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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 25 February 2019
Curtain set to go up on a host-less but drama-filled Oscars

By JAKE COYLE her dog, Pip, along as a
Associated Press date.
NEW YORK (AP) — A winter One virtual lock: Marvel will
of discontent for the Acad- win its first Oscar. Though
emy Awards will culminate "Black Panther," up for six
Sunday in an Oscar cere- awards and could win in a
mony that may lack a host number of categories, "Spi-
but isn't missing intrigue. der-Man: Into the Spider-
The run-up to the 91st Acad- Verse" is considered the
emy Awards has been a se- overwhelming favorite for
ries of missteps and back- best animated film.
tracks by the Academy of Last year's Oscars followed
Motion Pictures Arts and the rise of the #MeToo
Sciences. A new best "pop- movement, the launch of
ular film" category was in, the gender equality group
and then it was out . Kevin Time's Up and the down-
Hart was host and then he fall of Harvey Weinstein. A
wasn't . Some categories year after best-actress win-
were removed from the live ner Frances McDormand
broadcast, and then they urged the adoption of an
were back. "inclusion rider" (a contrac-
But if the script this Oscar tual stipulation for the di-
season has been con- In this Feb. 4, 2019 file photo, an Oscar statue appears at the 91st Academy Awards Nominees versity of a film's cast and
stantly rewritten, the film Luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif. crew), numerous produc-
academy is hoping for a Associated Press tion companies, stars and
Hollywood ending (and one studio (Warner Bros.)
much better ratings than hemian Rhapsody." will be both the first Netflix him the first black filmmaker have made similar pledges.
the all-time low viewership In the academy's favor is a movie to win best picture to ever win the award. Lee How much gender equal-
last year .) ABC's telecast popular crop of nominees: and the first foreign lan- has said he likes his film's un- ity will be discussed at this
will begin at 8 p.m. EST fol- "Bohemian Rhapsody," ''A guage film to do so. derdog position as a "dark year's Oscars is unclear.
lowing the usual red carpet Star Is Born" and, most of Yet this year's race has horse — pun intended." Lee Many have criticized this
festivities. The show is avail- all, "Black Panther" have been maddeningly unpre- and his fellow screenwriters year's selections for lack-
able for livestream via ABC all amassed huge sums in dictable , with the usual are also up for best screen- ing a female nominee in
in some cities to users with ticket sales. Typically, when predictive awards being play, which would give the best director category
a participating TV provider. there are box-office hits spread across contend- the 61-year-old Lee his first (Greta Gerwig was the fifth
After some unlikely Los An- (like "Titanic"), more people ers such as Peter Farrelly's competitive Oscar. ever last year) or a best
geles weather — to much watch the Oscars. "Green Book," a divisive Many also expect Glenn picture nominee directed
local fanfare, it snowed in But just how many people period dramedy about a Close, in her seventh nomi- by a woman. Recent stud-
parts of the city on Thursday have seen one of the top black pianist (Mahershala nation, to finally win one. ies have shown that Holly-
— sunny skies are expected nominees and the film fa- Ali) and his white chauffer She's the front-runner for wood improved on many
for red carpet arrivals. vored to win best picture (Viggo Mortensen); the best actress for her perfor- counts in diversity and
Producers Donna Gigliotti — Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma" royal romp "The Favourite; mance in "The Wife," a film gender parity in 2018, but
and Glenn Weiss have — remains unknown. Net- and Ryan Coogler's Marvel about the overlooked and remains far from equitable
pledged that the show flix has declined to give sensation "Black Panther," under-honored spouse of for women and people of
will be speedier this year , box-office results or steam- which could become the an acclaimed novelist. color.
even though its initial goal ing viewership. It remains first superhero film ever to Though Lady Gaga began In the last few years, the
of a three-hour broadcast a nominee unlike any win Hollywood's top award. the season as the favorite, academy has considerably
has faded. Kicking things other. Should "Roma" — a Other milestones are pos- Close has won a string of increased its membership
off will be a performance black-and-white, Spanish sible, too. Though Cuaron awards leading up to the in an effort to diversify its
by Queen, featuring Adam and Mixtec language film is favored for best director, Oscars, including at Sat- ranks, which have histori-
Lambert, to celebrate the about a domestic worker in a win for Spike Lee ("BlacK- urday's Independent Spirit cally been overwhelmingly
best picture-nominee "Bo- a Mexican family — win, it kKlansman") would make Awards where she brought white and male. q

Sasha Sagan, daughter of Carl

Sagan, has book out in October

Associated Press der and Meaning in Our became parents.
NEW YORK (AP) — Sasha Unlikely World," is coming Sasha Sagan is a writer,
Sagan, daughter of the out in October. filmmaker and producer.
late Carl Sagan, is working She will share memories of Her book is drawn from a
on a book her publisher is her father, the famed as- widely read essay, "Les-
calling "part memoir, part tronomer, and explore her sons of Immortality and
guidebook and part social beliefs in the prevalence Mortality From My Father,
history." of science and the natu- Carl Sagan," that she wrote This combination of photos released by G.P. Putnam’s Sons
G.P. Putnam's Sons an- ral world. She will also write for New York Magazine in shows a cover image for the book, "For Small Creatures Such As
nounced Thursday that Sa- about how she and her 2014.q We: Finding Wonder And Meaning In Our Unlikely World," and a
gan's "For Small Creatures husband created "new, portrait of author Sasha Sagan. Associated Press
Such As We: Finding Won- secular rituals" when they