Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 22 February 2018
Songwriter Diane Warren wants an Oscar already

By KRISTIN M. HALL feels like an extension of "Til
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — It Happens to You," Warren
Songwriter Diane Warren is said.
overdue for an Oscar, and "The interesting thing about
she has no reservations those two songs is 'Till It
about admitting it. Happens to You' is a very
"I am not going to say, 'I strong and powerful state-
don't need to win. I don't ment. But 'Stand Up for
care,'" Warren said in a Something' is action, so the
phone interview. "I want songs together, it's almost
to win. Come on, it's been like they are part of the
eight times that I haven't." same," Warren said. "It's a
Warren joked she was the continuation."
Susan Lucci of songwriters. Warren had already start-
Her previous nominations ed the song and was think-
include well-known songs ing about asking Common
like "I Don't Want to Miss a to help her add a rap. Then
Thing," by Aerosmith, fea- they randomly met on an
tured in "Armageddon," airplane and he was imme-
and Trisha Yearwood's diately interested.
"How Do I Live," featured in "I wanted to capture the
"Con Air." feel of those songs in the
But the Grammy-winning '60s, those really inspiring
songwriter said she's nev- songs like 'A Change Is
er been more excited for In this Feb. 5, 2018 file photo, Diane Warren poses for a portrait at the 90th Academy Awards nomi- Gonna Come' or 'People
a nomination than she is nees luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif. Warren, along with rapper Common, is nominated for best Get Ready,'" Warren said.
for "Stand Up for Some- original song for the film “Marshall.” "Even with all the turmoil
thing," which she wrote for Associated Press going on, these songs just
the Thurgood Marshall bi- want to make you march
opic "Marshall." The song, "It would be really great if it appearing in a documen- rounded by assault survi- and change the world."
nominated for best original does (win)," Warren said. "I'll tary about sexual assault vors. But most importantly, War-
song, features singer Andra probably faint." on campus called "The "I looked around and ev- ren was careful with the
Day and was co-written Warren thought her best Hunting Ground." erybody is sobbing," Warren lyrics to not sound preachy
with rapper Common. chance at winning an Os- Warren said she was so sure recalls of the performance. and let listeners derive their
The 90th annual Academy car came in 2015 when a the song would win that Ultimately Sam Smith and own meaning. That has
Awards will air live on ABC song she wrote with Lady a friend posted copies of Jimmy Napes won in the made the song resonate,
on March 4. Gaga, "Til It Happens to her planned acceptance best original song category Warren said. "It's more time-
You," was nominated after speech around her home for "Writing's on the Wall" ly every day," Warren said.
so she could practice it. from "Spectre." But Warren "Stand up for something.
The song was incredibly did get to give her speech We have to stand up for
personal to both writers, when she won an Emmy for everything. Women's rights,
and Lady Gaga delivered outstanding original music civil rights, human rights.
an unforgettable Oscar and lyrics. The right to go to a concert
performance in 2016 sur- This latest nominated song and not get shot."q

California law that blocked

posting actors' ages struck down

By BRIAN MELLEY crews. of actors who couldn't get
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Cal- The law was a "direct restric- parts because of age bias
ifornia law that sought to tion on speech" and was when a bigger problem
prevent age discrimination flawed because it was not was sex discrimination.
in the entertainment indus- narrowly tailored and was Materials supporting the
try by blocking a popular "underinclusive" by target- law referred to the prac-
Hollywood website from ing IMDb, Chhabria said. tice of casting younger
posting the ages of actors The ruling comes as sex- women against much old-
was struck down Tuesday ual misconduct scandals er men and also to the lack
as unconstitutional. that erupted in Hollywood of women in leading roles
U.S. District Court Judge last fall and spread more and as directors, the judge
Vince Chhabria in San broadly have also brought said. "This is not so much
Francisco said the law new attention to pay dis- because the entertain-
passed in 2016 violated the parity and other gender- ment industry has a prob-
First Amendment rights of related discrimination in lem with older people per
IMDb.com by preventing the entertainment industry. se," Chhabria wrote. "Rath-
it from publishing factual Without referencing the er, it's a manifestation of
information on its website #MeToo movement, the the industry's insistence on
that provides information judge said the law was mis- objectifying women, over-
about movies, television guided because it sought valuing their looks while de-
shows and their casts and to prevent discrimination valuing everything else."q