CMA Awards to pay tribute to stars
The “In Memoriam” factor will be high on next week’s CMA Awards telecast, as an all-star opening tribute to Charlie Daniels will be followed during the ABC telecast by individual performers’ salutes to the late Kenny Rogers and Joe Diffie, all three of whom died this year.
The homages were announced Thursday as part of a talent rollout for the showthat also includes Justin Bieber joining Dan + Shay for the first live performance of their joint hit, “10,000Hours.”
The tribute to Daniels will include Dierks Bentley and Brothers Osborne, Jason Aldean, Ashley McBryde and Jenee Fleenor performing a medley of some of the singer-fiddler’s hits.
Little Big Town will honor Kenny Rogers, and Joe Diffie will be saluted by Jon Pardi.
Old Dominion will perform “Looking for Love” as a 40th anniversary salute to the film whose soundtrack popularized the song, “Urban Cowboy.”
“As safety is our top priority,” said Robert Deaton, the show’s executive producer, “we have worked tirelessly over the past severalmonths to fully transform Music City Center into a breathtaking setup that resembles the very first ‘CMA Awards Banquet and Show’ from 1967, and ensures our nominees, performers and their guests a fully safe and physically distant environment. We are honored, in this very challenging time, to help provide an escape and deliver a live awards show experience unlike any other this year.”
Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker are cohosting the show on Wednesday.
Wilde film halts production due to coronavirus:
New Line has paused production on Olivia Wilde’s upcoming movie “Don’ t Worry Darling” after a crew member tested positive for the coronavirus.
The psychological thriller, which also stars Florence Pugh, Chris Pine and Harry Styles, has been filming in Los Angeles since lastmonth. The positive test was confirmed during routine testing that all production employees receive. Though the studio did not confirm who on set tested positive, sources say itwas not a principle cast member.
Production is expected to be on hold for around 14 days, in line with standard quarantine protocols.
Laurie, Clarke to voice ‘Amazing Maurice’:
Golden Globe-winning actor Hugh Laurie and “Game of Thrones” actor Emilia Clarke will be part of the voice cast for animated feature “The Amazing Maurice.”
The voice cast also includes David Thewlis, Himesh Patel, Gemma Arterton and Hugh Bonneville. Toby Genkel and Florian Westermann will co-direct.
The film will be an adaptation of the late Terry Pratchett’s 2001 book “The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents,” which is part of his iconic Discworld series.
The book is a take on the popular folk tale about the Pied Piper of Hamelin. It won the Carnegie medal that recognizes the best children’s book in the U.K. Nov. 6 birthdays: Actor June Squibb is 91. Singer Stonewall Jackson is 88. Actor Sally Field is 74. TV host Catherine Crier is 66. TV correspondent Maria Shriver is 65. Singer Corey Glover is 56. Actor Kelly Rutherford is 52. Actor Ethan Hawke is 50. Actor Rebecca Romijn is 48. Actor Patina Miller is 36. Actor Emma Stone is 32.