The so-called “Scream Queen” Jamie Lee Curtis just received her first-ever Academy Award after fans have been wondering for years why she never got one. Curtis, 64, has been in Hollywood for a long time, first in the horror genre and eventually as a mainstream actress who’s appeared in everything from TV to movies.
The actress is also the perfect example of what “Hollyweird” has to offer. Curtis was born to famous parents, making her part of the aptly named crowd of “nepo babies” who got a leg up in the business by being born into the business.
Curtis was born to the late actor Tony Curtis and actress Janet Leigh in 1958 and grew up in California. She attended the elite private boarding school Choate before attending law school briefly. Curtis ditched law school to pursue a career in the movies.
“My parents were actors,” Curtis said while accepting the SAG Award for her supporting role in the highly lauded “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”
“And I married an actor. I love actors. I love acting. I love the job we get to do. I love being part of a crew. I love being part of a cast. … It’s such a beautiful job. And I know you look at me and think, well, nepo baby, that’s why she’s there,” she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-totally-get-it-jamie-lee-curtis-admits-shes-a-nepo-baby-during-awards-speech" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>. “And I totally get it. But the truth of the matter is I’m 64 years old and this is just amazing.”
“Everything Everywhere All At Once” is a strange movie but at least it’s just a movie. Curtis’s life, on the other hand, includes surreal moments happening right here in real life.
Acting abilities aside, Curtis is the quintessential example of an A-list star who genuinely doesn’t understand why anyone feels negatively toward her.
Take the actress’s recent scandal involving a piece of artwork hanging in her home. It all started in January when Curtis shared an image on Instagram with more than 5 million followers. 
“Ok. This is a weird post. But I have Covid, so f*** it. During one of the SAG nomination panels for @everythingeverywheremovie I told the story of how I ended up with my office furnished with my beautiful Pollack chairs from that movie,” she wrote in the Instagram image caption.
“I mentioned if people followed me, that was not a cheap trick to try to get people to boost my numbers, but I couldn’t figure out how else to get the picture out into the world, that I would post a picture of them on my IG in my offices for @comet.pictures and I am a truth teller so here you go.”
The photo included the aforementioned table and chairs, but what caught the attention of followers was the strange piece of artwork hanging up in the background. The piece, which was later revealed to be a work called “The Tub” (2003) by artist Betsy Schneider, featured a nude child submerged in a plastic tub of water.
“Why does Jamie Lee Curtis have a picture of a naked child stuffed inside a suitcase on her wall? Strong Epstein vibes,” one popular Twitter reaction said.
The “Knives Out” alum wound up deleting the photo following an avalanche of backlash, but her apology made two things clear: first, she couldn’t understand why anyone was shocked by the photo and second, she still believed the art was a perfectly fine piece to display in her dining area. 
“Last week I posted a picture of some chairs that included a photograph on the wall by an artist that was gifted to me 20 years ago,” she wrote by way of explanation. “I understand it has disturbed some people. As I have said, I am a truth teller, so here’s the truth.”
“It’s a picture of a child, taken by her mother, of her playing in their backyard in a tub of water. Nothing more, nothing less. I took down the post because I didn’t want to keep something up that upset anyone,” Curtis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jamie-lee-curtis-responds-to-photo-of-naked-child-in-a-box-heres-the-truth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continued</a>. 
In the industry, Curtis is portrayed as refreshingly normal and down-to-earth. She’s self-deprecating and doesn’t have the ego that other stars of her status usually do. Curtis made fun of herself for hawking yogurt “that makes you s***” for her long-standing partnership with Activia and has been open about her struggle with addiction and getting sober.
But these positive character traits are only part of the story.
The celeb’s weirdness masquerading as normalcy took center stage in March after she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. During a follow-up appearance on Today, she had a surprising answer when host Savannah Guthrie asked if she had named her golden statue.
“I’m in support of my daughter Ruby. I’m having them be a they/them,” Curtis said with emotion. “I’m going to just call them ‘them.’ They/them, and they are doing great, they’re settling in, and I just, in my life, I never saw it in a million years that I’d have this couple days, and I’m very moved by the whole thing.”
This isn’t the first time Curtis spoke out on behalf of “trans rights.&#8221;
“The right’s war on queer people, most specifically trans people, is both bizarre and abhorrent,” she wrote at the time. “There is no debate to argue here. Trans people have been here forever and aren’t going anywhere. There is no ideology here. It’s simple. Trans rights are human rights. Anything stating the contrary is wrong,” she wrote on Instagram on March 5.
She also turned heads last May for posting photos of herself officiating Ruby’s <a href="https://people.com/movies/jamie-lee-curtis-daughter-ruby-cosplay-wedding-kynthia-photos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosplay-themed wedding</a>. “Wife is sweet… Ruby and Kynthia,” Curtis shared of the colorful collage. In one photo, the actress posed with a giant butcher knife.
&#8220;YOU CAN&#8217;T MAKE THIS UP!&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;The ONLY thing left over at the end of this entire BEAUTIFUL wedding, after everything was taken away was this f-ing BUTCHER KNIFE they cut the tiramisu wedding cake with! WIFE IS SWEET!&#8221;
And how about her new Oscar trophy? She’s decided to make that a part of her eclectic art collection as well. The “they/them” statuette is proudly displayed next to a butt plug shaped trophy featured in “EEAAO.”
It’s all part of a giant inside joke, it seems. The only mystery left is to figure out who’s still laughing.
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2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards  – General Atmosphere

Jamie Lee Curtis Helps Give ‘Hollyweird’ Its Name

Jamie Lee Curtis Helps Give 'Hollyweird' Its Name

Entertainment

Hollywood

Jamie Lee Curtis

Movies

Readers Pass

U.S.

The writer who penned the original novel upon which “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Mean Girls</a>” is based is considering legal action against <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tina-fey">Tina Fey</a> and Paramount over “unpaid dues.”
Rosalind Wiseman wrote the book “Queen Bees and Wannabes” in 2002 for parents to help them understand their teenage girls. The book became the basis of the cult classic comedy “Mean Girls” (2004) starring Lindsay Lohan. The film version was written by Fey.
Wiseman sold the film rights in 2002 for $400,000 and, in doing so, relinquished all rights to original motion pictures and derivative works, including musicals and TV shows. The movie was adapted into a Broadway musical.
The author’s contract promised she would receive net profit based on box office performance, but now Wiseman claims the studio hasn&#8217;t paid her any, claiming they have no profits due to extra costs. “Mean Girls” was a surprise hit at the box office, bringing in $130 million worldwide following its release on a $17 million production budget.
Wiseman discussed her feelings about the situation during an interview with <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/03/18/mean-girls-author-tina-fey-paid-me-nothing-for-hit-franchise/">The New York Post</a> published over the weekend. 
She mentioned how “Mean Girls” has “changed our culture and changed the zeitgeist” due to its massive popularity. 
“Yes, I had a terrible contract, terrible, but the movie has made so much money, and they keep recycling my work over and over again, so to not even consider me,&#8221; the author said, mentioning how the &#8220;hypocrisy is too much.&#8221; 
&#8220;Over the years Tina&#8217;s spoken so eloquently about women supporting other women, but it&#8217;s gotten increasingly clear to me that, in my own personal experience, that&#8217;s not going to be the experience,&#8221; she continued. 
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Wiseman also claimed that a theater director had approached her about turning the book into a musical, but Fey and Paramount killed the deal because they owned the rights to the intellectual property.
&#8220;What&#8217;s hard is that they used my name in the Playbill,&#8221; Wiseman told the Post. &#8220;And Tina, in her interviews, said I was the inspiration and the source, but there was no payment.&#8221;
&#8220;I suspect most people would be shocked at how shabbily Rosalind Wiseman has been treated,&#8221; Wiseman’s lawyer Ryan Keech told the Post. 
&#8220;It is nothing short of shameful for a company with the resources of Paramount to go to the lengths to which it has gone to deny Ms. Wiseman what she is fairly entitled to for having created what has become one of the most iconic entertainment franchises of the last 25 years.&#8221;
“We have reached out to Paramount to have things be more <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/equity">equitable</a>, but Paramount is not interested in that,” he noted.
As for why she’s choosing to come forward with her story now and take it public, the author said her pursuit of “equity” is a driving force.
&#8220;For a lot of reasons I didn&#8217;t come forward for a while, and one of the reasons [is] because I was so focused on me not whining or trying to trash Tina,&#8221; she said. However, she added, &#8220;I believe strongly when you&#8217;re in a position of power and privilege that you have a responsibility to share that to create equity.&#8221;

“Mean Girls” Broadway Opening Night – Arrivals & Curtain Call

‘Mean Girls’ Original Writer Considers Suing Tina Fey Despite Signing Away Rights, Demands ‘Equity’

'Mean Girls' Original Writer Considers Suing Tina Fey Despite Signing Away Rights, Demands 'Equity'

Equity

Tina Fey

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drew-barrymore">Drew Barrymore</a> had a lighthearted response for her onetime co-star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">Hugh Grant</a>, who recently criticized her singing ability.
Grant said during an interview with Wired posted Monday that both he and Barrymore benefited from the wonders of editing in the 2007 romantic comedy “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Music and Lyrics</a>.&#8221;
The 62-year-old British star <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/drew-barrymore-responds-hugh-grant-calling-singing-horrendous-music-and-lyrics-1235354929/">said</a> he was “auto-tuned beyond belief. Actually, that’s not true. I’m auto-tuned a bit, but not as much as some.”
Grant then claimed that Barrymore wouldn’t mind him saying “her singing is just horrendous” in the movie.
“I’ve heard dogs bark better than she sings,” he quipped. “But … once they tuned her up, she sounded way better than me, because she’s got heart and voice and rock ‘n’ roll. Whereas I sounded like Julie Andrews, and I meant to be kind of rock ‘n’ roll as well.”
Barrymore responded to the jab Thursday by posting a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp3V1LVMpdz/">video</a> to her Instagram, which she captioned, &#8220;#SingForHugh JOIN ME.”
The clip featured the actress belting out the song “Way Back Into Love,” from “Music and Lyrics.” After she concludes her rendition, Barrymore addresses Grant with a sly smile and says, “Oh Hugh, Bert, Hubert, that’s for you.”
Both Grant and Barrymore have been making headlines recently for reasons that have nothing to do with singing. 
Grant was criticized by Oscars viewers who accused him of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hugh-grant-dragged-for-awkward-oscars-interview-maybe-he-should-stay-home">being rude</a> to Ashley Graham during a red carpet interview. 
“Is Hugh Grant just an arrogant d*** all the time?” one person wrote in reaction to the clip, while another said, “hugh grant wants no part of this dumb sh**.”
Meanwhile, Barrymore came under fire for kneeling in front of trans activist Dylan Mulvaney during an interview on her talk show, “The Drew Barrymore Show.” Mulvaney was there to discuss the popular TikTok series “Days of Girlhood,” which documents the influencer’s “transition process.” 
The “50 First Dates” actress knelt in front of Mulvaney to show her compassion for the influencer’s struggle against “hate.”
Still images of the exchange went <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pure-cringe-drew-barrymore-kneels-before-trans-activist-dylan-mulvaney-during-talk-show-appearance">viral on Twitter</a>, prompting critics to point out what they see as the symbolism of Barrymore’s pose.
“Drew Barrymore getting on her knees to worship at the feet of Dylan Mulvaney might be one of [the] more disturbing moments of recent TV,” one Twitter user wrote. “Why are women fawning over men who appropriate degrading caricatures of womanhood?”

Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant film a scene for their new mov

Drew Barrymore Responds To Hugh Grant Saying ‘I’ve Heard Dogs Bark Better Than She Sings’

Drew Barrymore Responds To Hugh Grant Saying 'I’ve Heard Dogs Bark Better Than She Sings' 

Celebrities

Drew Barrymore

Actor <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/are-you-all-right-this-morning-dunkin-donuts-drops-outtakes-from-ben-affleck-super-bowl-ad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Affleck</a> says he won&#8217;t direct any DC movies under new studio head James Gunn — despite previous plans to direct a Batman film after donning the crusader&#8217;s cape himself.
Affleck explained his position in an <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/ben-affleck-air-production-company-grammys-memes-justice-league-1235353301/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> published Thursday by The Hollywood Reporter, saying that doing &#8220;Justice League&#8221; had changed his perspective on the superhero film genre in general, leaving &#8220;the most monstrous taste&#8221; in his mouth.
&#8220;You could teach a seminar on all the reasons why this is how not to do it,&#8221; Affleck said of making &#8220;Justice League. &#8220;Ranging from production to bad decisions to horrible personal tragedy, and just ending with the most monstrous taste in my mouth. The genius, and the silver lining, is that Zack Snyder eventually went to AT&amp;T and was like, &#8216;Look, I can get you four hours of content.'&#8221;
<a href="https://dailywire.com/news/ben-affleck-questions-netflixs-assembly-line-filmmaking-process-how-can-they-make-50-great-movies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Affleck</a> went on to say that the extra &#8220;content&#8221; Snyder had provided was mostly slow motion he had shot in black-and-white — along with one day when Affleck says they shot in Snyder&#8217;s backyard.
&#8220;He was like, &#8216;Do you want to come shoot in my backyard?&#8217; I was like, &#8216;I think there are unions, Zack. I think we have to make a deal.&#8217; But I went and did it. And now [Zack Snyder’s Justice League] is my highest-rated movie on IMDb,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;Retroactively, it’s a hit. All of a sudden I was getting congratulated for the bomb I’m in,&#8221; Affleck continued, adding that his experience on &#8220;Justice League&#8221; was what made him decide he was not going to direct a Batman film after all. &#8220;[It] made me go, &#8216;I’m out. I never want to do any of this again. I’m not suited.&#8217; That was the worst experience I’ve ever seen in a business which is full of some sh***y experiences. It broke my heart.&#8221;
Lamenting the constant use of green screens, adding, &#8220;You want to go to work and find something interesting to hang onto, rather than just wearing a rubber suit, and most of it you’re just standing against the computer screen going, &#8216;If this nuclear waste gets loose, we’ll …'&#8221;
When asked whether he&#8217;d consider coming back to direct a DC movie, Affleck was adamant. &#8220;I would not direct something for the [James] Gunn DC. Absolutely not,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I have nothing against James Gunn. Nice guy, sure he’s going to do a great job. I just wouldn’t want to go in and direct in the way they’re doing that. I’m not interested in that.&#8221;

2023 NBA All Star – Ruffles Celebrity Game

Ben Affleck Says No To Directing DC Movies Under New Studio Head James Gunn

Ben Affleck

James Gunn

Marvel

Daily Wire&#8217;s Editor Emeritus <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/author/ben-shapiro">Ben Shapiro</a> lit up social media over his smackdown of the Oscar-winning movie, &#8220;Everything Everywhere All At Once.&#8221;
Many of Shapiro&#8217;s 5.5 million followers seemed delighted with his take, which has gone viral with 3 million views and counting.
&#8220;In five years, nobody will watch &#8216;Everything Everywhere All At Once,'&#8221; the podcast host <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1635280687464062976?s=20">tweeted</a>.
&#8220;The movie is meh,&#8221; he added. &#8220;It is overlong (2 hrs 19 min!), confused, and generally bizarre. In fact, nobody has watched a single best picture winner five years later since 2007&#8217;s &#8216;No Country For Old Men.'&#8221;
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In five years, nobody will watch &quot;Everything Everywhere All At Once.&quot; The movie is meh. It is overlong (2 hrs 19 min!), confused, and generally bizarre. In fact, nobody has watched a single best picture winner five years later since 2007&#39;s &quot;No Country For Old Men.&quot;
&mdash; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1635280687464062976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
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One user wrote, &#8220;Agree. I did enjoy it although it was hard work at times. But I&#8217;ve had the chance to watch it again multiple times and I haven&#8217;t wanted to. I can quote you every line of dialogue from &#8216;No Country,&#8217; that gets rewatched at least annually.&#8221;
Another account tweeted, &#8220;I went to that movie with high expectations, but walked out 20 minutes later. The intellectual part of my mind couldn&#8217;t convince the rest of my mind that it was worth staying.&#8221;
While another user wrote, &#8220;I agree the big winner was at best… an odd piece of work. Personally I can&#8217;t even watch it. But I loved &#8216;No Country&#8217; it was strangely engaging which I cannot say for &#8216;Everything Everywhere.'&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m sorry.. this movie was a solid 6 out 10,&#8221; one account posted. &#8220;I thought the story was creative but hard to follow and acting was good…. But honestly… the editing was complete crap.. sure it was only 2 hours and 19 minutes… but it felt like 3 hours because they kept showing the same scenes…..&#8221;
Another tweeted, &#8220;Agreed. It was entertaining but also not groundbreaking or spectacular. &#8216;Top Gun&#8217; was actually closer to being just generally good, broke some serious ground in terms of realism and special effects, had a strong story, and should have been rewarded as such. But here we are. Woke.&#8221;
Shapiro later doubled down on his comments during &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9nxPVRVeb8">The Ben Shapiro Show</a>.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Watch Ben Trash Oscar Winners" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9nxPVRVeb8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;In five years hence, we will look at the numbers and see how many people are still watching &#8216;Everywhere Everything All at Once&#8217; forever for all time,&#8221; the DW host said. &#8220;I think the answer&#8217;s going to be nil.&#8221;
&#8220;In fact, let me name for you the films that have won best picture in the last fifteen years, and you tell me if you have ever rewatched any of them,&#8221; he added before listing films like &#8220;CODA,&#8221; &#8220;Nomadland,&#8221; &#8220;Parasite,&#8221; &#8220;Green Book,&#8221; &#8220;The Shape of Water,&#8221; and more.
&#8220;You want to know why the Oscars are failing, guys,&#8221; Shapiro continued. &#8220;Because you won&#8217;t nominate films that people like to watch. That people enjoy watching and don&#8217;t feel obligated to watch.&#8221;

Ben Shapiro

Social Media Erupts Over Ben Shapiro’s Smackdown Of Oscar-Winning Movie

Social Media Erupts Over Ben Shapiro's Smackdown Of Oscar-Winning Movie

Oscars

Writer and director <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/ideology-trumps-entertaining-now-quentin-tarantino-slams-hollywood-for-virtue-signaling-instead-of-entertaining/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quentin Tarantino</a> is reportedly shopping his tenth feature film – tentatively titled &#8220;The Movie Critic&#8221; — which he has said in the past will be his final film.
<a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/news/quentin-tarantino-final-film-script-auction-1235554423/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Details of the script</a>, which was written by Tarantino, have been kept quiet, and reports suggest that studio executives have been forced to read the script in a conference room at Tarantino&#8217;s agent&#8217;s office — a process he adopted with &#8220;Once Upon a Time in Hollywood&#8221; after some of his &#8220;Hateful Eight&#8221; screenplay got leaked in 2015.
Among the tidbits that have made it into the public sphere: the film is set in the 1970s and centers around a female lead. Rumors have circulated that the female at the center of the story might be Pauline Kael, who was an essayist and novelist in addition to her work as a film critic.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kael was &#8220;known for her pugnacious fights with editors as well as filmmakers&#8221; and worked as a consultant at Paramount for a short period of time in the 1970s. She took that job on advice from actor Warren Beatty.
Tarantino has not yet found a studio home for the project either — and reports indicate he might be looking for a deal similar to the one he <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/tarantino-scored-a-rare-deal-once-a-time-hollywood-1225415/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">landed at Sony</a> with &#8220;Once Upon a Time in Hollywood&#8221; – which allowed them to distribute the picture but will kick the copyright back to him after a preordained length of time.
Tarantino&#8217;s play for ownership of that film resulted in a hard no from Warner Bros. — the studio reportedly believed that if they gave him a deal they would later be forced to do the same for other directors.
&#8220;Warner Bros. couldn’t do that because then they would have to give Christopher Nolan that same deal,&#8221; a source told The Hollywood Reporter at the time.
Other directors who have successfully negotiated similar deals for ownership of their films include George Lucas, Mel Gibson, Peter Jackson, and Richard Linklater.

NBC’s 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards – Show

Quentin Tarantino Is Shopping Film He Says Will Be His Last

Quentin Tarantino

Actor Brendan Fraser just won his first Academy Award (Best Actor in a Leading Role, &#8220;The Whale&#8221;) — but according to visual effects artist Dave Rand, the &#8220;Encino Man&#8221; star was a &#8220;righteous dude&#8221; long before he picked up that little gold statuette.
Rand told the story in a lengthy tweet, explaining that Fraser had been the one to step up when a studio bankruptcy resulted in his entire visual effects team getting stiffed for three weeks of work on a major film — to the tune of $1.3 million.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrendanFraser?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BrendanFraser</a> is a righteous dude.
In November 2007 our paychecks stopped. I was the FX lead on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth</a> for Meteor Studios in Montreal and was asked to convince my crew to stay and finish the picture with a guarantee we&#39;d all get paid with overtime. We had… <a href="https://t.co/DmQUIEAkMQ">https://t.co/DmQUIEAkMQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/1jegFlWECd">pic.twitter.com/1jegFlWECd</a>
&mdash; Dave Rand (@daverandla) <a href="https://twitter.com/daverandla/status/1635127342019346432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;#BrendanFraser is a righteous dude,&#8221; Rand began. &#8220;In November 2007 our paychecks stopped. I was the FX lead on #JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth for Meteor Studios in Montreal and was asked to convince my crew to stay and finish the picture with a guarantee we&#8217;d all get paid with overtime.&#8221; 
&#8220;We had a handful of shots left. As soon as we delivered the last shot, we were escorted out. It was two weeks before Christmas and we&#8217;d soon learn there was no money. Meteor was declaring bankruptcy. They owed us 1.3 million dollars,&#8221; Rand continued — and he said that he immediately contacted the press.
Variety talked to a number of Rand&#8217;s crew but ultimately passed on the story, explaining in an email to Rand, &#8220;The paper has decided that another visual effects company going bankrupt, however sad, is really not news worthy at this time.&#8221;
Rand shopped the story to a number of other outlets in Hollywood, getting similar results every time — and he began to believe that it was coordinated. &#8220;My guess was the studio had put pressure on them to bury it,&#8221; he said.
So he put out a press release himself, which he said only sparked a threatening email and call from Variety and a warning from the labor department, telling him that going to the press could ruin any case they had.
He said that he tried to reach Fraser — the star and producer of the movie — through his people, but failed to make contact.
But then he got a call from entertainment gossip site Page Six, and he jumped at the chance to get the story a <a href="https://pagesix.com/2008/08/01/a-journey-in-search-of-pay/?_ga=1.128297740.1084022795.1394818778" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broader reach</a>. The story went live on August 1, 2008.
&#8220;My phone rang as I was reading the piece, a 212 area code,&#8221; Rand continued, saying that he assumed it was the Page Six reporter who had published the piece. &#8220;I answered to thank the girl, but a man answered and he said, &#8216;Is this Dave Rand?&#8217; I said, &#8216;Yes.&#8217; &#8216;This is Brendan Fraser, what the f*** is going on?&#8217; He had no idea that artists were not paid on his movie. He listened intently, asked a lot of questions and promised he would call me regularly until this was solved.&#8221;
Two days later, Page Six posted an update with a <a href="https://pagesix.com/2008/08/03/to-the-rescue-2/?_ga=1.85880601.1084022795.1394818778" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> from Fraser&#8217;s representative, who said, &#8220;Brendan just heard about this for the first time. He’s on it. He thinks what happened is awful, and he’s extremely upset.&#8221;
&#8220;We finally got 80% of our money almost 2 years later,&#8221; Rand concluded. &#8220;To quote the great Steve Hulett: &#8216;What runs the world isn&#8217;t what&#8217;s right, or who&#8217;s the richest, it&#8217;s leverage, and who has it.&#8217; We&#8217;d had none, but Mr. Fraser gave us wings. He&#8217;s a righteous dude.&#8221;

2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones – Arrivals

Visual Effects Lead: ‘Righteous Dude’ Brendan Fraser Fought For Artists When Studio Refused To Pay Up

Visual Effects Lead: 'Righteous Dude' Brendan Fraser Fought For Artists When Studio Refused To Pay Up

Brendan Fraser

The 95th Annual Academy Awards was bound to be less dramatic than last year’s show no matter what happened.
The Academy caught heat for failing to react quickly enough when Will Smith strode onstage and assaulted show host Chris Rock last year, making it so they played things extra safe in 2023. Some say the Oscars were a little too cautious, or to phrase it another way, even more boring than usual. That meant cutting down on the political rhetoric that’s become so predictable at every awards show.
But despite host Jimmy Kimmel attempting to make non-offensive jokes, there were still moments during the Oscars which fully displayed the ingrained leftist leanings of the Hollywood community. Did conservatives expect anything else?
<h2>1. “Everything Everywhere All At Once” director defends drag queens</h2>
The night’s big winner was the sci-fi indie flick “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” a totally out-of-the-box project about a Chinese-American immigrant (Michelle Yeoh) who must connect with parallel universe versions of herself to prevent the destruction of the multiverse. The film won seven Oscars including Best Picture.
The movie’s co-director Daniel Scheinert used his Oscars acceptance speech to defend people who dress in drag, including kids. “We want to dedicate this to the mommies, all the mommies in the world, to our moms,” Scheinert said.
“Specifically my mom and dad … thank you for not squashing my creativity when I was making really disturbing horror films, or really perverted comedy films, or dressing in drag as a kid, which is a threat to nobody!” he said, likely referencing recent legislation some states introduced that would prohibit sexually explicit drag performances in front of children.
<h2>2. &#8220;Top Gun: Maverick” snubbed</h2>
No one expected the enormously successful sequel “Top Gun: Maverick” to win an Academy Award, which probably explains why Tom Cruise decided to skip the ceremony completely. Fans marveled that this pro-America, pro-masculinity movie was even nominated in the first place.
MSNBC opinion writer and editor Zeeshan Aleem summed up the feelings of most leftists about “Top Gun” as part of a weekend column. In it, the writer called this blockbuster film’s message “insidious,” “poisonous,” and “literal propaganda.” 
“I hope it tanks at the Oscars,” Aleem concluded. “It’s possible to make thrilling action without so brazenly priming the public for warfare.”
“Maverick” didn’t win any awards despite being adored by fans and raking in more than $1.4 billion worldwide. Even Kimmel made a few jokes about how the movie “saved” Hollywood by getting people to go back to movie theaters again.
The film won for “Best Sound” but lost in all the other six categories it was nominated in.
<h2>3. Jimmy Kimmel adds a January 6 dig</h2>
Considering how liberals can’t go more than 15 minutes without discussing January 6, it should come as no surprise that the evening’s host couldn’t restrain himself from making a joke about it.
While introducing the film editing category, Kimmel added a joke about Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
&#8220;Anyone who’s ever received a text message from their father knows how important editing is,” the late-night host joked. “Editors do amazing things,” he continued. “Edits can turn 44,000 hours of violent insurrection footage into a respectful sight-seeing tour of the Capitol.”
<h2>4. Feminism gets a shout out during a “Women Talking” speech</h2>
In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, “Women Talking” director Sarah Polley added a little dig to her acceptance speech for “Best Adapted Screenplay.” 
&#8220;First of all, I just want to thank the Academy for not being mortally offended by the words &#8216;women&#8217; and &#8216;talking&#8217; put so close together like that,&#8221; Polley said. She ended her speech by addressing her children, saying, “Your story will be different from ours.&#8221;
Polley adapted “Women Talking” from the 2018 novel by the same name. The story, which was written by Miriam Toews, is about a group of Mennonite women who must decide whether to stay in or leave their community following widespread sexual assault. 
<h2>5. Kimmel jokes about Hunter Biden</h2>
At least leftists aren’t calling the laptop story fake anymore.
During his opening monologue, Kimmel quipped that “The Fabelmans” director Steven Spielberg and actor Seth Rogen were the “Joe and Hunter Biden of Hollywood.” That joke got a huge round of applause from the star-studded audience.
<h2>6. George Santos becomes the butt of a joke</h2>
Another political joke of the evening was at the expense of Congressman George Santos (R-NY), who became a public disgrace after admitting to being a “terrible liar.” It was revealed that he lied about being Jewish plus his education, employment, charity work, and that his mother died on 9/11.
“Did you know … the last directing team to win an Oscar was Congressman George Santos?” Kimmel quipped at one point in the evening.
<h2>Bonus: Michelle Yeoh takes a dig at Don Lemon</h2>
Oscar Award winner Michelle Yeoh, who took home the night’s top prize for Best Actress, made a not-so-subtle reference to notorious left-leaning CNN host Don Lemon’s comment about presidential hopeful Nikki Haley (R) being “past her prime.”
Yeoh made history as the first Asian person to win an Academy Award.
“For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities,” the 60-year-old star said.
“This is proof that dreams, dream big, and dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t ever let anyone tell you you are ever past your prime. Never give up!”

Clapperboard

6 Woke Moments From The Academy Awards

Feminism

Jimmy Kimmel

Top Gun

Transgender

Woke Culture

The film that saved &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/you-saved-hollywoods-a-spielberg-praises-cruise-for-top-gun-maverick" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hollywood&#8217;s a**</a>&#8221; was rewarded for its heroism with a paltry Oscar for Best Sound at <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The 95th Academy Awards</a> Sunday night.
So why did &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/top-gun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top Gun: Maverick</a>&#8221; get burnt by The Academy despite its high-flying success? Well, Hollywood bigwigs cannot openly give too much credit to the highest-grossing film of 2022 for its success; Doing so would admit that their anti-American and woke crusade has been an abject failure that has hurt their bottom dollar.
Ultimately, leftists can never admit they were wrong about a topic because doing so would weaken their power — whether that be cultural or political. The reality is that the audience does not want to go to movies for a lecture and forced diversity — they want to be enthralled by the magic of film and a cinematic experience.
&#8220;Maverick&#8221; hauled in <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/10/top-gun-maverick-disney-top-box-office-2022.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CTop%20Gun%3A%20Maverick%E2%80%9D%20was%20the%20highest%20grossing%20theatrical%20release,of%20the%20domestic%20box%20office." target="_blank" rel="noopener">$719 million</a> at the box office last year. The instant classic received rave reviews, including from the legendary producer/director Steven Spielberg, who recently told Tom Cruise at the 2023 Oscar Luncheon, “You saved Hollywood’s a**, and you might have saved theatrical distribution.”
“Seriously, &#8216;Maverick’ might have saved the entire theatrical industry,&#8221; he emphasized.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
TOM CRUISE SAVED the entire movie industry with Top Gun Maverick, according to Steven Spielberg. 
&quot;You Saved Hollywood&#39;s A**&quot;
Spielberg told Cruise at the Oscar luncheon, Top Gun 2 saved the theatrical distribution business, likely because he produced a traditional film that… <a href="https://t.co/QI8jYaF18Z">https://t.co/QI8jYaF18Z</a> <a href="https://t.co/opvwooB76q">pic.twitter.com/opvwooB76q</a>
&mdash; Mr. Cardinal Truth (@mrcardinaltruth) <a href="https://twitter.com/mrcardinaltruth/status/1625999250034397184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
So why didn&#8217;t a film like that experience more success Sunday night?
Its critics would say that the film is too pro-America, too anti-Chinese, and too pro-military. All things that Hollywood — Hollyweird as some people like to call it — despise.
To admit that a masculine movie of that caliber is popular — unifying even — would be to admit that the American people do not welcome their message — no matter how hard they try.
Detractors would say that the film is simply Pentagon propaganda. Maybe so. But that&#8217;s still more fun than the woke propaganda we typically get out of Tinseltown.
Better yet, everybody going into the movie understood what they were getting — an entertaining experience displaying good ol&#8217; U-S-of-A bravado. That is a better sell than the usual mental rot of diversity, equity, and inclusion snuck into movies, if not the central plot device.
Again, that lesson can never be outright admitted in Hollywood; Dissent is never tolerated by the Left. As documented in numerous instances, if you dissent and offer even a semi-conservative viewpoint, then you are treated like an outcast.
Yet thanks to the near-universal praise of &#8220;Maverick&#8221; from outside leftist circles, Hollywood execs were reminded that &#8220;there’s money on the table&#8221; for movies such as &#8220;Maverick,&#8221; The Federalist&#8217;s Emily Jashinsky <a href="https://thefederalist.com/2023/03/13/the-top-gun-oscars-too-little-too-late/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">observed</a>. As she put it, Hollywood was reminded of the &#8220;monocultural magic&#8221; films can hold and their ability to attract customers.
As a result, the Oscars show was relatively scant on politics. The entire gambit, Jashisnky concluded, might be too late to save the industry.
Whether that is true remains to be seen.
Yet, one thing that is evident is that, like so many industries <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/not-a-chance-atlantic-writer-begs-for-pandemic-amnesty-forgiveness-for-pandemic-tyranny" target="_blank" rel="noopener">infected by leftist politics</a>, Hollywood cannot humble itself to admit that it has failed because of its ideology. For now, it seems that if wokeness is going to end in Hollywood, it will go out not with a bang, but with a whimper.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 19: Tom Cruise attends the Royal Film Performance and UK Premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick” at Leicester Square on May 19, 2022 in London, England.

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Why The Oscars Can't Give 'Top Gun' Too Much Credit For 'Saving Hollywood's A**'

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One MSNBC editor is actively rooting against the adrenaline-fueled and Best Picture-nominated &#8220;<a href="https://dailywire.com/news/top-gun-maverick-scores-new-honor-after-being-named-best-film-of-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top Gun: Maverick</a>,&#8221; complaining that it paints too positive a picture of the United States military.
MSNBC opinion writer and editor Zeeshan Aleem explained in a Saturday <a href="https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/top-gun-maverick-oscars-2023-rcna73773" target="_blank" rel="noopener">column</a> that the movie, while an entertaining break from CGI and animated content, was sending a message that he called &#8220;insidious&#8221; and &#8220;poisonous.&#8221;
&#8220;&#8216;Top Gun&#8217; is as insidious as it is entertaining. It does not merely revive a forgotten human-centered spectacle; it also beckons for a return to accepting the American war machine as a beacon of virtue and excitement,&#8221; Aleem wrote, claiming that the movie glorified the excitement of battle — which in turn, glorified war in itself. &#8220;It’s a poisonous kind of nostalgia, one that smuggles love of endless war into a celebration of live action.&#8221;
Aleem referred to the summer blockbuster as &#8220;literal propaganda,&#8221; noting that the military had given filmmakers access to real aircraft in exchange for some oversight.
&#8220;In exchange for access to military aircraft, the producers of the movie agreed to allow the Defense Department to include its own &#8216;key talking points&#8217; in the script. Perhaps equally important, the script had to be written in a manner that flatters the military in order to secure the buy-in of the Pentagon,&#8221; he wrote.
Aleem went on to argue that the 2022 film and its predecessor were used to &#8220;rehab&#8221; the military&#8217;s image, after periods of waning popularity. The original film, he said, helped the military&#8217;s reputation recover after Vietnam — and the sequel &#8220;diverts from the failed war on terror, and comes as defense officials eye the rise of China.&#8221;
&#8220;I don’t object to anyone’s enjoyment of the film, but I hope it tanks at the Oscars,&#8221; Aleem concluded. &#8220;It’s possible to make thrilling action without so brazenly priming the public for warfare.&#8221;
In addition to &#8220;Top Gun: Maverick,&#8221; the other 2023 Best Picture <a href="https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nominees</a> are as follows: &#8220;The Banshees of Inisherin,&#8221; &#8220;Everything Everywhere All at Once,&#8221; &#8220;All Quiet on the Western Front,&#8221; &#8220;The Fabelmans,&#8221; &#8220;Avatar: The Way of Water,&#8221; &#8220;Elvis,&#8221; &#8220;Tár,&#8221; &#8220;Triangle of Sadness,&#8221; and &#8220;Women Talking.&#8221; The ceremony will take place on March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

On the set of Top Gun

‘I Hope It Tanks At The Oscars’: MSNBC Editor Slams Pro-Military ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ As ‘Poisonous’

MSNBC Editor Slams Pro-Military 'Top Gun: Maverick' As 'Poisonous'

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Actor Hugh Grant says he lost his temper on the set of his most recent film and shouted at a woman he believed to be a studio executive — only to find out later that she was a local woman chaperoning a child.
&#8220;I did a &#8216;Christian Bale,'&#8221; <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/hugh-grant-on-set-tantrum-200749312.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9wZW9wbGUuY29tL21vdmllcy9odWdoLWdyYW50LWFkbWl0cy1sb3NpbmctdGVtcGVyLWF0LW5pY2UtbG9jYWwtd29tYW4tZHVuZ2VvbnMtZHJhZ29ucy1zZXQv&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAL6XdAUHKGTrmf9Vb2aU4FX7dQ_H2RhuvoCaZNyePMAMg9T0iM-ULMGJLM8SYNzv_5gXLCwY-KEO7Zi_urHXHx1zH47naaAUVU9kPUd80RoBT0aMOk1e1EkRBrLiAT4fEInaKa9fjbARkQuq2na_0h5PE71SchVFYt_W4IZBLA6E" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grant said</a>, referencing the &#8220;Batman Begins&#8221; star&#8217;s infamous outburst — and subsequent apology — on the set of &#8220;Terminator: Salvation&#8221; in 2009.
Grant&#8217;s own temper tantrum came about on the set of &#8220;Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves&#8221; — and he explained that as soon as he realized who the woman was, he offered an immediate apology for his behavior.
&#8220;I lost my temper with a woman in my eyeline on day one. I assumed she was some executive from the studio who should have known better,&#8221; Grant explained. &#8220;Then it turns out that she’s an extremely nice local woman who was the chaperone of the young girl. Terrible. A lot of grovelling &#8230;&#8221;
<a href="https://people.com/movies/hugh-grant-admits-losing-temper-at-nice-local-woman-dungeons-dragons-set/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grant&#8217;s temper</a> has gotten him into trouble in the past as well — and it even got him banned from Comedy Central&#8217;s &#8220;The Daily Show&#8221; in 2009, when comedian Jon Stewart was still hosting the show.
&#8220;He’s giving everyone s*** the whole time, and he’s a big pain in the a**,&#8221; Stewart said of Grant, calling him &#8220;the worst guest&#8221; and adding &#8220;and we&#8217;ve had dictators on the show.&#8221;
&#8220;Turns out my inner crab got the better of me with TV producer in 09. Unforgivable. J Stewart correct to give me kicking,&#8221; Grant referenced the spat a few years later in a tweet.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Turns out my inner crab got the better of me with TV producer in 09. Unforgivable. J Stewart correct to give me kicking.
&mdash; Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/HackedOffHugh/status/279653603004788736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2012</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The &#8220;Love, Actually&#8221; star conceded that point as well, admitting on a 2015 episode of &#8220;Watch What Happens Live!&#8221; with Andy Cohen that he had, in fact, lost his temper backstage when he visited &#8220;The Daily Show.&#8221;
&#8220;He wasn&#8217;t entirely wrong. I did have a tantrum backstage. About once a year, I have a really mega-tantrum, and sadly he witnessed one. So he&#8217;s absolutely right,&#8221; Grant said.
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The issue <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/02/hugh-grant-romantic-comedies?redirectURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vanityfair.com%2Fhollywood%2F2015%2F02%2Fhugh-grant-romantic-comedies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly arose</a> when Grant was displeased with the clip — from his latest film at the time, &#8220;Did You Hear About The Morgans?&#8221; — and he complained about it to Stewart.
&#8220;What is that clip? It’s a terrible clip,&#8221; Grant complained — to which Stewart replied, &#8220;Well, then make a better f***ing movie.&#8221;

Paramount Pictures and eOne San Diego Comic-Con Presentation of “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves”

Actor Hugh Grant Berates ‘Studio Executive’ — Only To Find Out Who She Really Is

Actor Hugh Grant Berates 'Studio Executive' — Only To Find Out Who She Really Is

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