“It’s so much more deep than anyone could imagine because it’s about thinking outside the box and resolving things in a nontraditional way. I think that really stimulated me as a child and allowed me to have a dreamlike mentality my entire life.” - The New York Times
His easy stage presence, comic timing and small but perfectly formed voice (combining lightly-sprung agility with a distinctive sweetness of tone), were ideal for what became his signature role, Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville. He was widely admired as well for his Mozart and bel canto roles. - Presto Music
“A jury found Hadi Matar, 27, guilty of attempted murder and assault in February. … Matar received the maximum 25-year sentence for the (stabbing) of Rushdie and seven years for wounding a man who was on stage with him. The sentences must run concurrently because both victims were injured in the same event.” - AP
“In a career that spanned more than 50 years, (the three-time Tony winner) wrote more than a dozen Broadway musicals, as well as film scores and ‘Those Were the Days,’ the theme song for the sitcom All in the Family,” starring Carroll O’Connor as Archie Bunker. - AP
A tall, broad-shouldered Texan, he portrayed heroes and villains during his career as a leading man in the 1970s and ‘80s, most notably in the surprise hit Walking Tall and in two James Bond movies. He went on to become a busy character actor in both film and TV. - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
“Her Jane Doe identity was finally cast off on the trial’s splashy opening day, when she revealed herself to be a Polish former runway model turned psychotherapist named Kaja Sokola.” She has had a complicated life, and that complicates her accusation. - The Hollywood Reporter
Of the nine films he wrote and directed, the best-known are the two for which he won Academy Awards: Kramer vs. Kramer (for screenplay and direction) and Places in the Heart (screenplay). Among the other films he co-wrote are Bonnie and Clyde, What’s Up, Doc? and the 1978 Superman. - Deadline
These nine visionaries have released Grammy-winning albums; performed in nearly every major concert hall and to packed audiences from the stage; won record-setting Tony nominations; earned pinnacle titles; and become the first to break barriers in their given fields. - Elle
“For over half a century, (he) stood as a towering figure in French cinema, a titan known for his commanding physical presence, instinct, sensitivity, and remarkable versatility. … His fall from grace was completed Tuesday when a Paris court found him guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a movie set in 2021.” - AP
“The actor, 76, has been convicted of having groped a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant during the filming of Les Volets Verts (‘The Green Shutters’).” He received a suspended sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment and fined €29,040 (around $32,350). - AP
"Ms. Kouoh’s ‘sudden and untimely’ death came just days before she was scheduled to announce the title and theme of next year’s event. The statement added that her death ‘leaves an immense void in the world of contemporary art.’” - The New York Times
"Asked if she is alarmed by Trump’s assault on arts and culture, DuVernay told the Guardian: ‘Certainly. But not surprised. When you elect a criminal you should expect crimes.’” - The Guardian (UK)
Every day Jambon spends a few hours compiling a list of gallery openings from websites such as Index Berlin and social media accounts. Then he begins hitting the galleries on his list, going from one to the next decked out in his vibrant outfit and bug-eye glasses. He calls it his “gallery project”. - The Guardian
“Bey had a multiphase musical career, with peaks and valleys that had more to do with shifting tastes than any fluctuation in quality. But his style did trace an evolution, from churchified soul jazz to astral jazz-funk to smoky songbook reverie.” - WRTI (Philadelphia)
A woman had accused the writer-director of Crash of raping her repeatedly over the course of two days in 2022 while they were both in Brindisi for an entertainment-industry event. A judge has ruled that no nonconsensual sex took place in this instance. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)