Angela Bassett Finally Gets Her Oscar as Academy Announces 2023 Honorary Winners, Including Mel Brooks

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently addressed the departure of multiple Black executives from its organization in a letter sent to its members. 

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sent a letter to its members on Friday evening, addressing the recent departure of multiple Black executives from its organization over the past few weeks. Signed by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang, the statement, obtained by Variety, includes an affirmation of the organization’s commitment to its diversity and inclusion programs, as well as efforts to “expanding” their promotion. “We have heard from some of you who have asked about our Academy DEAI programs as these efforts across our film community and other industries have been called into question,” the letter begins. “A number of Black executives in Hollywood have exited their roles, including within the Academy, and we recognize the concern this creates. Given all of this, we want to reiterate, in the strongest possible terms, the Academy’s commitment to not only continuing, but expanding our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion within our organization and the film industry at large.”

Jordan Moreau Henry Czerny received a mission from filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie and chose to accept it. That mission? Return as former IMF chief Eugene Kittridge in “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” 27 years after he first appeared in the original “Mission: Impossible” in 1996. At the “Dead Reckoning” premiere in New York, Czerny said when he first got the call about returning to the “Mission: Impossible” world, he didn’t believe it. “I think it’s a joke at first because my reps called me and said they want to bring Kittridge back and I’m in the middle of doing my errands in Los Angeles and fighting traffic or shredding old tax documents,” he told Variety. “I think, ‘Okay, what’s going on really?’ They say, ‘Chris McQuarrie wants to talk to you about bringing Kittridge back,’ and I take it seriously. Two days later, I’m on a call with Chris McQuarrie.”

Sir Elton John will hold what he has described as his “final farewell show” in Sweden this weekend as his tour comes to an end. Billed as his retirement from touring, the megastar played his last UK date at Glastonbury festival last month and will bring the tour to an end on Saturday at the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Emilia Clarke told the Los Angeles Times that she disagrees with people who claim that acting in front of a green screen isn’t “real” acting. Clarke’s onscreen career has spanned several big franchises, from “Game of Thrones” to “Star Wars” to “The Terminator,” and now the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the Disney+ series “Secret Invasion,” many of which required her to interact with green screens. “The stigma is that people don’t do any acting in these shows,” Clarke said, referring to performing while standing in front of a green screen. “[But] then you’re like, ‘Well, then why are they asking all these great actors to do it, and why are they saying yes?'”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is expanding its membership.

It’s that time of year again — the break between Cannes and the fall festivals, when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences makes its membership invitations. The Oscars group said today that it has extended offers to 398 artists and execs — one more than last year — who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to motion pictures.

Angela Bassett may have gone home empty handed at the Oscars in March, but the two-time nominee will be getting a golden statuette this year after all – and in very good company too.

Angela Bassett is getting her long-awaited Oscar! Bassett was first nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Tina Turner in 1993's and the actress has been a prominent figure in Hollywood for the past 40 years — garnering another Oscar nomination for her role in 2022's . On Monday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Bassett, as well as Mel Brooks and Carol Littleton, will receive an honorary Oscar at this year's Governors Awards. The ceremony will also honor Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. The 14th annual Governors Awards is set to take place on Saturday, Nov.

appeared “kinda shady” and less than thrilled — and seemingly didn’t even stand up to clap while seated in the front row.She had been sitting next to “Elvis” star and Oscar nominee Austin Butler, whose hands she held onto.While some fans saw her as a “sore loser,” others felt sorry for the actress, who previously was Oscar-nominated for starring in the 1993 Tina Turner biopic “What’s Love Got to Do With It” — but famously lost out to Holly Hunter for “The Piano.”“Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting,” Academy President Janet Yang said in a statement, lauding all four as “trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans.”Yang also lauded Mel Brooks as someone who “lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment,” praised Littleton as “a model for those who come after her” and Satter as having “played a vital role in the careers of countless filmmakers around the world.”The ceremony will go down on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Los Angeles.Bassett broke her silence about her most recent Oscar dissby writing an essay about Butler, 31, for the Time 100 Most Influential People of 2023 series.“On the evening of the Oscars, with Austin seated next to me, I understood intimately what he felt when it was time to learn if he would climb those stairs to the stage,” Bassett wrote of Butler, who, like her, did not win for his performance as Elvis Presley.“So, I took his hand and held it softly as the winner was announced.

It took a few more months, but Angela Bassett finally “did the thing.” The two-time Oscar nominee has been awarded an honorary Oscar by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She joins fellow honorary Oscar winners Mel Brooks and Carol Littleton as well as Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award winner Michelle Satter.

Angela Bassett is getting her Oscar!

The newest Academy Award winners have been announced.

Actor Angela Bassett, writer-director-actor Mel Brooks and film editor Carol Littleton will receive honorary Oscars and the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy’s 2023 Governors Awards, the Academy announced on Monday.The recipients were chosen by the Academy’s Board of Governors, and the awards will be presented at the 14th annual Governors Awards ceremony, which will take place on Nov. 18 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.Bassett has been nominated for Oscars for “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Her other films include “Boyz N the Hood,” “Waiting to Exhale,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” and “Soul.”Brooks won an Oscar for the screenplay to his first film, “The Producers,” and has also been nominated for his screenplay to “Young Frankenstein” and for the title song to “Blazing Saddles.” He also wrote for Sid Caesar’s television shows, created the television series “Get Smart” and turned “The Producers” into a long-running and Tony-winning Broadway musical.

The Hollywood Reporter that LaBelle was blocked from seeing the prompter.“It was an extraordinary privilege to celebrate the life and legacy of Ms. Tina Turner at BET Awards 2023.

It’s culture’s biggest night! Some of the biggest names in music, television, film and sports turned out for the 2023 BET Awards, ready to celebrate Black excellence.

Simply the best. On Sunday night, Patti LaBelle paid tribute to her late friend and musical icon, Tina Turner, with a soul-stirring performance during the BET Awards.

2023 BET Awards and are ready to celebrate Black excellence.With a list of nominees stacked with heavy hitters like Drake, Lizzo, Beyoncé, Angela Bassett, LeBron James and more, it's hard to pick your favorite. But someone has to take the trophy home, and ET is keeping track of the night's winners.This year's list of nominees is led by Drake, who scored the prize of most nominated with seven nods, including Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Best Male R&B/Pop Artist, Best Group with 21 Savage and Best Collaboration with Future and Tems. GloRilla reigns as the most nominated woman of the night with six nominations, including Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Best New Artist, Album of the Year for  and Video of the Year for «Tomorrow 2» with Cardi B.Sunday night's show returns to the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles and is especially momentous since it's celebrating 50 years of hip-hop throughout the live telecast.

The theatrical requirements for movies vying for the Oscars top prize are getting a little tougher.

There will be a lot of new faces in the room at the next meeting of the Board Of Governors of the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences including actor Lou Diamond Phillips. Eleven first timers have been elected in the organizations annual election to select one third of the Board as eleven other members have termed off including Actors Branch Governor Whoopi Goldberg and Writers Branch Governor Larry Karaszewski. With AMPAS’ more stringent guidelines for service in place now two longtime Board members, Charles Bernstein (Music) and Jon Bloom (shorts and feature animation) are permanently off the Board, while others termed out can run again in two years.