Hollywood
Hugh Grant gives details on his new rom-com at SIFF
MUMBAI: British actor Hugh Grant addressed the Shanghai International Film Festival press contingent on 15 June about his latest movie The Rewrite. Grant plays the role of a screenwriter in the Marc Lawrence-directed movie which will be screened at this year’s festival.
The Rewrite is the story of a screenwriter named Keith Michaels who at one time was very successful and won a Golden Globe. His career is in a terrible place after 15 years and he ends up teaching in a university in New York.
There he meets Holly, a single mom with two jobs, trying to earn her bachelor’s degree. She helps to change his attitude towards teaching. “It’s not exactly a romantic comedy,” Grant said at the contingent. “There is romance, and it certainly is a comedy, but I would say its closer to About A Boy. It’s really about a man who seems completely lost and who discovers a new life.”
Grant has starred in three other films directed by Lawrence, Did You Hear About the Morgans?, Music & Lyrics and Two Weeks Notice. Grant is popular with movie fans in China for his roles in romantic comedies like Love Actually, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’s Diary and more.
Grant won a Golden Globe Award for his role in Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Hollywood
Disney sells out ad slots for 98th Oscars broadcast
Strong demand for live events turns the Academy Awards into a global, multi-platform marketing moment
NEW YORK: Hollywood’s biggest night has also become one of advertising’s hottest tickets. Disney has sold out all advertising inventory for the 98th Oscars, underscoring the growing demand from brands eager to ride the cultural wave of major live events.
The sell-out marks the sixth consecutive live tentpole success for Disney Advertising. The streak includes last year’s 97th Oscars, the 59th Annual CMA Awards, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, signalling strong appetite among marketers for moments that bring audiences together in real time.
For advertisers, the Oscars are no longer just a single night of glitz and gold statues. Disney’s “Content Everywhere” strategy has expanded the awards show into a sprawling, multi-platform brand playground spanning linear television, streaming, social media and digital content.
“Live continues to be one of the most powerful ways for brands to connect with engaged audiences at scale, and the Oscars represent the very best of culture, creativity and community,” said Disney Advertising SVP, entertainment and streaming solutions John Campbell. He added that the company has reshaped the show’s commercial potential into a connected experience that stretches well beyond the broadcast.
Brands such as Mazda, Pfizer and Volkswagen of America are tapping into Disney’s wider ecosystem, appearing across original content segments including Know Your Movies on Hulu and Critically Acclaimed on Disney+. Partnerships also extend to social media through TikTok Pulse Premiere and to custom brand storytelling created by Disney CreativeWorks.
The result is what Disney calls the “Oscars Everywhere” approach. Rather than a few high-profile ad breaks, advertisers now find themselves woven through a series of moments before, during and after the ceremony.
These include On The Red Carpet at The Oscars, a live pre-show syndicated across major local markets and streamed nationwide, and the After the Oscars Show, which keeps the conversation going once the final award has been handed out.
This year’s sponsors include Rolex, returning for its ninth year, and Burger King, which joins the Oscars advertiser roster for the first time. Other brands in the mix include Disney Cruise Line, Dunkin’, Eli Lilly and Company, Eucerin, Intuit TurboTax, L’Oréal, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Miebo, Paris Baguette, Peacock, Starbucks, State Farm, Toyota and Verizon.
The 98th Oscars will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu, reaching audiences in more than 200 territories worldwide.
