Hopkins pays tribute to Boseman
Anthony Hopkins has weighed in on his surprise Oscar win, accepting the award from home in a short video. The message, posted early Monday, featured a smiling, yet clearly surprised Hopkins thanking the academy and sharing a heartfelt salute to the late Chadwick Boseman.
“Here I am in my homeland in Wales,” Hopkins began. “At 83 years of age, I did not expect to get this award, I really didn’t. I’m very grateful to the academy.”
“I want to pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who was taken from us far too early,” he continued. “I really did not expect this, so I feel very privileged and honored.”
In the caption, the actor also thanked “The Father” director Florian Zeller, his wife and family among others.
In a major change in the rundown from Oscars past, best actor was the final award of the night. Joaquin Phoenix presented the category and accepted the award on Hopkins’ behalf. Then the broadcast abruptly ended.
With his win, the 83-year-old actor also made history as the oldest actor, male or female, to earn an Oscar.
Yeezy sneakers fetch $1.8M at auction: A pair of prototype Nikes worn by Kanye West during his performances of “Hey Mama” and “Stronger” at the Grammy Awards in 2008 has shattered the record for a pair of sneakers ever sold.
Sotheby’s announced Monday that West’s so-called “Grammy Worn” Nike Air Yeezy 1 fetched $1.8 million in a private sale. It was acquired by RARES, a sneaker investment marketplace.
The sale marks the highest publicly recorded price for a sneaker sale and the first pair of sneakers to top $1 million. Sotheby’s brokered the private sale.
The size 12 shoes designed by West and Mark Smith are made of soft black leather with perforated detailing throughout the upper, and the heel overlay is branded with a tonal Swoosh. The design features the iconic Yeezy forefoot strap and signature Y medallion lacelocks in bright pink.
BTS releasing second English-language single: With livestreamed concerts, their “Big Bang Con” virtual festival and lots more, BTS has kept busy during the pandemic — and clearly they’ve been at work on new music, as the septet will release a new single called “Butter” on May 21.
Information about the song is scarce, as usual for the group: “21st century Pop Icons BTS will release their new single “Butter” at 0 AM EDT on May 21,” the announcement says simply. “‘Butter’ is a dance pop track brimming with the smooth yet charismatic charm of BTS. This song is the second English single following ‘Dynamite’ released in August last year.”
Although no announcement has been made, it seems likely that an album or EP from the group is likely to follow.
April 27 birthdays: Actor Anouk Aimee is 89. Singer Herbie Murrell is 72. Singer Sheena Easton is 62. Actor James Le Gros is 59. Actor Sally Hawkins is 45. Guitarist John Osborne is 39. Actor Ari Graynor is 38. Singer-guitarist Patrick Stump is 37. Actor Sheila Vand is 36. Actor Jenna Coleman is 35. Actor William Moseley is 34. Singer Lizzo is 33. Actor Emily Rios is 32.