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Tag: debbie-allen

  • Tom Cruise and More to Receive Honorary Oscars

    95th Oscars® nominee Tom Cruise arrives at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 13, 2023. The 95th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 12, 2023 live on ABC. Credit/Provider: Michael Yada / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    95th Oscars® nominee Tom Cruise arrives at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 13, 2023. The 95th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 12, 2023 live on ABC. Credit/Provider: Michael Yada / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Preview:

    • Tom Cruise is among those to receive an Honorary Oscar this year.
    • Dolly Parton will be given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
    • The recipients will be honored at the 16th Annual Governor’s Awards.

    While you can imagine that Tom Cruise might have won an Oscar for Services to Hanging Off of Planes and Other Things, the star of ‘Mission: Impossible –– The Final Reckoning’ (and, you know a fairly extensive career before that) has been nominated four times, but has never actually won.

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    He was nominated for acting in ‘Born on the Fourth of July’, ‘Jerry Maguire’, ‘Magnolia,’ and as producer on ‘Top Gun: Maverick’.

    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is now filling that gap on his Hollywood resume, awarding him an honorary Academy Award. And he’s not alone; Debbie Allen and Wynn Thomas are also getting Honorary Oscars, while Dolly Parton will be given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

    Here’s Academy president Janet Yang’s statement on the new honorees:

    “This year’s Governors Awards will celebrate four legendary individuals whose extraordinary careers and commitment to our filmmaking community continue to leave a lasting impact. The Academy’s board of governors is honored to recognize these brilliant artists. Debbie Allen is a trailblazing choreographer and actor, whose work has captivated generations and crossed genres. Tom Cruise’s incredible commitment to our filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired us all. Beloved performer Dolly Parton exemplifies the spirit of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award through her unwavering dedication to charitable efforts. And production designer Wynn Thomas has brought some of the most enduring films to life through a visionary eye and mastery of his craft.”

    Related Article: 35 Best Tom Cruise Movies of All Time

    Who are the other honorary award recipients?

    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that its Board of Governors voted to present Academy Honorary Awards to Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise and Wynn Thomas, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Dolly Parton. Photo: ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that its Board of Governors voted to present Academy Honorary Awards to Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise and Wynn Thomas, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Dolly Parton. Photo: ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Dolly Parton surely needs little introduction –– she’s been a music legend for years, has appeared in the likes of movies such as ‘Nine to Five’ (and contributed the iconic song for it), but has also become known for her incredible philanthropic efforts, as well as being a producer on a raft of projects (including the ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ movie). She’s also a huge proponent of childhood literacy and education.

    Debbie Allen, 75, is a trailblazing artist, but also a champion of arts education — on screen (her most famous role is dance teacher Lydia Grant in 1980 movie ‘Fame’ and its television adaptation that ran from 1982 through 1987, which she also choreographed) –– and off through her Debbie Allen Dance Academy in LA and other activities. She also acted in 1981’s ‘Ragtime’, produced 1997’s ‘Amistad’ with Steven Spielberg; and choreographed 2024’s ‘The Six Triple Eight.’

    Wynn Thomas, who got his start in the New York theater, is a revered production designer who is best known for his extensive collaboration with Spike Lee, which encompasses 11 films over 35 years, spanning Lee’s movie directorial debut, 1986’s ‘She’s Gotta Have It’, through 2020’s ‘Da 5 Bloods’. He’s also worked with a host of other big-name directors.

    When will the Academy hand out these awards?

    Cruise and co. will be picking up their awards at the 16th annual Governors Awards, which will be a black-tie ceremony at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 16th.

    Will TC be leaping in from a helicopter flying above the theater? Let’s find out!

    Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in 'Top Gun: Maverick' from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
    Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

    Tom Cruise Movies:

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  • Netflix Plans ‘A Different World’ Sequel TV Series

    The cast of 'A Different World'. Photo: Carsey-Werner Productions.
    The cast of ‘A Different World’. Photo: Carsey-Werner Productions.

    Preview:

    • A sequel series to ‘A Different World’ is in the works.
    • It follows the characters’ youngest daughter at college.
    • Netflix is producing the new show.

    Netflix has had some success with sequel series to shows that ran elsewhere –– ‘That ‘90s Show’ (a follow-up to ‘That ‘70s Show’) is still going.

    And another series from The Carsey-Werner company is joining it in Netflix’s line-up, at least according to Deadline –– ‘A Different World’.

    Yes, the 1980s/1990 series which (slightly problematically these days) was created by Bill Cosby as a spin-off of his own show, is getting the follow-up treatment with a new series.

    What’s the story of ‘A Different World?

    (L to R) Dawnn Lewis, Lisa Bonet and Marisa Tomei in 'A Different World'. Photo: Carsey-Werner Productions.
    (L to R) Dawnn Lewis, Lisa Bonet and Marisa Tomei in ‘A Different World’. Photo: Carsey-Werner Productions.

    The show, which ran between 1987 and 1993, was run by Debbie Allen as director-producer, Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Bythewood as writers, and Tom Werner as executive producer.

    ‘A Different World’ followed –– at least initially –– Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) and her new classmates at Hillman College, a fictional historically Black college.

    Bonet exited after one season, but the show continued with the leading cast of Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Dawnn Lewis, Darryl M. Bell, Sinbad, Charnele Brown, Cree Summer and Glynn Turman.

    The retooled second season continued to follow the students’ lives, with the love story between Guy’s Whitley Gilbert and Hardison’s Dwayne Wayne at the center.

    Dwayne, famous for his glasses that flipped up, finally married on it in the Season 5 episode “Save the Best For Last.” Though Whitley was adamant she didn’t want children, she discovers she’s pregnant in “When One Door Closes,” the penultimate episode of the series, and everyone is elated. However, things get somber when Dwayne reveals he’s accepted a job in Japan where he and his wife will raise their family — a truly different world.

    Fun fact: Meg Ryan was originally cast as Denise’s roommate in Season One, but opted to pursue her film career, with Marisa Tomei taking her place.

    Meg Ryan in Bleecker Street’s 'What Happens Later.'
    Meg Ryan in Bleecker Street’s ‘What Happens Later.’ Credit: Bleecker Street.

    What story will the new show follow?

    The sequel will reportedly focus on the couple’s youngest daughter, who is now also attending Hillman.

    While casting is yet to begin officially, the producers have reportedly reached out to original cast members regarding interest and availability, and it seems (though Netflix has yet to comment officially) that at least a few of them will return in some capacity.

    Felicia Pride, who wrote on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and more recently was a producer on ‘Bel-Air’ is aboard to oversee the writing on the show, with the original producing team involved.

    Related Article: Callie Haverda and Mace Coronel Talk Netflix’s ‘That ’90s Show’ Season 2

    When will the ‘A Different World’ series land on Netflix?

    Don’t get too excited just yet –– versions of this new series have been in the offing for years with little forward movement. But with Netflix backing it, we can surely assume that the latest effort will make it to the company’s servers.

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    TV Shows produced by the Carsey-Werner Company:

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