A Rundown of the Oscars’ Original Song Race: Will Diane Warren Finally Win on Her 12th Try?

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentItalian author Antonio Dikele Distefano, who grew up in the northern Italian city of Ravenna, is the originator of new Netflix Original series “Zero,” which marks the first series centered around the present-day lives of Black Italian youth.

Chris Willman Music WriterThe Oscars have confirmed that the best original song nominees will be performed in full on the pre-telecast “Oscars: Into the Spotlight” show Sunday night, with each of the five performed in full by the singer who introduced the song on film.Four of the five performances will be pre-recorded on the Dolby Family Terrace of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, with the fifth being filmed in Húsavík, Iceland, the Academy said — the last of those being, of course, the

Oscars just ten days away, Variety has learned a number of the original song performances will be pre-recorded this coming Monday and Tuesday.At least some of the contenders will be performing their nominated songs on the rooftop of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentAmazon Prime Video this month launched the local version of its comedy show “LOL: Last One Laughing” in Italy where it has rapidly become the most watched title ever on the platform’s Italian service, says Amazon Studio Head of Italian Originals Nicole Morganti who in an exclusive interview with Variety discussed Amazon’s local strategy a little over a year after moving into Italy with a multi-genre slate. Edited excerpts.Thanks.

Jon Burlingame Sometimes the backstories of Oscar-nominated songs are as compelling as the songs themselves.Last week, the Songwriters Hall of Fame corralled nine of this year’s 12 nominated songwriters for a round-table discussion of how their songs came to be written, and how they feel about contributing to the art of cinema.Paul Williams, Oscar winner (“Evergreen”) and president and chairman of the board of ASCAP, and Nile Rodgers, Grammy-winning producer-writer and Songwriters Hall of Fame

Carole Horst Aidan Turner already has legions of fans for his turn as Kili in “The Hobbit” feature film series and earned a whole lot more — in a different demographic — as Ross Poldark in the long-running BBC series “Poldark,” a fixture on PBS’ “Masterpiece” in the States.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentHotly anticipated TV series “Anna,” the Sky Studios Original centered on a 13-year-old girl who must contend with a viral contagion that kills off all adults on the island of Sicily, is set to launch on Sky in Italy on April 23.Directed by novelist-turned-director Niccolò Ammaniti (“The Miracle”), who co-wrote with Francesca Manieri (“Daughter of Mine”), the show was forced to halt production in March 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Brad Pitt is now a fashion designer.

Jon Burlingame If “Io Sì (Seen)” wins the song Oscar on April 25, it will mark only the fourth time in Oscar history that a foreign-language lyric has taken the prize.

upcoming film House of Gucci couldn’t get any better — think: Adam Driver as Gucci heir, Maurizio Gucci, in a cable knit, snow pants, and ‘70s aviators; and Lady Gaga, as his ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani, in a Pretty Woman-esque polka dot dress — Lady Gaga appeared on the set in Italy wearing a wedding dress. *Cues “Marry The Night.

Data firm App Annie indicated in Thursday's first quarter market index report that mobile game Crash Bandicoot: On the Runlanded in second position on the list of top downloaded breakout games in the United States.

Ranvir Singh has caused uproar across social media over her comments about former Strictly Come Dancing partner Giovanni Pernice.The 43 year old competed on the hit BBC series in 2020 and was partnered with the Italian professional dancer, but the pair were sadly eliminated after losing a dance off with Jamie Laing and Karen Hauer.

Jon Burlingame Everyone in the music business is wondering the same thing: Could veteran songwriter Diane Warren, denied the Oscar 11 times over the past 33 years, finally win on her 12th try?Warren, whose movie songs range from Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me” to Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” this year penned “Io Sì (Seen)” for Netflix’s “The Life Ahead.” Sung in Italian by co-lyricist Laura Pausini, it could become only the fourth foreign-language song to win.But it’s far