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Canadian Brendan Fraser Win an Oscar for Best Actor at the 95th Academy Awards

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Canadian Brendan Fraser Win an Oscar for Best Actor at the 95th Academy Awards

Brendan Fraser became the first Canadian to win an Oscar for Best Actor on Sunday night at the 95th Acadamy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Fraser, 54, won the award for his performance in “The Whale,” in which he played a reclusive professor trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter.

Throughout much of the awards season, the Canadian-American dual citizen was considered one of the front-runners for the award, for which he also won a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Critics’ Choice Movie Award.

The actor accepted the industry’s highest honor on Sunday with an emotional acceptance speech.

“I started in this business 30 years ago, and things didn’t come easy for me,” he said on stage at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre, accepting his first Oscar after defeating fellow nominees Austin Butler, Colin Farrell, Bill Nighy, and Paul Mescal.

“I’m grateful to Darren Aronofsky for throwing me a creative lifeline and bringing me aboard the good ship, ‘The Whale,'” he said of the film’s director.

Brendan Fraser was born to Canadian parents in Indianapolis, Indiana. His father, Peter, was a former journalist who relocated his family to the United States to work as a Canadian foreign service officer for the Government Office of Tourism.

Fraser’s uncle, trap shooter George Genereux, was the only Canadian to win a gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Brendan Fraser

Because of Peter’s work, Fraser and his family moved every few years. Fraser first discovered theatre and fell in love with acting in London, England. Fraser began performing in his early teens in Seattle before moving to Toronto to attend Upper Canada College.

He returned to Seattle to study at the Cornish College of the Arts. Fraser got his first break while still in college, playing in the 1991 coming-of-age drama “Dogfight.”

His career took off after that, with roles in “Airheads,” “George of the Jungle,” “Gods and Monsters,” and the well-known “The Mummy” franchise.

However, “The Whale” was Fraser’s first major role in a decade. The Canadian Walk of Fame inductee has been open about his experiences as a father and his shifting career goals.

“In recent years, when I was a little more hesitant to step forward — having a life with kids and the oldest son with special needs, another kid who’s going to be a senior now, and another one who’s (learning) to drive and picking up a guitar — I think it just gave me a sense of purpose that I don’t know that I would have appreciated as a younger man,” he said in an interview with The Canadian Press during the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

Some have referred to Fraser’s triumphant return to Hollywood as a triumphant comeback. While the term “comeback” does not bother the actor, he prefers “reintroduction.”

“It’s an opportunity to reintroduce myself to an industry that I do not believe has forgotten about me,” he told The Associated Press. “I’ve just never traveled that far.”

Everything Everywhere All at Once emerged as the evening’s big winner, earning seven total Oscars — including one for Best Picture — after going from a relatively unknown specialty release from A24 to an awards season juggernaut. Its seven Oscars are the most for the Best Picture winner in 14 years, surpassing Slumdog Millionaire’s eight in 2008.

The German war film All Quiet on the Western Front, which finished the evening with four overall wins, trailed Everything Everywhere’s Oscar haul.

Acadamy awards

Best Picture

All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
WINNER: Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick
Triangle of Sadness
Women Talking

Best Director

Martin McDonaghThe Banshees of Inisherin
WINNER: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Steven SpielbergThe Fabelmans
Todd FieldTár
Ruben Östlund, Triangle of Sadness

Best Actor

Austin ButlerElvis
Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin
WINNER: Brendan FraserThe Whale
Paul Mescal, Aftersun
Bill Nighy, Living

Best Actress

Best Supporting Actor

Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin
Brian Tyree HenryCauseway
Judd Hirsch, The Fabelmans
Barry KeoghanThe Banshees of Inisherin
WINNER: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Supporting Actress

Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Hong ChauThe Whale
Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin
WINNER: Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Lawyer Says Raids Of The Rapper’s Homes Were ‘Excessive’ Use Of Military Force

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Los Angeles  — Sean “Diddy” Combs lawyer said Tuesday that federal officials’ searches of the rapper’s Los Angeles and Miami houses in a sex trafficking probe were “a gross use of military-level force” and that Combs is “innocent and will continue to fight” to clear his name.

The music mogul’s team issued its first public statement on Monday after Homeland Security Investigations investigators raided his house.

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Lawyer Says Raids Of The Rapper’s Homes Were ‘Excessive’ Use Of Military Force

“Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences,” stated attorney Aaron Dyer. “There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated.”

The searches were conducted as part of federal investigators’ ongoing sex trafficking investigation in New York, according to two law enforcement officials. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly about the probe and talked to the AP on the condition of anonymity.

According to Dyer’s statement, Combs was not held and spoke with authorities, and neither he nor any family members were arrested or had their travel restricted.

Dyer said that the “unprecedented ambush” resulted from a “premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.”

“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations,” Dyer said in a statement. “Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”

Combs’ kids, Justin and Christian “King” Combs were handcuffed during the raid on their father’s home in Los Angeles. King, 25, is a musician whose song “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” featuring Kodak Black topped Billboard’s Mainstream R&B Hip-Hop charts in 2022.

Law enforcement raided Combs’ multimillion-dollar estate in Los Angeles’ wealthy Holmby Hills neighborhood on Monday and his Miami waterfront home. Command trucks were stationed outside both homes, along with many officers.

The criminal probe marks a significant increase in Combs’ scrutiny since he has been the defendant in several sexual assault lawsuits in recent months.

Cassie, Combs’ former apprentice and girlfriend, sued him in November, alleging years of sexual abuse, including rape. Combs settled the lawsuit the next day. The lawsuit claimed he pushed her to have sex with male prostitutes while filming them.

In February, a music producer sued Combs, alleging that he pushed him into soliciting prostitutes and pressuring him to have sex with them.

combs

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Lawyer Says Raids Of The Rapper’s Homes Were ‘Excessive’ Use Of Military Force

Another of Diddy accusers was a woman who said the rap producer raped her at the age of 17 two decades ago.

Diddy and his counsel have denied all of the lawsuits’ claims.

The Associated Press does not normally name persons who claim to have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly as Cassie did.

Diddy is one of the most important hip-hop producers and executives over the last three decades. Formerly known as Puff Daddy, he established one of hip-hop’s most powerful empires, blazing a route with several businesses using his iconic name. He founded Bad Boy Records and is a three-time Grammy winner who has collaborated with several major musicians, including the Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans, and 112.

Diddy’s non-music business empire, which includes profitable private-label spirits, athletic clothes, and a television network, has been collapsing since the abuse charges surfaced.

His vodka and tequila partnership with Diageo, a major producer of distilled spirits, was officially terminated in January when the two parties settled mutual lawsuits, leaving the brands in Diageo’s hands.

combs

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Lawyer Says Raids Of The Rapper’s Homes Were ‘Excessive’ Use Of Military Force

His fashion line, Sean John, has disappeared from Macy’s, one of the line’s principal partners; Sean John’s goods are still accessible at Walmart’s online site. However, many are severely discounted or only available in off-sizes.

In November, Combs quit as chairman of Revolt TV, which focuses on music and social justice issues for African Americans.

Source – (apnews)

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Feds Search Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Properties As Part Of Sex Trafficking Probe

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NEW YORK — Federal Homeland Security Investigations agents and other law enforcement officers searched two properties owned by music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs in Los Angeles and Miami on Monday as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation by federal authorities in New York, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.

It is unclear whether Combs was the target of the probe. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly about the probe and talked to the AP on the condition of anonymity.

Homeland Security Investigations stated that it “executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”

A spokesman for the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office declined to comment.

combs

Feds Search Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Properties As Part Of Sex Trafficking Probe

Lawyers for Combs and other representatives left messages requesting comments, but they did not immediately respond.

A police line was formed around the Los Angeles home in the affluent Holmby Hills district near Beverly Hills. Helicopter footage from KABC-TV showed several agents wearing vests, indicating they were from Homeland Security Investigations, and they were gathered in the backyard near the pool. A command post was set up outside the house, and agents were still coming and going hours after the search began.

Combs has faced many sexual assault lawsuits in recent months.

In February, a music producer filed a lawsuit saying that Combs pushed him into soliciting prostitutes and pressuring him to have sex with them. Shawn Holley, Combs’ attorney, stated of the charges, “We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies.”

Cassie, Combs’ former apprentice and girlfriend, sued him in November, accusing him of sexual abuse, including rape, over several years. The lawsuit claimed he pushed her to have sex with male prostitutes while filming them. The lawsuit was settled the day after it was filed.

Another of Combs’ accusers was a woman who said the rap producer raped her at the age of 17 two decades ago.

The Associated Press normally does not identify persons who claim to have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly as Cassie did.

In a December statement, Combs stated, “I did not do any of the awful things being alleged.”

combs

Feds Search Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Properties As Part Of Sex Trafficking Probe

According to Douglas Wigdor, an attorney representing Cassie and another woman who sued Combs, “Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.”

It is unclear whether the search is related to any of the charges in the cases.

Combs is one of the most important hip-hop producers and executives over the last three decades. Formerly known as Puff Daddy, he established one of hip-hop’s most powerful empires, blazing a route with several businesses using his iconic name. He founded Bad Boy Records and is a three-time Grammy winner who has collaborated with several major musicians, including the Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans, and 112.

Combs founded the fashion clothing company Sean John, developed the music-focused Revolt TV channel, and produced the reality show “Making the Band” for MTV.

His most recent record, “The Love Album – Off the Grid,” came out last year, just days after Combs was recognized at the MTV Video Music Awards. It was nominated for best progressive R&B album at the February Grammy Awards, but the rapper-mogul did not attend.

combs

Feds Search Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Properties As Part Of Sex Trafficking Probe

The entertainment business has faced a constant stream of career-ending sexual misconduct charges in the years since tales about movie mogul Harvey Weinstein sparked the #MeToo movement in 2017. Weinstein and “That ’70s Show” star Danny Masterson are both serving jail sentences for rape. Dozens of civil cases have been filed against prominent individuals.

The music industry has not faced the same level of reckoning, but singer and producer R. Kelly is serving a prison sentence for sexually abusing young fans, seven women have sued hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, alleging he raped them, and two women have sued Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler, alleging sexual assault.

Weinstein, Masterson, and Kelly appeal their convictions, while Simmons denies all of the claims made against him. Tyler has had one lawsuit dismissed and is now contesting the other.

SOURCE – (AP)

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Comedian Kevin Hart Joins An Elite Group Honored With The Mark Twain Prize For American Humor

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Washington – Kevin Hart, who ascended from Philadelphia’s open mics and comedy clubs to become one of the country’s most well-known entertainers, will be honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at a gala at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Celebrities and notable comedians flocked to the Kennedy Center Sunday night to pay tribute to Hart, with numerous praising the comic’s work ethic, positivism, and unwavering commitment to his craft.

“He’s just inspirational,” remarked comedian Nikki Glazer on the red carpet. “He is one of the most naturally gifted people I’ve known. But he also likes himself, which is not the case with every successful comic.”

hart

Comedian Kevin Hart Joins An Elite Group Honored With The Mark Twain Prize For American Humor

Comedic actor J.B.J.B.ove (Leon on “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) describes a young up-and-coming Kevin as almost dangerously eager.

“Honestly, when he was first starting out, he was a pest,” she added. “But he was always picking up pieces from here or there, always learning from people and never afraid to learn.”

The event began with a high-energy duet between Robin Thicke and Nelly.

Kevin, 44, has developed a signature style incorporating his short stature, expressive countenance, and motor-mouth delivery into a popular stand-up routine.

hart

Comedian Kevin Hart Joins An Elite Group Honored With The Mark Twain Prize For American Humor

Hart made his Hollywood debut in the 2002 film “Paper Soldiers” and rose to mainstream prominence with a series of scene-stealing cameos in hits like 2005’s “The 40-Year-Old-Virgin.”

Hart’s films have made over $4.23 billion worldwide.

The Mark Twain Prize, now in its 25th year, rewards performers who have had a long-term impact on humor and culture. Honorees receive a bronze bust of Mark Twain, the famed American writer and satire born Samuel Clemens.

hart

Comedian Kevin Hart Joins An Elite Group Honored With The Mark Twain Prize For American Humor

Mark Twain honorees are celebrated with a night of testimonials and video tributes, frequently including prior award winners. The Lifetime Achievement Award recipients include Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, and Dave Chapelle. Bill Cosby, the 2009 laureate, had his Mark Twain Prize revoked in 2019 due to charges of sexual assault.

SOURCE – (AP)

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