Hollywood directors reach tentative 4-year deal with studios and streamers
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hollywood directors have reached a four-year tentative contract agreement with studios and streaming services. The Directors Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers struck the deal Tuesday after four weeks of talks. This is the first negotiation under new DGA President Christopher Nolan. Similar four-year deals have been ratified recently by unions representing writers and actors. This agreement adds to the likelihood of long-term labor peace in Hollywood despite industry upheavals. The collective bargaining agreement must still be approved by the guild’s national board and ratified by the guild membership.
Movie Review: ‘Disclosure Day’ is classic Spielberg
Steven Spielberg's “Disclosure Day” takes the filmmaker back to familiar territory. The film follows Daniel Kellner, played by Josh O’Connor, who’s caught in a conspiracy involving extraterrestrial life. Emily Blunt plays a broadcaster who gets entangled in the mystery. In her review, Associated Press Film Writer Lindsey Bahr writes that the movie is classic Spielberg, filled with adventure, suspense and sane action. With a John Williams score and Spielberg’s signature style, it’s a nostalgic ride that reminds us why we love his films. “Disclosure Day” is in theaters Friday. It is rated PG-13
Ads in New York must now label AI-generated 'synthetic performers'
New York has implemented a law requiring advertisements featuring AI-generated people to clearly label them as “synthetic performers.” The law, signed by Governor Kathy Hochul in December, took effect Tuesday. Her office describes it as a “first-in-the-nation law” aimed at enhancing transparency as AI performers become more common in media. Ads that fail to disclose synthetic performers will now face penalties. This move is part of broader efforts to address AI-related job security and privacy concerns. The law goes into effect despite larger pushback from the Trump administration, which has tried to block states from regulating AI.
Rob Reiner’s son Nick seeks money from trust parents left him for his defense in their killings
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nick Reiner, son of Rob Reiner, is seeking funds from a trust his parents established. He says he needs the money for his defense against charges that he killed them. His attorneys filed a petition Monday in Los Angeles County court, saying trustees have unjustly denied him access to the funds. Nick Reiner has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder. He retained a high-profile lawyer, but funding issues led to the lawyer's withdrawal. The trust, established in 1993, was supposed to provide Reiner with funds at ages 30 and 35, but he says he never received them.
Takeaways from Scott Pelley's emotional interview about his '60 Minutes' demise
NEW YORK (AP) — Scott Pelley has spoken out in a raw and emotional podcast interview about his last days at CBS News, where he spent 37 years. Pelley was fired after a tense and confrontational meeting with his new boss, Nick Bilton. CBS News' editor in chief, Bari Weiss, had installed Bilton as part of her overhaul of the program, letting go his predecessor, Tanya Simon, as well as two correspondents and other key staffers. In the interview with the New York Times, Pelley accuses Weiss of trying to inject falsehoods and bias into a story about protesters in Minneapolis.
Recommended for you
Chrisleys sue former defense attorney, alleging legal malpractice in case that sent them to prison
ATLANTA (AP) — Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley are accusing their former defense attorney of legal malpractice, claiming it led to their imprisonment and damaged their reputations. They were indicted convicted in 2022 on charges including bank fraud and tax evasion. Todd Chrisley received a 12-year sentence, and Julie Chrisley got seven years. Both were released last year after a pardon from President Donald Trump. The Chrisleys filed a lawsuit Friday against law firm Balch & Bingham and lawyer Chris Anulewicz, seeking over $25 million in damages. They allege the firm misrepresented its capabilities and took on the case for publicity. A lawyer for the firm and Anulewicz vowed a vigorous defense.
Steven Spielberg on his faith in alien life, the future of the movies and the power of empathy
NEW YORK (AP) — Steven Spielberg's “Disclosure Day” returns Hollywood’s preeminent big-screen craftsman to one of his most abiding questions: Are we alone? Coming nearly half a century after “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Disclosure Day” is a grand bookend for one of the most cosmically-minded moviemakers of our time, whose dreams of extraterrestrial life have shaped all of ours. But while Spielberg grants his 1977 film was “speculative,” “Disclosure Day,” he insists, is the real deal. In an interview, Spielberg tells The Associated Press that his belief in alien life has turned into a conviction. “Disclosure Day,” he says, is too real to be called science fiction.
The Kennedy Center drops 'Trump' branding as Bill Maher’s Twain Award guests are revealed
NEW YORK (AP) — Bill Maher is set to receive the Mark Twain Award for American Humor at the Kennedy Center on June 28. John Mellencamp, Woody Harrelson, and Whitney Cummings will be among the guest speakers. The Kennedy Center announced the event details Monday, offering packages from $99 to $1,500. The center has reverted to its original name after a federal judge ruled against adding Trump's name. Maher, the 27th recipient, joins past honorees like Richard Pryor and Tina Fey. Other guests include Louis C.K. and Stephen A. Smith, known for their controversial reputations.
With jumpsuits, wigs and dance moves, these young boys and teens keep Elvis' legacy alive
TUPELO, Miss. (AP) — A group of young Elvis Presley tribute artists, ranging in age from seven to 17, competed in the king’s hometown last week as part of the Tupelo Elvis Festival. Together, they donned jeweled jumpsuits and wigs, sang songs and found camaraderie among a group of peers who share their passion for Elvis’ music. The competitors credited the 2022 “Elvis” movie and Elvis' faith and charity as part of what inspired them to become Elvis tribute artists. They said they hoped to bring Elvis' music to a new generation of fans who hadn't had a chance to see Elvis perform in real life.
Gordon S. Wood, eminent scholar of the American Revolution, dies at 92 after being hit by a car
NEW YORK (AP) — Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Gordon S. Wood has died. He was 92. Police say Wood died Sunday after being struck by a car in a supermarket parking lot in East Providence, Rhode Island. Wood wrote many books and was a longtime professor at Brown University. His book “The Radicalism of the American Revolution” won the Pulitzer in 1993 and contended that the war eventually created a society fundamentally different from that of Colonial times. Wood never gained the mass popularity of David McCullough or Doris Kearns Goodwin, but his writings were widely reviewed, debated and consulted and his opinions frequently sought.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.