Hollywood
Dev Patel joins Oscar as new member
MUMBAI: After adding 271 people last year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sent out invitations to more than 300 people this year to be their new members, including actors Eddie Redmayne, Emma Stone and Dev Patel. The new invitees were from Oscar winners, nominees, and other notable names in the industry.
Eddie Redmayne’s role as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything not only won him the best actor award, but also saved him a member’s place in the Academy. Others include Emma Stone, who was nominated for best supporting actress for her performance in Birdman; rapper Common who grabbed best original song for his Selma soundtrack; and Dev Patel, whose film Slumdog Millionaire won eight Oscars in 2009.
In the music category, the All Of Me singer, John Legend who collaborated with Common in the Selma theme song Glory has also made it to the list of invitees. Another new member in the music branch is Nine Inch Nails’ vocalist Trent Reznor who scored David Fincher’s Gone Girl.
Other actors in the new list include Elizabeth Banks, Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Tom Hardy, Kevin Hart, Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Chris Pine, Daniel Radcliffe, Jason Segel and JK Simmons.
The new directors who join this year’s invitees are James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), Justin Lin (Fast and Furious 6), Edgar Wright (The World’s End), and Joe Wright (Anna Karenina).
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
