Page 31 - atoday
P. 31
PEOPLE & ARTS A31
Friday 26 February 2016
Diversity must play a role in Oscar show, but not the lead
SANDY COHEN Pedestrians walk through the arrivals area for the Oscars in front of the Dolby Theatre on Wednes- ers and “The Revenant”
AP Entertainment Writer day, Feb. 24, 2016, in Los Angeles. The 88th Academy Awards will be held on Sunday. brought Alejandro Inarritu
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sun- a second consecutive Di-
day’s Academy Awards Associated Press rectors Guild of America
promise a three-way race award. Many academy
for best picture, perfor- telecast is perceived,” said of all-white acting con- what overshadowed this voters are also guild mem-
mances by Lady Gaga, Dave Karger, chief corre- tenders. awards season by the in- bers, which means Inarritu
Sam Smith and the Week- spondent for Fandango. Producers have assembled dustry’s larger issues. “The could also take home his
nd, and the likelihood of com. “He’s the kind of guy a diverse array of present- Revenant” leads with 12 second directing Oscar.
first Oscar wins ever for who can treat all of this ers for Sunday’s show, nominations, including best He’s up against Adam
Leonardo DiCaprio and with the perfect amount of including Morgan Free- picture, and it’s locked in a McKay (“The Big Short”),
Sylvester Stallone. edge and humor.” man, Sofia Vergara, Kevin three-way battle with the Tom McCarthy (“Spot-
But no one is talking about “This is not the year you Hart, Whoopi Goldberg, investment dramedy “The light”), George Miller
it. want Ellen DeGeneres or Sarah Silverman, Tina Fey, Big Short” and the journal- (“Mad Max: Fury Road”)
Oscar host Chris Rock and Billy Crystal up there,” said Kerry Washington, Quincy ism tale “Spotlight” for the and Lenny Abrahamson
telecast producers Regi- Steve Pond, awards editor Jones and “Star Wars: The night’s top prize. Other (“Room”).
nald Hudlin and David Hill for TheWrap.com and au- Force Awakens” director contenders are “Bridge of DiCaprio (“The Revenant”)
— who would typically be thor of “The Big Show: High J.J. Abrams and star Daisy Spies,” ‘’Brooklyn,” ‘’The and Brie Larson (“Room”)
promoting the show this Times and Dirty Dealings Ridley. Last year’s winners Martian,” ‘’Room” and have swept the acting
week to inspire tune-in — at the Academy Awards. Eddie Redmayne, Patricia “Mad Max: Fury Road.” categories at other awards
have gone silent. Acad- “That would be awkward.” Arquette, J.K. Simmons, Ju- The leading best-pic- shows this season and are
emy officials are staying Hollywood’s lack of diver- lianne Moore, John Legend ture nominees split the favored to win on Sunday.
mum. Hollywood’s diversity sity has taken center stage and Common are also set guild awards: “Spotlight” DiCaprio faces Redmayne
issue is dominating buzz, since last month’s Oscar to appear. claimed the Screen Actors (“The Danish Girl”), Bryan
demanding airtime and nominations revealed a Then there are the nomi- Guild’s top prize, “The Big Cranston (“Trumbo”), Matt
threatening to overwhelm second consecutive year nees, who’ve been some- Short” won with produc- Damon (“The Martian”)
the industry’s biggest night. and Michael Fassbend-
That leaves Hudlin and Hill er (“Steve Jobs”). Larson
with the unenviable chal- is nominated alongside
lenge of presenting a show Cate Blanchett (“Carol”),
celebrating the best of the Jennifer Lawrence (“Joy”),
movie business when its Charlotte Rampling (“45
worst features have been Years”) and Saoirse Ronan
in focus. The producers de- (“Brooklyn”).
clined interview requests Regardless of what the Os-
from The Associated Press, cars’ host and producer
as did Rock and film acad- may add to the diversity
emy representatives. conversation, they plan to
It’s fair to expect Rock — present the traditional 24
who called Hollywood “a awards and feature musi-
white industry” in a 2014 cal performances by origi-
essay — to address the di- nal song nominees Gaga,
versity issue up front, and Smith and Weeknd and a
industry experts say he’s special appearance by
perfectly suited for the job. Dave Grohl.
“That opening Chris Rock “The show can’t solve the
monologue is going to diversity problem in the
be key to how the overall academyq
Athletes, actress set to judge
$1 million tech TV contest
LYNN ELBER Madness, with some games Competitors that survive In this March 14, 2015 file photo, former NBA basketball player
AP Television Writer carried by TBS, so includ- the first round will fine-tune Shaquille O’Neal, left, arrives at the Comedy Central Roast of
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two ing O’Neal and Smith was their products through Justin Bieber in Culver City, Calif. O’Neal, along with fellow bas-
basketball stars and a a good fit. Bialik, who stars weekly challenges to be ketball great Kenny Smith and actress Mayim Bialik, right, will
brainy sitcom actress will on “The Big Bang Theory,” judged by Intel CEO Brian help decide the winner of the tech-competition series, “Ameri-
be among the judges for holds a doctorate in neuro- Krzanich; financial expert ca’s Greatest Makers,” on TBS.
TBS’ tech-competition se- science. Carol Roth; Kevin Pereira,
ries, “America’s Greatest The competitors, both co-host of truTV’s “Hack My Associated Press
Makers.” The cable chan- groups and individu- Life,” and one of the celeb-
nel said Tuesday that Sha- als, have come up with rity judges. scribed by TBS as part of areas of wearable technol-
quille O’Neal, Kenny Smith “amazing and cool” tech Burnett, whose credits in- chip-maker Intel’s initiative ogy and smart-connected
and Mayim Bialik will help ideas, Burnett said. They clude “Survivor” and “Shark to foster innovation in the consumer electronics.q
decide the winner of the range from a toothbrush Tank,” said the male and
contest and its $1 million equipped with a video female contestants range
top prize. Executive pro- game to encourage kids in age from 15 to 59 and
ducer Mark Burnett said to use it — to a drone with are ethnically diverse.
the show will debut close to the possibility of being con- “America’s Greatest Mak-
college basketball’s March trolled by thought. ers,” starting April 5, is de-
