Dolly Parton among medal winners
Country superstar Dolly Parton, who made a big donation to help fund coronavirus vaccine research in 2020, is among this year’s Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy recipients.
Also being honored are Dallas entrepreneur Lyda Hill, Kenyan industrialist Manu Chandaria, and Lynn and Stacy Schusterman, from the Oklahoma investment family.
The award, presented by the international family of Carnegie institutions to honor innovative philanthropists, debuted in 2001 and is normally awarded every two years. It was not issued in 2021 due to the pandemic. The 2022 honorees will receive their medals in a private ceremony Oct. 13 in New York.
Parton’s $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center has received plenty of attention. But fellow honoree Hill, through her Lyda Hill Philanthropies, was also an early donor to the work that yielded the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Parton, in a statement, said she was honored to receive the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
“I’ve always believed that if you are in a position to help, you should help, and I truly hope that I can be an inspiration for others to lift up those around them,” said Parton, who makes most of her donations through her Dollywood Foundation. “Whether through my Imagination Library or giving to COVID-19 research, I try to support things that have a special meaning for me. I hope everyone can find something they’re passionate about supporting and do what they can to help make this world a better place.”
Producer Yang elected president of film academy: Producer Janet Yang has been elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group’s board of governors announced Tuesday, making her the first Asian American to lead the film academy. Yang, 66, becomes the fourth woman to lead the organization behind the Oscars. Elected by the academy’s 54-member board, Yang succeeds outgoing president David Rubin, the casting director who is stepping down after three years due to term limits.
Warner Bros. axes ‘Batgirl’:
Warner Bros. has axed the $90 million “Batgirl” film planned for HBO Max, according to a person connected with the film who was not authorized to speak publicly.
The decision was highly unusual for such a highpriced and high-profile movie. But the studio ultimately decided “Batgirl” didn’t merit either a streaming debut or a theatrical release, and has instead opted to entirely write off the film starring Leslie Grace as Batgirl and co-starring Michael Keaton (returning as Batman), J.K. Simmons and Brendan Fraser.
Representatives for Warner Bros. and Warner Bros. Discovery declined to comment.
Warner Bros. also shelved “Scoob!: Holiday Haunt,” an almost-completed sequel to 2020’s “Scoob!” Producer and writer Tony Cervone confirmed the news in an Instagram post Tuesday.
Aug. 4 birthdays: Actor Tina Cole is 79. Actor Richard Belzer is 78. Actor Billy Bob Thornton is 67. Actor Kym Karath is 64. Actor Lauren Tom is 61. Producer Michael Gelman is 61. Actor Daniel Dae Kim is 54. Actor Michael DeLuise is 53. Rapper Yo-Yo is 51. Singer Marques Houston is 41. Actors Dylan and Cole Sprouse are 30.