Tag: Oscars 2023

Helen Mirren cried for ‘magical’ Brendan Fraser after ‘Whale’ Best Actor win

It was a mammoth win for Fraser.

Helen Mirren revealed Friday that she shed tears of joy when her pal Brendan Fraser won an Academy Award for Best Actor during the 95th Oscars last Sunday.

The “Catherine the Great” actress made the revelation while appearing on “The Kelly Clarkson” show while promoting her new film “Shazam: Fury of the Gods.”

“I cried when Brendan Fraser got the award,” stated Mirren, 77. ” He’s such a lovely person.”

“I’m sure you know what a beautiful man he is. He’s a magical man — he was clearly very very moved it was a huge moment for him,” continued the legendary actress. “It was the right person for me — the way he responded to it, I just found it very moving. It was the highlight for me out of the whole show.”

“That’s so cool,” commented Clarkson, 40. “He did such an incredible job.”

“He did such an incredible job,” continued the “Since U Been Gone” singer. “Because you believe in them, or their project, or whatever it might be, and they win. That’s a good feeling for everyone involved.”


“I cried when Brendan Fraser got the award,” stated Mirren, 77. ” He’s such a lovely person.”
ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

Mirren and Fraser, 54, starred in the 2009 fantasy film "Inkheart."
Mirren and Fraser, 54, starred in the 2009 fantasy film “Inkheart.”
©New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection

The award signified a major comeback for Fraser, who alleged that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association President Philip Berk, 89, sexually assaulted him in 2003.
Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

Mirren and Fraser, 54, starred in the 2009 fantasy film “Inkheart.”

In the film, Fraser plays an author who, alongside his daughter, has the power to bring storybook characters to life.

The award signified a major comeback for Fraser, who alleged that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association President Philip Berk, 89, sexually assaulted him in 2003 and he has since limited his time in the public eye.


The “Catherine the Great” actress made the revelation while appearing on “The Kelly Clarkson” show while promoting her new film “Shazam: Fury of the Gods.”
Warner Bros. Pictures via AP

Berk has continuously denied the allegation.

Fraser beat out several high-profile actors including Austin Butler, who was also considered a front-runner for the award alongside “The Whale” star.

The actor said that it was an “honor” to be nominated alongside them.

“My goodness, I thank the Academy for this honor and for our studio A24 for making such a bold film,” Fraser said in his acceptance speech. ” I’m grateful to [director] Darren Aronofsky for throwing me a creative lifeline and hauling me aboard the good ship ‘The Whale’.”

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Tom Cruise celebrates Michael Caine’s 90th birthday after ditching Oscars

While he skipped this year’s Oscars festivities, Tom Cruise couldn’t pass up an opportunity to celebrate Michael Caine’s 90th birthday.

The 60-year-old “Top Gun: Maverick” actor was noticeably absent from the 2023 Academy Awards on Sunday, despite the blockbuster film being nominated for six awards.

But as the celebrities got suited and booted for Hollywood’s biggest night, Cruise headed across the pond to attend Caine’s birthday celebration in the UK.

Joining the likes of comedian David Walliams and Caine’s wife, Shakira, 75, Cruise was snapped grinning at an intimate dinner for the big day.

“Happy 90th Birthday to the legendary Sir Michael Caine,” Walliams wrote on Instagram alongside a series of pictures from the dinner.


The Hollywood stars were all smiles at Caine’s birthday dinner.
Instagram/@dwalliams

Caine appeared to be healthy and in good spirits as he continues to recover from major spinal surgery to treat spinal stenosis — a condition caused by the narrowing of the spinal canal, resulting in back and neck pain.

The two-time Oscar winner, who relies on the help of a walking frame, previously spoke out about his back issues in 2021 — sparking speculation that he was set to retire.

Other snaps from his birthday showed Cruise wrapping his arm around the veteran actor as Walliams joined them for a snap.


The pair tucked into a chocolate cake and sipped on red wine.
Instagram/@dwalliams

The scaled-back affair featured a handful of A-listers including celebrity chef Ruth Rogers and an appetizing chocolate cake and a lot of red wine.

Cruise was MIA at Sunday’s ceremony because he reportedly wanted to avoid an “awkward run-in” with his ex-wife Nicole Kidman, 55, whom he divorced more than 20 years ago.

“Tom was not there because she was there, and he did not want a run-in,” a source told the Daily Mail on Monday.


Comedian David Walliams shared snaps from the intimate dinner on his Instagram.
Instagram/@dwalliams

But insiders close to Cruise told the outlet that his absence was “not personal” and instead the result of scheduling issues.

The Post has contacted representatives for Cruise and Kidman for comment.

The prolific duo married on Dec. 24, 1990, and adopted two children — Isabella, now 29, and Connor, now 27, who are both reportedly members of the Church of Scientology, like their dad, Cruise.


Caine’s wife Shakira also joined in on the celebration.
Instagram/@dwalliams

Cruise filed for divorce in February 2001, citing “irreconcilable difference” after allegedly walking out on Kidman that same year.

Cruise went on to marry fellow actress Katie Holmes, 44, in 2006 before their divorce in 2012.

Meanwhile, Kidman married country musician Keith Urban, 55, in 2006.

The happy couple shares two daughters: Sunday Rose, 14, and Faith Margaret, 12.



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Michelle Yeoh wins Best Actress at 2023 Oscars

Michelle Yeoh is taking home the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”

Yeoh, 60, is the second woman of color to win in the category, following Halle Berry for “Monster’s Ball” (2001).

In her speech on stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, she tearfully thanked her cast and crew in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and her family.

“For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities,” Yeoh said. “This is proof that dreams, dream big, and dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you’re ever past your prime.”

She honored her mom with the award during her speech.

“I have to dedicate this to my mom, all the moms in the world, because they are really the superheroes and without them, none of us will be here tonight. She’s 84 and I’m taking this home to her,” she said.


In the speech, she thanked the Academy for making history.
AFP via Getty Images

“Thank you to the Academy, this is history in the making, thank you!” she said as she exited the stage.

Actresses Halle Berry and Jessica Chastain presented the award, breaking from the Oscar tradition of the previous year’s Best Actor winner coming back to present the award for Best Actress. Will Smith has been banned from appearing at the ceremony for 10 years following last year’s slap.

Yeoh beat out fellow nominees Cate Blanchett (“Tár“), Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie“), Michelle Williams (“The Fabelmans“) and Ana de Armas (“Blonde“).


The actress made history as the first Asian woman to be nominated in the category in 85 years.
Getty Images

In “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Yeoh stars as laundromat owner Evelyn Wang, a Chinese immigrant who is swept into parallel universes in order to save all of existence.

She also made history as the first Asian woman to take home the Best Actress award at both the Golden Globes and SAG Awards.

Yeoh was in hot water earlier this month for possibly violating the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ “References to Other Nominees” rule after reportedly posting a photo of a Vogue article, which suggested fellow frontrunner Blanchett doesn’t need a third Oscar.

The actress posted the photo on her Instagram account mere hours before official Oscar voting ended and then promptly deleted it, according to the Daily Beast.

Riseborough also sparked controversy and was subjected to a full investigation by the academy over the campaign to nominate the “To Leslie” actress. She was cleared by the investigation and allowed to remain on the ballot.

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Maverick’ song at the Oscars

Lady Gaga will perform her Oscar-nominated song at the awards show after all.

Just a few days after Oscars producer Glenn Weiss said that Gaga will not be performing at the ceremony, a source close to production confirmed to The Associated Press that she will actually be singing “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick.”

The addition of Gaga means all of this year’s nominees for Best Original Song will be performing at the Academy Awards.

Other nominees who will perform this year include Rihanna (“Lift Me Up”), Sofia Carson and Diane Warren (“Applause”), Stephanie Hsu, David Byrne and Son Lux (“This Is a Life”) and Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava (“Naatu Naatu”).


Tom Cruise in “Top Gun: Maverick.”
© Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

It was reported earlier that the “Poker Face” singer had to turn down the offer to perform due to scheduling conflicts, Weiss confirmed Wednesday during the Oscars Creative Team press conference.

“We invited all five nominees. We have a great relationship with Lady Gaga and her camp. She is in the middle of shooting a movie right now. Here, we are honoring the movie industry and what it takes to make a movie after a bunch of back and forth … It didn’t feel like she can get a performance to the caliber that we’re used to with her and that she is used to,” Weiss said.

“So she is not going to perform on the show, however, this is all, from our point of view, about someone making a movie and us completely understanding that that’s what is priority in this business, especially when we are honoring movies,” Weiss continued.


Miles Teller in “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Scott Garfield /© Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Gaga is currently in the process of filming the upcoming “Joker” musical sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux” with Joaquin Phoenix, where she will play Harley Quinn.

Gaga is the first artist to receive three nominations in the Best Original Song category with “Holy My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Til It Happens to You” from “The Hunting Ground” in 2016, and “Shallow” from “A Star Is Born” in 2019.

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Sarah Ferguson to present at Oscars — thanks to the Presley family

Sarah Ferguson could be making a surprise appearance at the Oscars 2023 telecast on March 12.

The Duchess of York, 63, is rumored to be presenting at the 95th annual Academy Awards on Sunday — on behalf of her late pal Lisa Marie Presley.

The acclaimed Baz Luhrmann biopic “Elvis” is nominated for eight of the golden statuettes, including Best Actor for star Austin Butler, Best Picture and Best Sound.

“There have been discussions about the Duchess attending and it now looks as though that will happen — the plan is for her to present an award,” a source revealed to the The Sun.

The insider continued: “She has been a very close friend of the Presley family, especially Elvis’ daughter Lisa Marie, and she even spoke at her funeral recently.”

Fergie’s emotional memorial appearance “sparked some conversations about the possibility of her attending – and after some back and forth it looks like it’s happening,” the source added. “It’s a big deal to have her there, but it’s a big deal for the Duchess too. America looks likely to play a big part in her future after the problems in the UK over recent years.”


Sarah Ferguson and Lisa Marie Presley’s friendship became public in 2009.
Instagram/Sarah Ferguson

The Duchess of York, who is currently promoting her new memoir “Finding Sarah,” made a speech at Presley’s memorial back in January.
AP

The “To Whom It May Concern” singer died suddenly on Jan. 12 at the age of 54, after suffering from cardiac arrest.

Ferguson had appeared at Presley’s funeral just days later, even quoting her late mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth ll, at the Graceland memorial service.

“I think it’s time to stoke our flames within … to celebrate the extraordinary Lisa Marie,” Ferguson said to a crowd of Presley’s loved ones on Jan. 22.

“[The Queen] used to say that nothing [that] can be said can begin to take away the anguish and the pain of these moments, because grief is the price we pay for love. And how right she was.”

The “Finding Sarah” author paid tribute to Presley at the time of her passing, calling the late singer her “sissy.”

“You have been my devoted friend for many years, and I am here for your family to support and love them. I am deeply saddened, my sissy, you are in my heart,” the royal wrote on social media.


Presley died on Jan. 12 at the age of 54.
Getty Images

The two’s seemingly unlikely friendship surfaced back in 2009, following the death of Presley’s ex-husband, pop icon Michael Jackson.

Presley had reportedly resided at Ferguson’s villa in Marbella, Spain, to grieve the loss.

The songwriter also attended Fergie’s 50th birthday bash in London in 2009 and her daughter Princess Beatrice’s 21st birthday party.

The Post has reached out to the Duchess of York for comment.

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Where to Watch the Oscars 2023 Best Picture Nominations (And What Order to Watch Them)

The 2023 Oscars are less than a week away, which means you have just a few days to catch up on the 2023 Best Picture nominations. You don’t want to be the only one at your Oscars watch party on Sunday night that isn’t laughing at host Jimmy Kimmel’s no-doubt hilarious monologue.

But let’s be realistic: Ten movies is a lot to watch in one week. For those of us with jobs, families, and lives, it’s nearly impossible. Once upon a time, you only had to watch five movies to keep up with the best films of the year—at least, according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science. But ever since the Oscars revised its rules in 2011 to include 10 Best Picture slots, it’s gotten more and more difficult for procrastinators to fit in a last-minute Oscars cram session.

Not to worry, though, because Decider is here to help. In an effort to help you cut down on the noise, Decider has assembled a list of the 2023 Best Picture nominees, ordered by how dire it is that you watch each title. Below, you can find information on where you can watch the film, and why you may want to prioritize (or not) seeing each film before the Oscars.

Thankfully, in the era of streaming, it’s easier and cheaper than ever to watch Oscar-nominated movies. Frontrunner Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, for example, is streaming free on Paramount+, while Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans is available to rent for just $5.99.


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Photo: Everett Collection

If you told me in March 2022 that Everything, Everywhere, All At Once—a movie that features Jamie Lee Curtis with hot dog fingers and a fairly explicit butt plug joke—would be the frontrunner for Best Picture, I would have assumed you were a traveler from a bizarre ultimate universe. But against all odds—and likely thanks to Academy’s continuing efforts to expand its membership to be less old, less white, and less male— this weird, heartfelt, oddity of a movie is favored to take home the top prize at the 95th Academy Awards. Even if this wacky take on the multiverse isn’t for you, Everything, Everywhere is the movie to watch if you want to be part of this year’s Oscar conversation. If you have time for one, make it this one.

Streaming on: Paramount+, Showtime, or buy on digital for $19.99


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Photo: Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection

Although it’s (sadly) unlikely that Tár will take home Best Picture on Sunday night, you still make this masterful drama about a problematic composer a priority. It’s still a toss-up between Michelle Yeoh and Cate Blanchett for Best Actress, but whether or not she wins a statue, Lydia Tár is going down in cinematic history as one of the best performances of Blanchett’s career. Plus, it’s just a really good movie. Written and directed by Todd Field, it’s a brilliant commentary on art, gender, power, and abuse that will compel you every step of the way. You won’t regret watching it.

Streaming on: Peacock Premium, or buy on digital for $19.99, rent for $5.99


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Photo: ©Searchlight Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Don’t count Martin McDonagh’s darkly comedic drama about a friendship break-up, The Banshees of Inisherin, out of the Best Picture running just yet. With eight Oscar nominations—including acting nominations for the entire cast, and two Best Supporting Actor nods, for Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan—this Irish movie could easily be a wild-card winner. Plus, with so many nominations, you’ll be covering a lot of Oscar ground by watching this one. Definitely turn out captions before you stream it on HBO Max, because those Irish accents are thick, and when you’re left confused by the ending, go ahead and give Decider’s analysis of The Banshees of Inisherin ending explained a read.

Streaming on: HBO Max, or buy on digital for $9.99


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Photo: ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

Though the odds of Steven Spielberg taking home the top prize on Sunday aren’t quite as high, it’s still very possible that we’ll see a Fabelmans Best Picture win at the 95th Academy Awards. If you’re a Gen Xer who grew up on Spielberg movies, you’ll probably want to move this family drama—based on Spielberg’s own childhood as an aspiring filmmaker—higher up on your watch list. It’s a perfectly inoffensive, run-of-the-mill biopic, but if you’re not a Spielberg mega fan, you may find yourself bored throughout the two-and-a-half-hour runtime. All respect to Spielberg, a great director, but this movie is hardly his finest work, and, unlike his most famous movies, probably won’t go down as an essential in film history. That said, it’s still essential to the 2023 Oscars.

Streaming on: Buy on digital for $9.99, rent for $5.99


5

Photo: Everett Collection

Though the Academy failed to name a single woman on the list of Best Director nominations, they at least honored Sarah Polly’s critically acclaimed drama with Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay nominations. (The film is adapted from the 2018 novel of the same name by Miriam Toews, which in turn was based on a real-life isolated Mennonite community in Bolivia.) Out of ten films, it’s the only Best Picture nomination directed by a woman, but that’s not the only reason you should watch it. It’s a quiet but fierce conversation about what, exactly, women are supposed to do when they are betrayed by the men in their life, featuring some of the best performances of the year.

Streaming on: Buy on digital for $19.99, rent for $5.99


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Photo: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection

All eyes and ears are on Austin Butler, to see whether the actor will deliver an acceptance speech in his Elvis Presley voice when he most likely wins the Oscar for Best Actor. It’s down to Butler or Brendan Fraser, but given that The Whale isn’t up for Best Picture, if you care about the Best Actor race, go ahead and give this wild Elvis Presley biopic from Baz Luhrmann a stream. The movie was not well-liked by critics, but that didn’t stop it from crushing the box office. Plus, you don’t want to miss out on the most meme-able movie moment of 2022, courtesy of Tom Hanks: “He’s white?!”

Streaming on: HBO Max, or buy on digital for $19.99, rent for $5.99


7

Photo: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Top Gun: Maverick probably won’t win at the Oscars this year, and star Tom Cruise will be crying all the way to the bank with his No. 1 domestic box office hit. Statistically speaking, you’ve probably already seen this long-awaited sequel. But it really is a fun watch— a simple story that honors the emotional narrative of the first film and is honestly far better than it needs to be. That said, if you’re out of time before the Oscars, you can skip this one and likely guess what you’re missing. Use context clues for Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue jokes, and you’ll be just fine.

Streaming on: Paramount+ , or buy on digital for $19.99, rent for $5.99


8

Photo: Netflix

Netflix doesn’t have nearly as strong a showing in the Best Picture race as it has the past few years, but the streamer can at least claim one nomination, and that’s this modern adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front, the world-renowned 1929 German novel by Erich Maria Remarque about World War I. Though it’s not looking good for a Best Picture win, it seems likely that the movie, directed by Edward Berger, will win Best International Feature. With a higher film resolution and a lot more resources, this version of All Quiet on the Western Front feels even more accurate to the horrors of World War I than the book or the 1930 film—so make sure you’re mentally prepared for that.

Streaming on: Netflix


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Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection

Triangle of Sadness is one of those wildcard Best Picture nominations that almost definitely isn’t going to win anything and probably shouldn’t have even been nominated in the first place. Sometimes these wildcard entries highlight hidden gems, but unfortunately, that’s not the case with this dark “eat the rich” satire from Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund. Unless you’re fond of watching excruciating vomit-and-diarrhea sequences, you can move this movie to the bottom of your watch list.

Streaming on: Hulu, or buy on digital for $7.99, rent for $3.99


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Photo: Everett Collection

If you haven’t gone to see Avatar 2 in theaters at this point, it’s likely because you aren’t very interested in watching Avatar 2. And if that’s the case, I see no reason to subject yourself to this expensive, three-hour spectacle simply for the sake of the Academy Awards. Sure, The Way of Water is a lock for the Best Visual Effects Oscar. But trust us, you won’t lose any points among film nerds at your Oscars watch-party for skipping this one. Also? It’s not available on streaming!

Streaming on: Nowhere, yet! Find a theatrical showing near you via Fandango.



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