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Fantasy is a hard nut to crack. Where science fiction can build on the rust and chrome of worlds we know, fantasy asks us to envision something new, often helped along by tidbits of real world history (as many fans of George R.R. Martin know quite well). To bring these worlds to life on screen requires more magic than words on a page, making the special effects budget blow the king's purse wide open.

When it works, it's something special. We get to see impossible worlds, meet cultures and countries where the riddle of steel and the law of chivalry thrive. We take to skies full of dragons, and sandy deserts full of bandits. Of this grand niche, the sword and sorcery movie is the most approachable, with a down to earth ruffian flair. The distinction between this and high fantasy is slim, but for our purposes, if the world...

In the world of cinema, only a few characters manage to leave their mark on the hearts of the audience. Such was the story of Robbie Coltrane as well who quickly gathered international acclaim for his portrayal of the gentle giant Rubeus Hagrid. The actor played the role across eight Harry Potter movies, with the last being Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 released in 2011.

A still from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | Credits: Warner Bros.

The franchise also skyrocketed the careers of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. And a past interview of Coltrane showcased just how much he adored the actors.

The Deep Love That Robbie Coltrane Had for Harry Potter’s Golden Trio Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint in Harry Potter | Credits: Warner Bros.

In the first Harry Potter movie, the audience saw how Hagrid left no stone unturned in order...

BBC radio news presenter Nick Robinson isn’t the first, just the latest broadcaster to have to apologise after getting one partcular UK senior politician’s name wrong, and very rude, live on air.

The Sun newspaper reports that Robinson made the boo-boo Friday morning during the BBC’s flagship current affairs radio show The Today Programme.

Referencing the shadow chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Robinson said:

“When the Tories announced £12 billion in welfare cuts, and at the time the Labour Party ondemned that, they said that Rishi Sunak and Jeremy C**t had no idea where they’d get ‘the money, you’re going to do exactly the same aren’t you in this Budget?”

A few minutes later, the presenter spoke up to say:

“The eagle-eared amongst you have just pointed out that I repeated what was known as the (former presenter) Jim Naughtie error up until my last interview...

With news recently breaking about the new HBO “Harry Potter” TV series adaptation seeking out its main child cast, everyone is wondering who will be brought aboard to play the show’s adult characters. For the films, Warner Bros. previously sought out a murderer’s row of elite British talent from Richard Harris to Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane to Alan Rickman, Julie Walters to Gary Oldman, and many more. While on the red carpet at the 76th Primetime Emmys, IndieWire asked Oldman if he’d be open to returning to play Sirius Black in the upcoming reboot. Though the actor said “no one’s approached me,” he added that he still holds a soft spot for the character and believes there’s more to explore.

“I love, Sirius,” Oldman said. “He wasn’t in it enough. He turned up and then he went through the veil.”

Oldman said he doesn...

There are classic films, and then there are classic films — the kind that define a generation, create cultural moments, and deserve to be left untouched.

The Harry Potter franchise is one of those.

When rumors of a potential Harry Potter TV series first surfaced, they were irritating. When HBO got the green light in 2023, it was downright maddening.

(Warner Bros. Pictures/Screenshot)

And now? With casting calls for a new Harry, Hermione, and Ron, it’s beyond outrageous.

I foolishly thought this idea would vanish like a forgotten spell in some dusty HBO boardroom.

But no — HBO has doubled down, determined to replace one of the most iconic casts of the last two decades. Can anyone say dunderheads?

76th Annual Emmy Awards Winners’ List: Shogun, Baby Reindeer & The Bear Win Bigby Carissa Pavlica Industry Season 3 Episode 6 Review: Nikki Beach, or: So Many Ways to Loseby Jasmine Blu Tulsa King Season...

Playing the role of the most misunderstood character in the Harry Potter films—Severus Snape, Alan Rickman has been an integral part of the franchise. However, since his demise and the posthumous publication of his diary, it’s been made clear that the actor wasn’t quite fond of his association with the franchise. At least not initially.

Alan Rickman as Severus Snape | image: Warner Bros.

However, one thing that has escaped fans’ notice is how he felt about some of his older castmates. According to excerpts from his diary, Alan Rickman had blatantly mocked the iconic star Maggie Smith, alongside several other veteran actors who shared the screen with him in the Harry Potter films.

Alan Rickman’s Diary Revealed His Candid Opinions About Maggie Smith

The magical world of Harry Potter has always been fascinating for fans, who have often wondered about their favorite characters during leisure. Particularly...

No matter how much we appreciate J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts novels, they will fall short of the efforts that went into creating the intricate wizarding world. From crafting characters to learning about magic, Rowling’s brilliant mind even had to brew a cauldron of knowledge about alchemy to establish parameters in her stories.

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling in an interview with The Today Show

Although fans believe that J.K. Rowling scarcely sprinkled the essence of alchemy through her novels despite unbound scope for potions and spells, the British author had to learn quite a lot about the capabilities and limitations of the magical discipline.

J.K. Rowling’s Deep Dive into Alchemy Shaped the Magical Logic of Harry Potter

Flipping through the pages of Harry Potter, we often stop to admire the details that went behind shaping the geographical locations and the characters in the novels.

When the 2001 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone arrived on the silver screen, it not only marked the start of Daniel Radcliffe’s acting career and skyrocketing bank balance but also transported audiences into a vibrant and whimsical new realm. But what most people aren’t aware of, are the events that went behind the making of the franchise.

Daniel Radcliffe in a still from the Harry Potter franchise | Warner Bros. Pictures

One such anecdote narrates the casting saga of the Harry Potter films. Apparently, when Steven Spielberg, the maestro of cinematic magic was asked to direct the films, he had chosen young American talent Haley Joel Osment for the titular role. Thankfully, J.K. Rowling established one strict rule that helped Daniel Radcliffe secure the role but ended up being a bane for Robin Williams.

Steven Spielberg’s Initial Choice for the Role of Harry Potter

Ahead of Chris Columbus,...

The editing room is a brutal battlefield, and sometimes, many great scenes were cut off from the final version just like what happened to Rik Mayall. Yes, he was originally in the Harry Potter movie, but his scene was cut off. The worst part here was he took his children to the premiere expecting they would watch their father on the big screen.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone / Warner Bros

As children, it would have been the greatest thing in the world – to watch the first ever Harry Potter movie and see your dad portray a beloved role. Apparently, the late comedian could not bear to tell them the truth.

Rik Mayall Was Supposed To Join The Harry Potter Franchise

In an old interview via YouTube, actor Rik Mayall revealed he was part of the 2001 film Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone.

Hugh Grant is one of the most celebrated actors in Hollywood, and his perfect combination of wit and charm only makes it more understandable why. Needless to say, his very charming personality and physical features are also the reason why a lot of the roles he has donned have been in rom-coms. But even through those rom-coms, Grant has displayed quite a bit of action.

Hugh Grant. | Credit: Julien Rath/Wikimedia Commons.

However, one time, this display of action in a similar ruthless manner as Tom Cruise almost ended up killing him. This happened in the iconic film that set him up as the King of rom-coms and is still regarded as a masterpiece, Four Weddings and a Funeral. But that isn’t the only surprising fact, because Grant was actually never the first choice to play the protagonist in that movie!

Hugh Grant Almost Killed Himself While Shooting Four Weddings...

Hugh Grant’s remarkable ability to walk in the shoes of a hopeless romantic makes the audience swoon with every look and every dialogue that his characters convey. The British star has a lot of these characters in his old Hollywood roster to claim a credible authority over the genre of rom-coms as a whole.

However, it wasn’t until Four Weddings and a Funeral that he became the unofficial face of the charming lover boy that rom-com directors tripped head over heels for. Directed by the esteemed Richard Curtis, the 1994 film established Grant in Hollywood as the British counterpart of Tom Hanks, who was at the time equally famous for his rom-com films.

Hugh Grant – the face of rom-com [Photo taken from Notting Hill; Credit: Universal Pictures]

Although the Forrest Gump star quickly grew out of his reputation as the affable and charming Everyman suited for a bit of nostalgic romance on the side, Grant...

There is no denying that Robin Williams was one of the greatest entertainers to have graced the industry. His on-screen presence, improvisation skills, and comedic timing, all contributed to making him one of the best comedians of all time. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that the financiers behind the 1992 biographical drama, Chaplin, wanted to cast him in the lead role. After all, he was taking the comedy genre by storm, wasn’t he?

Robin Williams in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)

As fate would have it, though, the role ended up going to Robert Downey Jr. who did an incredible job and did justice to the life and personality of Charlie Chaplin. Appreciated by many for his performance, Robert Downey Jr. ended up receiving his first Oscar nomination, all thanks to this very role.

Robin Williams Almost Played the Lead Role in Chaplin

A still from Chaplin...

J.K. Rowling’s popular adventures of ‘The Boy Who Lived‘ will be given new life! Pottermore Publishing and Audible have teamed up to produce a series of full-cast recordings of all seven Harry Potter books!

We learned of the unexpected announcement via Variety. The production will include a cast exceeding 100 actors, similar to an audio drama but on a vastly larger scale.

Production has not started yet, but a teaser video from the official Harry Potter YouTube channel shows off the audible recording studio. Rather than recording lines separately (like we see with a lot of voiceover work), it would appear that several cast members will be in the room at one time.

This sort of environment can change the performances is several ways. The dynamic allows actors to play off each other’s performances in real-time. These new audiobooks could possibly be the most perfect adaptation of the Harry...

While the Marvel Universe continues to chug along and James Gunn attempts to resuscitate the DC universe into something worth watching, we will yet again go back to the world of graphic novels for our inspiration on book vs movie. It’s really a very untapped realm as there are so many good horror comics out there, many without adaptations yet. The ones that have been adapted are very fun and interesting. Today is the mostly forgotten early 2000s movie From Hell (watch it Here), which is based on the stunning and epic graphic novel from famed wizard and all-around cranky dude Alan Moore. Like many graphic novels, the journey to page and then screen was a long and arduous one. It is based on the very real killings in Whitechapel that were later attributed to Jack the Ripper. While both have a lot of truths to them along with...

A fresh set of actors are about to be enrolled in what the film series cast cheekily nicknamed ‘the Harry Potter Pension plan’. US streamer Max’s plan to re-adapt the Potter books into a TV show running for 10 consecutive years and starting in 2025/6 should keep the lucky new cast in greasepaint and copies of The Stage indefinitely.

But who will they be? Lead characters Harry, Ron and Hermione will almost certainly be played by unknowns, but the Hogwarts ensemble – Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Hagrid and co. – will be picked from the current crop of British acting talent, just like their counterparts were over two decades ago. Who working today could follow in the footsteps of Sir Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Dame Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane and the rest?

While it’s too early for any solid cast news, there’s no harm in a bit of dream-casting at this point,...

Harry Potter Dumbledore & Snape Party Hard In These AI-Generated Pics (Picture Credit: Facebook)

Imagine the students and teachers of Hogwarts indulging in a crazy party. Harry Potter, Hagrid, Hermoine, Snape, and Dumbledore are getting down for an insane time; it might be a fantasy within the fantasy world, but not in reality, thanks to AI. A carousel of pictures showcasing a fun celebration at the school has gone viral on social media. Scroll below for more.

The Hp franchise is based on the novels of Jk Rowling, and the first film in the series came out in 2001. The cast included Daniel Radcliffe as the Boy Who Lived, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasely, Emma Watson as Hermoine Granger, Alan Rickman as Professor Snape, Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagle, Michael Gambon as Dumbledore, Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid, Ralph Fiennes aka Voldemort and more. They entertained us for a decade before bidding goodbye to the franchise.

Following the news that acclaimed actor Michael Gambon died today at the age of 82, fans in Orlando gave him a tribute worthy of the man who played Professor Dumbledore in six of the eight “Harry Potter” films.

The fans gathered outside the Hogwarts Castle replica found in “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter–Hogsmeade” at Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Orlando, where they raised their wands during a moment of silence, which you can see in the video at the top of the page.

The tribute was a recreation of a scene from the end of the movie version of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” where the students and faculty of Hogwarts lift their magic wands and light them up after Dumbledore is killed.

This isn’t the first such tribute marking the death of a “Harry Potter” actor. Similar tributes...

At the news of “Harry Potter” alum Michael Gambon’s death, his castmates have taken to social media to memorialize his performance as Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight films adapted from J.K. Rowling’s book series.

The author wrote about her first memory of Gambon, which involved his performance in “King Lear” in 1982.

“If you’d told me then that brilliant actor would appear in anything I’d written, I’d have thought you were insane. Michael was a wonderful man in additional to being an outstanding actor,” Rowling wrote. “I absolutely loved working with him, not only on Potter but also The Casual Vacancy. My deepest condolences go to Michael’s family and everyone who loved him.”

I've just heard the awful news about Michael Gambon. The first time I ever laid eyes on him was in King Lear, in 1982, and if you'd told me then that...

Michael Gambon, who played Dumbledore in the final six Harry Potter movies, has died.

He was 82.

Gambon's family revealed in a statement that he passed away while battling pneumonia.

The statement on behalf of his wife, Lady Gambon, and son, Fergus Gambon, issued by publicist Clair Dobbs, said:

"We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon."

"Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia. Michael was 82."

"We ask that you respect our privacy at this painful time and thank you for your messages of support and love."

Michael was born in Dublin, Ireland, on October 19, 1940.

His mother was a seamstress, and his father was an engineer.

He left school at 15 and began training to be a toolmaker.

At age 21, he was a qualified engineer, but he aspired to act and gave up the profession shortly after.

Fantasy films are hard done by when it comes to earning acting nominations at the Oscars. “The Lord of the Rings,” which was an academy darling, of course, only garnered one nomination for its cast across all three movies. That was for Ian McKellen who reaped a Best Supporting Actor bid for the first film in the trilogy, “The Fellowship of the Ring.” The likes of Andy Serkis, Sean Astin and Elijah Wood were repeatedly snubbed.

Harry Potter is another of those fantasy film franchises that was short-changed at the Oscars for its acting despite a plethora of excellent performances from the cream of the British crop. Not to mention the central trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint who developed from child stars to fully-fledged thespians across the eight-film series. With that in mind, let’s take a look at five performances in the Harry Potter film...

It's been said before, it'll be said again: so much of casting involves typecasting, where an actor lands a part not just for their ability but for their looks and overall vibe. Many's the occasion where a director has picked an actor for a role after just holding a general meeting with them or even after seeing them merely walk into an audition room.

Of course, for the actor, this can be a double-edged sword. Actors need to work, no doubt, yet they also want to be fulfilled by the work and not feel like they're doing the same thing over and over again. One such actor was the late Robbie Coltrane, who began his career proving his versatility on stage as well as in the alternative comedy series "The Comic Strip Presents." That versatility led to further roles in film and television, particularly as characters who were highly colorful; in other words,...

You’re a wizard indeed–and only a wizard could work the sort of spell that was cast over children and adults all over the world beginning in the late ‘90s, turning the wildly successful Harry Potter books (we’re talking 120 million copies sold here) into one of the most profitable franchises ever.

With J.K. Rowling watching over the production diligently (sometimes to a fault), Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone aka …Sorcerer’s Stone was a marvel of an adaptation. And what eventually arrived didn’t come from a burly half-giant, but rather a wide-eyed cast of newcomers, a visionary crew conjuring the proper vision and the guy who directed Adventures in Babysitting…

So put on your sorting hat and head for Platform 9 ¾ as we find out…Wtf Happened to this movie?!

The making of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone goes back to 1997, the same year the novel was published.

The year 2001 was a remarkable year for cinema, with many diverse and innovative films that challenged, entertained, and inspired audiences. It can be considered as one of the best years in film history, with masterpieces from acclaimed directors such as David Lynch, Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott, Steven Soderbergh, and more. From fantasy to thriller, from comedy to drama, from animation to live-action, 2001 had something for everyone. In this article, we will explore some of the best movies of 2001, ranked according to their ratings and reviews. Let’s dive into each film and see what makes them so special.

10. Donnie Darko Donnie Darko Trailer

Donnie Darko is a cult classic that defies easy categorization. It is a dark and surreal tale of a troubled teenager who has visions of a mysterious rabbit named Frank, who tells him that the world will end in 28 days. The film mixes elements of science fiction,...

Warner Bros. Discovery unveiled its plans to move past the HBO Max era and into the future with Max. CEO David Zaslav claims it will be “the one to watch.” But will the rebrand succeed?

7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month hbomax.com

Get 20% Off Your Next Year of HBO Max When Pre-Paid Annually

Content is King

As audiences decide where to spend their limited streaming budgets, even one show can be enough to sway the choice. But what we saw yesterday doesn’t look appreciably different from what’s on the platform now.

“Game of Thrones” fans will get “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight” to add to “House of the Dragon.”

Harry Potter fans will get the same Harry Potter saga previously portrayed in films from 2001-2011, but in TV series form.

Fans of “The Batman” will get “The Penguin.”

“Big Bang Theory” fans will get a spin-off sitcom.

Someone should tell Warner Bros: there’s no such thing as magic. No matter how uncanny the rabbit from the hat, how mesmeric the levitation, it’s always just an illusion. The notion of readapting Harry Potter for a new TV series – which the studio has just confirmed under its new streaming service, Max – has the neon allure of a great magic trick. One wave of the wand, and you’ve got a seven-season TV sensation at your fingertips. An army of devotees conjured in a flash. That’s the idea, of course. But for us muggles in the real world, things are never so simple.

The truth is, there have been signs for years that Harry Potter’s spell over the general public may be slowly wearing off. This is somewhat inevitable, of course, when you have a brand as globally popular as Jk Rowling’s wizarding series once was.

Daniel Radcliffe and his Harry Potter cast mates were accustomed to pulling pranks on each other behind the scenes. But there was one prank Radcliffe felt he went a little overboard with.

Daniel Radcliffe once revealed what his favorite prank was Daniel Radcliffe | Francois G. Durand/Getty Images

Pranks were common on the Harry Potter set, and Radcliffe was both the victim and perpetrator of several behind-the-scenes shenanigans. But there was one prank Radcliffe felt may have trumped all.

“There’s – in the 3rd film – there’s a shot in the great hall of all the kids sleeping in the great hall, and the camera starts very very wide, and comes in so that it’s an inch from my face, a very long developing set, yeah, and Alan Rickman decided he would plant one of those fart machines in my, uh, sleeping bag, and they waited until like -the...

Someone should tell Warner Bros: there’s no such thing as magic. No matter how uncanny the rabbit from the hat, how mesmeric the levitation, it’s always just an illusion. The notion of readapting Harry Potter for a new TV series – as the studio is currently in talks to do – has the neon allure of a great magic trick. One wave of the wand, and you’ve got a seven-season TV sensation at your fingertips. An army of devotees conjured in a flash. That’s the idea, of course. But for us muggles in the real world, things are never so simple.

The truth is, there have been signs for years that Harry Potter’s spell over the general public may be slowly wearing off. This is somewhat inevitable, of course, when you have a brand as globally popular as Jk Rowling’s wizarding series once was. The...

“Harry Potter” may be on its way to becoming an HBO Max television series.

Bloomberg reports that Warner Bros. is currently in preliminary developmental talks to bring the potential series to fruition.

The production would draw directly from J.K. Rowling’s books and refrain from creating a spin-off series like the “Fantastic Beasts” films. Each season will be based on a different book from Rowling’s best-selling series, implying that the show will be a full-fledged franchise for the studio.

Read More: Rupert Grint Reveals The Set Item He Stole From ‘Harry Potter’: ‘It Was So Shady’

According to the report, Rowling will have creative involvement in the series but will not be the series’ primary creator or showrunner.

There have been reports that Warner Bros. has wanted to turn “Harry Potter” into a television series since January 2021.

Read More: Daniel Radcliffe Gets Nostalgic Over Late ‘Harry Potter’ Actor Robbie Coltrane

Warner Bros.

Tom Felton is remembering his late Harry Potter co-star Robbie Coltrane on what would’ve been Coltrane’s 73rd birthday.

In an essay shared with E! News on Thurdsay, Felton remembered the actor he described as “endlessly playful,” “constantly cheeky” and “always kind.” He noted that while he starred alongside other young actors including Emma Watson (who was 9 when cast) and Daniel Radcliffe (who was 11), the cast also comprised of Maggie Smith and Richard Harris, who were in their sixties and seventies at the time.

“Do the math: You were either one of the kids, or you were one of the grown-ups. Unless, that is, you were Robbie Coltrane,” Felton writes. “Somehow, Robbie managed to be an adult and a child at the same time, maintaining a foot in both camps.”

Further reflecting on Coltrane, Felton writes that the actor’s knowledge and experience was “valued and respected” by those...

“Star Wars” and “Harry Potter” actor Paul Grant has passed away at age 56.

Grant, who played an Ewok in “Return of the Jedi” and a goblin in “Harry Potter And the Philosopher’s Stone”, was found collapsed outside King’s Cross Station in London, U.K. on Thursday, Sky News reported.

He was then pronounced dead at 3:49 a.m. local time Monday morning after being declared brain dead following his collapse.

The cause of death has not been disclosed.

Read More: ‘Harry Potter’ Actor Leslie Phillips Dies At Age 98

The actor’s daughter, Sophie Jayne Grant, told Sky News: “I’m heartbroken… No girl deserves their dad to be taken away… He was so well known and loved [for his work]. He’s gone too soon.”

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson confirmed: “We were called at 2.08 p.m. on Thursday 16 March to reports of an incident at St Pancras Station, Euston Road.

This year’s tribute was led by Lenny Kravitz, the rock legend, who performed “Calling All Angels” on piano as the flip show of late Hollywood celebs was displayed onscreen.

Some who were featured include Raquel Welch, Robbie Coltrane, Nichelle Nicholas, Kristie Alley, James Caan, Irene Papas, Ray Liotta and Jaen-Luc Godard. A Qr code was shown, revealing a fuller list of late stars, which you can read here.

In Memoriam 2022: 100 Great Celebrities Who Died In 2022

However, there were quite a few people missing from the roster, such as Leslie Jordan, Tom Sizemore, Paul Sorvino, Lisa Marie Presley, Gilbert Gottfried, Charlbi Dean, Anne Heche and Estelle Harris.

In a touching speech before Kravitz’s performance, John Travolta also paid tribute to Olivia Newton-John, who played Sandy in the classic Grease.

The post Oscars’ ‘In Memoriam’ Segment Leaves Out Anne Hache, Tom Sizemore & Paul Sorvino appeared first on uInterview.

John Travolta got emotional as he paid a sweet tribute to the late Olivia Newton-John while introducing the In Memoriam segment at the 2023 Oscars on Sunday.

The actor, who famously played Danny Zuko alongside Newton-John’s Sandy Olsson in the 1978 flick “Grease”, told the audience: “In this industry, we have the rare luxury of getting to do what we love for a living, and sometimes getting to do it with people that we come to love.

“Since tonight is a celebration of the work and the accomplishments of our community and this past year, it is only fitting then that we celebrate those we’ve lost who’ve dedicated their lives to their craft, both in front of and behind the camera. Through their immeasurable contributions, each of them left an individual and indelible mark that shared and informed us.”

John Travolta becomes emotional introducing the #Oscars In-Memoriam section, which...

The biggest night in Hollywood, the Oscars star Jenny The Donkey, music icon David Byrne donning hotdog hands), read through _Empire’s live blog of the 2023 Oscars.

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04:20am That's a wrap, folks – an end to an emotional Oscars, sure to go down for its excellent wins and outstanding live performances. If you stayed up this late, well done! Rest now, and get ready to rewatch Everything Everywhere All At Once in the morning. Thanks for reading... and get ready for the Oscars 2024.

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03:33am There it is! Everything Everywhere All At Once has won Best Picture at the Oscars. This is momentous, stupendously well deserved. The Daniels are on their feet straight away – seven wins for their film through the night. Jamie Lee Curtis is bouncing up and down on the stage. Ke Huy Quan is on stage with Harrison Ford who presented the award. Producer Jonathan Wang gives an emotional speech,...

Every year the “In Memoriam” tribute at the Oscars leaves off a few fan favorites and 2023 was no exception: Among those who weren’t included in Sunday night’s video montage were Anne Heche, “Saving Private Ryan” star Tom Sizemore and Charlbi Dean, who appeared in this year’s Best Picture nominee “Triangle of Sadness.”

Fans also noted the absence of Cindy Williams: While she was best known for the ’70s TV sitcom “Laverne & Shirley,” she notably appeared in two classic films of the era, George Lucas’ “American Graffiti” and Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Conversation.”

And while the tribute included “Goodfellas” star Ray Liotta, who died unexpectedly on May 26, 2022, his costar Paul Sorvino, who died in July 2022, was left out.

Also Read:

Celebrity Deaths in 2023: Hollywood Stars We’ve Lost This Year (Photos)

Also missing from the tribute: two-time Oscar nominee Melinda Dillon of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,...

Four-time Grammy winner Lenny Kravitz will perform for Sunday’s emotional “In Memoriam” segment on the Oscars 2023 ceremony. While only 40-50 people are generally remembered for the television ceremony hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on ABC, over 200 people will be recognized on the Academy’s webpage starting that evening.

SEEWho is Performing at the Oscars 2023?: Full List of Presenters and Performers

Here is a lengthy list of many contributors to film who died since last year’s Academy Awards ceremony:

Mary Alice (actor)

Gil Alkabetz (animator)

Kirstie Alley (actor)

Burt Bacharach (composer)

Angelo Badalamenti (composer)

Simone Bär (casting director)

Joanna Barnes (actor)

Carl A. Bell (animator)

Jeff Berlin (sound)

David Birney (actor)

Bruce Bisenz (sound)

Robert Blake (actor)

Eliot Bliss (sound)

Nick Bosustow (shorts)

Albert Brenner (production designer)

Tom Bronson (costume designer)

James Caan (actor)

Michael Callan (actor)

Donn Cambern (editor)

Irene Cara (songwriter)

Gary W. Carlson (sound)

Marvin Chomsky...

Sunday’s SAG Awards ceremony will be a streaming event for the first time on the Netflix YouTube channel. One of the highlights each year is the special In Memoriam segment. It’s been a particularly rough year with over 100 deaths of prominent actors and actresses who were likely members of SAG/AFTRA. Show producers typically are able to include approximately 40-50 people in a tribute.

Among that group will certainly be Oscar winners Louise Fletcher, William Hurt and Irene Cara, plus nominees Angela Lansbury (a SAG life achievement recipient) and Melinda Dillon. Emmy champs Mary Alice, Kirstie Alley, Leslie Jordan, Ray Liotta, Stuart Margolin, Robert Morse and Barbara Walters.

SEECelebrity Deaths 2023: In Memoriam Gallery

Here is our expansive list of over 100 people who died since last year’s ceremony, several of whom will be honored on Sunday’s event:

Ralph Ahn

J. Grant Albrecht

Mary Alice

Rae Allen...

Richard E Grant was seen holding back tears as he introduced the In Memoriam segment at the 2023 Baftas on Sunday night (19 February).

The actor and host of the ceremony is grieving his wife, the dialect coach Joan Washington, who died in September 2021.

Grant had been married to Washington for 35 years and they were together for a total of 38. She died eight months after being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.

Speaking at the ceremony at London’s Royal Festival Hall, Grant told the star-studded crowd: “Let’s take this opportunity to pay tribute to those members of the film community that were sadly lost over the past 12 months.”

Choking up and blinking back tears, he apologised, before continuing: “Their impact lives on in film. Let’s take a moment to remember them now.”

The segment honoured late film icons from Grease’s Olivia Newton John and Harry Potter’s Robbie Coltrane...

Spiders are disgusting. No matter their size, shape, or genre —sometimes they're tiny and realistic. Other times, they're large and anthropomorphic. Regardless of their type, spiders have been a fixture of genre cinema since its beginning. In 1957's "The Incredible Shrinking Man," the titular shrinking man (Grant Williams) battled a giant spider while adjusting to dime-sized life. Early roots of folktales and mythology abound with symbolic spiders. Arachne, a Greek weaver, defeated the Goddess Athena in a weaving contest, subsequently condemning herself to a life of eternal weaving as Athena transformed her into a spider. There are arachnid roots and depictions throughout history, most benevolent, though all deeply meaningful.

In contemporary canon, spiders have become more menacing, threatening, and squirm-in-your-chair disgusting. Likely rooted in the quotidian experience of arachnophobia, filmmakers have wasted no time exploiting the basest of fears to make their projects even more frightening. Most spiders are relatively harmless.

We're paying our respects to all the prolific musicians, actors, comedians, and cultural icons who died in 2022. This month, we lost famed R&b singer Anita Pointer, award-winning journalist Barbara Walters, fashion icon Vivienne Westwood, soccer star Pelé, musician Joseph "Jo Mersa" Marley, "General Hospital" star Sonya Eddy, Broadway star and choreographer Stephanie Bissonnette, famed DJ and dancer Stephen "tWitch" Boss, two-time Emmy-winning actor Kirstie Alley, "Sesame Street" legend Bob McGrath, singer-songwriter Georgia Holt, and "Green Book" actor Frank Vallelonga Jr. The previous month, Fleetwood Mac musician Christine McVie, Grammy Award-winning '80s singer Irene Cara, '90s pop star Aaron Carter, and Migos rapper Takeoff all died.

In October, beloved comedian Leslie Jordan, Harry Potter alum Robbie Coltrane, and Broadway icon Angela Lansbury also died. The death of the UK's longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, at 96 rocked the world in early September, followed by the shocking deaths of PnB Rock,...

It was another difficult year in 2022, and the sadness extended to many beloved and groundbreaking people in the show business and media worlds who died during the past 12 months.

Scroll through a photo gallery above, which also includes the obituaries.

The acting world lost giants including Sidney Poitier and Angela Lansbury, along with such big names as James Caan, Anne Heche, Bob Saget, Kirstie Alley, Ray Liotta, Nichelle Nichols, William Hurt, Louise Fletcher, Robert Clary, Emilio Delgado, Sally Kellerman, Robbie Coltrane, Monica Vitti, Leslie Jordan, John Aniston, Tony Sirico, Charlbi Dean, Tony Dow, Irene Papas, Howard Hesseman and Seinfeld moms Estelle Harris and Liz Sheridan.

We also pay tribute to directors including Ivan Reitman, Peter Bogdanovich and Marvin J. Chomsky.

Musicians who left us this past year include Jerry Lee Lewis, Loretta Lynn, Olivia Newton-John, Meat Loaf, Ronnie Spector, Naomi Judd, Ramsey Lewis, Stephen “tWitch” Boss and Coolio. Many key...

The 35th European Film Awards took place amid the uncanny beauty of Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavik. While it was possible to take a boat from the marina to gaze up at the aurora borealis dancing across the sky, the northern light on Saturday, December 10 came from Sweden and was named Ruben Östlund. The EFAs have a habit of decorating the same film across all major categories, so when his broad eat-the-rich satire “Triangle of Sadness” picked up an early award for Best European Director, it was clear which way the weather was going.

Östlund barely flinched when his name was announced as the winner in this early category — perhaps two Palme d’Ors in five years does that to a man. He first thanked the actress Sunnyi Melles (who was present) for her “great vomiting performance” and then had the grace to pay respects to Charlbi Dean, the South...

This week’s 20 Questions on Deadline guest is Daniel Radcliffe.

In this special episode, taken from our AwardsLine magazine ‘On My Screen’ interview, the star of Weird: The Al Yankovic Story details the close-to-home reason he took on that role, how being a fan of Ben Foster led him to a very meet-cute story with his girlfriend, and an unexpected dedication to accordion playing.

He pays touching tribute to his former Harry Potter cast mate, Robbie Coltrane, who recently passed away, remembering his kindness and humor on set. And reveals the best advice his dad ever gave him, the film that made him cry, his desert island films and his guilty-pleasure love for television’s The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.

Then there’s his sympathy for Elijah Wood since they are constantly mistaken for each other…

Currently, Radcliffe is working on the Off Broadway musical Merrily We Roll Along. This is not his first musical,...

English actor Leslie Phillips has died at age 98.

The star, who played the voice of the Sorting Hat in the “Harry Potter” films, passed away after a long illness, according to The Sun.

Phillips, who was made an OBE in the 1998 Birthday Honours list before being promoted to Cbe in the 2008 New Year Honours, had a career spanning eight decades in showbiz, with him also starring in the “Carry On” films.

The actor’s agent Jonathan Lloyd confirmed Phillips died “peacefully in his sleep.”

Read More: ‘Harry Potter’ Star Robbie Coltrane’s Cause Of Death Revealed

His wife Zara told the paper, “I’ve lost a wonderful husband and the public has lost a truly great showman.

“He was quite simply a national treasure. People loved him. He was mobbed everywhere he went.

“When we married he cheekily introduced me to the Press as royalty, insisting I was the new...

Daniel Radcliffe has shared his own experience of reading Alan Rickman’s posthumously published diaries.

The late actor, who played Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films and died in 2016, kept a pocket diary from 1972.

They were published in October, in a memoir titled Madly, Deeply: The Alan Rickman Diaries.

Appearing on Watch What Happens Live on Monday (7 November), Radcliffe was asked about reading about filming the fantasy series from his older co-star’s perspective.

“All the stuff that Alan wrote, it was very lovely and nostalgic reading his comments about us, being like, ‘These kids need to learn their lines, that’s kind of a nightmare right now’, all of that stuff,” Radcliffe said.

“[It went] through to us meeting when I was over here doing a play and we met. It was very sweet to read all of that.”

Elsewhere on the show, Radcliffe spoke about another late Harry Potter...

Following the 2020 controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling's transphobic tweets, which included harmful messaging against the LGBTQ+ community, Daniel Radcliffe issued a powerful open letter to fans, rejecting Rowling's rhetoric. Now, in a recent interview with IndieWire, Radcliffe is looking back on his decision to stand by the trans community, saying that he wouldn't have been able to face himself if he hadn't shown his support back in June of 2020, when many of the tweets were first published. "It was really important as I've worked with the Trevor Project for more than 10 years, and so I don't think I would've been able to look myself in the mirror had I not said anything," he said.

"I wanted them to know that not everybody in the franchise felt that way."

Although Radcliffe initially found fame thanks to his starring role in Rowling's "Harry Potter" franchise, that didn't stop him from speaking up against her.

Looking back with love and good memories. Daniel Radcliffe is reflecting on his time with the late Robbie Coltrane on the set of the “Harry Potter” franchise.

Radcliffe, 33, walked the carpet at the New York City premiere of his new film, “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”, at the Alamo Drafthouse in Brooklyn on Tuesday, and he spoke with Et about the beloved actor, who played Rubeus Hagrid in the celebrated series of films.

“Honestly, just Robbie was incredibly funny, and when you’re a young kid on a set you can get bored, and I think Robbie just recognized that we needed to kind of be entertained a little bit, at first,” recalled Radcliffe — who was just 12 when filming the first Harry Potter film.

“He was incredibly funny, with accents, impressions, and just, he was lovely with us,” Radcliffe added with a smile.

The Scottish actor died on Oct. 14 at...

The latest celebrity to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing has been revealed.

In Sunday night’s results show (23 October), comedian Jayde Adams became the fourth contestant to leave the BBC competition after a dance-off with Molly Rainford.

All four judges opted to save Rainford after both couples performed their routines again, with Anton Du Beke calling the result “terrible”.

Speaking about her time on the show, Adams said: “This has been the best thing I have ever done in my life and I will carry it to my grave, and it has been an absolute pleasure working with you [Karen Hauer] and learning about so much that will go into my own stuff, in my own work. You are one of the most gifted people I have ever worked with, Karen. “

Adams said that everyone behind-the-scenes on the show referred to Hauer as “the best one”, before adding in...

Robbie Coltrane, who has died aged 72, arrived on television in the 1980s as one of the new breed of “alternative” comedy performers. A decade later, he was making an even greater impact as the flawed criminal psychologist in Cracker. Then, moving into a new century, he was a favourite with younger audiences as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films.

He came to the fore in The Comic Strip Presents satirical films for television alongside other new faces such as Peter Richardson, Adrian Edmondson, Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French.

From the first story, Five Go Mad in Dorset, the spoofs gave Channel 4, newly launched in 1982, the subversive edge it sought in being different from the TV establishment.

Coltrane was very much part of that establishment, but at its gritty, hard-hitting centre, when he was cast as Dr Eddie Fitzgerald – “Fitz” – in Cracker (1993-96), former Brookside writer Jimmy McGovern’s creation...

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The Harry Potter series embodies magic, mischief and mayhem and this fantastically absurd world is only set to expand as the years go on. The first books were released some 25 years ago, but now we’ve got new Hogwarts games on the horizon and new movies.

With a lot of potential for the Harry Potter legacy to continue, many brands have gone ahead and created their own Harry Potter merch.

I’m a Celebrity 2022 is a matter of weeks away, and the first contestants are seemingly being revealed.

This year’s series will be extra special for viewers considering it’s been 20 years since DJ Tony Blackburn was crowned King of the Jungle in the iTV reality show’s first ever run.

To mark the occasion, a selection of ex-contestants are currently filming an All Stars edition of the show in South Africa, which won’t be broadcast until 2023. (Find out who’s rumoured to be taking part here).

Before that, though, there’s the small matter of the main show – and fans are now wondering who will be appearing following the release of a first trailer on ITV on Friday (7 October).

Excitingly, Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have confirmed the series will return to the Australian jungle – and a launch date has reportedly been set for Sunday 6 November.

Thanks...