Hollywood
Oprah Winfrey starrer ‘Selma’ addresses racial crises and struggles
MUMBAI: Oprah Winfrey’s new movie Selma centers on a key moment in the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
The film, which is slated to open on Christmas Day this year, will mirror the struggle in the age of Ferguson and Garner and dramatise how King (David Oyelowo) rallied peacefully in 1965 against Southern racism and Alabama governor, George Wallace (Tim Roth) in order to get President Lyndon Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) to pass the voting rights act and ensure black enfranchisement.
Talking about how even today protesters fill the streets to protest police killings of unarmed black men, Winfrey says, “You look out of your window and see people protesting, and then look at Selma and it looks similar. It’s a wonderful thing that people are protesting”.
“When they say, enough is enough and that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, it reiterates what Martin Luther King said in Selma,” she adds.
The issue is certainly close to Winfrey’s heart. Her message of empowerment is a part of everything she does. Winfrey, who herself was born poor to a family in Mississippi, began her career as a Chicago newsreader 30 years back. Today, the 60-year-old magnate is a successful talk show presenter and a multi-faceted personality.
Selma is set to release on 25 December 2014.
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.
