Another ‘Terms of Endearment?’ You bet your Winfrey
Break out the hankies! Lee Daniels, the “Empire” co-creator and director of such films as “Precious” and “The Butler,” plans to remake the classic tear-jerker “Terms of Endearment” starring Oprah Winfrey in the scenery-chewing Shirley MacLaine role.
The uber talk-show host is of course famous as an Oscar-nominated actress as well, from “The Color Purple” to “Selma.”
Daniels told the Hollywood Reporter he plans a total makeover of the soap operatic movie, including adding a storyline about black men who gave HIV/AIDS to their female partners. The rest of the classic ’80s film is still uncast. Can’t imagine who they’ll get for the Jack Nicholson part.
The original picture also starred Debra Winger and Jeff Daniels in addition to the always formidable MacLaine as a force-of-nature mother who will stop at nothing to protect her daughter in the face of tragedy. Sniffle!
“I’ve got to tell stories that are important to me, and so many African-American women died,” Lee Daniels said. “I want to make Flap (played by Jeff Daniels in the 1983 film) gay and infect the Debra Winger character. And then we explore the ’80s in a different way.”
Bob Dylan opts to accept his Nobel Prize after all
Folk legend Bob Dylan will quietly accept his Nobel Prize for Literature in Stockholm this weekend, the academy that administers the award has announced.
Dylan was awarded the prize in October but, in a response that can only be described as “Dylanesque,” declined to even acknowledge the honor for Director Lee Daniels well remake “Terms of Endearment” starring Oprah Winfrey in the role that Shirley MacLaine made famous. weeks. Then he opted to skip the December awards ceremony, saying he was busy. Singersongwriter Patti Smith attended the event and performed “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.”
Now the BBC reports that the academy will meet Dylan, 75, in private in the Swedish capital, where he is giving two concerts. He will not give an acceptance lecture, but has reportedly agreed to send a taped version. According to the Academy, he must deliver a lecture by June to qualify for the roughly $900,000 prize money.
The award generated debate between those who felt Dylan deserved the honor and those who felt song lyrics are not great literature.