Oscar-winning Palestinian director is attacked by Israeli settlers and detained by the army
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli settlers have beaten up one of the Palestinian co-directors of the Oscar-winning documentary film “No Other Land." He was then detained by the Israeli military in the occupied West Bank. That's according to two of his fellow directors and other eyewitnesses, including Jewish activists at the scene. A lawyer says the filmmaker Hamdan Ballal was one of three Palestinians detained Monday. Basel Adra, another co-director, says Jewish settlers have attacked the village every day since he returned from the Oscars. He believes its' “their revenge on us for making the movie.” The Israeli military did not have any immediate comment.
Will Smith channels his post-slap introspection into music on ‘Based on a True Story’
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Will Smith could have let his infamous Oscar slap be his cinematic fade out with a career bruised, a marriage dissected and a reputation in a free fall. But instead of retreating, he turned inward for self-reflection. In the process, Smith rediscovered a long-neglected creative outlet in music, using the mic to voice his thoughts after years of prioritizing his Hollywood career. The Grammy and Oscar winner will release his fifth studio album “Based on a True Story” on Friday. The 14-track album marks his first music project in two decades since “Lost and Found.”
French actor Gérard Depardieu stands trial in Paris for alleged sexual assaults on film set
PARIS (AP) — French actor Gérard Depardieu went on trial at a Paris courthouse on sexual assault charges. It is seen as a potential watershed for the #MeToo movement in France. The 76-year-old actor is accused of having groped a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant director during filming in 2021 of the movie “Les Volets Verts” or “The Green Shutters.” The actor denies any wrongdoing. The trial was initially scheduled for October but was postponed until Monday because of Depardieu’s health.
Book Review: 'Elphie' a psychological backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West
“Elphie” the fifth book in the Wicked Years series by Gregory Maguire, explores the earlier moments in Elphaba's life that led her to become the Wicked Witch of the West. Readers get to explore Elphaba's psychology through her familiar jealousy, her thirst for knowledge and her encounters with the marginalized talking animals of Oz, a cause that will later mark her as wicked. The Associated Press' Fernanda Figueroa says that with subtle political distress throughout the novel and lack of love in Elphaba’s life, the book can feel melancholy at times. “Elphie” is scheduled for release on Tuesday from Murrow.
Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez named creative directors at Loewe
PARIS (AP) — Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the celebrated design duo behind Proenza Schouler, will take over as creative directors at Loewe. The Spanish luxury house says their tenure begins April 7. They succeed Jonathan Anderson, who stepped down last week after an influential 11-year run that elevated Loewe into a major global brand with annual revenues exceeding $1.5 billion. McCollough and Hernandez, known for pioneering a distinctive American aesthetic since founding Proenza Schouler in 2002, are relocating from New York City to Paris, home to Loewe’s creative offices. The designers also plan frequent visits to Madrid, where Loewe originated as a leather-maker serving the Spanish royal family in 1846.
New York Times denounces Trump's 'intimidation tactics' against reporters
The New York Times is denouncing “intimidation tactics” by President Donald Trump against its reporters. The newspaper is responding to Trump's Truth Social posting that specifically criticized two of its reporters, Peter Baker and Maggie Haberman. The newspaper said Baker, Haberman and their colleagues have an “unrivaled record” of covering Trump and prior administrations fully and fairly, and intimidation tactics wouldn't make it back down. Trump said the Times reporters and editors did everything they could to “help rig the election against me.” Haberman was among the bylines in a Times story last week saying that the Pentagon planned to brief billionaire Elon Musk on potential war plans with China.
Trump campaign manager sues the Daily Beast over stories on how much he earned
A manager of President Donald Trump's successful 2024 campaign is suing the Daily Beast for defamation for its stories on how much he earned. Chris LaCivita's lawsuit says stories that he and his company earned $22 million — later corrected to $19.2 million — were inaccurate and created the false impression that he had profited excessively from his work with Trump. The Daily Beast defended its work and said the lawsuit represents at attempt to intimidate the press. It represents another aggressive move against the press by Trump or those in his orbit: Trump has a lawsuit pending against CBS News and settled one against ABC News.
Conan O'Brien accepts Mark Twain Prize for humor as politics roils the Kennedy Center
WASHINGTON (AP) — On a night when half a dozen people made jokes about this being the last-ever Mark Twain Prize, Conan O’Brien made sure the ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ended on a high note. O’Brien accepted the award for lifetime achievement in comedy Sunday night while acknowledging the backstage turmoil that hangs over the future of the cultural center in Washington. O’Brien was named the 26th recipient of the Mark Twain Prize in mid-January, about three weeks before President Donald Trump upended the Kennedy Center by ousting the longtime president and board chairman. Trump dismissed the board of trustees and replaced them with loyalists, who then elected him as chairman.
Gerard Depardieu sexual assault trial marks a cultural reckoning for post-#MeToo France
PARIS (AP) — When French actor Gérard Depardieu walks into a Paris courtroom on Monday, he won’t just be facing two women who accuse him of sexual assault — he’ll also be confronting a nation long criticized for dragging its feet in confronting sexual violence, particularly when committed by the powerful. Depardieu, a leading figure of French cinema for decades, is accused of sexually assaulting a set dresser and an assistant director during the 2021 filming of “Les Volets Verts” ("The Green Shutters"). While Depardieu has been publicly accused of sexual misconduct by around 20 women, this is the first time he will stand trial. Depardieu has denied all allegations.
What to stream: 'Mufasa: The Lion King,' Timothée Chalamet, Will Smith, Seth Rogen and Atomfall
Will Smith releasing his first album in 20 years, the 14-track “Based on a True Story,” and “Mufasa: The Lion King,” Barry Jenkins’ photorealistic prequel to the 1994 animated classic, are some of this week’s new streaming entertainment releases. A new docuseries from Prime Video called “First to Finish” is dedicated to women in motorsports and Seth Rogen stars in the new Hollywood satire “The Studio” for Apple TV+. Timothée Chalamet plays Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown,” and, for video game fans, British studio Rebellion imagines the aftermath of a 1957 accident at a nuclear reactor in the northwest United Kingdom with the title Atomfall.
