OSCARS

Rihanna’s Son Looks Adorable In New Photos: “He Found Out His Sibling Is Going To The Oscars”

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Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show last month was everything fans expected. Many thought the 35-year-old would announce her long-awaited follow-up to 2016’s ANTI after her return to the stage. Instead, she shocked the world by revealing that she’s with child once again, less than a year after the birth of her and A$AP Rocky’s baby boy.

In the time since the NFL Championship, fans of the Bad Gal have been eagerly waiting for updates on her pregnancy, her son, and her music career. She’s been showing off her budding bump here and there in stylish outfits, and on Sunday (March 5), she gave an update on her little one who’s already Earthside, as well as her next big performance. As you may have heard, Rihanna will be performing her “Lift Me Up” song from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack at the upcoming Oscars, and her baby boy was less than pleased to find out he’s not invited.

Rihanna Shows Off Her Baby Boy

“My son when he found out his sibling is going to the Oscars and not him,” she wrote in her Instagram caption. In the first selection from her carousel, we see the little one pouting and shedding tears in his playpen while looking up at the camera. “Swipe for a tb of my fat man,” the Barbadian singer added, encouraging followers to look at more content of her family life. In the video, we see the baby, looking much younger, babbling as he watches Rihanna on the screen.

In the final photo, his chunky arm will certainly melt your heart as mother and son watch what appears to be the “Lift Me Up” music video together. Though we still haven’t found out his name, fans of the Fenty Beauty founder are more than happy to gush over the adorable photos she shares. As her second pregnancy continues, many are hoping we’ll see similar maternity serves to the bold ones Rihanna stepped out in last time she was with child.

Preparing for Baby No. 2

Rihanna performs onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Much like the last time she was expecting, RiRi has kept many details regarding her second child under wraps. Since she’s already welcomed a son, it’s been said (even by her father, Ronald Fenty), that she’s hoping for a girl this time around. Let us know if you’re excited about the “Desperado” singer’s Oscars performance in the comments, and check back later for more pop culture news updates.

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Rihanna Is Following The Super Bowl With Another Major Live Performance At The 2023 Oscars

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Rihanna Super Bowl Halftime Show 2023
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The 95th Academy Awards are going down on March 12, and it was revealed today (February 23) that there’s going to be a major reason for music fans to tune in: Rihanna will be performing her Black Panther: Wakanda Forever song “Lift Me Up” during the Oscars broadcast.

This of course comes shortly after Rihanna’s beloved recent performance at the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

“Lift Me Up” is nominated for Best Original Song at the 2023 ceremony (her first-ever Oscars nomination), as are Lady Gaga and Bloodpop’s “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick; Diane Warren’s “Applause” from Tell It Like A Woman; M.M. Keeravaani and Chandrabose’s “Naatu Naatu” from RRR; and Ryan Lott, David Byrne, and Mitski’s “This Is A Life” from Everything Everywhere All At Once. “Naatu Naatu” already has one win this awards season, at it was named Best Original Song, Motion Picture at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards over nominees by Rihanna, Gaga, and others.

“Lift Me Up” co-writer Tems previously said of the song, “After speaking with [director Ryan Coogler] and hearing his direction for the film and the song, I wanted to write something that portrays a warm embrace from all the people that I’ve lost in my life. I tried to imagine what it would feel like if I could sing to them now and express how much I miss them. Rihanna has been an inspiration to me so hearing her convey this song is a great honor.”

Will Smith Slap Reportedly Forced The Oscars To Create A Crisis Team

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Bill Kramer took over as CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last July. However, since then, he has spent a lot of time managing serious issues. In the past two years, the Oscars ratings are lower than they’ve ever been in the history of the award show. Now, while re-engaging viewers, Kramer has to contend with one of the biggest television scandals of last year. It’s been almost a year since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at last year’s Oscars. However, the Academy is still dealing with the repercussions. Kramer says that there’s now a “crisis team” in place to handle unwanted surprises during the ceremony.

In an interview with Time Magazine, the outlet asked Kramer what measures are being put in place this year to prepare for potential surprised. For one, they have Jimmy Kimmel hosting the Oscars, who is used to dealing with live TV, where things don’t always go as planned. According to Kramer, a host who can navigate unexpected moments is crucial to the show’s success. Kramer went on to say, “But we have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and many plans in place. We’ve run many scenarios. So it is our hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we’re planning for just in case it does happen.”

The Oscars 2022

Will Smith appears to slap Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

The “crisis team” has reportedly been running possible scenarios and solutions to what could occur during the show. When asked about what those scenarios look like, Kramer explained how the crisis team will come together for various issues. “Because of last year, we’ve opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars,” Kramer said. “But these crisis plans—the crisis communication teams and structures we have in place—allow us to say this is the group that we have to gather very quickly. This is how we all come together. This is the spokesperson. This will be the statement. He also said that, depending on the crisis itself, they “already have frameworks in place that we can modify.”

Time also mentioned how the President of the Academy recently said their response to the Will Smith slap was inadequate. Then, the interviewer asked what an accurate response would have looked like. According to Kramer, people are absolutely looking at that as the award show comes closer. He hopes they can move swiftly and compassionately to engage with members and nominees in a transparent way. He says, “Let’s hope something like this never happens again—but we could have moved more quickly. And I’m not just talking about the night of the show. This is really our response after the show, and how we spoke about it, and how we talked to Will and Chris, and our hosts and our members.”

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Will Smith Jokes About What His Oscar Thinks Of Him

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Prepare to rehash one of the biggest moments in The Academy Awards show history as the ceremony approaches. In just a few weeks, Hollywood’s elite will gather together again to praise one another’s creative efforts. Smith won’t be in attendance after last year’s scandal, as The Academy banned him from the ceremony for ten years. We remember when the Oscar winner became upset with Chris Rock, stormed the stage, and slapped his former friend. The fallout was heavy, and Smith found his blemish-free reputation muddled.

After taking some time away from the spotlight, Smith returned to promote his acclaimed film, Emancipation. The press tour was difficult, but Smith persevered through the jeers. Now, it looks as if he can joke about his snafu somewhat, and he used a viral video to do so. On Instagram, Smith uploaded a clip of himself taking advice from a social media user.

What Would Will Smith’s Oscars Say?
HOLLYWOOD, CA – March 27, 2022. Chris Rock and Will Smith onstage during the show at the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 27, 2022. (Myung Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The woman said, “This is literally—it sounds insane, but it will change your life. And by ‘change your life,’ I mean it will make your life so much more interesting and fun. Did you know that you can pick any object, look at it, and ask it what it thinks of you? So, for example, you can pick up a pen and ask it how it sees you or what it thinks of you. And you will get an answer in your mind from your intuition.”

She goes on to list objects like cars and money before Smith has a thoughtful look on his face. Then, he reaches off-camera and brings his Oscar to the forefront. As it seems he’s about to ask the loaded question, the camera cuts out. Smith’s comment section was quickly flooded with playful takes, and because Instagram now has gifs, it was a sight to see.

Will Smith Apologized About Unfortunate Oscars Moment

Following “The Slap,” Smith formally apologized to The Academy, Chris Rock, and fans. Rock has continued to perform comedy acts across the globe and reportedly touched on being assaulted at the Oscars. It is unclear if Rock will make a return to The Academy Awards on March 12, but viewers will be searching for references to last year’s controversy.

Serena Williams Says Will Smith Deserves Forgiveness After Oscars Slap

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Will Smith faced the wrath of cancel culture firsthand during the Oscars last year. The viral moment where he slapped Chris Rock across the face has been immortalized on the Internet. Many people continue to denounce Smith because of his actions. Others went as far as saying that he left them traumatized.

Though the incident left Will Smith banned from attending the award show for the next 10 years, he also won the first Oscar of his career. Smith took home the award for Best Actor for his role as Serena and Venus Williams’ father in King Richard. The win was not only significant for Smith but for the entire Williams family. 

Serena Williams recently sat down with Gayle King for CBS Morning where she opened up about the moment. She explained that she thought the film was “incredible,” while also showing love to Summer Of Soul, which won Best Documentary immediately after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock. However, her attitude towards Smith didn’t mirror the majority. 

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 14: (L-R) Serena Williams, Will Smith, and Venus Williams attend the 2021 AFI Fest – Closing Night Premiere of Warner Bros. “King Richard” at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 14, 2021 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

Williams explained that she feels more people need to offer compassion. She said that she’s also been in a position where she faced immense pressure and made mistakes in the process. Ultimately, she said Will Smith deserves forgiveness in the aftermath of the incident.

“​​I also feel that I’ve been in a position where I’ve been under a lot of pressure and made a tremendous amount of mistakes,” Williams said. “I’m the kind of person that’s like, I’ve been there, I’ve made a mistake, it’s not the end of the world. We’re all imperfect and we’re all human, and let’s just be kind to each other. And I think that’s often forgotten a lot.”

Since the Oscars, Will Smith’s publicly apologized on numerous occasions for his actions. He shared a statement days after the incident. Then, he provided a more in-depth apology in a video released in July, while adding that he tried to reach out to Chris Rock to personally apologize.

“There is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment,”  Smith said. “There’s no part of me that thinks that’s the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insults.”

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Rihanna Nabs Academy Award Nomination for “Lift Me Up” from ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Soundtrack

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Rihanna Nabs Academy Award Nomination for "Lift Me Up" from 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Soundtrack

The start of 2023 could be an enormous run for Rihanna. With the Super Bowl performance already booked, Rihanna could soon be an Academy Award winner.

Rihanna is one of the multiple artists nominated for Best Original Song at the 95th annual Oscar awards. The nomination is for co-writing “Lift Me Up,” which was featured on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack.

According to Billboard, Rihanna is rumored to be a performer on the biggest night in Hollywood. The performance would make her the first person to perform at the Oscars and Super Bowl in the same calendar year since Phil Collins did the same in 2000.

Joining Rihanna as nominees are Lady Gaga, David Byrne, Ryan Lott, and more. You can see the full nominees for Best Original Song below.

Best Original Song

“Lift Me Up”; Music by Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Rhianna, Tems; Lyric by Coogler and Tems; Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Marvel Studios

“This Is a Life”; Music by David Byrne, Ryan Lott, Mitski; Lyric by Lott and Byrne; Everything Everywhere All at Once, A24

“Naatu Naatu”; Lyric by Chandrabose, Music by M. M. Keeravani; RRR, Variance Films

“Applause”; Music and lyric by Diane Warren;Tell It Like a Woman, Samuel Goldwyn Films

“Hold My Hand”; Music and lyric by BloodPop (Michael Tucker) and Lady Gaga; Top Gun: Maverick, Paramount Pictures

The post Rihanna Nabs Academy Award Nomination for “Lift Me Up” from ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Soundtrack appeared first on The Source.

The Weeknd Recalls How “Avatar” Helped Him Through “Darkest Time” Of His Life

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The latest Avatar film has sparked a wave of controversy, but The Weeknd remembers how the first film changed his life. Avatar: The Way of the Water has been at the center of backlash after production was accused of appropriating real-life Indigenous cultures and perpetuating racist stereotypes. As those conversations continue, The Weeknd has also been praised for partnering with Swedish House Mafia and composer Simon Frenglen to create the movie’s theme, “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength).”

The Hollywood Reporter caught up with the House of Balloons hitmaker, and Weeknd explained how the original 2009 film changed him. “That was probably the darkest time of my life,” he said.

Read More: Indigenous Communities Bash New “Avatar” For Racist Stereotypes

The Weeknd recalled dropping out of school and being homeless. “I didn’t know if I was going to succeed as a musician.”

He further stated, “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to live to see tomorrow. And I remember I somehow got to see the film in theaters. I don’t know how I got in. It was such an escape from my real life that the film is tattooed in my brain.”

Within a few years, the Canadian icon’s life would shift as his career took off. When James Cameron reached out to The Weeknd to contribute to the soundtrack, it was a no-brainer. Now, “Nothing Is Lost” has been shortlisted for Best Original Song at this year’s upcoming Academy Awards.

Read More: “Avatar: The Way Of Water” Opens With $130M-$150M At Box Office

He additionally said, “They told me they had one name on the list to do the song, and it was me. It feels kismet, and it’s a full-circle moment for me to be a part of something like this.” It was “because it is such an important film for me.”

During the chat, THR asked The Weeknd about winning a Grammy for Kanye West’s “Hurricane.” That year, the singer didn’t submit his own music for consideration. His album After Hours was a record-breaking hit, but The Recording Academy previously snubbed the project and its singles.

“Again, I’m just grateful. Any kind of recognition, I’m grateful for it. I’m just happy to be in the conversation.”

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Freddie Gibbs Reacts To NYT Suggesting Oscar Nom For “Down With The King”

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Another rapper has moved from the studio to the silver screen, and Hollywood is taking notice of Freddie Gibbs. His lyricism has long been praised in Hip Hop, but last year, Gibbs starred in his first feature film, Down with the King.

The movie followed the story of rapper Money Merc (Gibbs), who becomes disheartened by celebrity life. He leaves the city and, in turn, finds his purpose while in a small town.

Read More: Freddie Gibbs Makes Feature Film Debut In “Down With The King” Trailer

This week, the New York Times issued their “And the 2023 Oscar Nominees Should Be …” feature that highlighted their picks for this year’s nods. Surprisingly, Gibbs found himself amid choices for Best Actor.

The rapper retweeted a post about the article and simply responded by writing, “Bruhhhh.” He also said, “It be crazy to see my name next to Daniel Kaluuya. I got a lotta work to do.” Several of Gibbs’s peers congratulated him on the mention.

Other NYT picks included Kaluuya, Viggo Mortensen, Franz Rogowski, Benjamin Voison, and Jafar Panahi.

Read More: Freddie Gibbs Says Michael Jackson Used To Face His Dad In Talent Shows

In an interview with Paste Magazine in August 2022, Gibbs said he identified with his character’s plight.

“I can relate to Mercury’s pain and the things that he was feeling coming from the rap game, because I can share some of those same sentiments,” he said. “

“I’m not gonna say it was easy to be Mercury because I don’t agree with his feelings all the time, but it was certain things—like the tension with other rappers, being distant from your children, things of that nature—I could add into the character because I’ve been through those things in my personal life for real.

Did you see Down with the King? Check out the trailer for the film above.

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Rihanna, The Weeknd, And Taylor Swift Were All Included In The Oscars’ Shortlist For Best Original Song

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rihanna wakanda forever
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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released its shortlists for a bunch of categories — an annual tradition — and the category for Best Original Song features some familiar names including Drake, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd. Remember, these aren’t the official nominees, just the field that Academy voters will narrow down to make up the five-option field ahead of the actual awards voting.

Among the shortlisted songs are a number of the signature singles from some of the year’s biggest franchise sequels, including Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Avatar 2: The Way Of Water, and Top Gun: Maverick. According to Billboard, 81 songs were eligible in this category, with 15 making the shortlist. That number will be whittled own to five official nominees. The 15 shortlisted songs are:

“Time” — By Drake, Giveon Evans, Jahaan Akil Sweet, Daniel Pemberton

From Amsterdam, 20th Century Studios

“Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength)” — By The Weeknd, Steve Angello Josefsson, Sebastian Ingrosso, Axel Hedfords, Simon Franglen

From Avatar: The Way of Water, 20th Century Studios

“Lift Me Up” — By Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Rhianna, Tems

From Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Marvel Studios

“This Is a Life” — By David Byrne, Ryan Lott, Mitski

From Everything Everywhere All at Once, A24

“Ciao Papa” — By Alexandre Desplat, Roeban Katz, Guillermo del Toro

From Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Netflix

“Til You’re Home” — By Rita Wilson

From A Man Called Otto, Sony Pictures

“Naatu Naatu” — By Kala Bhairava, M. M. Keeravani, Rahul Sipligunj

From RRR, Variance Films

“My Mind & Me” — By Amy Allen, Jonathan Bellion, Selena Gomez, Jordan K Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Michael Pollack

From Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, Apple Original Films

“Good Afternoon” — By Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

From Spirited, Apple Originals

“Applause” — By Diane Warren

From Tell It Like a Woman, Samuel Goldwyn Films

“Stand Up” — By Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II, Jazmine Sullivan

From Till, Orion/United Artists Releasing

“Hold My Hand” — By BloodPop (Michael Tucker), Lady Gaga

From Top Gun: Maverick, Paramount Pictures

“Dust & Ash” — By J. Ralph

From The Voice of Dust and Ash, Matilda Productions

“Carolina” — By Taylor Swift

From Where the Crawdads Sing, Sony Pictures

“New Body Rhumba” — By Pat Mahoney, James Murphy, Nancy Whang

From White Noise, Netflix

Doja Cat’s ‘Vegas’ Is Not Eligible For An 2023 Oscars Nomination And An Academy Awards Rule Seems To Indicate Why

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Doja Cat December 2022
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Doja Cat cracked the top 10 of Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart and hit No. 3 on the Radio Songs chart with “Vegas,” her contribution to the Elvis soundtrack, but the song unfortunately will not earn her an Oscar, according to Variety.

“The lead single from the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann’s Presley biopic, it was written by Doja Cat and producers Roget Chahayed and Yeti Beats, but its interpolation of the Presley classic “Hound Dog” (by Mike Stoller and the late Jerry Lieber) apparently doomed it for consideration,” the publication reported. “Oscar rules demand that both words and music must be ‘original, and written specifically for the motion picture’ and must be the result of ‘creative interaction between the filmmakers and the songwriters who have been engaged to work directly on the motion picture.’”

The same report published today (December 12) relayed that the Tár score has also been disqualified from Oscar contention: “While some sources claimed that the dramatic score exceeded the minimum 35% of total music in the film, as called for by Academy rules, it may have run afoul of another rule that states ‘a score shall not be eligible if it has been diluted by the use of pre-existing music.’”

The full nomination field for the 95th Academy Awards will be unveiled January 24, and the ceremony is slated for March 12. See the full 2023 Oscars timeline here.