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Tag: Entertainment-Variety

  • Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 17 Nominees for 2026 Include Shakira, Lauryn Hill, Pink, Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Billy Idol and Wu Tang Clan

    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 17 Nominees for 2026 Include Shakira, Lauryn Hill, Pink, Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Billy Idol and Wu Tang Clan

    The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced 17 nominees for its class of 2026, with one of its most widely genre-spanning lists of contenders ever:

    The Black Crowes
    Jeff Buckley
    Mariah Carey
    Phil Collins
    Melissa Etheridge
    Lauryn Hill
    Billy Idol
    INXS
    Iron Maiden
    Joy Division/New Order
    New Edition
    Oasis
    Pink
    Sade
    Shakira
    Luther Vandross
    Wu-Tang Clan

    The 10 nominees appearing on the ballot for the first time are Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, INXS, New Edition, Pink, Shakira, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan.

    The seven returning to the ballot after previous tries at getting elected are the Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis and Sade.

    If that seems like a large crop of nominees, it is. For 2025, the total number of contenders stood at 14, three fewer than this year’s roster.

    Of the seven returning to the ballot, five were on it just last year and make an instant return: the Black Crowes, Carey, Idol, Joy Division/New Order and Oasis. The singer for the latter band, Liam Gallagher, disavowed the Rock Hall when his band was previously twice nominated, but the nominating committee did not hold his recalcitrance against him this year.

    The third time being nominated could be the charm for four of the artists: Carey, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order and Oasis. The three second-time nominees, meanwhile, are the Black Crowes, Idol and Sade. The Hall is not going back into its ancient history to find return nominees: All of the prior nominations for all of these artists occurred since 2021.

    Pink is the only artist being nominated in her first year of eligibility; her debut album, “Can’t Take Me Home,” came out in 2000.

    This year’s list has what some might consider a recency bias, relatively speaking. All of the 10 first-time nominees having debuted on the scene in the 1980s, 1990s or, as with Pink, 2000, despite the annual cries from fans of older rock bands of the ’60s and ’70s that their favorites are still overdue.

    Collins is the only 2026 contender who already has a spot in the Rock Hall, having been inducted as a member of Genesis.

    Buckley is the rare artist getting a shot at being elected on the basis of releasing only one album in his lifetime. “Grace” came out in 1994; the singer/songwriter died in 1997.

    Those who can be counted on to complain every year that the Hall should limit itself to actual rock ‘n’ roll will have plenty to gripe about this year, although others will be grateful for the wide gamut of genres spanned. Only roughly half of the 17 nominees would be considered “rock” per se: the Crowes, Buckley, Etheridge, Idol, INXS, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order and Oasis… with Collins perhaps straddling the line as a recognized superstar of pop, apart from his duties in the rock band Genesis. That leaves plenty of room in this crop for a sizable representation of pop, with Pink, Carey, and Latin-pop crossover favorite Shakira, and R&B and/or hip-hop, with Hill, New Edition, Vandross and Wu Tang in the mix.

    (Although the Hall strives to be inclusive of different contemporary genres, one wildly popular genre that is not represented among these nominees, again, is country; Dolly Parton remains the only country figure inducted in the last 23 years.)

    The vote will take place over the next two months, with those selected by the Hall’s 1,200 voters revealed in April. At that time, further Inductees will also be named who are entering the Hall under three special committee categories: Musical Influence, Musical Excellence and the Ahmet Ertegun Non Performer Award.

  • TikTok Discover List 2026: Irene Suwandi, Leana Deeb, Olly Bowman and More (EXCLUSIVE)

    TikTok Discover List 2026: Irene Suwandi, Leana Deeb, Olly Bowman and More (EXCLUSIVE)

    ORIGINATOR

    Carmen Fiorito started sharing her work in her father’s phone shop on TikTok, and in a short time, the videos in which she changed protective films on smartphones with an unusual and engaging style went viral (one of them reached over 470 million views). Thanks to her success on TikTok, she helped her family expand their business, hire staff and open new shops in different Italian cities. New Martina has now become a leading brand in electronic device protection, recognized for its high-quality products and attentive, efficient customer service. Trusted by celebrities from film, television, sports, music and mostly normal people, New Martina has become a beloved brand with over 10 million followers on TikTok, a loyal global community, drawn to its innovation, attention to detail and unwavering customer service.

    What does it mean to be recognized on the Discover List?

    I am so proud and honored to be nominated as an Originator! TikTok was the platform where everything started for me in 2023, and even today, it continues to give me so much satisfaction as I grow my company even more. TikTok has made my company what it is today, changing my company for the better, allowing me to reach millions of people and, above all, to open many stores throughout Italy.

    Who is an entrepreneur, brand, or business that you look up to?

    My favorite brand is Apple, along with Steve Jobs. I absolutely love their way of communicating and marketing, as well as their consistently innovative and original products.

    Describe yourself in three words.

    Courageous, ambitious, stubborn.

  • Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 17 Nominees for 2026 Include Shakira, Lauryn Hill, Pink, Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Billy Idol and Wu Tang Clan

    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 17 Nominees for 2026 Include Shakira, Lauryn Hill, Pink, Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Billy Idol and Wu Tang Clan

    The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced 17 nominees for its class of 2026, with one of its most widely genre-spanning lists of contenders ever:

    The Black Crowes
    Jeff Buckley
    Mariah Carey
    Phil Collins
    Melissa Etheridge
    Lauryn Hill
    Billy Idol
    INXS
    Iron Maiden
    Joy Division/New Order
    New Edition
    Oasis
    Pink
    Sade
    Shakira
    Luther Vandross
    Wu-Tang Clan

    The 10 nominees appearing on the ballot for the first time are Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, INXS, New Edition, Pink, Shakira, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan.

    The seven returning to the ballot after previous tries at getting elected are the Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis and Sade.

    If that seems like a large crop of nominees, it is. For 2025, the total number of contenders stood at 14, three fewer than this year.

    Of the seven returning to the ballot, five were on it just last year and make an instant return: the Black Crowes, Carey, Idol, Joy Division/New Order and Oasis. The singer for the latter band, Liam Gallagher, disavowed the Rock Hall at the time, but the nominating committee did not hold that against him this year.

    Pink is the only artist being nominated in her first year of eligibility; her debut album, “Can’t Take Me Home,” came out in 2000.

    This year’s list has a bias toward the new, relatively speaking, with all of the 10 first-time nominees having debuted on the scene in the 1980s, 1990s or, as with Pink, 2000.

    The vote will take place over the next two months, with those selected by the Hall’s 1,200 voters revealed in April. At that time, further Inductees will also be named who are entering the Hall under three special committee categories: Musical Influence, Musical Excellence and the Ahmet Ertegun Non Performer Award.

  • HBO Max Acquires Japanese Period Action Drama ‘Song of the Samurai’ From Studio the Seven, Sets May Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)

    HBO Max Acquires Japanese Period Action Drama ‘Song of the Samurai’ From Studio the Seven, Sets May Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)

    HBO Max is set to bow “Song of the Samurai,” a live-action jidaigeki series rooted in one of Japan’s most enduring manga franchises, on May 9.

    The show is drawn from “Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem,” the long-running manga by Umemura Shinya, whose work on “Record of Ragnarok” earned him a global following after the title was adapted into a popular anime series. “Chiruran” has sustained a devoted readership across more than a decade, with 36 collected volumes and upwards of three million copies sold. It has also spawned anime and stage adaptations over the years.

    The production brings together three major Japanese entertainment players: broadcaster TBS, streaming service U-Next and production house The Seven, whose previous credits include “Alice in Borderland” and “Yu Yu Hakusho.” The series arrives on HBO Max through Warner Bros. Discovery’s existing content partnership with U-Next.

    The drama unfolds in late-Edo period Kyoto and follows the Shinsengumi, the storied samurai corps that served as the shogunate’s last line of defense during one of Japan’s most turbulent political transitions. At its center is Hijikata Toshizo – a former street fighter played by Yamada Yuki – whose unlikely brotherhood with Kondo Isami and Okita Soji shapes the emotional core of the series. Loyalty, betrayal, illness and war all bear down on the group as the old order crumbles around them.

    Rounding out the cast are Go Ayano and Nakajima Kento. Sakai Masaaki penned the scripts, Watanabe Kazutaka helms the direction, and Morii Akira, Inoue Mamoru and Shimomura Kazuya produce.

    Japanese audiences will get an early look via a two-night broadcast event on TBS TV – “Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo” – on March 26 and 27, with episodes streaming on U-Next straight after each airing. The second chapter, “Chapter: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto,” will then roll out weekly on U-Next every Friday as a streaming exclusive.

    James Gibbons, president, Asia Pacific at Warner Bros. Discovery, said: “With a growing appetite for this genre, we hope fans enjoy this captivating new samurai story – rooted deep in Japanese culture, with passionate action and a charismatic ensemble cast.”

    U-Next president and representative director Tsutsumi Tenshin added: “This project was developed with global distribution and broadcast integration in mind, aiming to expand the reach of Japanese content. With The Seven’s production quality, TBS’s creative strength, and a world-renowned manga at its core, we are confident the series will captivate international viewers.”

    TBS Television president and representative director Masamine Ryuho said: “Set against the upheaval of the Bakumatsu era, this large-scale drama captures the spirit of young men living through one of Japan’s most transformative periods.”

    Morii, who serves as VP, CCO and chief producer at The Seven, said the team set out to reimagine the jidaigeki genre for younger audiences. “Built on an exceptional manga original, ‘Song of the Samurai’ is brought to life through the committed performances and action of Yamada Yuki and an outstanding cast, with a contemporary vision of the samurai spirit,” he said.

    Yamada, who leads the series as Hijikata, added: “In mid-19th century Japan, the Shinsengumi were among the so-called last samurai warriors who upheld the way of the sword during a time of profound change. To me, the samurai spirit is the wish to protect someone; a universal feeling that is shared across borders. I hope audiences can enjoy the action, while also feeling the emotion carried within each blade.”

    Local language subtitles and dubs will be available in select markets.

    Meanwhile, HBO Max will launch direct-to-consumer in new markets across Asia Pacific on March 26, including Bhutan, Fiji, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

  • A Contracorriente Boards Thriller ‘Hour and Twenty’ Ahead of Malaga Bow (EXCLUSIVE)

    A Contracorriente Boards Thriller ‘Hour and Twenty’ Ahead of Malaga Bow (EXCLUSIVE)

    Barcelona-based A Contracorriente Films, one of Spain’s top independent distributors, has taken Spanish distribution rights to M. A. Romero’s thriller “Hour and Twenty” (“Hora y veinte”), ahead of the film’s March 12 world premiere in the Málaga Festival’s official selection.

    A Contracorriente has also boarded international sales on the film, with the company in talks with regular partner Latido Films sales agency about a potential international rollout deal.

    Written and directed by Romero and inspired by real events, the story is set on Christmas Eve, following Manuela, an emotionally distant mother whose six-year-old son vanishes in a shopping mall. As two Guardia Civil investigators pursue the case, Manuela is driven toward a more unsettling possibility: she may be losing her grip on reality.

    With no evidence of a kidnapping, the case escalates when authorities uncover her criminal past — and no one claims to remember ever seeing her with a child. With time tightening, Manuela must prove her innocence before it’s too late.

    Manuela is played by Goya nominee Macarena Gómez (“Shrew’s Nest”). Rounding out the lead roles are two-time Goya winner Roberto Álamo (“May God Save Us,” “The Skin I Live In”) and three-time Goya laureate Emma Suárez (“The Dog In The Manger,” “Julieta”).

    Boré Buika (“Palm Trees In The Snow”) and Alex Sorian Brown (“Evan Wood”) also star, with a special appearance from renowned Spanish vocalist Álex Ubago.

    “Hour and Twenty” is produced by Luces y Acción AIE, El Orgullo Producciones, Producciones La Cochera, Womack Studios, Sorenfilms and Shift Dif, and was shot on location in Torrevieja (Alicante), Martos (Jaén) and Madrid. The film is backed by Andalusian public broadcaster Canal Sur and Torrevieja’s Town Hall.

    Romero described the film as a “relentless, high-concept thriller” designed to sustain tension throughout, while keeping the emotional stakes grounded. A Contracorriente’s involvement, he added, is “incredibly meaningful” not only for this release but for what he framed as a longer-term creative relationship.

    “As I continue developing new stories, it’s important to collaborate with partners who share the same ambition and vision for taking them beyond borders,” Romero said.

    Actor-producer Salva Reina, CEO of Producciones La Cochera, called A Contracorriente’s boarding “Hour and Twenty” “a true validation of the film’s quality.” “Our hope is ‘Hour and Twenty’ can reach the widest possible audience – in theaters, on streaming services and across as many territories as possible,” Reina added.

    Romero previously directed the crime film “75 Días,” which opened in 2021. He is currently in pre-production on “Todo Sobre Mi Padre,” described as a homage to Pedro Almodóvar, Vicente Aranda and Carlos Saura, slated to begin shooting in late 2026.

  • ‘Gone,’ From ‘Hijack’ and ‘Lupin’ Creator George Kay, Pre-Sold to BritBox for North America by All3Media International (EXCLUSIVE)

    Identifying one of the hot tickets at this year’s London TV Screenings,’ “Gone,” from George Kay, creator or writer of “Hijack,” “The Long Shadow” and “Lupin,” has scored bullish pre-sales across four continents led by a BritBox deal for the U.S. and Canada. 

    Other pre-sales on the upcoming psychological thriller, starring David Morrissey (“Sherwood”) and Eve Myles (“Keeping Faith”), take in both top broadcast networks and streaming services in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe. 

    Partners include Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, and Australian streaming service Stan. SkyNew Zealand has also licensed “Gone,” set to air on Three and stream on ThreeNow.

    Across Asia, A3Media International has struck a pre-sales deal with BBC Studios’ premium SVOD drama channel, BBC First, alongside its multi-genre SVOD platform, BBC Player.

    The six-part series will be one of the centerpiece scripted titles at All3Media International‘s London Screenings showcase on Feb. 26.

    In “Gone,” bound for ITV and ITVX for a March bow, Morrissey plays the headmaster of an elite English private school, whose wife suddenly vanishes. Enter Detective Annie Cassidy (Myles) who views Polly as the prime suspect and “Gone” lifts off as a high-stakes cat and mouse psychological drama-thriller between the hard-charging Cassidy and Polly, who keep his own counsel. 

    That comes with his caste and class. Released mid-Feb, a trailer for “Gone” begins not with Polly but his school, which looks to date back to Tudor times, its facade sporting an elegant nineteenth century Anglo-Italianate makeover. It goes on to catch Polly addressing students in the school’s main hall, its coat of arms behind him. Cut to Polly’s country house. 

    This is a man who is the voice of the British establishment, its moral arbiter whose ethics are not to be questioned lightly. Enter Myles Cassidy, caught in the trailer in a slightly larger than normal first close-up, who stares at Polly across a police interrogation room table with an air of not very dissimulated disbelief.

    This is a “story about privilege and prejudice,” Kay said when “Gone” was announced. “The truth is tantalisingly close. Or at least, that’s what Annie thinks,” he teased. Kay’s Observatory Pictures, backed by All3Media, produces with New Pictures, in association with All3Media International.

    ‘Gone’ Eve Myles as Annie, David Morrissey as Michael Copyright New Pictures, All3Media International

    Gone Eve Myles as Annie, David Morrissey as Michael Copyright New Pictures, All3Media International

    “Blending psychological mystery with a claustrophobic thriller and layered character drama, George Kay’s latest series has resonated strongly with international buyers as is evident through this impressive line-up of premium partners at pre-sale stage, including BritBox,” said Jennifer Askin, EVP Americas at All3Media International. 

    “With its atmospheric setting, a stellar cast led by David Morrissey and Eve Myles and a tightly constructed cat-and-mouse narrative, “Gone” delivers sustained tension and broad audience appeal,” she added. “We look forward to unveiling further details to buyers at our upcoming upfronts event this week.”

    “Beyond the central mystery, ‘Gone’ digs into themes of trauma, trust and the long shadow cast by elite institutions, giving the drama a deeper emotional and social edge alongside its thriller elements,” All3Media International noted in a press statement on Wednesday. 

    Written and created by Kay, “Gone” is directed by BAFTA-winning Richard Laxton (“Mrs Wilson,” “The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe”). Cast also takes in Jennifer Macbeth, Arthur Hughes, Nicholas Nunn, Elliot Cowan, Billy Barratt, Rupert Evans, Jodie McNee, Oscar Batterham and Clare Higgins.

    “Gone” is produced by Mark Hedges (“Hanna,” “The Rising”). Kay, Laxton, Willow Grylls (“Des,” “The Missing”) and Matt Sandford (“The Long Shadow”) serve as executive producers.

    “Gone” is fiction, A3Media Intl. stresses It is partly inspired, however, by the book “To Hunt a Killer” and the real-world work of former Detective Superintendent Julie Mackay and ITV Crime Correspondent Robert Murphy, both of whom worked as consultants on the show.

  • ‘Project Hail Mary’ First Reactions: Ryan Gosling Is a ‘Shining Star’ in Christopher Miller and Phil Lord’s ‘Must-See Space Odyssey’

    ‘Project Hail Mary’ First Reactions: Ryan Gosling Is a ‘Shining Star’ in Christopher Miller and Phil Lord’s ‘Must-See Space Odyssey’

    “Project Hail Mary” has been unveiled to members of the film press ahead of its March 20 release, and first reactions are calling Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s sci-fi comedy a “must-see space odyssey” that may prove to be a “major awards player” come Oscar time next year.

    Film critic Eric Marchen shared a glowing review on X, writing that “Project Hail Mary” is “the first great blockbuster of 2026.”

    “Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s must-see space odyssey blasts off as the first great blockbuster of 2026,” Marchen wrote. “Out-of-this-world cinematography from Greig Fraser reaches for the stars while anchored by a stellar Ryan Gosling performance. This movie ROCKS!”

    Critic Adriano Caporusso also praised the film on X. He wrote, “‘PROJECT HAIL MARY’: Lord & Miller’s latest plays up a ‘Short Circuit’ bromance to an hysterical extreme while simultaneously delivering a pulse-pounding space epic that brings true humanity to the centrestage, but not without some jaw-dropping visuals alongside.”

    Globe and Mail film writer Barry Hertz shared some reservations about the “Project Hail Mary” on X, but they weren’t enough to outshine Ryan Gosling’s “galaxy-sized charms.”

    “‘PROJECT HAIL MARY’: Not quite faster-than-light script with too many endings and one crucial plot point that evaporates, plus a seeming corporate obligation to Amazon’s ROCKY catalogue, cannot suppress the galaxy-sized charms of Ryan Gosling,” he wrote. “‘INTERSTELLAR’ without all the ~stuff~.”

    Entertainment journalist Scott Menzel called “Project Hail Mary” a “masterpiece” on X and predicted it will be “a major awards player across the board.”

    “‘Project Hail Mary’ is an epic cinematic achievement,” Menzel wrote. “Phil Lord and Chris Miller somehow manage to raise the bar once again, delivering what is not only their most ambitious film to date, but arguably their most accomplished.”

    TV host Jeff Conway echoed the praise, writing on X, “A successfully sophisticated blend of humor, sci-fi, drama and suspense. Ryan Gosling is the shining star of this compassionate story about connection and defying the odds, while Sandra Hüller is the tender heart of this beautiful film.”

    Based on the 2021 novel by Andy Weir, the film stars Gosling as brainy school teacher Ryland Grace, who wakes up alone on a spaceship light-years away from Earth with no recollection of how he got there. As his memory recovers, he pieces together an outlandish plot that sent him through the galaxy to stop a mysterious entity from blacking out the sun. Other cast members include Sandra Hüller, Milana Vayntrub, Ken Leung, Liz Kingsman and James Ortiz.

    At Comic Con 2025, Gosling unveiled the first five minutes of “Project Hail Mary” alongside Miller, Lord and screenwriter Drew Goddard. Gosling said at the time that he related to Ryland’s situation of being an “ordinary person in an extraordinary situation.”

    “I connected to his reluctance,” he said. “Aside from the fact he has a doctorate in molecular biology, he’s an ordinary person in an extraordinary situation. He reacts to a lot of things the way I might or a lot of us might. He’s terrified appropriately of the task at hand. He’s somebody who gave up on himself on Earth, and he’s given an opportunity to believe in himself again. It’s inspiring to go through this journey with him because he somehow finds the courage to put one foot in front of the other and keep going.”

    Check out more reactions below.

  • ‘Wisecrack,’ Pablo Torre Win Top Ambies Awards for Audio Entertainment

    ‘Wisecrack,’ Pablo Torre Win Top Ambies Awards for Audio Entertainment

    “Wisecrack,” an innovative true-crime podcast revolving around comedian Edd Hedges, won the top prize of podcast of the year Tuesday night in Brooklyn at the sixth annual The Ambies awards ceremony honoring excellence in audio content.

    The iHeartPodcasts series, hosted by experienced documentary and true crime journalist Jodi Tovay, looks at the bizarre confluence of events that engulfed Hedges after he returned to his hometown to perform at a charity event. Per iHeart’s description of “Wisecrack,” “What starts as a heartwarming homecoming quickly spirals into a chilling true crime tale of a downward spiral and a town shaken by murder.” “Wisecrack” also won additional trophies for nonfiction screenwriting, society and culture podcast and for production and sound design.

    ESPN veteran Pablo Torre was dubbed podcaster of the year for Meadowlark Media’s “Pablo Torre Finds Out” at the awards administered by The Podcast Academy. The ceremony, hosted by comedian Wyatt Cenac, was held at the Arlo Williamsburg venue as part of the On the Air festival celebrating audio storytelling.

    LISTEN: “Daily Variety,” “Awards Circuit,” “Strictly Business” and other Variety podcasts

    Here is a full list of this year’s The Ambies winners:

    Vanguard Podcaster of the Year
    Pablo Torre

    Podcast of The Year
    Wisecrack
    Tenderfoot TV , iHeartPodcasts

    Best Ad Read
    Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend
    SiriusXM

    Best Branded Podcast
    Sesame Street: Cookie Monster Mysteries
    Audible Studios,Sesame Workshop

    Best Business Podcast
    The Indicator from Planet Money
    NPR

    Best Comedy Podcast
    Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend
    SiriusXM, Team Coco

    Best DIY Podcast
    Redacted History
    Dr. Andre White, Airwave

    Best Documentary Podcast
    The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby
    CBC, BBC World Service

    Best Emerging Podcast
    How Is This Better?
    COURIER Newsroom

    Best Entertainment Podcast
    Twenty Thousand Hertz
    Defacto Sound

    Best Fiction Podcast
    Red for Revolution
    Meta Mana Media

    Best History Podcast
    Our Ancestors Were Messy
    Coco Hill Productions

    Best Indie Podcast
    Our Ancestors Were Messy
    Coco Hill Productions

    Best Indie Podcast Host or Hosts
    Jamie Feldman and Rachel Webster
    Debt Heads
    Captain and the Fox

    Best Interview Podcast
    Death, Sex & Money
    Slate

    Best Knowledge, Science or Tech Podcast
    Radiolab
    New York Public Radio

    Best News & Politics
    Reveal
    Reveal and PRX

    Best Original Score and Music Supervision
    Marcus Bagala and Sam Ewing
    DC High Volume: Batman
    DC Comics, Realm

    Best Performance in Audio Fiction
    Maulik Pancholy, Murray Bartlett, Poorna Jagannathan, Karan Soni, Anna Camp, Adam Pally, Margo Martindale, Richard Kind, Conrad Ricamora, Iqbal Theba, Julian Shapiro-Barnum, Padma Lakshmi, et al.
    Murder at the Patel Motel
    Broadway Video, Audible

    Best Personal Growth / Spirituality Podcast
    Wild Card with Rachel Martin
    NPR

    Best Podcast for Kids
    Terrestrials
    WNYC Studios

    Best Podcast Host or Hosts
    Rachel Martin
    Wild Card with Rachel Martin
    NPR

    Best Production and Sound Design
    Alex Vespestad, Steven Perez, and Cooper Skinner
    Wisecrack
    Tenderfoot TV , iHeartPodcasts

    Best Reporting
    Robyn Semien
    Question Everything
    Placement Theory

    Best Scriptwriting, Fiction
    Jana Naomi Smith
    Red for Revolution
    Meta Mana Media

    Best Scriptwriting, Non-Fiction
    Charles Forbes and Edd Hedges
    Wisecrack
    Tenderfoot TV , iHeartPodcasts

    Best Society and Culture Podcast
    Wisecrack
    Tenderfoot TV , iHeartPodcasts

    Best Spanish Language Narrative Podcast – Fiction or Nonfiction
    No Me Provoquen
    Sonoro

    Best Sports Podcast
    Pablo Torre Finds Out
    Meadowlark Media

    Best True Crime Podcast
    Sea of Lies
    Produced by What’s the Story Sounds for CBC

    Best Use of Video in a Podcast
    Tales Unrolled
    Sonoro

    Best Wellness or Relationships Podcast
    Embodied
    WUNC

    Podcast Advertiser Innovator Award
    Charlie’s Place
    Atlas Obscura, Rococo Punch, Visit Myrtle Beach, Pushkin

    (Pictured: Pablo Torre and Wyatt Cenac)

  • S.S. Rajamouli Unveils Motion Capture Facility at Nagarjuna’s Annapurna Studios; Key ‘Varanasi’ Sequences Shot at Lab (EXCLUSIVE)

    S.S. Rajamouli Unveils Motion Capture Facility at Nagarjuna’s Annapurna Studios; Key ‘Varanasi’ Sequences Shot at Lab (EXCLUSIVE)

    “RRR” director S.S. Rajamouli has unveiled what is being billed as India’s most advanced motion capture facility, unveiling the A&M MoCap Lab at Hyderabad’s Annapurna Studios.

    The facility is a joint venture between Akkineni Nagarjuna‘s Annapurna Studios and “Baahubali” producer Shobu Yarlagadda‘s Mihira Visual Labs, with Hollywood’s Animatrik Film Design – whose credits include “Avengers: Endgame,” “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “RRR” – serving as the technology partner. During the unveiling, Rajamouli shared the first glimpse of the lab and confirmed that key sequences of “Varanasi,” which stars Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran were captured there.

    For Rajamouli, the facility closes a long-standing gap in Indian filmmaking infrastructure. “India has always had some of the world’s best technicians contributing to major global productions, but what we lacked was an advanced facility right here at home,” he said. “When I look back at some of my previous films like ‘Baahubali’ and ‘Eega,’ I reminisce how I could have made them even better if I had access to motion capture technology back then in India. With the introduction of A&M’s motion capture technology, that gap has finally been bridged. We utilized this facility in the making of crucial sequences in ‘Varanasi,’ and the results were simply fantastic.”

    Nagarjuna framed the launch as a milestone for Indian cinema at large. “For decades, Indian filmmakers have aspired to tell large-scale stories that match global standards, but access to high-end technology was often a limitation,” he said. “With A&M, filmmakers can now bring everything from epic adventures to intricate science fiction dramas to life right here in Hyderabad.”

    Yarlagadda, whose Mihira Visual Labs co-developed the facility, described it as part of a broader infrastructure-building effort. “For Indian cinema to truly compete on a global stage, it is essential to create advanced technology ecosystems within the country,” he said. “Seeing a filmmaker like S.S. Rajamouli utilize our A&M MoCap facility for ‘Varanasi’ reinforces our belief that the future of Indian storytelling will be driven by innovation built at home.”

    Brett Ineson, president and CTO of Animatrik Film Design, added: “We’re incredibly proud to see Animatrik’s motion capture technology powering this landmark facility at Annapurna Studios. Annapurna has long been a beacon of cinematic excellence, and partnering with them and Mihira Visual Labs to bring world-class performance capture capabilities to India is truly exciting. This collaboration represents a significant step in enabling filmmakers and creators to tell more immersive, emotionally rich stories with the highest global standards.”

    The lab features a 60-by-40-by-30-foot capture volume equipped with Vicon Valkyrie VK26 cameras offering sub-millimeter optical tracking precision and real-time data streaming via Vicon Live. The setup integrates Unreal Engine for live virtual production previsualization and includes Stereo Head-Mounted Camera units for high-resolution facial performance capture. Notably, the facility is modular and expandable, allowing it to be disassembled and reassembled on location as productions require.

    C.V. Rao, CTO of Annapurna Studios, emphasized the facility’s utility as a pre-production tool. “Directors and cinematographers can experiment with camera blocking, lens choices, camera movements, and frame rates in a dynamic virtual environment, allowing critical creative decisions to be finalized during the motion capture stage, prior to principal photography,” he said, adding that the approach is designed to minimize costly trial-and-error during live shoots.

    The launch comes as Annapurna Studios marks its 50th anniversary. The studio said it intends to open the facility to Indian and international filmmakers, game developers, and animation studios seeking a production partner in Asia. It is also not the first time Rajamouli has partnered with Annapurna on a technological milestone – he previously launched India’s first Dolby cinema processing facility at the same studio.

    S.S. Karthikeya, C.V. Rao, S.S. Rajamouli, Brett Ineson, Ben Murray, Srinivas Mohan

    A&M MoCap Lab

  • Trump Touts Economic Record and Slams Immigrants in Divisive State of the Union Speech

    Trump Touts Economic Record and Slams Immigrants in Divisive State of the Union Speech

    President Trump touted his economic achievements and attacked immigrants and Democrats in a divisive State of the Union address on Tuesday.

    Trump also criticized the Supreme Court, which struck down his emergency tariffs last week, and repeatedly castigated the Democratic side of the aisle for not applauding him.

    “These people are crazy,” he said. “Democrats are destroying our country, but we’ve stopped it in the nick of time.”

    Trump is facing the lowest approval ratings of his term, around 40%, with nearly 60% expressing disapproval. The White House has tried to move on from setbacks like the months-long Epstein controversy and pivot attention to affordability.

    “A short while ago, we were a dead country,” Trump said. “Now we are the hottest country anywhere in the world. The hottest.”

    Trump also promoted his record of stopping illegal immigration and accused Somali immigrants of defrauding the government. At one point, he told the Democratic members of Congress that they should be “ashamed” for refusing to stand when he said that the government’s first duty “is to protect American citizens, not illegal immigrants.”

    Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Somali immigrant from Minneapolis, shouted back at him: “You should be ashamed.”

    Trump said the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling was “very unfortunate” and “disappointing.” Four justices of the court — John Roberts, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — sat impassively with their hands folded while Trump rebuked the ruling.

    David Ellison, the CEO of Paramount Skydance, was among those in the audience, appearing as a guest of Sen. Lindsey Graham. The government is reviewing Netflix’s deal to acquire Warner Bros., while Paramount is angling to break up the deal with a competing bid.

    Trump also took several minutes of the speech to honor the U.S. men’s hockey team, which won gold at the Winter Olympics on Sunday, and to talk up the 2028 games in Los Angeles.

    “We’re going to do a good job in Los Angeles,” he said. “Los Angeles is going to be safe, just like Washington, D.C., is now one of the safest cities in the country.”