Movie fans are calling out what they see as inconsistencies in Christopher Nolan&#8217;s approach to his upcoming summer blockbuster “The Odyssey.” 
Several creative decisions have raised eyebrows, including the casting of Lupita Nyong&#8217;o as Helen of Troy, the inclusion of a transgender-identifying actress Elliot Page, and the addition of rapper Travis Scott to the cast.
And yet, the Academy Award-winning director drew the line at using orchestral music, saying he felt it would be historically inauthentic.
In a recent <a href="https://time.com/article/2026/05/12/christopher-nolan-odyssey-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Time, composer Ludwig Göransson explained that Nolan told him to avoid orchestral music.
“It’s not like the orchestra existed back then,” Göransson said. “It was a challenge and also an opening to try to make something unique.” The composer instead used “35 bronze gongs of varying sizes” to create the sounds.
Nolan defended his decision to cast Scott during the same conversation, framing it as a thematic choice.
“I cast him because I wanted to nod towards the idea that this story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap,” Nolan told Time.  
The “Oppenheimer” director did not address the controversy surrounding Page&#8217;s casting in an as-yet-unknown role, though rumor has it she will play Achilles. 
Nolan did confirm that Nyong&#8217;o will play two roles — Helen of Troy and her sister, Clytemnestra. This has led to backlash online, as fans point out that the actress looks nothing like Helen of Troy as described in Greek mythology. “The Iliad” describes her as &#8220;white-armed&#8221; or &#8220;pale-armed,&#8221; while in “Doctor Faustus,” her face is said to be so beautiful that it “launched a thousand ships.&#8221;
Some critics are speculating that Nolan may have chosen a “diverse” cast because he’s hoping for Academy Award nominations. 
The Academy’s current “Representation and Inclusion Standards” <a href="https://www.oscars.org/awards/representation-and-inclusion-standards">state</a> that in order to comply, a film must feature a lead or significant supporting actors from “underrepresented racial or ethnic groups,” include at least 30% of all actors from at least two underrepresented groups, or have the narrative focus on an underrepresented group. 
Since “The Odyssey” is about men, the film would only qualify for Best Picture if it met one of the first two criteria. 
Nolan brushed off the criticism, saying he took liberties with films in the past, too.
“For ‘Interstellar,’ you’re looking at, ‘What is the best speculation of the future?’ When you’re looking at the ancient past, it’s actually the same thing. ‘What is the best speculation and how can I use that to create a world?’”
He went on, “Hopefully they’ll enjoy the film, even if they don’t agree with everything. We had a lot of scientists complain about ‘Interstellar.’ But you just don’t want people to think that you took it on frivolously.”
“The Odyssey” is scheduled to hit theaters July 17.
Matt Damon stars as Odysseus alongside an ensemble cast of A-list stars, including Tom Holland as Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, and Zendaya as Athena.

Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan Bends The Knee To DEI In ‘The Odyssey’

Academy Awards

Entertainment

Hollywood

Movies

In a feel-good moment for movie fans, it was announced on Wednesday that puppeteer James Ortiz is eligible for a Best Supporting Actor award at next year’s Oscars, per <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/awards/project-hail-mary-james-ortiz-oscars-sag-eligible-puppeteer-1236726540/">Variety</a>. Ortiz was the puppeteer and voice actor for the rock-shaped alien, Rocky, who became one of the best-loved parts of Amazon’s smash hit “Project Hail Mary” last month.
The film is expected to garner plenty of other nominations at the next Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Ryan Gosling, Best Picture, and Best Director. There’s no telling if the Academy will select Ortiz as a nominee even though he is technically eligible.
Variety also noted that his work could be recognized in the Special Achievement Award category, which was last given to “Toy Story” (1995).
“Typically, we talk about puppetry as a technical achievement, and it is,” Ortiz told the outlet.
“It’s a spectacle,” he added. “For me as a performer, however, that’s never my entry point. I’m interested in the heart of the character — what they’re trying to communicate, what they’re feeling underneath all of it. When we can take a medium like puppetry, which is often seen as decorative, and bring to life a character with a beating heart in a way that genuinely affects people, then we’re doing something truly meaningful.”
Ortiz previously discussed how much expertise and planning went into bringing Rocky to life. Fans of the film praised its overall authenticity, which included using a real puppet rather than relying on CGI.
“Rocky is super intelligent and has a mind like a computer — you never have to say anything twice to him,” Ortiz said of the character. “He’s a brilliant engineer. But his soul, to me, always felt like that of a little brother. There’s a little bit of this anxious, 14-year-old boy who really wants to be invited to the party.”
“What I loved about the process was at no point did [directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller] or anybody on the team ever treat me like I was a technician, or like a plumber who was brought in to fix a specific thing,” the puppeteer added. “At every point they would ask, ‘what do you think, would Rocky do this or that?’ And I’d think about it and tell them exactly how Rocky would feel.”
“Project Hail Mary” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-learned-the-wrong-lesson-from-project-hail-mary">dominated the box office</a> last month with an $80.5 million domestic opening weekend, with a 95% critic score and a 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. By the second weekend, the film had crossed $300 million worldwide and became the second-biggest non-franchise opening over the past decade, second only to “Oppenheimer.”

Rocky

Everyone’s Favorite Alien Could Win An Oscar

Oscars

U.S.

In any other time, Timothée Chalamet would be the toast of Hollywood.
Young, handsome and versatile, few actors take their craft as seriously as Chalamet. So why is he suddenly considered a cartoonish villain within the halls of Tinsel Town? At a time when the industry still relies on 60-something stars named Cruise, Pitt, Depp and Reeves to fill seats, shouldn’t Hollywood be rallying around a much younger star?
Instead, we’ve spent weeks dissecting an offhand comment he made during a podcast chat and wondered if his “<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/timothee-chalamet-oscar-campaign-analysis-marty-supreme-1236521110/">swagger</a>” alienated too many Oscar voters.
Is this any way to treat a generational talent?
<div id="attachment_1064909" style="width: 819px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1064909" class="size-large wp-image-1064909" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2110850824-809x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 24: Timothee Chalamet is seen on location for the Bob Dylan biopic titled 'A Complete Unknown' on March 24, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)" width="809" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2110850824-809x576.jpg 809w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2110850824-300x214.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2110850824-768x547.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2110850824.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px" />Gotham/GC Images</div>
In a just a short span, Chalamet has played a bevy of iconic roles. He gave us Paul Atreides, the complicated hero of the “Dune” saga, a remarkable take on Bob Dylan via “A Complete Unknown” and even a young Willy Wonka. He’s earned three Oscar nominations to date, cementing his status among his peers.
And these weren’t emotional picks by any stretch. He earned them.
His sublime turn in last year’s “Marty Supreme” had him earmarked for Oscar night glory. It was his time, especially since he missed out the year prior despite a dazzling turn as a young Bob Dylan. Chalamet spent years performing like the folk-rock legend, so when the cameras started rolling, he’d be more than ready for his close-up.
Cillian Murphy bested Chalamet for his work in “Oppenheimer” all the same. It happens, but the young star never stopped hustling.
He trained obsessively once more for “Marty Supreme,” the tale of a ping-pong prodigy whose moral lapses threatened his dreams of global domination.
<div id="attachment_1064923" style="width: 605px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1064923" class="size-large wp-image-1064923" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2176665467-595x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 07: Timothee Chalamet is seen on the set of &quot;Marty Supreme&quot; on October 7, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by XNY/Star Max/GC Images)" width="595" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2176665467-595x576.jpg 595w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2176665467-300x290.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2176665467-768x743.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2176665467.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px" />XNY/Star Max/GC Images</div>
Not only was he preparing years before the film hit theaters, he had to ape the precise ping-pong style of the 1950s. Tricking audiences that he was an elite ping-pong champion wasn’t enough. 
That’s hardly new for Chalamet, who happily rolls up his sleeves for the right role. He <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/timothee-chalamet-marty-supreme-ping-pong-training-1236454197/">learned Italian for his 2017 film</a>, “Call Me by Your Name,” which landed him his first Oscar nomination.
His latest extreme challenge didn’t grant him the ultimate acting prize. His fading can’t-miss status collapsed over the last few months, paving the way for the talented Michael B. Jordan to take Best Actor honors for “Sinners.”
That came as no surprise to Oscar observers. They watched Chalamet’s can’t-miss status crumble in real time.
First, he was working too hard to promote the film, appearing in public at pop-up events and flexing his Instagram account to drum up interest for the film. Why wouldn’t Hollywood crave such a creative approach to marketing?
<div id="attachment_1064925" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1064925" class="size-large wp-image-1064925" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2195483518-864x576.jpg" alt="SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- Episode 1876 -- Pictured: Host and musical guest Timothée Chalamet during the monologue on Saturday, January 25, 2025 -- (Photo by: Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2195483518-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2195483518-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2195483518-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2195483518.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images</div>
Did anyone think a ‘50s era look at ping pong would draw huge crowds all by itself? Chalamet’s energy and enthusiasm helped make the film a hit, outgrossing the year’s eventual Best Picture winner, “One Battle After Another,” in American theaters — $95 million to $72 million, respectively.
Later, some pundits were turned off by his swagger. He simply wanted that golden statuette too much. What if he earned it fair and square? Since when is swagger a negative trait in a movie star?
Since now, apparently.
The post-Oscars recap of Chalamet’s loss is even more dispiriting. The Hollywood Reporter essentially asked the actor to disappear for a while<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/timothee-chalamet-break-dune-3-1236536689/"> so we’d “miss” him</a>, at least until the third “Dune” saga hits theaters in December.
<div id="attachment_1064927" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1064927" class="size-large wp-image-1064927" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2266738177-864x576.jpg" alt="HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 15: Timothée Chalamet at the 98th Annual Oscars held at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2266738177-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2266738177-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2266738177-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2266738177.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Emma McIntyre/Getty Images</div>
Overexposure is a real concern for some stars, but Chalamet doesn’t work nearly as often as some of his high-profile peers. Heck, there’s a running joke about the ubiquitous Pedro Pascal, but Chalamet’s resume is far less busy than the “Mandalorian” star.
Chalamet makes one sizable film a year, with the occasional supporting turn to flesh out his resume.
The craziest attack on the star came late in the recent Oscar campaign. The actor told fellow star Matthew McConaughey that he hoped film wouldn’t drop off the cultural scene<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/timothee-chalamet-still-getting-slammed-for-saying-ballet-and-opera-are-dead"> like ballet and opera</a> have in recent years.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t want to be working in ballet, or opera, or things where it&#8217;s like, &#8216;Hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore.&#8217; All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there.”
That set off a firestorm, even though there’s some truth to his comments. How many people can rattle off the biggest opera or ballet stars in the world, as opposed to the biggest TV or film actors?
The critique <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doja-cat-admits-she-piled-on-chalamet-for-clicks-says-she-was-virtue-signaling">got blasted</a> far and wide, making its presence felt during the 98th Oscars ceremony hosted by Conan O’Brien.
“Security is extremely tight tonight. I’m told there’s concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities.”
The camera quickly panned to Chalamet, who grinned sheepishly at the bit.
<div id="attachment_1064919" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1064919" class="size-large wp-image-1064919" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2266716206-864x576.jpg" alt="HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 15: Elle Fanning, Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet attend the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2266716206-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2266716206-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2266716206-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2266716206.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Kevin Winter/Getty Images</div>
That imbroglio may not have hurt him in the Oscar voting tally as much as some suspected. Many votes had already been cast at that point. Still, the fallout was considerable, and some voters likely would have held it against him if possible.
The notion that they would let such a silly spectacle warp their perspectives is a tragic glimpse at award season decline, not anything about Chalamet’s talent.
We need younger stars to step in while the old guard recedes for character parts and retirement. Chalamet offers exactly that, but is Hollywood ready to embrace him?
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Mark Guiducci – Arrivals

The Strange Backlash Against Timothée Chalamet

actors

Timothee Chalamet

The 98th annual Academy Awards on Sunday was the least-watched broadcast since 2022, attracting just 17.86 million viewers on ABC and Hulu, marking a 9% decline from last year. 
Hollywood’s biggest night was emceed once again this year by former late-night host Conan O’Brien. He mostly avoided hot-button political topics as promised, but did make some subtle political references, including a dig at the TPUSA Halftime Show.
Other presenters were more direct. Jimmy Kimmel, predictably, attacked President Donald Trump during the show, joking that Trump must be “mad” that “Melania” wasn’t nominated in the documentary category despite the film not being eligible this year. He also described “Melania” as being about “[walking] around the White House trying on shoes.&#8221;
Presenter Javier Bardem took a moment to <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/16/us-news/javier-bardem-faces-criticism-for-using-oscars-to-attack-israel/">virtue signal</a> from the stage, saying, “No to war and free Palestine,” while wearing buttons with identical messaging on his jacket.
Documentary filmmaker David Borenstein also had some thinly veiled criticisms of the Trump administration, which he expressed during his Best Documentary win for his critique of the Russian regime, “Mr. Nobody Against Putin.” 
During his acceptance speech, Borenstein said the film is about “how you lose your country,” which happens “when we act complicit when a government murders people on the streets of our major cities, when we don’t say anything when oligarchs take over the media and control how we produce it and consume it.” 
The blatantly political “One Battle After Another” was the night’s big winner, taking home six Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson.
“Sinners,” a horror film that tackled the Jim Crow-era South, also performed well, winning four golden statuettes, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan.
It was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oscars-trade-abc-for-youtube-in-2029-because-fewer-people-are-watching-anyway">announced</a> at the end of last year that the Oscars will move from ABC, its broadcast home since 1976, to YouTube beginning in 2029, as part of an effort to reach younger and more global audiences.

Politics Took Center Stage At The Oscars And It Didn’t Go Unnoticed

Activist actor Sean Penn raised eyebrows for skipping the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, especially after he won the award for Best Supporting Actor in “One Battle After Another.” It was later revealed that Penn was in Ukraine at the time.
Per <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/03/18/entertainment/sean-penn-awarded-oscar-forged-from-war-damaged-train-in-ukraine-after-skipping-ceremony/">Page Six,</a> Penn was meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Monday, and while he was there, he was given a flat, Oscar-shaped statue made out of forged metal from a destroyed railcar.
Ukrainian Railways CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi shared a video of Penn receiving the “IronOscar” on X. 
“You’re missing the Oscars,” Pertsovskyi told Penn. “Plus, you gave the last one to the president. So we made this one … You said the metals survived, so we put some words here that are very special to us. It’s not golden, but it’s very real, and it’s from the bottom of our hearts. It’s important to us.”
Penn hugged Pertsovskyi and said, “These are all treasures, thank you.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sean Penn opted for the trip to 🇺🇦 vs. Oscar ceremony at Dolby Theater where he was awarded his 3rd 🏆. We couldn&#8217;t leave our great friend and loyal Ukrainian Raiwlays passenger without an award. So, I have presented Sean with our IronOscar on behalf of all of us! <a href="https://t.co/OLyzOY4h7L">pic.twitter.com/OLyzOY4h7L</a>
— Oleksandr Pertsovskyi (@Pertsovskyi_O) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pertsovskyi_O/status/2033873846546153537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The iron Oscar-shaped statue says on the back, “This steel once carried millions of people away from war. Then a Russian missile came. We did not melt it into a weapon. We forged it into gratitude — for you. For your talent. For your courage to stand with Ukraine.”
Academy Awards presenter Kieran Culkin joked during Sunday’s broadcast about Penn not being there after announcing he had won.  “Sean Penn couldn’t be here this evening, or didn’t want to, so I’ll be accepting the award on his behalf,” Culkin said from the stage.
In 2022, Penn <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sean-penn-threatens-to-smelt-his-own-oscars-if-academy-nixes-zelensky-speech">threatened</a> to “smelt” his Oscar if the Academy Awards planners said no to a virtual appearance by the Ukrainian president, plus encouraged other celebrities to boycott the ceremony. 
Penn later gave his Oscars statue to Zelensky.
“I feel terrible. This is for you. It’s just a symbolic silly thing, but if I know this is here with you then I’ll feel better and stronger for the fight,” he <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/nov/09/sean-penn-gives-oscar-to-ukraine-president-zelenskiy">said</a> at the time. “When you win, bring it back to Malibu. I’ll feel much better knowing a piece of me is here.”

Sean Penn

Sean Penn Skipped The Oscars, What He Received Was Far More Symbolic

Celebrities

Ukraine

The Oscars were televised last night.
I’d bet you didn’t watch the awards ceremony. Nobody watched it.
The Oscars have been in a state of precipitous decline for decades. In part, that’s because nobody has seen the movies that are competing for the Academy Awards. But it&#8217;s also because the ceremony has become a left-wing agitprop fest.
Last night was no exception. The big winner was &#8220;One Battle After Another,&#8221; a truly egregious and terrible film about the virtues of domestic terrorism against a white supremacist infrastructure.
The other big winner was &#8220;Sinners,&#8221; a Critical Race Theory remake of &#8220;From Dusk Till Dawn,&#8221; the Quentin Tarantino vampire movie.
Conan O&#8217;Brien, formerly a funny human, told a bunch of stale jokes about how much Republicans suck, saying, “I should warn you, tonight could get political. Okay. And if that makes you uncomfortable, there&#8217;s an alternate Oscars being hosted by Kid Rock. It&#8217;s at the Dave &amp; Busters down the street. A lot of tickets for that.”
Hollywood loves Hollywood: All those people who don&#8217;t agree with their politics? The only thing they&#8217;ve got is Kid Rock and Dave &amp; Busters and all the rest.
There&#8217;s a reason their ratings are in precipitous decline.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2388-did-the-cia-spy-on-tucker-carlson?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
All in all, it was a totally forgettable evening, but at least most of the Oscar winners stayed out of politics, to the disappointment of at least one author in the New York Times, Daniel Kehlmann. Kehlmann is the author of a book called &#8220;The Director,&#8221; a really, really good book, but also the author of a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/15/opinion/oscar-winners-political-speeches.html">pretty terrible column</a> on the necessity for actors to say things.
Kehlmann wrote before the ceremony, “Hollywood’s great actors and directors are not merely well known; they are famous figures everywhere, even in dictatorships now closed to the world, such as Russia and North Korea. On Oscar night not only will the eyes of the American public be fixed on them; so will the ears of the entire planet, listening for the answer to the question: Your country is being turned into a dictatorship, people are being arrested and shot in the streets, your mad king is trampling your venerable Constitution underfoot — what do you have to say about it?”
Yes, according to Daniel Kehlmann, we need to hear from our greatest artists (actors!) about their geopolitical analysis. His book is about a director named G.W. Pabst, who was a little-known director from the 1920s and 30s who returned to Nazi Germany from the United States in order to be allowed artistic resources by the regime. The book is about art&#8217;s surrender to tyranny. In the book, Pabst is fully complicit with a genocidal Nazi regime. He even takes advantage of concentration camp victims as extras.
To equate America in 2026 with Nazi Germany is, of course, an act of extreme moral blindness. Unfortunately, that seems par for the course in much of the artistic community.
That&#8217;s why actress Charithra Chandran, whom I&#8217;d never heard of, wore a pin for the anti-Israel ceasefire in Gaza, where Hamas is currently murdering opponents in the streets, but not a single actor or actress anywhere on the Oscar red carpet said anything about the slaughter of 32,000 Iranians by the regime.
The only truly overtly political moment from any winner came from Paul Thomas Anderson, who said, “I wrote this movie for my kids to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world we’re handing off to them, but also with the encouragement that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and decency.”
Paul Thomas Anderson was not saying sorry to his kids. He was saying, “Look at my virtue signaling while I earn millions of dollars for films that lose $100 million at the box office.”
But at least he’ll sleep better at night with his gold statuette and $10,000 swag bag from the Academy.

TOPSHOT-US-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-AWARD-OSCARS-SHOW

The Oscars Nobody Watched: Hollywood Congratulates Itself Again

Acting

Ben Shapiro

Opinion

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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“No to war, and free Palestine,” declared actor <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/us/news/oscar-winning-actor-javier-bardem-voices-the-no-to-war-free-palestine-message-while-presenting-the-best-international-feature-award-at-the-2026-academy-awards/articleshow/129601339.cms?from=mdr">Javier Bardem</a>, teeing up the award for Best International Feature at the 98th Academy Awards while wearing two <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PJFnQYur2Q">political pins</a> you could see from outer space. He didn’t need to read the room. The audience exploded into cheers and applause, kind of like the equivalent to a parent responding when a toddler proudly declares he has just used the potty. Way to go, buddy.
The ceremony will always be <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/13/oscars-tightrope-poll-hollywood-influence-00827186">political</a>, yet, after watching all six million hours of the Oscars broadcast (red carpet pre-show to Vanity Fair afterparty), I feel a little dirty. 
At first, I was all in on host Conan O’Brien’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjvnclCos_0">cold open</a> where he dressed as <a href="https://ew.com/weapons-aunt-gladys-amy-madigan-wins-first-oscar-40-years-after-first-nomination-oscars-2026-11925259">Amy Madigan</a>’s Best Supporting Actress-winning character from “Weapons” in a bit set to the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage.” I love the Beastie Boys and crazy wigs. And I think Conan is genuinely funny. Less than two minutes into his monologue, he announced, “I should warn you, tonight could get political.” As if future trophy winners needed anyone waving them in for a soft landing.
Referencing the Super Bowl halftime show sponsored by <a href="https://www.americanhalftimeshow.com/">Turning Point USA</a>, Conan added, “If that makes you uncomfortable, there’s an alternate Oscars being hosted by Kid Rock. It’s at the Dave &amp; Buster’s down the street.” 
I want to say this ceremony went light on politics, overall, but maybe that’s like going “light” on pancake syrup and not stopping until the plate, table, and floor are fully submerged in Aunt Jemima. (Sorry, I mean <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/02/10/966166648/aunt-jemima-no-more-pancake-brand-renamed-pearl-milling-company#:~:text=The%20rebranding%20is%20due%20to%20the%20following,*%20Cream%20of%20Wheat%20*%20Mrs.%20Butterworth's">Pearl Milling Company</a>, whoever she is.) On top of myriad <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/at-oscars-stars-pin-their-hopes-on-free-palestine-and-ice-out/">”ICE OUT,” ceasefire</a>, and “BE GOOD” pins adorning lapels and décolletage, author and &#8220;queer&#8221; activist <a href="https://www.instagram.com/glennondoyle/">Glennon Doyle</a> leveled up with a glittery “<a href="https://wwd.com/pop-culture/celebrity-news/oscars-2026-political-statements-1238677088/">F*ck Ice</a>” clutch. If I hadn’t just moved from my apartment on Hollywood Boulevard, I could have danced in the glow of the skyscraper-sized “<a href="https://www.dw.com/en/oscars-2026-all-the-political-moments/a-76374704">ICE OUT of L.A.</a>” projection on the Loews hotel during the event.
Most stars fell in line, even if they accidentally gave up the fact that they were beholden to optics. Sporting an Artists for Ceasefire pin for Gaza, “<a href="https://www.ndtv.com/lifestyle/bridgerton-star-charithra-chandran-debuts-at-oscars-2026-in-a-green-strapless-gown-11220718">Bridgerton</a>” star <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@hollywoodreporter/video/7617591414305705230">Charithra Chandran</a> seemingly nailed the text from her manager, word for word. “I think that I am so blessed to have a platform and this is the least I can do to use it,” Chandran said on the red carpet. 
Inside the Dolby Theatre, insulated from real life by the thick velvet curtains covering Sephora ads normally seen along the staircase into the theater, titans of the entertainment industry freely relaxed in the collective hot tub of A-list groupthink. This is the exact thing crushing the very art they allegedly gather to celebrate. 
Best Adapted Screenplay winner for “One Battle After Another” writer <a href="https://youtu.be/ymG9WHPpt5o?t=75">Paul Thomas Anderson</a> said, “I wrote this movie for my kids, to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world,” encouraging the youngest generation to usher in “common sense and decency.” 
<a href="https://youtu.be/Re3C5H7Py-A?t=128">Joachim Trier</a>, winning director of Best International Feature “Sentimental Value,” took the stage to thank the people who worked on his film as well as his family. It was all going great until he took on the weight of representing everyone else in his category, and the world, paraphrasing American writer James Baldwin by adding, “Remember that all adults are responsible for all children, and let’s not vote for [politicians] who don’t take this seriously into account.”
Remembering his friend, the late legendary director Rob Reiner, actor Billy Crystal gave space to Reiner’s <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rob-reiner-spinal-tap-60-minutes/#:~:text=It's%20been%20more%20than%2040,t%20scared%2C%22%20Reiner%20said.">decades-long career</a>, capping it off with his crowning achievement: fighting social injustice with his late wife. “Rob and Michelle Reiner became the driving force in the landmark decision for marriage equality across the United States,” Crystal said, turning the rainbow flag <a href="https://youtu.be/uMSV4OteqBE?t=83">up to 11</a>. Sure, the Reiners <a href="https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/12/rob-reiner-political-legacy/">donated their wealth</a> to influence California and national politics. But I refuse to remember that more than Reiner’s devastatingly brilliant directorial turns in “<a href="https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/rob-reiner-movies-ranked/">This Is Spinal Tap</a>,” “The Princess Bride,” and “Stand By Me.” Especially as his final Academy bow.
He wasn’t hosting this year, but Jimmy Kimmel still took a few swipes while introducing the awards for best documentaries. He made a crack at free speech in the U.S. and slammed first lady Melania Trump’s self-titled documentary, which wasn’t nominated, saying, “There are also documentaries where you walk around the White House trying on shoes.”
Statistics on gun violence made the cut during speeches for Best Documentary Short winner “<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/oscars-2026-grieving-mother-shares-021638624.html">All the Empty Rooms</a>.” I wondered if they were even true. By that point in the show, I was too tired to ask ChatGPT or laugh at anyone’s belabored jokes. For one night, could we not obsess over the major issues of the day and just have a little fun? I don’t want to know — in fact, I would pay the price of an actual movie ticket not to know — what celebrities think about politics.
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The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Watch How Hollywood Turned The Oscars Into A Political Therapy Session

Politics

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This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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At the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, some of America’s richest and most beautiful people decided to inform their <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-oscars-audience-today-reveals-something-about-americas-divide">shrinking audience</a> that they are exceedingly oppressed. They’re oppressed because the United States never recognizes Korean cinema, they’re oppressed because no one can ever speak their mind in this fascistic Trump regime, and they’re oppressed because every day, we draw closer to a dictatorship like that of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Right.
Kicking off the delusional evening, the co-director for the award-winning short film &#8220;Two People Exchanging Saliva” thanked the Academy &#8220;for supporting a film that is weird and that is queer and that is made by a majority of women!&#8221; This makes sense because Hollywood famously hates things that are weird and “queer” and involve women.
When “KPop Demon Hunters” rightly won multiple awards, including one for best animated feature — yes, I said rightly, go check it out on Netflix! — creator Maggie Kang used her acceptance speech to apologize “to Koreans everywhere.” Never mind that the Korean film “Parasite” won best picture in 2020 and that K-pop artists such as BTS and BLACKPINK have rabid followings here in America.
Kang must be stuck in 2015, when the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag was trending. Now, we have Academy-mandated <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oscars-announce-new-inclusion-standards-for-best-picture-revolving-around-underrepresented-groups">diversity quotas</a>. But that didn&#8217;t stop Kang from shooting her shot at the oppression Olympics. “I am so sorry that it took so long to see us in a movie like this, but it is here. And that means that the next generations don’t have to go longing,” she said.
For her role in “Hamnet,” Jessie Buckley just became the first Irish woman to win Best Actress, and she didn’t say a thing.
Not to be outdone, Jimmy Kimmel, who was only at the Oscars to present awards for documentaries, decided to make the night about him. This can be hard to do as a straight white male in the current climate, but he found a way. 
“We hear a lot about courage at shows like this, but telling a story that could get you killed for telling it is real courage,” he said. “As you know, there are some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech. I’m not at liberty to say which. Let’s just leave it at North Korea and CBS.”
Kimmel is still upset that he claimed on air that Charlie Kirk was assassinated by a deranged right-winger, and the world noticed his lie. His jab at CBS appears to be a shot at the Left’s new favorite punching bag, Bari Weiss. CBS wasn’t biased before, of course, but now that it’s run by a conservative-adjacent figure, it is rife with scandal! In North Korea, “antistate” agitators <a href="https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/north-korea">face</a> imprisonment and extrajudicial killings. In the U.S., they face the praise of liberal media. See if you can spot the difference. 
None of this can top the grandstanding by some guy named David Borenstein, a documentary filmmaker who apparently has spent a lot of time in China and recently set his sights on the Russian regime with &#8220;Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” which won best documentary feature. During his acceptance speech, Borenstein said the film is about &#8220;how you lose your country.&#8221; This happens &#8220;when we act complicit when a government murders people on the streets of our major cities, when we don&#8217;t say anything when oligarchs take over the media and control how we produce it and consume it,&#8221; he said.
Not exactly a subtle reference to current left-leaning talking points about the United States. Incredibly, as Kyle Smith <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/free-expression/trump-was-everywhere-on-oscar-night-60c1d536?mod=author_content_page_1_pos_1">pointed out</a> in the Wall Street Journal, Borenstein’s talking points got even worse after the show.
“One interesting thing about working with a team of Russians throughout this process has been my desire, as an American, to constantly compare the situation in America to Russia … a lot of my Russian colleagues and friends always said, ‘No, it’s not the same situation. It’s actually happening quicker in America than it’s been happening in Russia. Trump was moving a lot quicker than Putin in his early years,’” he said. “So that’s kind of all I have to say to that.”
In the oppressive landscape of 21st-century America — that is, the part of the century that does not include the Clinton, Obama, or Biden years — our entertainment industry wants us to know how brave it is. While sporting glittering designer gowns, barely-there ceasefire pins, and more botox than a human face should be able to hold, celebrities would have us believe that their resistance is akin to those fighting against dictatorships in North Korea and Russia. They’re stuck in a world where non-white actors are discriminated against rather than given job opportunities through heavy-handed quotas.
In reality, the rest of us just like to watch their movies — and even that often isn’t true anymore. Perhaps worse than the lectures about ending wars and resisting the president is the implication that the celebrities who were celebrated on Hollywood’s biggest night have somehow been discriminated against. Spare us your sob story, please, and invest that energy into making better movies.
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The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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Hollywood’s Richest Stars Spent Oscars Night Claiming They’re Oppressed

“Hamnet” star Jessie Buckley, who just won the Academy Award for Best Actress on Sunday night, is being praised for her pro-family, pro-baby acceptance speech that stands in stark contrast to previous winners who celebrated abortion from the podium. 
Buckley, 36, became visibly emotional when her name was announced during Hollywood’s biggest night. She began her speech by thanking the cast and crew, but then drew the most attention by directing it toward her family. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Jessie Buckley Wins Best Actress | 98th Oscars Speech (2026)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tI12K8G1U2c?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“My family, my Irish family, they’re all here,” she said. “Mom, Dad, thank you for teaching us to dream and to never be defined by expectation and to carve from your own passion.”
Buckley next turned her attention to her husband of three years. “You, Fred, I love you, man. I love you; you’re the most incredible dad. You’re my best friend, and I want to have 20,000 more babies with you, I do. I do!” she said.
The mom of one then addressed her baby daughter. “And Isla, my little girl who is eight months, who has absolutely no idea what’s going on and is probably dreaming of milk, but this is kind of a big deal, and I love you, and I love being your mom, and I can’t wait to discover life beside you,” she went on. 
“It’s Mother’s Day in the U.K. today, so I would like to dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart. We all come from a lineage of women who continue to create against all odds. Thank you for recognizing me in this role. This is the greatest honor. I can’t even believe it.”
Buckley was the first Irish woman to win a Best Actress award, but chose to skip blathering about representation and instead focus on her loved ones.
Reactions on social media were overwhelmingly positive.
“Imagine if every Hollywood actor showed this level of humility and poured this kind of love onto their kids instead of giving us preachy lectures. Hollywood would still have fans,” one commenter <a href="https://x.com/kangminlee/status/2033384463489466865?s=43">wrote</a>.
“This is the greatest expression of love between two healthy people,” conservative pundit Bethany Mandel <a href="https://x.com/bethanyshondark/status/2033468952936866079?s=43">said</a> of the “want to have 20,000 more babies with you” line. 
“Beautiful,” pro-life activist Lila Rose agreed. “Marriage isn’t a trap. Babies aren’t burdens. Motherhood is a gift.”
Buckley’s testament to family following her win stands in stark contrast to Michelle Williams’ infamous acceptance speech at the Golden Globes in 2020, when she said, &#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t have been able to do this without employing a woman&#8217;s right to choose.”

Jessie Buckley

Best Actress Winner Praised For Pro-Family Message At Oscars

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98th Oscars Governors Ball Preview

LIVE UPDATES: Watch The Oscars With Us

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The irony dripping from the Hollywood Hills this week is thick enough to choke a McKinsey consultant.
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On Sunday, the 98th Academy Awards will <a href="https://ew.com/oscars-ramping-up-security-after-fbi-warns-of-surprise-attack-on-california-by-iran-11924455">transform</a> the Dolby Theatre into a high-tech fortress. We’re talking 1,000 private security guards, LAPD SWAT teams, bomb-sniffing dogs, and a fleet of surveillance drones circling overhead. Why the sudden affection for “law and order” and &#8220;border security&#8221; from the crowd that usually spends its awards speeches demanding we abolish both?
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Because the FBI dropped a cold dose of reality on the champagne-and-caviar set: The Islamic Republic of Iran is reportedly <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tv/article-15639397/oscars-security-2026-awards-drones-iran-retaliatory-strikes.html">eyeing</a> California for retaliatory drone strikes. 
The same Hollywood elite that has spent the last year <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/sep/08/film-pledge-israeli-institutions-palestinians">lining up to sign</a> &#8220;pledges&#8221; against Israel—nearly 4,000 industry professionals, including Emma Stone, Joaquin Phoenix, and Mark Ruffalo—now find themselves begging the thin blue line to protect them from the very radicalism they’ve spent months ignoring. These are the same people who vowed to boycott Israeli film institutions for &#8220;apartheid.&#8221; Now they’re relying on U.S. federal intelligence to ensure an Iranian drone doesn&#8217;t crash their red carpet.
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The cognitive dissonance doesn&#8217;t stop with the Middle East&#8217;s only democracy. The celebrity vanguard has spent the last month <a href="https://www.wfmd.com/2026/03/01/hollywood-stars-condemn-trump-over-iran-military-action-while-others-praise-promises-kept">savaging</a> President Trump for taking the fight to Tehran. Jane Fonda is out there comparing the dismantling of a terror regime to Vietnam. Rosie O’Donnell is frantically hashtagging for impeachment. And John Cusack is busy spinning &#8220;wag the dog&#8221; conspiracies.
Some of these luminaries attack Trump for neutralizing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Yet, the moment the regime’s &#8220;unmanned aerial vehicles&#8221; are spotted off the West Coast, the Academy isn&#8217;t calling for &#8220;de-escalation&#8221; or &#8220;ceasefire.&#8221; They’re calling the LAPD.
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Oscar producer Raj Kapoor says he wants everyone to feel &#8220;safe and protected and welcome.&#8221;
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As Conan O’Brien prepares to take his <a href="https://x.com/TheWrap/status/1896399046874746989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1896399046874746989%7Ctwgr%5Ed58d56bb09d73084639cd3b6b0c8151a9d057c9b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thewrap.com%2Foscars-2025-conan-obrien-anora-joke-trump-putin%2F">inevitable swipe</a> at Trump from the podium, he’ll be doing so behind a one-mile security perimeter and a literal army of armed professionals. In Hollywood, it seems, &#8220;walls&#8221; and &#8220;aggressive defense&#8221; are only immoral when they’re protecting a country—not when they’re protecting a Best Actress trophy.
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Hollywood Elites Scramble To Embrace Law And Order As Iran Threat Looms Over Oscars

Oscars Turn Into Fortress After Iran Threat As Anti-Trump Hollywood Elite Embrace ‘Law And Order’

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“Sinners” actress Wunmi Mosaku claims she can&#8217;t enjoy her Oscar nomination because of ICE enforcing the law amid the protests and recent deaths of anti-ICE agitators. 
“I’ve not been able to celebrate because of what’s going on right now, with the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minnesota and the kidnapping of a five-year-old boy,” Mosaku <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/wunmi-mosaku-sinners-interview-fm3xsw8c6">told</a> The Sunday Times in a recently published interview. “It’s difficult to hold both the nomination and the news because one feels beautiful and one is so dark and heavy; truly dystopian — how can I possibly go out and buy some drinks and enjoy the moment?”
“[My husband] is not as shocked as I am at the news,” the actress went on. “There’s a very strange American psyche where terrible things happen and people still can go to work the next day, whereas I’m floored for a week and think, ‘How are people going to crowded places when this has just happened?’ I want a cocoon. My reaction reminds him that this is not normal.”
Mosaku was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 2026 Academy Awards. The Oscars, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will be held on March 15.
Many Hollywood stars have weighed in with their thoughts on the enforcement of immigration laws, with several showing up to events wearing anti-ICE buttons and making impassioned speeches.
Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny said during his Grammys acceptance speech: “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say: ICE out. We are not savage. We are not animals. We are not aliens. We are humans, and we are American.”
“Every day I think I’m not going to be shocked anymore and then I’m shocked,” actress Jamie Lee Curtis <a href="https://variety.com/2026/politics/columns/jamie-lee-curtis-ice-abhorrence-distraction-epstein-files-1236653979/">told</a> Variety earlier this month, adding that she believes it’s an “abhorrence.”
“It’s just inhuman. It is inhuman the way this administration is treating its citizens and its constituents and people in need,” she said. “The ICE situation is out of control. It’s simply a distraction so that we don’t pay attention to the Epstein files.”
At Sundance Film Festival last month, “Don’t Worry Darling” actress Olivia Wilde suggested that ICE is a criminal organization.
“We can’t go another day accepting this as our new norm. It’s outrageous. People are being murdered, and I don’t want to normalize seeing that violence—on the internet or on film. It’s hideous. If we can do anything to support the movement to cast ICE out and delegitimize this criminal organization, then that’s what we should be doing,” she said at the time.
“Game of Thrones” actor Peter Dinklage recited an extremely cringeworthy poem dedicated to Renee Good, the anti-ICE activist killed by an ICE agent during an altercation in Minneapolis. Singer Bruce Springsteen released a protest song last month that included the lyric, “ICE out of Minneapolis.”

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