' as India's official entry to the Oscars and thanked the Assam government and its people for the ''tremendous support'' to her. 
 
Sonowal extended his best wishes to the filmmaker for the ''incredible success'' of her film and hoped that it would be able to win the Oscars in Best Foreign Language film category apart from highlighting the state's quintessential splendour in front of the global audience. 
 
Rima had on Thursday sought help from the government to promote her film for the award as at least Rs 3 crore is needed to campaign at the Oscars and to ensure that it makes it to the final nomination. 
 
Das said 'Village Rockstars' has travelled to 80 film festivals and has won 44 awards so far. It was screened in Toronto, Berlin, Cannes and Venice festivals. 
 
The film will be released pan India though PVR today with the premiere show held here last night.

'Village Rockstars' is the story about a poor girl aspiring to be a rockstar and is set in her own village at Chayagaon near here. It has won four national awards, including the 'Swarna Kamal' for the best film.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Rima Das, director and producer of 'Village Rockstars' which is India's official entry for the 2019 Oscars in the Best Foreign Language film category, will receive an additional Rs 50 lakh from the Assam government as announced by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Friday, a government release said.

Rima Das, director and producer of 'Village Rockstars' which is India's official entry for the 2019 Oscars in the Best Foreign Language film category, will receive an additional Rs 50 lakh from the Assam government as announced by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Friday, a government release said. The state government had earlier granted Rs 50 lakh to Das. Now a total amount of Rs 1 crore will be provided to the filmmaker, said a government release here. Das had called on the chief minister and expressed her happiness over the selection of 'Village Rockstars' as India's official entry to the Oscars and thanked the Assam government and its people for the ''tremendous support'' to her. Sonowal extended his best wishes to the filmmaker for the ''incredible success'' of her film and hoped that it would be able to win the Oscars in Best Foreign Language film category apart from highlighting the state's quintessential splendour in front of the global audience. Rima had on Thursday sought help from the government to promote her film for the award as at least Rs 3 crore is needed to campaign at the Oscars and to ensure that it makes it to the final nomination. Das said 'Village Rockstars' has travelled to 80 film festivals and has won 44 awards so far. It was screened in Toronto, Berlin, Cannes and Venice festivals. The film will be released pan India though PVR today with the premiere show held here last night. 'Village Rockstars' is the story about a poor girl aspiring to be a rockstar and is set in her own village at Chayagaon near here. It has won four national awards, including the 'Swarna Kamal' for the best film.

Rima Das' 'Village Rockstars' gets additional Rs 50 lakhs from Assam government to campaign at the Oscars 

Bill Mechanic stepped down from the post of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences board of governors stating that the board has “failed the organisation”.&nbsp;

In his letter of resignation, The Hacksaw Ridge producer wrote about reacting to pressure, not handling the issue of inclusivity properly and more.

He started with expressing his "great love and respect for the Academy" while going on to accuse it of allowing itself "to be blamed for things way beyond our control and then try to do things which are not in our purview (sexual harassment, discrimination in the industry). We have settled on numeric answers to the problem of inclusion, barely recognizing that this is the Industry’s problem far, far more than it is the Academy’s.”

He added, "Instead we react to pressure. One Governor even went as far as suggesting we don’t admit a single white male to the Academy, regardless of merit!"

An Academy spokesperson thanked Bill for his years of service representing members of the Executives Branch. Bill, however, minced no words in his resignation letter sent to AMPAS President John Bailey.

This is the full letter:&nbsp;

Dear John,

There’s a moment when if you fail to make an impact, the right thing to do is make for the exits. After Saturday’s meeting, I’m at that moment and I respectfully must resign from the Board of Governors.

I have a great love and respect for the Academy. I grew up loving movies and watching the Academy Awards, never dreaming of being a nominee, producing the show, and certainly not becoming a Governor. Eventually, all of these things actually came to pass and it was exciting when I was originally elected to the Board, serving with so many distinguished legends side-by-side in a non-hierarchical environment.

I left the Board after one term but decided to run again a couple of years ago when many of the decisions of the Board seemed to me to be reactive rather than considered. I felt I could help provide some perspective and guidance.

But it’s exceedingly clear to me since returning to the Board that things have changed and there is now a fractured environment which does not allow for a unified, strategically sound, vision. I haven’t had any real impact, so now it’s time to leave.

I feel I have failed the organization. I feel we have failed the organization.

We have settled on numeric answers to the problem of inclusion, barely recognizing that this is the Industry’s problem far, far more than it is the Academy’s. Instead, we react to pressure. One Governor even went as far as suggesting we don’t admit a single white male to the Academy, regardless of merit!

We have failed to the move the Oscars into the modern age, despite decades of increased competition and declining ratings. Instead, we have kept to the same number of awards, which inherently means a long and boring show, and over the past decade we have nominated so many smaller independent films that the Oscars feel like they should be handed out in a tent. Big is not inherently bad and small is not inherently good. Moving into the modern age does not mean competing with the Emmys for non-theatrical features.

We have failed to solve the problems of the Museum, which is ridiculously over its initial budget and way past its original opening date. Despite having the best of the best inside the Academy membership, we have ignored the input of our Governors and our members.

We have failed our employees. Over the past seven years, we have watched dedicated employees of the Academy be driven out or leave out of frustration. Certainly, some freshening of an organization is a good thing, but that doesn’t seem the case here this seems more like a “purge” to stifle debate and support management as opposed to the needs of the Academy.

We have failed to provide leadership. Yes, that includes the Presidency, which with a one year term creates instability, but moreover, the CEO role has become much broader and far-reaching, and the results are erratic at best. It also includes 54 Board of Governors, which is so large it makes decision-making difficult and makes it way too easy for the silent majority to stay silent.

Many of the problems I’m talking about come not from malfeasance but rather from the silence of too many Governors. A vocal few people are insistent that the problems are not really problems or would be too damaging to the Academy to admit. Not facing your problems means you are not addressing those issues and, guess what, problems don’t go away — they simmer under the surface and, if anything, get worse.

You can’t hide the drainage of employees, the cataclysmic decline in the Oscar ratings, the fact that no popular film has won in over a decade that we decided to play Moral Police and most probably someone inside the Academy leaked confidential information in order to compromise the President that the Board doesn’t feel their voice is being heard with regard to the Museum that we have allowed the Academy to be blamed for things way beyond our control and then try to do things which are not in our purview (sexual harassment, discrimination in the Industry).

Perhaps I’m wrong about all of this and if so my resignation will simply make things better. If that’s the case, so be it. If it’s not, then I truly hope the majority of Governors will take action. Check in with our membership and get their input. If they respond as many have with me, then change the leadership of the Academy and put the Academy’s interests above any personal likes or dislikes.

Respectfully,

Bill Mechanic

&nbsp;

In his resignation letter, Bill wrote, "We settled on numeric answers to the problem of inclusion, barely recognizing that this is the Industry’s problem far, far more than it is the Academy’s."

Bill Mechanic stepped down from the post of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences board of governors stating that the board has “failed the organisation”. In his letter of resignation, The Hacksaw Ridge producer wrote about reacting to pressure, not handling the issue of inclusivity properly and more. He started with expressing his "great love and respect for the Academy" while going on to accuse it of allowing itself "to be blamed for things way beyond our control and then try to do things which are not in our purview (sexual harassment, discrimination in the industry). We have settled on numeric answers to the problem of inclusion, barely recognizing that this is the Industry’s problem far, far more than it is the Academy’s.” He added, "Instead we react to pressure. One Governor even went as far as suggesting we don’t admit a single white male to the Academy, regardless of merit!" An Academy spokesperson thanked Bill for his years of service representing members of the Executives Branch. Bill, however, minced no words in his resignation letter sent to AMPAS President John Bailey. This is the full letter: Dear John, There’s a moment when if you fail to make an impact, the right thing to do is make for the exits. After Saturday’s meeting, I’m at that moment and I respectfully must resign from the Board of Governors. I have a great love and respect for the Academy. I grew up loving movies and watching the Academy Awards, never dreaming of being a nominee, producing the show, and certainly not becoming a Governor. Eventually, all of these things actually came to pass and it was exciting when I was originally elected to the Board, serving with so many distinguished legends side-by-side in a non-hierarchical environment. I left the Board after one term but decided to run again a couple of years ago when many of the decisions of the Board seemed to me to be reactive rather than considered. I felt I could help provide some perspective and guidance. But it’s exceedingly clear to me since returning to the Board that things have changed and there is now a fractured environment which does not allow for a unified, strategically sound, vision. I haven’t had any real impact, so now it’s time to leave. I feel I have failed the organization. I feel we have failed the organization. We have settled on numeric answers to the problem of inclusion, barely recognizing that this is the Industry’s problem far, far more than it is the Academy’s. Instead, we react to pressure. One Governor even went as far as suggesting we don’t admit a single white male to the Academy, regardless of merit! We have failed to the move the Oscars into the modern age, despite decades of increased competition and declining ratings. Instead, we have kept to the same number of awards, which inherently means a long and boring show, and over the past decade we have nominated so many smaller independent films that the Oscars feel like they should be handed out in a tent. Big is not inherently bad and small is not inherently good. Moving into the modern age does not mean competing with the Emmys for non-theatrical features. We have failed to solve the problems of the Museum, which is ridiculously over its initial budget and way past its original opening date. Despite having the best of the best inside the Academy membership, we have ignored the input of our Governors and our members. We have failed our employees. Over the past seven years, we have watched dedicated employees of the Academy be driven out or leave out of frustration. Certainly, some freshening of an organization is a good thing, but that doesn’t seem the case here this seems more like a “purge” to stifle debate and support management as opposed to the needs of the Academy. We have failed to provide leadership. Yes, that includes the Presidency, which with a one year term creates instability, but moreover, the CEO role has become much broader and far-reaching, and the results are erratic at best. It also includes 54 Board of Governors, which is so large it makes decision-making difficult and makes it way too easy for the silent majority to stay silent. Many of the problems I’m talking about come not from malfeasance but rather from the silence of too many Governors. A vocal few people are insistent that the problems are not really problems or would be too damaging to the Academy to admit. Not facing your problems means you are not addressing those issues and, guess what, problems don’t go away — they simmer under the surface and, if anything, get worse. You can’t hide the drainage of employees, the cataclysmic decline in the Oscar ratings, the fact that no popular film has won in over a decade that we decided to play Moral Police and most probably someone inside the Academy leaked confidential information in order to compromise the President that the Board doesn’t feel their voice is being heard with regard to the Museum that we have allowed the Academy to be blamed for things way beyond our control and then try to do things which are not in our purview (sexual harassment, discrimination in the Industry). Perhaps I’m wrong about all of this and if so my resignation will simply make things better. If that’s the case, so be it. If it’s not, then I truly hope the majority of Governors will take action. Check in with our membership and get their input. If they respond as many have with me, then change the leadership of the Academy and put the Academy’s interests above any personal likes or dislikes. Respectfully, Bill Mechanic

Academy member resigns from board, says 'we have failed the organisation'

They may be the most money-minting films at the box office, but superhero movies have not managed to make it big at the Oscars and Joe Russo believes the "stigma" attached to the genre is responsible for the snub.

Joe, along with his brother Anthony Russo, has helmed blockbuster Marvel films "The Winter Soldier", "Captain America: Civil War", the upcoming "Avengers: Infinity War"&nbsp;and its sequel. The director said it is unfortunate that the genre is ignored in major categories but he understands the Academy's intention of highlighting movies which are unable to grab the attention they deserve.

"The Oscars in a way help support movies that haven't got a lot of attention or deserve more attention. Superhero movies actually don't require a lot more attention. But I do feel it has been unfortunate that superhero films haven't been included in main categories. There is a stigma towards the films. We are making these movies because we are trying to tell the best stories we can and we have a lot of incredible fans whom we want to satisfy with our storytelling. Our direct connection is with the fans," Joe said.&nbsp;

The director says superhero movies have more to them then just "saving the world" and through their films, they always try to deliver a relevant message. "I grew up a comic book fan and a movie fan. I like movies with thematics and I like the complicated, rich storytelling. I want to go and see films. And if there is something deeper I could pull out of it, I do it. For us, it is very important to have dimensions in our stories. The theme of this movie ('Infinity War') is also relevant. It is about what it costs to be a hero in a complicated world and to see value of the cost. And, all the heroes have to answer that question. That is something the audience will relate to," he said.

Joe said, with "Infinity War", they have again tried to do something different by telling the story of the villain - Thanos, not the heroes. "It was important for us to make Thanos, who has just been a guy sitting on a chair with few cameos... More dimensionalised and complicated. It was important for us to make the audience feel the anger and empathy towards him at the same time. And we try to make these movies different from each other."

"People will understand when they see the movie. For us, the hero is only as good as the villain. What Thanos is bringing to the film is so intense. The cost heroes will pay is so much. This is something fans will see for the first time in a Marvel film. It is his moment to shine. It is his story," he said.

Starring Robert Downey Jr, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Karen Gillian, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana and Chris Pratt, the film releases on April 27. 
&nbsp;

Joe said, 'There is a stigma towards the films. We are making these movies because we are trying to tell the best stories we can and we have a lot of incredible fans whom we want to satisfy with our storytelling'

They may be the most money-minting films at the box office, but superhero movies have not managed to make it big at the Oscars and Joe Russo believes the "stigma" attached to the genre is responsible for the snub. Joe, along with his brother Anthony Russo, has helmed blockbuster Marvel films "The Winter Soldier", "Captain America: Civil War", the upcoming "Avengers: Infinity War" and its sequel. The director said it is unfortunate that the genre is ignored in major categories but he understands the Academy's intention of highlighting movies which are unable to grab the attention they deserve. "The Oscars in a way help support movies that haven't got a lot of attention or deserve more attention. Superhero movies actually don't require a lot more attention. But I do feel it has been unfortunate that superhero films haven't been included in main categories. There is a stigma towards the films. We are making these movies because we are trying to tell the best stories we can and we have a lot of incredible fans whom we want to satisfy with our storytelling. Our direct connection is with the fans," Joe said. The director says superhero movies have more to them then just "saving the world" and through their films, they always try to deliver a relevant message. "I grew up a comic book fan and a movie fan. I like movies with thematics and I like the complicated, rich storytelling. I want to go and see films. And if there is something deeper I could pull out of it, I do it. For us, it is very important to have dimensions in our stories. The theme of this movie ('Infinity War') is also relevant. It is about what it costs to be a hero in a complicated world and to see value of the cost. And, all the heroes have to answer that question. That is something the audience will relate to," he said. Joe said, with "Infinity War", they have again tried to do something different by telling the story of the villain - Thanos, not the heroes. "It was important for us to make Thanos, who has just been a guy sitting on a chair with few cameos... More dimensionalised and complicated. It was important for us to make the audience feel the anger and empathy towards him at the same time. And we try to make these movies different from each other." "People will understand when they see the movie. For us, the hero is only as good as the villain. What Thanos is bringing to the film is so intense. The cost heroes will pay is so much. This is something fans will see for the first time in a Marvel film. It is his moment to shine. It is his story," he said. Starring Robert Downey Jr, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Karen Gillian, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana and Chris Pratt, the film releases on April 27.

Joe Russo on Oscars snub: There is a stigma towards superhero films

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/kremlin-furious-as-britain-blames-putin-for-ex-spy-attack-36103">Kremlin furious as Britain blames Putin for ex-spy attack</a>

Britain provoked Russia&#39;s wrath on Friday by directly implicating Vladimir Putin in the poisoning attack on an ex-double agent, with the Kremlin saying the claims were &quot;shocking and unforgivable&quot;.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/oscars-chief-being-investigated-for-sexual-harassment-report-36105">Oscars</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/oscars-chief-being-investigated-for-sexual-harassment-report-36105"> chief being investigated for sexual harassment: Report</a>

John Bailey, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body which hands out the Oscars, is being investigated for sexual harassment, Variety reported on Friday.ntarian, experts lambast Pakistan for sheltering terrorists

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/european-parliamentarian-experts-lambast-pakistan-for-sheltering-terrorists-36107">European parliamentarian, experts lambast Pakistan for sheltering terrorists</a>

Experts and a Member of European Parliament (MEP) have shown concern over the growing extremism and terrorism in Pakistan, which are hurting not only the country but also the Western nations.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-air-strike-hits-hospital-in-syrias-afrin-monitor-medics-36110">Turkish air strike hits </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-air-strike-hits-hospital-in-syrias-afrin-monitor-medics-36110">hospital</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-air-strike-hits-hospital-in-syrias-afrin-monitor-medics-36110"> in Syria&#39;s Afrin: Monitor, medics</a>

A Turkish bombing raid struck the main hospital in the Kurdish-controlled Syrian town of Afrin, killing sixteen civilians, a monitor said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/call-data-records-case-nawazuddin-siddiquis-lawyer-arrested-36108">Call data records case: Nawazuddin Siddiqui&#39;s lawyer arrested</a>

The Thane Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police on Friday arrested the lawyer of actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rizwan Siddiqui, for allegedly obtaining the call data records of the actor&#39;s wife from private detectives.

&nbsp;

Kremlin furious as Britain blames Putin for ex-spy attack Britain provoked Russia's wrath on Friday by directly implicating Vladimir Putin in the poisoning attack on an ex-double agent, with the Kremlin saying the claims were "shocking and unforgivable". Oscars chief being investigated for sexual harassment: Report John Bailey, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body which hands out the Oscars, is being investigated for sexual harassment, Variety reported on Friday.ntarian, experts lambast Pakistan for sheltering terrorists European parliamentarian, experts lambast Pakistan for sheltering terrorists Experts and a Member of European Parliament (MEP) have shown concern over the growing extremism and terrorism in Pakistan, which are hurting not only the country but also the Western nations. Turkish air strike hits hospital in Syria's Afrin: Monitor, medics A Turkish bombing raid struck the main hospital in the Kurdish-controlled Syrian town of Afrin, killing sixteen civilians, a monitor said. Call data records case: Nawazuddin Siddiqui's lawyer arrested The Thane Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police on Friday arrested the lawyer of actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rizwan Siddiqui, for allegedly obtaining the call data records of the actor's wife from private detectives.

WION morning news brief, March 17, 2018

John Bailey, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body which hands out the Oscars, is being investigated for sexual harassment, Variety reported on Friday.

The trade publication said the Academy immediately opened an investigation after receiving three harassment claims against Bailey on Wednesday.

Bailey, 75, a cinematographer whose credits include &quot;Groundhog Day&quot; and &quot;The Big Chill,&quot; was elected to a four-year term as head of the Academy in August.

His brief tenure has been marked by the birth of the #MeToo movement started by actress Alyssa Milano and which went global, highlighting accusations of sexual abuse.

Harvey Weinstein, whose studio Miramax was behind hits such as &quot;Shakespeare In Love&quot; and &quot;Pulp Fiction,&quot; was expelled from the Academy in October following accusations of sexual harassment and abuse by dozens of women.

In December, the Academy adopted a code of conduct for its members.

At a February lunch for this year`s Oscar nominees, Bailey promised the Academy would adopt a &quot;greater awareness and responsibility in balancing gender, race, ethnicity, and religion.&quot;

&quot;The fossilized bedrock of many of Hollywood`s worst abuses are being jackhammered into oblivion,&quot; he said.

The Academy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

John Bailey, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body which hands out the Oscars, is being investigated for sexual harassment

John Bailey, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body which hands out the Oscars, is being investigated for sexual harassment, Variety reported on Friday. The trade publication said the Academy immediately opened an investigation after receiving three harassment claims against Bailey on Wednesday. Bailey, 75, a cinematographer whose credits include "Groundhog Day" and "The Big Chill," was elected to a four-year term as head of the Academy in August. His brief tenure has been marked by the birth of the #MeToo movement started by actress Alyssa Milano and which went global, highlighting accusations of sexual abuse. Harvey Weinstein, whose studio Miramax was behind hits such as "Shakespeare In Love" and "Pulp Fiction," was expelled from the Academy in October following accusations of sexual harassment and abuse by dozens of women. In December, the Academy adopted a code of conduct for its members. At a February lunch for this year`s Oscar nominees, Bailey promised the Academy would adopt a "greater awareness and responsibility in balancing gender, race, ethnicity, and religion." "The fossilized bedrock of many of Hollywood`s worst abuses are being jackhammered into oblivion," he said. The Academy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Oscars chief being investigated for sexual harassment: Report

The Oscars telecasted on the 4th of March this year and hit an all-time low viewer rating.

The politically charged 90th annual Academy Awards drew an all-time low of 26.5 million viewers this year, a 20 per cent drop from last year.&nbsp;

Major feud happened when US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to publicise the news saying, &quot;Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don&rsquo;t have Stars anymore - except your President (just kidding, of course)!&quot;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don&rsquo;t have Stars anymore - except your President (just kidding, of course)!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/971013841395027968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

In no time, Jimmy Kimmel, talk show host who also hosted this years Oscars retaliated in rage and also took to Twitter to shun&nbsp;down Trump and said: &quot;Thanks, lowest rated President in HISTORY.&quot;&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Thanks, lowest rated President in HISTORY. <a href="https://t.co/E01UgDaZ3T">https://t.co/E01UgDaZ3T</a>
&mdash; Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) <a href="https://twitter.com/jimmykimmel/status/971073765567156224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Kimmel focused on Hollywood&#39;s own diversity issues during his opening monologue at the ceremony, though he did manage to throw some shade on Trump, including his assumed dislike for immigrant actress Lupita Nyong&rsquo;o and his probable misunderstanding of the racially based horror-comedy Get Out.

Moreover, critics are now speculating if ABC will have an awakening and take control of the telecast away from the notoriously arrogant Academy, reports said.

ABC executives have long been rumoured to vent privately about the arrogance of the Academy, but the Oscars are still the second biggest night on television after the Super Bowl, so the Academy continues to celebrate Hollywood&#39;s elite exactly how it wants to.&nbsp;

As per reports, viewers have mostly complained about how the Oscars tend to give more regards to self-serving tributes to the yearly tradition of leaving fan favorites out of the &ldquo;In Memoriam&rdquo; segment. This year, for example, Adam West and Glen Campbell were posthumously ignored. Others feel the telecast ends too late, takes too long, is too politically correct and doesn&rsquo;t feature TV stars in an era when television produces household names at the same rate as films.

But, these are not the primary reasons that keep viewers from watching the star-studded event. The two issues that are most commonly mentioned as a turn off for viewers are divisive politics and the lack of well-known movies. While the Academy has a lot of power over the content of the program as its producer, ABC is also responsible for much of the blame, reports suggested.

This is not a one-year trend either. Oscars viewership in 2018 fell by 39 per cent from its ratings just four years earlier, in 2014, when Ellen DeGeneres hosted for ABC. The previous low of 31.8 million viewers came in 2008 when Jon Stewart hosted not long after a lengthy writers&#39; strike ended.

The politically charged 90th annual Academy Awards drew an all-time low 26.5 million viewers this year, a 19 per cent drop from last year

The Oscars telecasted on the 4th of March this year and hit an all-time low viewer rating. The politically charged 90th annual Academy Awards drew an all-time low of 26.5 million viewers this year, a 20 per cent drop from last year. Major feud happened when US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to publicise the news saying, "Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don’t have Stars anymore - except your President (just kidding, of course)!" Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don’t have Stars anymore - except your President (just kidding, of course)! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 6, 2018 × In no time, Jimmy Kimmel, talk show host who also hosted this years Oscars retaliated in rage and also took to Twitter to shun down Trump and said: "Thanks, lowest rated President in HISTORY." Thanks, lowest rated President in HISTORY. https://t.co/E01UgDaZ3T — Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) March 6, 2018 × Kimmel focused on Hollywood's own diversity issues during his opening monologue at the ceremony, though he did manage to throw some shade on Trump, including his assumed dislike for immigrant actress Lupita Nyong’o and his probable misunderstanding of the racially based horror-comedy Get Out. Moreover, critics are now speculating if ABC will have an awakening and take control of the telecast away from the notoriously arrogant Academy, reports said. ABC executives have long been rumoured to vent privately about the arrogance of the Academy, but the Oscars are still the second biggest night on television after the Super Bowl, so the Academy continues to celebrate Hollywood's elite exactly how it wants to. As per reports, viewers have mostly complained about how the Oscars tend to give more regards to self-serving tributes to the yearly tradition of leaving fan favorites out of the “In Memoriam” segment. This year, for example, Adam West and Glen Campbell were posthumously ignored. Others feel the telecast ends too late, takes too long, is too politically correct and doesn’t feature TV stars in an era when television produces household names at the same rate as films. But, these are not the primary reasons that keep viewers from watching the star-studded event. The two issues that are most commonly mentioned as a turn off for viewers are divisive politics and the lack of well-known movies. While the Academy has a lot of power over the content of the program as its producer, ABC is also responsible for much of the blame, reports suggested. This is not a one-year trend either. Oscars viewership in 2018 fell by 39 per cent from its ratings just four years earlier, in 2014, when Ellen DeGeneres hosted for ABC. The previous low of 31.8 million viewers came in 2008 when Jon Stewart hosted not long after a lengthy writers' strike ended.

Trump, Kimmel face-off over low Oscar TV ratings

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