Hollywood
Oscars unveils stellar line-up of presenters
MUMBAI: This year’s Oscars will see a stellar line-up of presenters.
From Josh Hutcherson, Scarlett Johansson, Zoe Saldana, Octavia Spencer, Marion Cotillard, Benedict Cumberbatch, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto, Matthew McConaughey to Lupita Nyong’o, the who’s who of Hollywood will take to the stage to present various awards this year.
Cotillard, Cumberbatch, Streep, Winfrey and Witherspoon have all been nominated for the Oscars this year. Cotillard is nominated for Actress in a Leading Role for Two Days, One Night. She previously won an Oscar in this category for La Vie en Rose (2007). On the other hand, Cumberbatch is nominated for Actor in a Leading Role for The Imitation Game.
Streep earned a record 19th acting nomination this year for her supporting role in Into the Woods. She previously took home Oscars for her lead performances in Sophie’s Choice (1982) and The Iron Lady (2011), and her supporting performance in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). Streep’s previous Best Actress nominations were for The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981), Silkwood (1983), Out of Africa (1985), Ironweed (1987), A Cry in the Dark (1988), Postcards from the Edge (1990), The Bridges of Madison County (1995), One True Thing (1998), Music of the Heart (1999), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Doubt (2008), Julie & Julia (2009) and August: Osage County (2013). She also received Best Supporting Actress nominations for The Deer Hunter (1978) and Adaptation (2002).
Winfrey is nominated for Best Picture as one of the producers of Selma. She was previously nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role for The Color Purple (1985). She received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2011.
Witherspoon is nominated for Actress in a Leading Role for Wild. She previously won an Oscar in this category for the 2005 movie Walk the Line.
Additionally, last year’s Oscar winners Blanchett, Leto, McConaughey and Nyong’o will also be seen presenting awards this year. “The great tradition of having the previous year’s Oscar-winning best actors and actresses in all four categories happily continues this year with the amazing quartet of Cate, Jared, Matthew and Lupita. We’re thrilled to have them back,” said show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.
Blanchett has been nominated for six Oscars and has won two, including last year’s award for Blue Jasmine. Her previous win was for Actress in a Supporting Role for the 2004 film The Aviator. Blanchett also received leading actress nominations for Elizabeth (1998) and Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), and supporting actress nominations for Notes on a Scandal (2006) and I’m Not There (2007).
Last year, Leto won the Oscar for Actor in a Supporting Role and McConaughey for Actor in a Leading Role, both for Dallas Buyer’s Club. Nyong’o took home the Oscar for Actress in a Supporting Role for 12 Years a Slave.
The Oscars will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and will be held on 22 February.
Hollywood
WBD sets April 23 vote on $110bn Paramount Skydance merger
Investor approval key step, but regulators loom over mega media deal
NEW YORK: Warner Bros. Discovery has set April 23 as the date for shareholders to vote on its proposed $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, marking a crucial step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
The all-cash transaction offers WBD shareholders $31 per share, a hefty 147 per cent premium to its unaffected stock price, signalling strong intent to push the deal across the finish line. The company’s board has unanimously backed the merger and is urging investors to vote in favour.
Even if shareholders give the green light, the deal is far from done. Regulators in the United States and Europe are expected to scrutinise the merger closely, weighing concerns around competition and potential price impacts for consumers.
To keep investors on side, WBD has built in a safety net. If the deal is not completed by September 30, shareholders will receive a quarterly “ticking fee” of $0.25 per share until closure.
The proposed merger would significantly reshape the media landscape, combining the assets of Warner Bros. Discovery with those linked to Paramount Global and Skydance Media. It would also cement the growing influence of David Ellison, who has been steering Skydance’s aggressive expansion strategy.
“The WBD Board has been guided by the singular principle of securing a transaction that maximises the value of our iconic assets and delivers as much certainty as possible to our shareholders,” said Warner Bros. Discovery board chair Samuel A. Di Piazza Jr.. “This historic transaction will expand consumer choice and create new opportunities for creative talent.”
Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive officer David Zaslav added that the company is working closely with its counterpart to close the deal and unlock value for stakeholders.
With investor backing likely but regulatory hurdles ahead, the proposed merger is shaping up to be a defining moment for the global entertainment industry, where scale, content and competition are increasingly intertwined.
