Diane Warren among Oscar honorees
Diane Warren will finally be able to thank the Academy this November.
The oft-nominated songwriter has been selected to receive an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards alongside directors Peter Weir and Euzhan Palcy. Actor Michael J. Fox will also be bestowed with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Tuesday. None of the honorees has previously won an Oscar.
The honorary Oscar statuette is given for “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the academy.”
Warren, 65, has contributed original songs to more than 100 films and has been nominated in the category 13 times since 1987. Australian auteur Weir, 77, has also received many nominations over the years for both directing and writing. Palcy, 64, has been a trailblazer for decades as a Black woman director.
Fox will be feted with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his advocacy work in Parkinson’s research. The 61-year-old actor was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 29. His organization, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, is a leader in the field. Though he has never been nominated for an Oscar before, Fox has won five Emmys and a Grammy.
The awards will be held Nov. 19.
Fashion creators sue Bieber: Two former college roommates who created a successful clothing line under the “Rhode” trademark sued model Hailey Bieber on Tuesday, saying
she’s creating market confusion by marketing a skin care line under the Rhode name.
The lawsuit in Manhattan federal court asked a judge to cite trademark infringement and block Bieber from selling or marketing any products with the Rhode name. It also sought unspecified damages. The lawsuit said court intervention was necessary because Bieber is a celebrity with over 45 million Instagram followers who launched her skin care line last week and has filed trademark applications to sell clothing.
Bieber’s lawyer didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
‘Hair’ co-creator Rado dies: James Rado, co-creator of the groundbreaking hippie musical “Hair” that celebrated protest, pot and free love and paved the way for the sound of rock on Broadway, has died at age 90. Rado died Tuesday in New York City of cardio
respiratory arrest, according to friend and publicist Merle Frimark.
“Hair,” with a story and lyrics by Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot, was the first rock musical on Broadway, the first Broadway show to feature full nudity and the first to feature a same-sex kiss. “Hair” made possible other rock musicals such as “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Rent.” It spawned four top four singles on the American pop charts, including the No. 1 hit “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” by the Fifth Dimension.
June 23 birthdays: Singer Diana Trask is 82. Actor Ted Shackelford is 76. Actor Bryan Brown is 75. Musician Randy Jackson is 66. Actor Frances McDormand is 65. Actor Selma Blair is 50. Actor Joel Edgerton is 48. Singer KT Tunstall is 47. Actor Emmanuelle Vaugier is 46. Musician Jason Mraz is 45. Actor Melissa Rauch is 42.