ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5-6, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13

People & Places

Globes

Grant, Bakalova react Hudson in, Spike out & more Globe chaos LOS ANGELES, Feb 4, (AP): The only thing pre- dictable about the Golden Globe nominations are their unpredictability. And the Hollywood Foreign Press Association went overboard with the chaos in this very strange year in which the nominations were announced before the eligibility period was even up (that happens on Feb 28), meaning a few of the nominated movies and performances aren’t even out yet. Technically they even snubbed an entire category when best supporting actress was skipped over by mistake. From the Kate Hudson movie that no one has heard of to the very awkward shut out of Spike Lee, here’s a look at some of the biggest surprises of the morning. Kate Hudson Was In A Movie? You’d be hard pressed to fi nd someone who wasn’t sur- prised to hear Kate Hudson’s name announced among the best actress nominees. The Hollywood Reporter’s awards columnist Scott Feinberg even tweeted that he had “literally never heard” of the movie. That movie is called “Music,” a fantasy musical drama with Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr and Lee Maddie Ziegler that marks pop star Sia’s directorial debut. It also got a best picture, musical or comedy nod, and it’s not even out yet in the US until next week. Spike Lee Gets Shut Out Spike Lee’s daughter and son are headed to the Golden Globes at the end of the month as Ambas- sadors for the ceremony, but in a shocking turn of events, he won’t be...at least as a nominee. Lee’s ac- claimed Vietnam drama “Da 5 Bloods” was expected to be a shoo-in for any number of categories: Best pic- This image released by Vertical Entertainment shows Maddie Ziegler, (left), and Kate Hudson from the film ‘Music.’ The film was nominated for a Golden Globe for ture, best director, best actor for Delroy Lindo or sup- best motion picture musical or comedy. Hudson was also nominated for best actress in a motion picture musical or comedy. (AP) porting actor for Chadwick Boseman, who died last year. Boseman was acknowledged, however, for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Andra Day And Tahar Rahim Television Both Andra Day and Tahar Rahim picked up lead acting nominations for movies that aren’t out yet, “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” and “The Mau- ritanian.” While Rahim has been widely praised for Show remains true to its roots his portrayal of Guantanamo detainee Mohamedou Ould Slahi, Lee Daniels’ “Billie Holiday” hasn’t even been reviewed by anyone. Pacino In, But No Streep Or Hanks Snoopy shines in Apple TV+ series The HFPA loves to single out legacy A-listers but this year made some very perplexing exclusions, in- By Mark Kennedy named “the Snoopy Bible” — that couldn’t always kick the football, cluding Tom Hanks for his widely acclaimed perfor- contained Snoopy-centric strips, and mance in “News of the World” and 32-time nominee he wasn’t always the winner. So Meryl Streep, who could have been nominated for eanuts’ star Snoopy is famous were told to use them for inspiration. Snoopy gave that outlet to dream a “Let Them All Talk” or even “Prom,” which wouldn’t ‘Pfor being a highly imagina- “It was like, ‘How do you build on little bigger,” said Betts. be an insult except for the fact that her co-star James tive dog, liable at to go off on loony what he was trying to tell the audi- “Peanuts” made its debut Oct Corden got nominated for it. And yet, Al Pacino got in flights of fancy. But, it turns out, his ence in four strips?’ We get seven 2, 1950. The travails of the “little for the nearly unwatchable Amazon series “Hunters.” world has some strict rules. minutes,” said Betts. round-headed kid” Charlie Brown Borat Is An Awards Pick ... Nice No adults can be heard there, just If the writers were intimidated, so and his pals eventually ran in more We can laugh about Corden getting a nomination trombones. No technology past the were the artists, many of whom re- than 2,600 newspapers, reaching for “Prom” but in all the chaos the HFPA also made 1970s can be used. And under no vere “Peanuts.” millions of readers in 75 countries. the somewhat inspired decision to acknowledge “Bo- circumstances may the inside of “One of our storyboard artists Other Peanuts projects that have This image released by BBC America would get nervous every time they rat Subsequent Moviefi lm” with three nominations shows Jodie Comer as Villanelle in a Snoopy’s doghouse ever be shown. been launched by Apple TV+ in- — for best comedy or musical, best actor for Sacha scene from ‘Killing Eve.’Comer was Creators of the new animated se- had to draw Lucy’s psychiatry booth, clude “Snoopy in Space” and “Pea- Baron Cohen and best actress for Maria Bakalova. A nominated for a Golden Globe award ries “The Snoopy Show” had to learn just because it was this heritage thing nuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10,” case could also be made that this year the organization for best actress in a drama series. (AP) and respect all the rules as they craft- and there’s so much weight. Every- both of which were nominated for was grasping for straws in the entire musical/comedy ed stories for Apple TV+ that were one’s a little bit terrified,” said Eve- Daytime Emmy Awards, with the category. true to the original strips and various staff. latter winning. What Is A Movie After All? previous shows. One obstacle was that Woodstock One of the more intriguing aspects The Globe nominations also tested our under- “I think the rules have actually and Snoopy in the strip communi- of “The Snoopy Show” is that it standing of what constitutes a film with some inter- made the story so much stronger, cate their feelings through thought shows the first time Charlie Brown esting categorizations and nominations, putting Ste- to go, ‘How do we play in the sand- bubbles, something that doesn’t met Snoopy, as well as the first time ve McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology film series in box?’” says Stephanie Betts, an ex- work in a show. the beagle ever encountered Wood- a television category. They didn’t even single out ecutive vice president at media com- That meant the artists had to rely stock. the specific project John Boyega was part of in his pany WildBrain. “And actually, we on sounds, pantomime and a variety Snoopy is shown as a lonely pup- nomination, just simply crediting him for “Small realized it was so much wider than of expressions for the two charac- py inside a barn - the last of the litter Axe.” For anyone interested, Boyega stars in “Red, ters, who yelp, cry, titter and gulp White and Blue,” which is currently available on you can even imagine.” to be adopted - when Charlie Brown The series, which debuts Friday, with powerful emotion. They’re aid- walks in and hands him a bone, tell- Amazon Prime Video. The filmed “Hamilton” per- ed by a jazzy score by Jeff Morrow. formance on Disney+, meanwhile, was eligible in Swift Wallen consists of three seven-minute vi- ing him they’re going to be best the film categories and picked up two nominations. gnettes per 23-minute episode. They Refreshing friends. But don’t expect it to go any further than that, it’s are mined from the almost 18,000 “The Snoopy Show” is a refresh- But the Snoopy-Woodstock intro- not eligible for the Oscars. Variety strips cartoonist Charles M. Schulz ing addition to a children’s TV land- duction is anything but meet-cute. Black Stories Get Pushed Aside left behind. scape that is full of superheroes and The original strip showed the bird This has been a banner year for Black stories in fi lm It’s an enchanting and endearing cute shows where resolutions are falling onto Snoopy’s lap; the series and on television, but you wouldn’t know it to look at SALT LAKE CITY: A theme park in show; we see Charlie Brown over- predetermined. The world of “Pea- shows a tense and competitive meet- many of the main categories (see above about “Da 5 Utah has fi led a lawsuit against Taylor coming his nerves at speaking in nuts,” on the other hand, explores ing that eventually ends in friend- Bloods”). Some were acknowledged elsewhere: “Ma Swift that accuses her of trademark front of his class, and an epic game failure and frustration. ship. Rainey’s Black Bottom” was relegated to the acting infringement. of tag between Snoopy and Rerun “We do have these characters The rules of the show - no cell- categories (for Boseman and Viola Davis). “Judas and Evermore Parks said in its suit fi led that leads to mild injuries and laugh- phones, computers or adult human Tuesday that the title of Swift’s 2020 that have real problems and things the Black Messiah” got one for Daniel Kaluuya and ter. don’t always work out. And they voices - keeps the kids in their her- its song, as did “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” album “Evermore” violates the park’s trademark rights. Adults will recognize the classic deal with issues of rejection and metic world and forces them to make And “One Night in Miami,” which featured four of the visual style and the world they read their own decisions. year’s best performances, got a directing nod for Re- Swift’s lawyers said the allegations are failure. Those are things that our “baseless” and they refused to comply as kids: Kites still get eaten by trees, kids deal with, too,” said Evestaff. As for the inside of Snoopy’s dog- gina King and an acting nomination for Leslie Odom Lucy’s psychiatric booth still costs a house - from which he drags out a Jr. “Lovecraft Country” was nominated for best televi- with a cease and desist letter the park “I think if you were to pitch a show sion series and McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology as sent to Swift on Dec 18. They added nickel and Snoopy keeps flying mis- like this today, it would be a very pool table, a Vincent van Gogh paint- that the singer-songwriter styled her new sions on his doghouse. difficult sell.” ing and a swimming pool, among well, but only one Black actor broke through in TV album “in a way that is entirely distinct” (Boyega). And perhaps the most egregious oversight “There’s something to the time- The show still allows Snoopy to other massive items — leaving it un- from the park’s aesthetic. lessness of Charles Schulz’s draw- seen keeps imaginations wild. is that of HBO’s “I May Destroy You,” Michaela Evermore Park was created in 2018 have his heroic flights of fancy - Coel’s limited HBO series about rape. Filmmaker and features costumed actors and per- ings,” said Mark Evestaff, showrun- becoming the famed arm-wrestler “It makes the writers, the directors Sarah Polley tweeted that it being excluded while formers. ner and an executive producer. “I Masked Marvel, hipster Joe Cool or and all the artists have to be a little the similarly themed “Promising Young Woman” In court documents, CEO Ken feel like this is the kind of show that the dogged World War I Flying Ace bit more clever in terms of how they got multiple nominations “is a clear statement about Bretschneider said that after Swift’s we need now.” behind enemy lines. approach a scene,” said Evestaff. “I which stories we are ready to hear and which ones we album was released on Dec 11, search The series’ writers were each “Charles Schulz always said he think it makes for a stronger show.” continue to ignore.” results for the theme park dropped on given a large red volume - nick- felt most like Charlie Brown - he (AP) Meanwhile, reactions from nominees for the the Google in favor of the album. 78th Golden Globe Awards. All spoke to The Associ- Bretschneider also alleged that the ated Press in phone or video interviews: “Evermore” album title infringes on the stars. His sophomore album, “Danger- even besting the recent release from the success of “7 Summers” and “Wasted park’s merchandise designs, the Salt “I think this is the greatest day of my life.” — on You.” But the fall from the top has Lake Tribune reported. (AP) ous: The Double Album,” is spending its country star Luke Combs. Wallen is 12-year-old Helena Zengel, nominated for best sup- been swift. ❑ ❑ ❑ third week atop the Billboard 200 chart also one of the few country acts to score porting actress in a fi lm for “News of the World.” and it has set several streaming records, a Top 10 hit on the pop charts, thanks to “In light of Morgan Wallen’s recent “I’ve been doing home-schooling with an 8-year- NASHVILLE, Tenn: Country star Mor- actions involving the use of a racial slur, old and 5-year-old. Anyone who has been doing gan Wallen has been suspended indefi - we have made the decision to remove home-schooling for the better part of a year deserves nitely from his label and seen his music his music and content from our stations some little boost in morale. If you want me to make pulled by radio stations and streaming effective immediately,” according to a you a paper snowfl ake I can make you a really beauti- services Wednesday after video surfaced statement from iHeartMedia, which has ful one.” — Hugh Grant nominated for best actor in a of him shouting a racial slur. hundreds of radio stations across the limited series or movie for “The Undoing.” Big Loud Records said in a statement country. “We’ve been praying, we’ve been hoping, we’ve that Wallen’s contract has been sus- The Academy of Country Music, been dreaming, but even in our wildest dreams we pended indefi nitely. Republic Records, which is currently taking nominations didn’t think something like this could happen to peo- which he is co-signed to, said it agreed for their annual awards show in April, ple from Eastern Europe.” — Maria Bakalova, who with Big Loud’s decision and said “such said in a statement they would “halt” became the fi rst Bulgarian Golden Globe nominee behavior will not be tolerated.” Wallen’s eligibility for this year’s show with her nod for best actress in a movie musical or The video, which was fi rst published and will also be reviewing the awards comedy for “Borat Subsequent Moviefi lm.” by TMZ on Tuesday night, showed eligibility and submission process. “The “I feel like there are some hidden gifts in this dif- Wallen outside a home in Nashville, Ten- Academy does not condone or support ficult time. With the awards this year, I think some nessee, yelling. intolerance or behavior that does not of the bigger films that might have been released Wallen said in a statement to TMZ that align with our commitment and dedica- this year or taken up a lot of an audience’s band- he is embarrassed and sorry. tion to diversity and inclusion,” the ACM width got pushed so I think it’s an opportunity to “I used an unacceptable and inap- statement said. propriate racial slur that I wish I could As of Wednesday morning, stream- shine a light on some smaller movies. I think you take back. There are no excuses to use ing apps like Spotify and Apple Music can always find the opportunity in the obstacle.” — this type of language, ever. I want to don’t have his songs in their most popular Riz Ahmed, nominated for best actor in drama film sincerely apologize for using the word. I This image released by Apple shows animated characters Snoopy, (left), and country music playlists, where normally for “Sound of Metal.” promise to do better,” his statement said. Charlie Brown from the original series ‘The Snoopy Show,’ premiering Feb 5 on Wallen had multiple songs from his new He’s one of the genre’s biggest young Apple TV+. (AP) album. (AP)