Tom Joyner Dies: ‘Jaws’ First AD & Frank Capra Award Winner Was 79

Rachel Zegler’s next big career move was very practical.

Ke Huy Quan was on a mission. He’d just been named best supporting actor for his performance as Waymond Wang, the goofy husband of a laundromat owner in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and he wanted to experience the moment with Steven Spielberg. Spielberg, you see, was the filmmaker who cast him in his breakout role in 1984’s “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” when Quan was 12 years old. So during a commercial break in the Academy Awards telecast, Quan, 51, went over to where Spielberg was sitting with his wife, actress Kate Capshaw, whom Quan hadn’t seen since they co-starred in “Temple of Doom” four decades earlier. After hugs all around, Spielberg put his hands on Quan’s shoulders and said, “You are now an Oscar-winning actor.”

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Game of Thrones” alum Jeremy Podeswa has signed on to direct the pilot of Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming limited series “Blade Runner 2099.” Podeswa, most recently the DGA Award-nominated director behind HBO Max’s “Station Eleven,” will also serve as producing director and executive producer of “Blade Runner 2099.” A TV sequel to the film “Blade Runner 2049” (itself a sequel to the landmark original “Blade Runner”), the new series comes from showrunner/executive producer Silka Luisa (“Shining Girls”). Ridley Scott is also an executive producer on “Blade Runner 2099,” which comes from Alcon Entertainment and Scott Free Productions. Also joining the writers room is Tom Spezialy (“The Leftovers”), who will also serve as an executive producer. “Blade Runner 2099” has been a long time coming. Scott first revealed the series was in the works in November 2021, while Amazon revealed it was in development in February 2022. The series was officially ordered last September. A plot for the new Prime Video series remains under wraps.

Duped,” and a photo of Leonardo DiCaprio in full pilot regalia accompanied the piece. It was the famous still from “Catch Me if You Can,” Steven Spielberg’s 2002 film inspired by Abagnale’s best-selling memoir from 1980.Via email, the “reformed” con artist and author — who now advises businesses, banks, department stores and the FBI on fraud prevention and cybercrime — wanted me to know that it bothered him that “everyday someone writes an article about a bank robbery, forgery, con artist, or even cybercrime and they refer to me.“The crime I committed was writing bad checks,” he wrote.

Academy Awards brought out the biggest names in Hollywood for a night of fun and celebration.Coming together at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, this year's Oscars was a musical performance-filled gala that also served as a celebration of cinema greatness and delivered some truly unexpected surprises and category upsets.Hosted once again by Jimmy Kimmel — serving as emcee for the third time -- this year's show expertly navigated the potentially choppy waters of the first show since the infamous slap heard 'round the world.From some long-awaited wins to some truly touching acceptance speeches, here are all the best, biggest and most memorable highlights from Sunday's 95th Oscars ceremony!After parachuting into the Dolby Theatre (literally dropping down from the rafters), Kimmel delivered a monologue that was gently playful, poking fun at some of the nominees but with a loving and considerate tone — for the most part.After ribbing Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and Tom Cruise, he addressed last year's infamous slap toward the end of his monologue, explaining, «We want you to have fun, feel safe, and most importantly, we want me to feel safe. So, we have strict policies in place.

Ruth E. Carter has again made Academy Award history with her victory Sunday night in Best Costume Design for Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Carter became the first Black woman to ever repeat in an Oscar category, winning her first in 2019 for “Black Panther” and the first Black woman to win two Oscars, period.Carter has a long history with the Academy Awards, first nominated for her work on Spike Lee’s 1992 film “Malcolm X,” she was also nominated for the costumes in Steven Spielberg’s 1997 film “Amistad.”During her speech, Carter expressed appreciation for the honor, particularly in light of a recent personal loss.“Thank you to the Academy for recognizing the superhero that is a Black woman,” Carter said.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. The most anticipated night in entertainment is here. The 95th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 12, at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, where some of the best films of the past year will be celebrated. The ceremony will broadcast live on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. There will also be a replayed 8 p.m. broadcast for West Coast viewers. The best way to tune into the event without cable is through Sling TV, which is currently offering half off for subscribers’ first month. In order to access the ABC broadcast, you’ll have to sign up for Sling Blue, which includes ABC in addition to 42 other channels, in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco. The live TV streamer’s current deal brings down the price to $22.50 for the first month. After the first month, the price will go up to $45/month. In Fresno/Visalia, Houston and Raleigh, the price is $40/month ($20 for the first month).

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Tom Cruise got a hero’s welcome in Hollywood over the last week of February. The best actor Oscar nominee for “Top Gun: Maverick” had been largely absent from Los Angeles during prime awards campaigning season, held up filming his latest “Mission: Impossible” epic, and the town was more than compensated for his absence when he finally touched down. On Sunday Feb. 26, “Top Gun: Maverick” producer Jerry Bruckheimer opened his Beverly Hills home to power players and stars (many of them voters for the annual Academy Awards) where Cruise was guest of honor. Days later, former Paramount chief and show business stateswoman Shery Lansing gave an equally well-attended cocktail party to fete Cruise. It’s not surprising that the industry would want to celebrate the man who Steven Spielberg said “saved Hollywood’s ass” by getting moviegoers back in theaters. But were the events legit in the eyes of the film academy, which enforces how and when Oscar hopefuls get to woo the figures that hand them golden trophies? The Academy’s bylaws say that after Oscar nominations are released, campaigns cannot “invite members to attend any parties, dinners, lunches, or other non-screening events that promote nominated films.”

“Oscar Wars” (HarperCollins), Michael Schulman reports on nearly a century of history and ignominy: from SAG boycotts, blacklists, bankruptcy and corruption to streakers, sex pests, racism and high embarrassment — not to mention certain slap-happy actors.“What are the Academy Awards, anyway?” he writes. “They’re an industry party—like a convention of landscapers, but with better outfits.

It’s Hollywood’s biggest night. And this year, the gloves are off.

It’s the weekend of the 2023 Academy Awards and we’re making our final predictions in all of the categories.

***During a beautiful summer evening on the beaches of the fictional town of Amity, a young woman throws off her clothing and skinny-dips in the ocean. She swims for a moment until she feels something in the water.

Tom Sizemore was known just as much for his illustrious, on-screen personalities as he was for his off-screen antics, including romantic pursuits, legal issues and alleged affairs. The "Heat" star died on Friday in Los Angeles after suffering from a brain aneurysm and stroke the week before.

Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore has died following a brain aneurysm earlier in February. He was 61. The actor's manager shared the heartbreaking news with fans, revealing Tom died in his sleep Friday at a hospital in Burbank, California.Tom's family was told on February 28 by doctors that "there is no further hope" and it was recommended that they make an "end of life decision".

Tom Sizemore, who starred in Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down and in hundreds of other film and TV roles over three-plus decades, died Friday at a hospital in Burbank. He was 61 and had been in a coma since suffering a stroke February 18 that resulted in brain aneurysm.

Tom Sizemore has died after being taken off life support, his manager Charles Lago confirmed to Variety on Friday. The 61-year-old actor suffered a brain aneurysm on Feb. 18. “It is with great sadness and sorrow I have to announce that actor Thomas Edward Sizemore (‘Tom Sizemore’) aged 61 passed away peacefully in his sleep today at St Joseph’s Hospital Burbank,” Lago said in a statement. “His brother Paul and twin boys Jayden and Jagger (17) were at his side.” Lago had previously said on Feb. 27 that “doctors informed his family that there is no further hope and have recommended end of life decision.”

nominees luncheon, and we came upon Steven Spielberg, as one does…he said, ‘I’ve seen your film three times now and I’ve cried in a different spot,” Malala said. Spielberg is nominated as director, cowriter and a producer of his majorly autobiographical drama “The Fabelmans” for this year’s Oscar ceremony.Malala remembers this vital moment as being singular as well.

Tim Gray Senior Vice President This year, all the Oscar-contending directors are nominated for original screenplay: the Daniels (Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert), Todd Field, Martin McDonagh, Ruben Östlund and Steven Spielberg (writing with Tony Kushner). This is the first time it’s happened in AMPAS history.  The only year that came close was 2017, when all five helmers had written or co-written their scripts, though they didn’t all get writing noms. So here’s Film History 101. In Hollywood lore, Preston Sturges is often credited as the first scribe to become a hyphenate, as writer-director of the 1940 “The Great McGinty.” But as with all Hollywood “facts,” there is only an element of truth here.

Recognition from his peers! Tom Cruise has had a long and storied career in Hollywood — but the awards season recognition for Top Gun: Maverick is a new high.

@thefabelmans, director Steven Spielberg describes what it was like to step on set and see Michelle Williams and Paul Dano portraying his parents. #Colbert pic.twitter.com/0vH87rcYqX“I thought it was going to be routine,” Spielberg said.