Will 'The Rise of Skywalker' Be the First 'Star Wars' Movie to Win an Oscar Since the Original Trilogy? - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker brings the saga full circle. While it will not be the final Star Wars release, the film does conclude the story of the Skywalker family George Lucas started 42 years ago. And this ending couldn’t have come soon enough.

The Star Wars fandom has become increasingly divided in recent years, perhaps necessitating a temporary hiatus. So The Rise of Skywalker could be the saga’s final chance to collect some major awards before it turns in for the time being. Could this final Star Wars episode become an Oscar winner?

Benjamin Burtt Jr., C-3PO, and Mark Hamill at The 50th Annual Academy Awards | Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

‘Star Wars’ started as a major Oscar player

Although the saga hasn’t won any Academy Awards in more than 35 years, it began as a major contender. 1977’s Star Wars — later subtitled A New Hope — won six Oscars, including one for John Williams’ iconic score. The film was even nominated for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor (for Alec Guinness) as well as earning Lucas nods for writing and directing.

The Empire Strikes Back won two Oscars, including one for its sound and a special achievement award for its visual effects. Meanwhile, Return of the Jedi walked away with just one, again for its visual effects achievement. But Star Wars has remained in the Oscar conversation ever since, albeit only in technical categories.

The prequel trilogy received a total of five Oscar nominations, including two for its visual effects. And The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi earned five and four nods, respectively, including two for Williams. Even Rogue One and Solo received three nominations between them. So there’s precedent for The Rise of Skywalker to sneak into some Oscar races.

The saga’s awards momentum has died down

To be sure, the Star Wars saga has lost a great deal of awards momentum over the years. All three eras of the franchise have seen diminishing returns as they continued. Yet, despite its mixed reviews, The Rise of Skywalker might be able to stand out from its predecessors.

Any kind of major nominations — picture, acting, and screenplay, etc. — are almost certainly not in the cards. However, The Rise of Skywalker does continue the strong production values of the saga. This being the final entry in the Skywalker saga, the film could receive an extra push toward recognition for its technical achievements.

After all, the Disney era of Star Wars has been met with just about every possible reaction. But fans have never questioned these films’ ability to live up to the legacy of eye-popping visual effects and awe-inspiring music. And The Rise of Skywalker could be recognized for both in the near future.

‘The Rise of Skywalker’ could win a couple big awards

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently released shortlists for some of its awards, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker landed on two. Not surprisingly, the film remains in contention for Best Original Score and Best Visual Effects.

For the former, this would be the Academy’s final chance to reward Williams for his work in the Star Wars saga. He won the Oscar for the very first film in the saga and hasn’t gotten another for this series since then. Giving him an Oscar now would be the perfect way to bookend his Star Wars work. It’s also probably The Rise of Skywalker‘s best chance for an Oscar.

In Best Visual Effects, the Star Wars film ironically faces the most difficult competition in other Disney projects. In particular, the photorealistic aliens of The Lion King and the time-hopping superheroics of Avengers: Endgame are likely contenders.

Will The Rise of Skywalker be an Oscar winner? Given the divisive reaction, it does feel like a longshot. But the Academy may have a soft spot for the series’ early days and reward Williams for his nine-film body of work throughout. We’ll have to wait and see.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMikQFodHRwczovL3d3dy5jaGVhdHNoZWV0LmNvbS9lbnRlcnRhaW5tZW50L3dpbGwtdGhlLXJpc2Utb2Ytc2t5d2Fsa2VyLWJlLXRoZS1maXJzdC1zdGFyLXdhcnMtbW92aWUtdG8td2luLWFuLW9zY2FyLXNpbmNlLXRoZS1vcmlnaW5hbC10cmlsb2d5Lmh0bWwv0gEA?oc=5

2020-01-02 11:02:59Z
52780525092952

Damon Dash Says Aaliyah Wanted Nothing to With R. Kelly Post-Annulment - TMZ

Exclusive

A+E Networks/Kreativ Inc

Damon Dash says Aaliyah wanted absolutely nothing to do with R. Kelly after they pulled the plug on their controversial marriage back in the day.

TMZ's obtained this clip of Damon's interview on the soon-to-be-released Lifetime documentary, "Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning" ... and the music insider makes some bombshell revelations about Aaliyah's life after Kelly.

Damon famously dated Aaliyah after she split from R. Kelly ... and now he says the singer wanted to keep Kelly "the f*** away" from her following the annulment.

TMZ.com

As we've reported ... R. Kelly's former tour manager, Demetrius Smith, says he unwittingly and regretfully helped Kelly and Aaliyah tie the knot, by getting the 15-year-old a fake ID the day before the wedding ... a claim R. Kelly just denied in court.

Damon says it's disgusting Kelly would marry a child.

Not much is known about Aaliyah's feelings regarding Kelly -- she died way too young -- so Damon's claims are pretty shocking.

BTW ... the new doc drops Thursday on Lifetime.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRtei5jb20vMjAyMC8wMS8wMi9yLWtlbGx5LWFhbGl5YWgtZGFtb24tZGFzaC1tYXJyaWFnZS1jb250cm92ZXJzeS1hbm51bG1lbnQtbmV3LWRvY3VtZW50YXJ5LWxpZmV0aW1lL9IBcmh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLnRtei5jb20vMjAyMC8wMS8wMi9yLWtlbGx5LWFhbGl5YWgtZGFtb24tZGFzaC1tYXJyaWFnZS1jb250cm92ZXJzeS1hbm51bG1lbnQtbmV3LWRvY3VtZW50YXJ5LWxpZmV0aW1lLw?oc=5

2020-01-02 09:00:00Z
52780534535668

Who Is Matt Lauer's Rumored New Girlfriend, Shamin Abas? - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Matt Lauer seems to be moving on. After splitting from his longtime wife Annette Roque in 2017, the former Today host has reportedly settled into a new relationship with his friend, Shamin Abas. But just who is this woman? Here’s what we know so far.

Matt Lauer at an event in 2017 | Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images

Who is Shamin Abas?

Abas has been described by Radar Online as a “powerhouse publicist.” She runs an eponymous public relations firm and has worked with big-name clients such as Rolls-Royce, FIJI Water, and Bugatti.

Abas grew up in Wales, per The Palm Beach Post. Her father, who is Persian, taught math at a local university and her mother was a jazz artist who later became a homemaker. As a kid, Abas spent a lot of time with her two sisters and brother, playing, bike riding, and tending to local stables.

“I grew up living and breathing horses,” Abas told The Palm Beach Post, “but it wasn’t even a thought that I would stay there.”

In the 1990s, she met a man who would become her husband and followed him to Detriot, Michigan. She got her first gig in the media world as a spokesmodel for Chrysler and then moved to New York, where her career snowballed. Unfortunately, though, she and her husband wound up splitting shortly after they relocated to the Big Apple in 1999.

Shamin Abas at an event | Photo by Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

In 2003, Abas remarried — this time, to a New York City nightclub owner. But the marriage had deteriorated by 2007.

“My advice is never be married to someone in the restaurant business,” Abas revealed to The Post. “We were under so much pressure with this huge lease and financial responsibility. It played a huge part in the failure of our marriage.”

How did Shamin Abas and Matt Lauer meet?

At the time of writing, this is unclear. But Abas and Lauer have known each other for more than 14 years. They were reportedly seen having a friendly lunch in 2005 and “recently” became romantic.

A source told Page Six, “Matt and Shamin have known each other for many years, as she spends a lot of time in the Hamptons, as does he. They very recently began dating, she is a lovely woman.”

In Touch Weekly broke the news of their rumored relationship on Dec. 19 after the two were seen traveling together.

A source told the outlet that Lauer had been “on the prowl” for love, “especially after Annette dumped him.” Roque left the disgraced TV anchor in 2017 after he became entangled in sexual assault accusations, which he denies. Shortly after the allegations surfaced, Lauer was fired from NBC.

Matt Lauer on set | Photo by Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

When many people “turned their backs on him,” Abas reportedly was there to comfort and support Lauer.

“She knows who he is,” the source continued. “She’s thrilled she’s with him. She doesn’t seem to have a care in the world.”

And he’s apparently equally smitten, with the source adding, “He can trust Shamin.”

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoZWF0c2hlZXQuY29tL2VudGVydGFpbm1lbnQvd2hvLWlzLW1hdHQtbGF1ZXJzLXJ1bW9yZWQtbmV3LWdpcmxmcmllbmQtc2hhbWluLWFiYXMuaHRtbC_SAQA?oc=5

2020-01-01 15:05:15Z
52780532633134

This Is The Real Reason Why Rey Was Related To [SPOILER] in 'The Rise of Skywalker' - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

The Rise of Skywalker had more than its fair share of bumps, but it closed out an era of a massive franchise, and some fans still love it. Regardless of your opinions on the film, co-writer Chris Terrio recently gave some more insight into the choices they made when making the film. More specifically, he touched on why Rey’s parentage shifted from what Kylo Ren revealed in The Last Jedi. MAJOR spoilers for The Rise of Skywalker ahead.

Daisy Ridley (Rey) at Disney’s D23 Expo 2019 | Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

First off, Abrams added Palpatine back into the story because it would have been “weird” without him

A significant critique for The Rise of Skywalker was whether Palpatine was necessary to bring back after he so clearly died in Return of the Jedi. For director, J.J. Abrams, it was. “As [Abrams] said, that it would almost be weird for Palpatine not to be in some way in this movie,” Terrio told IndieWire on Dec. 30. “Because when we discover Rey, she’s literally living in the wreck of the old war, the previous war, that literally the landscape of Jakku is scarred with evidence of the war that came before. I think what we wanted to say in this is that, that war never really ended.” 

And not only did they want to tie it in with all the other trilogies storywise, but also for the balance’s sake and, in a way, symbolism with Anakin Skywalker. “Every generation has to fight for the balance again,” Terrio continued. “We were moved by the idea that the person who should have to fight to regain the balance that Anakin Skywalker gained was the descendant of his greatest enemy who corrupted Anakin Skywalker in the first place.”

Rey’s lineage gave her the “worst” news she could get

So, why did Rey have to be related to Sheev Palpatine? The worst villain of all time (basically)? It came down to Abrams wanting to give Rey the worst possible news he could. “[Abrams] always felt that she should get the worst possible news. In a way, the worst possible news for the Rey of Episode 8 is that she is just a child of junk traders, which is true,” Terrio said. “That’s not contradicted by what you learn in this film, but that she’s the descendant of someone who represents the opposite of all that the Skywalkers represent.”

Terrio also explained that Rey was finally at home with the Resistance, and once she found out her grandfather was Palpatine, she was distraught at the relation, but also at what Leia and the others would think. She didn’t want to lose her family again, and this was even worse news than her parents being nobodies, of course. 

But Rey is more than what’s in her blood 

In the end, though, Abrams and Terrio wanted their story to focus on what makes each person good. It’s not about who you’re related to, but about who you fundamentally are. Which would have hit home a little bit harder if Rey had kept “Palpatine” as her last name, but we digress.

“Other than scavenging, the first thing that we see Rey do in the trilogy is perform an act of kindness and compassion for BB-8,” Terrio said, pointing out how Rey is kind to her soul, regardless of lineage. “She sees BB-8, who’s an underdog, a weak droid, being exploited by someone, and without missing a beat, she stands up for him. And that immediately told you who Rey was back in Episode 7.”

Luke feels it, Leia feels it, and even Han Solo knows how good she is in The Force Awakens. “Han even not being Force-sensitive,” Terrio notes. “He spent a few minutes with Rey and thought, ‘This is my heir, this is who I want to inherit the Falcon. This is who I want to fly with me and Chewie.’”

So regardless of who Rey was related to all along, it didn’t matter. Rey was Rey, and she completed her mission while not straying too far towards the Dark Side.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMifmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoZWF0c2hlZXQuY29tL2VudGVydGFpbm1lbnQvdGhpcy1pcy10aGUtcmVhbC1yZWFzb24td2h5LXJleS13YXMtcmVsYXRlZC10by1zcG9pbGVyLWluLXRoZS1yaXNlLW9mLXNreXdhbGtlci5odG1sL9IBAA?oc=5

2020-01-01 12:48:44Z
52780525092952

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Welcome 2020 With Sweet New Photo Of Archie - HuffPost

HuffPost is now part of the Verizon Media family. We (Verizon Media) and our partners need your consent to access your device, set cookies, and use your data, including your location, to understand your interests, provide relevant ads and measure their effectiveness. Verizon Media will also provide relevant ads to you on our partners' products. Learn More

How Verizon Media and our partners bring you better ad experiences

To give you a better overall experience, we want to provide relevant ads that are more useful to you. For example, when you search for a film, we use your search information and location to show the most relevant cinemas near you. We also use this information to show you ads for similar films you may like in the future. Like Verizon Media, our partners may also show you ads that they think match your interests.

Learn more about how Verizon Media collects and uses data and how our partners collect and use data.

Select 'OK' to allow Verizon Media and our partners to use your data, or 'Manage options' to review our partners and your choices. Tip: Sign In to save these choices and avoid repeating this across devices. You can always update your preferences in the Privacy Centre.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmh1ZmZwb3N0LmNvbS9lbnRyeS9wcmluY2UtaGFycnktbWVnaGFuLW1hcmtsZS1hcmNoaWUtbmV3LXllYXItbWVzc2FnZV9uXzVlMGM2ODI3ZTRiMDg0M2QzNjBkMDFhZtIBAA?oc=5

2020-01-01 10:28:00Z
52780528506595

Why Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Royal Titles Are at Risk of Being Stripped - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle enjoy an extremely large fan base in England and around the globe. The young couple viewed as newlyweds that are very much in love and loving parents to the newest royal family arrival: Baby Archie Harrison. Additionally, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are seen as being very down to earth.

And unlike most other royal family members, they don’t mind expressing their emotions or displaying human frailties. For these reasons, it is incredibly hard to imagine why some individuals are petitioning for Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan to have their royal titles removed.

What are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal titles?

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and Baby Archie | Toby Melville – Pool/Getty Images

After the royal wedding between Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed a dukedom on the prince. His titles are Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel.

When a member of nobility has conferred to the status of duke, that person gains a royal family member ranking that is just below the monarch. A duke is often noted to be in line as an heir to the throne, and will traditionally rule over a territory or a county.

Because of her marriage to Prince Harry, Markle received the status of the Duchess of Sussex. A duchess is a wife or the widow of a duke. Or, when a woman is unmarried and holds the same rank as a duke in her own right, she is referred to as duchess. Both a duke and a duchess are ranked next in line behind the ruling monarch.

Not only were these titles bestowed on the newlywed couple by the sitting Queen of England, but it is also only by the will of the queen who can remove an entitled royal member from their appointed duties and status.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal titles will be debated

One may think this was such a preposterous idea, that no one would really consider stripping a royal couple of their titles and duties — especially for no good reason or cause! But, according to Mirror UK, the Brighton and Hove City Council will debate the matter. Campaigner Charles Ross, a member of the Brighton and Hove City Council, started a petition to strip the royal couple of their given titles.

But, that’s not all! The petition also demands the Brighton and Hove community to ban them from any loyal duties within city limits and to refrain from offering hospitality or courtesy beyond what an ordinary member of society would expect when they visit Brighton and Hove, a seaside city in East Sussex, in South East England.

The founder of the British Monarchists Society, Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, said he was appalled by the petition. He said: “We are utterly dismayed that said petition has been signed by so many.”

Can City Council strip Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s titles?

The only entity that can strip any royal titles or duties from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is the reigning queen, herself. And, that is highly unlikely, as the British monarch has never sought to please political factions and have always stood by tradition and heritage as their driving motivators.

Possibly, the only reason why the matter is being taken up by the city council is due to the number of people that have signed the petition. So far, that number is over 3,700 signatures.

What would happen if the newly married couple were stripped of their noble titles? Well, they would virtually revert to being commoners.

While this may seem out of the question for Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, many people believe the couple would love to abandon the royal lifestyle for a simpler and quieter existence.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMifWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoZWF0c2hlZXQuY29tL2VudGVydGFpbm1lbnQvd2h5LW1lZ2hhbi1tYXJrbGUtYW5kLXByaW5jZS1oYXJyeXMtcm95YWwtdGl0bGVzLWFyZS1hdC1yaXNrLW9mLWJlaW5nLXN0cmlwcGVkLmh0bWwv0gEA?oc=5

2020-01-01 10:01:28Z
52780528506595

Confetti Rains Down as New York City Welcomes 2020 - VOA News

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiK2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL3dhdGNoP3Y9NUxRaGdKTjNmbGPSAQA?oc=5

2020-01-01 07:34:46Z
52780523826372