The Oscars: Sausage fingers, severed fingers, oddball indies and billion-pound blockbusters
From sausage fingers to severed fingers and with oddball indies in contention alongside billion-pound blockbusters, Hollywood’s big night is here and this year there are cinematic treats catering to pretty much everyone’s tastes.
While more box office hits like Avatar and Top Gun have made the shortlist than usual, they aren’t the ones everyone’s talking about on the sand-coloured carpet in rainy Los Angeles.
Instead, Ireland’s hopes rest with a twisted take on the break-up of a male friendship.
The brilliant The Banshees Of Inisherin reunites two of cinema’s finest in Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, and looks strong with its nine nominations.
Banshees of Inisherin. Pic: Searchlight Pictures
Not that filmmaker Martin McDonagh is too bothered.
“I’m bad at public speaking, so I’m kind of half happy when we lose so I don’t have to go up there,” he told Sky News earlier this awards season.
“But no, it’s better to be in the mix than not to be in the mix.
“So it’s weirdly both exciting and scary at the same time.”
Brendan Gleeson, Kelly Condon and Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell stars in The Banshees Of Inisherin. Pic: Jonathan Hession/Searchlight Pictures via AP
It’s a year for first-timers with 16 of the 20 acting contenders having never been Oscar nominated before – including Ireland’s Paul Mescal and Britain’s Bill Nighy – with the latter embracing the stiff upper lip stereotype.
“I think it probably is regrettable and psychiatrists would probably say its deeply unhealthy,” Nighy said.
“But there’s also something kind of heroic about it and it’s funny that you weren’t allowed to express anything really.”
Bill Nighy in Living. Pic: Lionsgate
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As for his chances though? Critics claim it’s a “Butler vs Brendan” showdown.
Both gave transformative performances, with Austin Butler impressing as the king in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic Elvis, while Brendan Fraser is back after a spell away and has been visibly emotional at the strong reception he has received for his part in The Whale.
“The award stuff, it’s new to me, but we’re all frothy and happy and giddy and happy for this, with fingers crossed and best fondest hopes for success,” Fraser told Sky News.
“But who knows what the result is going to be.
“But I’m confident – I think that we’ve got a shot at making it to the finish line.”
Angela Bassett in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Pic: Annette Brown/ Marvel Studios
Angela Bassett is the one to beat in the supporting actress category, where she could well provide Marvel’s first acting win for her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
But Jamie Lee Curtis just might pip her to the prize on Sunday for her part in Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Cate Blanchett in Tar: Pic: Florian Hoffmeister/Focus Features
And whether Michelle Yeoh can beat Cate Blanchett for best actress is a tough call, as it seems written in the stars – an awards prophecy if you like – that Blanchett’s Academy Award-winning films are released every nine years – she won for The Aviator in 2004 and Blue Jasmine in 2013 – so Tar (released last year) will probably deliver her a third.
Ke Huy Quan. Pic: Dana Pleasant/Invision/AP
And Ke Huy Quan, a supporting actor nominee who those of a certain age will remember from The Goonies, says he’s winning regardless.
Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Pic: A24
Quan, who is nominated for his part in Everything Everywhere All At Once, told Sky News: “Honestly, when I did this movie, when I decided to get back into acting, I didn’t think any of this was possible.
“I just wanted a job. I just wanted to be in front of the camera again.
“All these nominations are so, so great. It’s already a win for me.”
Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh and James Hong in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Pic: A24
When it comes to the big prize, don’t rule out All Quiet On The Western Front causing a noisy upset for best picture – after all, that’s what happened at this year’s BAFTAs.
But the film to keep your eye on is Everything Everywhere All At Once – the unlikely indie and multiverse-jumping sci-fi hit leading the pack with 11 nominations.
And if it doesn’t end up dominating the night, fans can take comfort that out there in another dimension, it will most definitely take home every award, somewhere at multiple times.
You can watch the Academy Awards on Sunday 12 March from 11pm exclusively on Sky News and Sky Showcase. And for everything you need to know ahead of the ceremony, don’t miss our special Backstage podcast, out now, plus look out for our special episode on the winners from Monday morning.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
Entertainment
Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home
An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.
Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.
The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.
Both had died from gunshot wounds.
Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook
Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.
It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.
According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.
Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.
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Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles
In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.
“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”
Entertainment
Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester
Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.
Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.
While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.
People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. Reuters file pic
Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.
“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.
“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.
“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”
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Friday: Excited fans at Oasis homecoming gig
The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.
The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.
More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.
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John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.
He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.
“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.
“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”
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