Brendan Fraser tearfully accepts Critics Choice best actor award: 'I ...

A tearful Brendan Fraser accepted best actor for "The Whale" at the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday night, gratefully acknowledging his return to acting prominence.

"I was in the wilderness and I probably should have left a trail of breadcrumbs, but you found me," Fraser said from the stage, thanking director Darren Aronofsky for casting him in the critically lauded role. In "The Whale," Fraser, 54, plays an English teacher housebound by severe obesity who tries to restore his relationship with his teenage daughter.

"The Mummy" star beat out a field of actors that included "Elvis" heartthrob Austin Butler, who took the best drama actor award at last Tuesday's Golden Globes. Fraser said "The Whale" is about "finding the light in a dark place" and urged those suffering emotionally to take heart.

What TV didn't show at the Critics Choice Awards:Kaley Cuoco's date night, Ke Huy Quan tears up

"For anyone like Charlie, who struggles with obesity, or for anyone who just feels like you are in a dark sea: I want you to know that you too have the strength to just get to your feet and go to the light. And good things will happen."

In the backstage media room, Fraser was asked what the award meant to him. With tears in his eyes, he replied, "More than I know how to say in words."

Brendan Fraser: The 'Whale' actor wants to change hearts and minds

Sheryl Lee Ralph thanks Sidney Poitier for calling her 'a damn good actress'

"Abbott Elementary" star Sheryl Lee Ralph gave a heartfelt speech about overcoming career struggles when accepting best supporting actress in a comedy series for her role in "Abbott Elementary."

Encouragement by late acting legend Sidney Poitier was crucial.

"Every back break, every no, every rejection in an industry that, when I was 19 years old, was quick to tell me there was no place for me," Ralph recalled. "Sidney Poitier looked at me and said, 'You're a damn good actress.' "

Ralph, 66, gave thanks to "Abbott Elementary" creator and star Quinta Brunson, who accepted the award for best comedy series.

She ended the powerful speech by urging TV viewers to "come close to the screen and listen."

"People don't have to like you, people don't have to love you, they don't even have to respect you," she said. "But when you look in the mirror, you better love what you see!"

The 6 biggest Golden Globe moments: From Jennifer Coolidge to Jerrod Carmichael's Tom Cruise jab

Jeff Bridges cites The Dude, thanks his late actor father, Lloyd Bridges

Jeff Bridges channeled his famed character The Dude from "The Big Lebowski" when accepting his lifetime achievement award at the Critics Choice Awards. Looking at the critics' trophy onstage, Bridges joked, "The Dude would say of this, 'Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.' But I dig your opinion. I love this."

Bridges, 73, honored his family in his speech, paying tribute to his wife of 48 years, Susan, and his late father, actor Lloyd Bridges.

"It's my dad's birthday today, January 15. I'm wearing his cuff links. I wouldn't be up here without my dad," Bridges said, adding that his father convinced him as a reluctant young man to pursue acting. "He was so right. I'm so glad I listened to the old man!"

Bridges, who was also nominated for best actor for his role in FX's drama "The Old Man," acknowledged he had to research his many career roles before accepting the lifetime award.

"I had to look up my stuff on IMDb," Bridges said. "And wow, I've made a lot of movies! My Gosh! All these little lifetimes."

SAG Awards nominations:'Banshees of Inisherin,' 'Everything Everywhere' lead 2023 field

Niecy Nash-Betts to doubters: 'In your face!'

Niecy Nash-Betts talked about refusing to limit her acting range after winning best supporting actress in a limited series for Netflix’s "Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.”

"I saw myself doing drama. The industry was kind, but they said, 'Stay in your comedy lane,' " said Nash-Betts, 52. "Sometimes people want to leave you where they meet you. I did what I normally do: cry."

Her mother was skeptical, but crucially supportive.

"I said, 'Momma, don't you think I'm a good dramatic actress?' " Nash recalled. "And she said, 'Girl, I don't.' She said, 'But you can be! You can find the best acting class in this town and I will work overtime to pay for it.' "

"Thank you, Momma. All you need is one!" Nash said, before giving her doubters a dramatic, "In your face!"

What's the point of the Golden Globes anymore?The awards show should never have returned

What TV didn't show at the Critics Choice Awards: Kaley Cuoco's ...

LOS ANGELES – Stars gathered Sunday at the Fairmont Century Plaza hotel dressed to the nines for the second big show of awards season: the Critics Choice Awards.

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” emerged as the night's favorite, clinching five of its 14 nominated categories. “Abbott Elementary” star Sheryl Lee Ralph picked up a best supporting actress win and gave yet another powerful speech – as did Angela Bassett and Niecy Nash, when they both won supporting actress trophies for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and “Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" respectively.

A lot happened during the telecast, but even more action occurred in the ballroom that didn’t make it on TV. From stars hyping each other up with selfies to emotional backstage moments, here’s what went down.

'I was in the wilderness': Brendan Fraser tearfully accepts Critics Choice best actor award

Amanda Seyfried snaps selfie with Paul Walter Hauser, Kaley Cuoco and Tom Pelphrey share date night

In typical Critics Choice fashion, the second the telecast hit a commercial break, stars leaped to their feet, practically skipping across the ballroom to schmooze and jive with other celebs.

During one break, Angela Bassett chatted up Janelle Monáe. Keegan-Michael Key and his wife Elle Key made their way to the "Abbott Elementary" table to have a conversation with Quinta Brunson and Lisa Ann Walter. And Stephanie Hsu from "Everything Everywhere All At Once" shared a hearty laugh with Jenny Slate of "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On."

What's the point of Golden Globes anymore?The awards show should never have returned

After winning their respective trophies for best actress and best supporting actor in a limited series or movie made for television, Amanda Seyfried and Paul Walter Hauser stood to the side of the ballroom and spoke in hushed tones and animated expressions. At the end of their conversation, the two snapped a selfie.

For some stars, the show served as a romantic date night. Kaley Cuoco, sporting a growing baby bump, spent most of the night with her partner Tom Pelphrey. During one break, one guest asked Pelphrey to snap a photo of herself with Cuoco, which the actor happily obliged. Nash also worked the red carpet beside her wife Jessica Betts. The two tied the knot in 2020.

Ke Huy Quan struggles to hold back tears backstage

The adrenaline was palpable during the show, as ecstatic stars claimed their trophies and gave heartfelt speeches for the world to see.

That intensity carried over backstage in the media room, where winners were immediately ushered to take questions and reflect on what their victories meant.

After winning best supporting actor, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" star Ke Huy Quan became emotional talking to reporters, saying the recognition surpassed his wildest dreams.

"I just wanted a job," he said, his voice faltering and heart "still pounding."

"I'm so lucky," he added, tears welling in his eyes. "I remember very well what it was like being an Asian actor in the late '80s and early '90s. I just want doors to be open for all those actors like me who just want nothing but a steady job, and I just want all their dreams to come true."

Quan wasn't alone in feeling overwhelming gratitude. Ralph, winner for best supporting actress in a comedy series, got emotional as she talked about her late parents. "If they’re able to look at me from heaven, 'Thank you, Mommy and Daddy, because this one’s for you,' " she said, raising her trophy to the sky.

Previously:'Indiana Jones' star Ke Huy Quan waited 'more than 30 years' for 'Everything Everywhere' role

In? Vibes. Out? New Year's resolutions

New year, same celebs? On the red carpet, stars including Kerry Washington and Ayo Edebiri told USA TODAY they aren't really into resolutions, at least not for 2023.

“I’m big on intentions for the year,” Washington says. Many share the same sentiment, forgoing the age-old tradition of setting big personal goals at the top of the year.

Kate Hudson says she “decided not to do resolutions … I didn’t do any of that this year, I’m just gonna come in hot.”

“All American” star Calesha "Bre-Z" Murray tells us her resolution was to “eat better,” but it’s not going too well. Why? “I just don’t feel like it,” Bre-Z says with a laugh. Co-star Samantha Logan shared she was trying to eat better in the new year, too, along with having a better sleep schedule, but at the end of the day, the duo agreed it’s all about balance.

“The plan is to be happy. Whatever makes you happy,” Bre-Z says. “Life is about balance.”

Logan adds: “My body is going to fluctuate, and my skin is going to do whatever it wants to do, and that makes me human, and I don’t really care anymore."

Edibiri says she also didn’t make any resolutions, but what’s “in” for her this year is being “nice to myself.” What’s out for the star of “The Bear”? Screen time, specifically TikTok.

SAG Awards nominations: 'Banshees of Inisherin,' 'Everything Everywhere' lead 2023 field

The Critics Choice crowd was A-list, but the menu wasn't

What do A-list celebrities get served for dinner at the Critics Choice Awards? Definitely not a five-course meal.

Every table was stocked with plenty of Fiji water, a couple of bottles of wine and a big bottle of champagne. The food options weren’t as abundant as the beverage selection, though: In addition to a cracker basket at each table, celebrities feasted on an array of dips including hummus and baba ganoush.

In case hummus wasn’t filling enough, there was plenty of Cold Stone ice cream to go around. Aside from a mini ice cream stand right outside the ballroom, Cold Stone cups were also passed around inside during commercial breaks.

It wasn’t until after the show when stars finally got to indulge in a little more sustenance. As soon as the telecast ended, stars exited the ballroom to find flatbreads, sushi rolls and dessert tables flooding the reception area.

‘Abbott Elementary’ star Janelle James on Gritty, Beyoncé and why we all want to be Principal Ava

'The Whale': Brendan Fraser lays it all on the line for new role

MIDDLEBURG, Va. – The first time Brendan Fraser watched “The Whale,” alone in a screening room, he had a new first-time experience in his 30-year movie career.

“I didn't recognize myself. I didn't know what the man on the screen was going to say next,” the actor says. And it was more because of the emotions left on screen than the transformation of Fraser, 54, into a middle-aged, 600-pound man. "I felt that I had accomplished what I set out to, which is to give it everything I had like it's the first and last time I ever will.

"There's nothing else I can prove because I don't have any other moves left," Fraser adds with a laugh. "That's all I got."

'The Whale' review:Brendan Fraser's soulful, Oscar-ready performance will blow you away

Director Darren Aronofsky’s drama (in select theaters now, nationwide Wednesday) stars Fraser as Charlie, a dangerously obese gay writing instructor with congestive heart failure who reaches out to his estranged teen daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink), in a quest to redeem himself in her eyes. The role’s won him rave reviews, scoring best actor nominations from the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Association and putting him in the pole position for an Academy Award.

An essay about “Moby-Dick” is a significant narrative element in the film, writer Samuel D. Hunter's adaptation of his 2012 play. So is winning an Oscar the actor's great white whale? The soft-spoken Fraser chuckles before, fittingly, quoting Herman Melville. “I know not all that may be coming but come what will, I will go to it laughing,” he says during an interview with Hunter at the Middleburg Film Festival. “He said it best. That and he said, ‘Ignorance is the father of fear.’ ”

For Fraser, who came up in 1990s comedies like "Encino Man" and "Airheads" and found blockbuster fame with “The Mummy” movies, being a dad to three sons was integral for his performance. “To have a 20-year-old with special needs, an 18-year-old who's a senior, and a 16-year-old who's picked up a guitar and can thrash now, I need only shudder to imagine if I had made life choices that Charlie had done, how I would feel at that time in my life. Which is foreign to me but it fueled my performance absolutely. That's all fair game in the weird alchemy of acting.”

Ranked:The 10 best movies of 2022, from Tom Cruise's 'Top Gun: Maverick' to 'The Whale,' 'RRR'

Hunter saw an important ingredient in Fraser: kindness. “I don't know if a cynical actor could pull off this role. It would be a very different performance,” the writer says.

Filming “The Whale” was a physically and emotionally taxing 32 days for Fraser. His actual “great white whale,” in fact, was the concluding scene, Charlie’s contrition to Ellie, and Fraser had to film it over two days because, on the first, “I was all pedal and no gas.” Comparatively, the “heavy cumbersome stuff” was a piece of cake: On set, there were 70 steps from the chair in the makeup room to Charlie's couch, and clad in a mass of prosthetics, “I needed to be wheeled there by a team of five people who were like a pit crew with water (and) constant touchups,” Fraser says.

He wore a cooling suit similar to what race car drivers use, “which was a challenge in itself because once you start to overheat, the cold sensation of the water creates like a weather system: The cold front and the hot front collide, and then you've got a storm going on,” Fraser adds with a chuckle. “But I just dealt with it. It worked because Charlie is not comfortable. Any way he sits, he has such difficulty taking to his feet, which is a major plot point.”

'My brain was misfiring':Brendan Fraser tells Adam Sandler he was 'starved of' carbs for 'George of the Jungle'

Fraser would feel vertigo when he removed the suit at the end of a day. “I felt this undulation that stayed with me for days after we wrapped,” he says. And although he could take it off, “I had a pretty close sensory understanding of what it is like to live with obesity. It did change me and it did make me feel for those who live in that body that they need to be incredibly strong. I learned a respect I was not anticipating."

Most importantly for the actor, "The Whale" needed to avoid what has happened in the past with portrayals of obese people in movies: “One-note, butt-of-the-joke characters who wore silly costumes filled with cotton batting that we use in stuffed animals so that an athletic performance could be given,” he says. “Whatever neurological reason, our brain goes, ‘Oh, dichotomy, hilarious.’ But it doesn't sustain. What we did is the absolute opposite of that.”

Preparing to play Charlie, Fraser had Zoom calls with almost a dozen people who gave him testimonials about their lives: “Some spoke about food as it was their addiction. Some spoke of food that it was a genetic disorder that brought them to where they were. Some spoke of food that it is still their love and they don't want to give it up.” Filmmakers also worked with Rachel Goldman, a mental health expert for the Obesity Action Coalition, who helped with sensitivity issues and also gave notes on makeup and the screenplay.

Golden Globes:'The Whale' nominee Brendan Fraser says he won't attend after 'history' with HFPA

That education was key when Fraser performed one haunting scene where Charlie’s binge eating veers scarily out of control. “It drives home the point that he is not eating for pleasure or because he is hungry,” he says. “This is an act of self-harm."

Fraser realizes “The Whale” is a polarizing film that will “command attention” and “ask the thorny questions, and it's been the subject of backlash: People online labeled the movie “fat-phobic,” and New York Times writer Roxane Gay called it “an inhumane film about a very human being.”

Asked about the criticism, Fraser says he’d be “more concerned with those opinions if they were prevalent after actually having seen the film."

Hunter acknowledges that his plays have often drawn mixed reactions. "I have very little interest in writing something that is just a crowd-pleaser. I want my writing to have utility for people and that means going to some difficult places with it emotionally.”

Fraser hopes that “not only can we maybe amend or change the dialogue surrounding how we discuss and how we refer to people who live with obesity, it could send someone to a place where they could get help. It's not a film that's a public service announcement, but it is a film that does challenge us to change our hearts and minds.”

Brendan Fraser gets emotional after standing ovation for 'The Whale ...

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MLK, Biden's classified documents, Nepal, Ukraine, California ...

Local officials say a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder have been retrieved from the site of the crash of a passenger plane in Nepal. Also in the news: House Republicans are asking for more information about President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents and a look at Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy.

🙋🏼♀ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. What if a 16-foot python was your co-star?

Now, here we go with Monday's news.

Search for the missing underway in Nepal plane crash ruin

A spokesman for Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority says a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder have been retrieved from the site of the crash of a passenger plane that went down on its approach to the tourist town of Pokhara, killing 68 of the 72 people aboard. The devices will be handed over to investigators and the cause of the crash is still unknown. Social media video appears to show the plane starting to roll as it approached the ground. Officials said many of the bodies retrieved were burned beyond recognition and the search for the four missing people will continue Monday. Read more

Photo gallery: Dozens killed in Nepal plane crash.

Storm-battered California is 'not done'

Waves of heavy precipitation are expected to bring threats of flooding and landslides to storm-weary California. “We’re not done,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom Saturday as he urged Californians to be on alert for a few more days as the last of the nine atmospheric rivers were expected to move through. The stormy weather has already caused at least 19 deaths and a 5-year-old boy was still missing Sunday after being swept out of his mother’s car by floodwaters in San Luis Obispo County. A change in the weather pattern will start Tuesday as some dry weather is forecast to return to the drenched state. Read more

More news to know now

🌤 What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Biden documents: Republicans want more information

Republicans said Sunday the White House needs to provide more information about Biden's treatment of classified information, as Biden allies said the GOP is trying to use the case to undercut an investigation of Donald Trump and top secret material.

But Democrats say the president and his attorneys turned over classified documents as soon as they were discovered, a marked contrast with how Trump handled sensitive records that should have been sent to the National Archives.

In a Sunday letter to the White House, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Oversight Committee, wrote that Biden's "mishandling of classified materials raises the issue of whether he has jeopardized our national security."

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Oversight Committee, wrote that Biden's "mishandling of classified materials raises the issue of whether he has jeopardized our national security." Republican House investigations are taking shape. In a letter addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the House Judiciary Committee requested documents related to the discovery of the documents and Garland's appointment of special counsel Richard Hur to review the handling of the documents.

In a letter addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the House Judiciary Committee requested documents related to the discovery of the documents and Garland's appointment of special counsel Richard Hur to review the handling of the documents. Biden has lawyered up. The president has chosen top Democratic attorney Bob Bauer to serve as his personal lawyer following the Justice Department's investigation.

❓ What's going to happen in Washington over the next 2 years? Americans don't expect much.

Ukrainian officials report Russian missile attack on Kyiv

A Ukrainian official says the death toll from the weekend Russian missile strike on an apartment building in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro has risen to 37. The regional governor said Monday that rescuers continued searching through the rubble for more victims. At least 75 people were wounded and 35 others were still missing after Saturday’s strike. About 1,700 people lived in the multi-story building. Residents say there were no military facilities at the site. The strike on Saturday came amid a major barrage of Russian cruise missiles across Ukraine. Read more

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Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. made history as a defining leader of the Civil Rights movement who preached a message of nonviolent resistance. His hand in organizing a number of significant protests, marches and speeches helped bring about landmark legislation — most notably the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 — and his message continues to resonate today. On April 4, 1968, King, 39, was fatally shot on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Today, in honor of King's birthday on Jan. 15, the nation pauses to reflect on the life, death, and legacy of the towering historical figure. Read more

📷 Photo of the day: Critics Choice Awards 2023 📷

On the heels of Golden Globes, Hollywood stepped out Sunday to celebrate the best in movies and television, this time at the Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles. Check out all the best looks on the red carpet, starting with Angela Bassett.

Brendan Fraser tearfully accepts Critics Choice best actor award: ''I was in the wilderness.''

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Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.

'All Quiet on the Western Front' leads race for BAFTA film awards ...

Jill Lawless

Associated Press

LONDON — Visceral World War I German-language drama "All Quiet on the Western Front" got a field-leading 14 nominations on Thursday for the British Academy Film Awards, with genre-bending comedies "The Banshees of Inisherin" and "Everything Everywhere All At Once" each nominated in 10 categories.

"All Quiet," an unflinching adaptation of a classic antiwar novel about life and death in the trenches, is up for awards including best film and best director, for Edward Berger.

Its tally of nominations is the highest ever for a film not in the English language.

Why remake a 92-year-old Oscar-winning movie? 'All Quiet on the Western Front' director explains

Martin McDonagh's Irish tragicomedy "Banshees" has nominations including best picture, best director and best actor, for Colin Farrell. Nominations for madcap metaverse adventure "Everything Everywhere" include nods for co-directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert — known jointly as "the Daniels" — and a best-actress nomination for Michelle Yeoh.

Baz Lurhmann's flamboyant musical biopic "Elvis" is up for nine awards, including best picture.

The BAFTAs are Britain's equivalent of Hollywood's Academy Awards. The winners will be announced Feb. 19 at a ceremony in London.

The nominations help cement "Banshees" and "Everything Everywhere" as awards-season favorites, following momentum-building wins at the Golden Globes and multiple nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

'The Banshees of Inisherin' review:Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson bring friendly fire to dark comedy

'Everything Everywhere' review:Michelle Yeoh's reluctant heroine powers dazzling, dizzying film

The BAFTA best-picture nominees are "All Quiet on the Western Front," "The Banshees of Inisherin," "Elvis," "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and Todd Field's symphonic psychodrama "Tár."

The 10 nominees for outstanding British film, a separate category, include Charlotte Wells' 1990s family drama "Aftersun," Sam Mendes' semi-autobiographical "Empire of Light" and Sophie Hyde's smart sex comedy "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande."

Britain's film academy introduced changes to increase the awards' diversity in 2020, when no women were nominated as best director for the seventh year running and all 20 nominees in the lead and supporting performer categories were white.

Golden Globes diversity wins:Ryan Murphy honors LGBTQ stars; Ke Huy Quan, more earn prizes

The voting process was rejigged to add a "longlist" round in the voting before the selection of the final nominees that are voted on by the academy membership of several thousand industry professionals. For the best film prize, academy members choose a 15-film longlist that all members must watch before voting for the winner.

This year there are 11 female directors up for awards across all categories, including documentary and animated films. But just one of the main best-director nominees is female: Gina Prince-Bythewood for "The Woman King." The other nominees are Berger, McDonagh, Kwan/Scheinert, Field and Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, for "Decision to Leave."

Unlike some awards, including U.K. music prizes the Brits, the BAFTAs have retained separate male and female acting categories, though that is under review.

Leading actress contenders are Yeoh; Cate Blanchett for "Tár": Viola Davis for "The Woman King"; Danielle Deadwyler for "Till"; Ana de Armas for "Blonde" and Emma Thompson for "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande."

The best-actor category pits Farrell against Austin Butler for "Elvis"; Brendan Fraser for "The Whale"; Daryl McCormack for "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande," Paul Mescal for "Aftersun" and Bill Nighy for "Living."

Awards speeches:Brendan Fraser tearfully accepts Critics Choice best actor award: 'I was in the wilderness'

Opinion: The backlash against 'The Whale' is telling us all something ...

Editor’s Note: Sara Stewart is a film and culture writer who lives in western Pennsylvania. The views expressed here are solely the author’s own. View more opinion articles on CNN.

CNN —

As Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” – which has been in select theaters – opens in theaters around the country this week, the film could become a powerful empathy generator. Just perhaps not in the way it was intended.

Sara Stewart Todd Thompson

The film, which has garnered significant praise even as it’s prompted notable controversy, stars Brendan Fraser as Charlie, a 600-pound gay man slowly eating himself to death. It’s adapted from a play of the same name by Samuel D. Hunter, and one of its most-discussed features has been the fat suit Fraser wears.

The film has been a flashpoint for controversy since it debuted at the Venice Film Festival this summer. While critics and the public seem nearly unanimous in their desire for nice guy Fraser to get all the awards for his dedicated performance, a mounting chorus has described the film’s tone and content as fatphobic.

I have not yet seen “The Whale,” as I’m not located in one of the two cities it’s been playing in prior to its expanded release this week. Given the acclaim the film’s received and my desire to see Fraser thrive after what he’s been through, I had originally planned to see it when I could. But after spending some time reading and listening to how harmful fat people say the portrayal is to them, I’m taking another look.

The fat suit isn’t the same as a lived experience

By many accounts, the film plays Charlie’s weight as an absolute tragedy and a visual horror show.

“Aronofsky turns up the foley audio whenever Charlie is eating, to emphasize the wet sound of lips smacking together. He plays ominous music under these sequences, so we know Charlie’s doing something very bad indeed,” wrote Katie Rife in Polygon. “In case viewers still don’t get that they’re supposed to find him disgusting, he recites an essay about ‘Moby-Dick’ and how a whale is ‘a poor big animal’ with no feelings.”

From the beginning, the film apparently humiliates Charlie abjectly: He’s shown nearly dying from a heart attack while masturbating to porn. “It was crystal clear that Mr. Hunter and Mr. Aronofsky considered fatness to be the ultimate human failure,” asserted Roxane Gay in the New York Times, “something despicable, to be avoided at all costs.”

So maybe it’s a good occasion to devote some effort to listening to, reading and amplifying voices from the fat community regarding their thoughts on “The Whale.”

It’s not like there’s any dearth of commentary about how bad being fat is, from official government warnings to comedians like Ricky Gervais who’ve made it one of their pet subjects. In a more novel development, though, early news of “The Whale” this year coincided with an uptick in discourse around both fat acceptance and open criticism of Hollywood’s history of generally horrific portrayals of fatness, most prominently in its use of the fat suit. Earlier this year, Sarah Paulson and Emma Thompson came under fire for wearing prosthetic body suits, the former as Linda Tripp in “Impeachment: American Crime Story,” and the latter as Miss Trunchbull in Netflix’s “Matilda.”

Hunter, who also wrote the film, told Entertainment Weekly, “I understand why people have some of those reactions because, look, the history of portraying people suffering with obesity in cinema is not good,” but argued that the film is an “invitation” to “be with” Charlie. For viewers who “do take that invitation and go inside,” he said “I think you’ll find that this is the diametric opposite of the way obesity has traditionally been portrayed and dealt with in cinema.”

To me, the best thing that could come out of all the publicity surrounding “The Whale” is the centering of the opinions of fat people on the film. Are they planning to see “The Whale”? What are other people saying to them about the movie? How will this affect them, and the way we all think about fatness? And shouldn’t those of us who haven’t had that lived experience maybe just… shut the F up?

A lot of us need to listen to these voices

Aubrey Gordon, author of the forthcoming book “‘You Just Need to Lose Weight’ and 19 Other Myths About Fat People” and co-host of the excellent podcast “Maintenance Phase,” has been a crucial voice on the subject. In a 2021 episode of the show, she examined the obesity epidemic, including the ways in which research data has been misused over the past two decades to gin up a moral panic about fatness.

For me, Gordon and her co-host, Michael Hobbes, have been instrumental in evolving the way I process stories and information (and misinformation) about weight, “wellness,” and the loudest cultural voices speaking about health and lifestyle. Their episode on Dr. Oz is a smart, hilarious jumping-in point.

In discussing the discourse around “The Whale” on Twitter, Gordon pointed to another Hollywood movie that involved a fat suit: 2001’s “Shallow Hal,” the Farrelly brothers comedy whose running gag is that a guy (Jack Black) is hypnotized into believing a very fat woman (Gwyneth Paltrow, wearing the suit) is beautiful.

When accused of being fatphobic, the filmmakers of “Shallow Hal” said that the “movie’s heart is in the right place.” That, said Gordon on Twitter, is beside the point. “It’s deeply telling & extraordinarily disheartening that so many people take thin creators saying ‘we didn’t mean to hurt fat people’ as saying they somehow DIDN’T or CAN’T hurt fat people. It’s deeply telling & extraordinarily disheartening that, after 20+ yrs, that still works.”

In the release of “The Whale,” she continued, “so much of the discourse this time around consists of fat people saying ‘this is going to make life harder for me’ and the response from people who aren’t fat is largely ‘no, it’s humanizing you.’ I would argue that’s our call to make.”

Guy Branum, an actor, TV host and comedian who had a role in the recent romantic comedy “Bros,” has also been outspoken about his objections to “The Whale” and its portrayal of fat people. In an interview with NPR’s Glen Weldon, he noted Aronofsky’s citing health risks on set as his reason for putting an actor in a fat suit, rather than just casting a bigger actor. “I desperately pleaded with Nick Stoller, the director of ‘Bros,’ to take out a full page ad in Variety attesting to the fact that he had worked with me for four months,” he told Weldon, “and I did not explode once on set from fatness.”

Branum has also shared his experience of reading the play the film is based on: “Part of me hoped it might be good, insightful about a life like mine. Instead it was a sad, pathetic story of a sad, pathetic man. I got sad for the main character, Charlie, and how little the author’s imagination offered his life, trapped in a bad apartment, eating fried chicken endlessly,” Branum wrote on Instagram, following it up with a description of taking the play on trips with him so it might enjoy a little happiness for a change.

Critic Sean Donovan, who identifies as fat and queer, wrote movingly of his experience watching the film, particularly his dismay at its “soap opera” plotting around Charlie’s martyrish refusal to seek medical treatment so he can leave all his money to his daughter (Sadie Sink), who hates him.

As Donovan pointed out, there are other, more plausible reasons a man like Charlie might avoid hospitals: “The shame felt in medical spaces is a real danger to queer and fat populations, causing us to avoid them precisely when they are the most needed. These contexts never come up in ‘The Whale,’ to its detriment, as they could have invested the film with the breath of true challenges and barriers facing queer and fat people in the world.”

Anti-fat bias has real-world casualties

Donovan’s assertions are backed up by Scientific American, whose weight stigma reporter Virginia Sole-Smith has covered the many ways in which medicine is tainted by anti-fat bias, from doctors who admit they’re “disgusted” by overweight patients to the “obesity paradox,” which refers to findings that in some cases, “fat people [are] not dying of heart disease like we’re always told they will,” and that in fact being physically active is more important for heart health than how big your body is.

It’s in Aronofsky’s failure to engage any of these viewpoints – and he’s done a lot of talking about the movie since its release – that he makes clear how little connection there is between “The Whale” and living, breathing fat people.

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So instead of seeing this film I’m making plans to read and listen to writers who are working to change the perception and portrayal of fat people. In addition to Gordon’s book and podcast, there is critic Clarkisha Kent’s memoir “Fat Off, Fat On: A Big Bitch Manifesto,” coming out next March, and journalist and author Evette Dionne’s new book “Weightless: Making Space for My Resilient Body and Soul.” Also worth a read: “Shrill,” by Lindy West (which later became an Aidy Bryant-starring TV show), a memoir that became an instant classic when it published in 2016.

I think West should have the last word here, from her 2011 essay on fat-shaming, “Hello, I Am Fat.” Her words describe why, despite whatever may be great about “The Whale,” I don’t want to see it.

“This is what’s behind this entire thing—it’s not about ‘health,’ it’s about ‘eeeewwwww.’ You think fat people are icky. Eeeewww, a fat person might touch you on a plane. With their fat!… And sorry, I reject your eeeeeewwww.”

Johnny Depp to return to the stand in his defamation case against ...

CNN —

Actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are in a contentious defamation trial in a Virginia court, with proceedings set to resume on Monday.

Depp is suing Heard, his ex-wife, for $50 million over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in which she described herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” Though Depp was not named in the article, he claims it cost him lucrative acting roles.

Both Heard and Depp, who met in 2009 and were married from 2015-2016, accuse the other of acts of physical violence during their relationship. They have both denied the other’s claims.

The former couple settled their divorce in August 2016, releasing a joint statement which read in part, “Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love.”

The trial, which started on April 11, is set to last six weeks. Heard has not yet testified.

Depp began his testimony on April 19, and he is expected to continue being cross-examined by Heard’s attorney on Monday.

Here’s some of what came up during his testimony so far.

Frequent arguments

Heard alleged in 2016 that Depp was “verbally and physically abusive” to her, according to a complaint she filed that year, alleging Depp bruised her face after throwing a phone at her in their Los Angeles home.

Depp denied the allegation and was not charged with any crime.

Depp testified Tuesday that the couple frequently argued but said, “Never did I myself reach the point of striking Ms. Heard in any way nor have I ever struck any woman in my life.”

Audio recordings of some of their heated exchanges have been played in court, including one in which Heard discussed striking Depp.

Amber Heard speaks to one of her attorneys at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse on April 19. Jim Watson/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

“You didn’t get punched; you got hit. I’m sorry I hit you like this, but I did not punch you,” Heard purportedly said.

Laurel Anderson, a clinical psychologist who worked with Depp and Heard in 2015 as their marriage counselor, testified in a video played in court on April 14 that Heard told her she “fought back” after Depp would become physical. Anderson said the former couple “engaged in what I saw as mutual abuse.”

Depp has also claimed he physically defended himself at times, speaking about one incident in which Heard said her nose was injured. Depp said in court that his head connected with Heard’s forehead while he was trying to “restrain” Heard.

“There was not an intentional head butt,” the actor said.

A severed finger

Depp testified that his finger was severed by shattered glass in 2015 after Heard allegedly threw a bottle of vodka at him. He sought medical care but said in court that he told others at the time that he injured his finger by slamming it in a door.

“I didn’t want to disclose that it had been Ms. Heard that had thrown a vodka bottle at me and then took my finger off,” he said during his testimony. “I didn’t want to get her in trouble. I tried to just keep things as copacetic and easy as possible for everyone. I didn’t want to put her into that mix.”

Johnny Depp displays the middle finger of his hand in court, injured in 2015. Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

Depp said he has had multiple surgeries to repair the finger and contracted Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) during recovery. MRSA causes staph infections that are resistant to some antibiotics and often are difficult to treat.

Dr. David Kipper, who has treated Depp, corroborated portions of Depp’s story in a deposition played in court this week.

Heard’s lawyers have referenced statements Depp made to ER doctors at the time to argue that Depp cut off his own finger. Depp denies this.

Depp was also asked about his actions following his injury, including when he used his injured finger to write on the walls with a mixture of his blood and paint. Depp confirmed in court that he had done so.

Text messages

Heard’s attorney Ben Rottenborn introduced several text messages Depp sent to friends and staff members as evidence on Thursday, one of which referenced Heard’s “rotting corpse.”

Depp testified he was “embarrassed” by the messages read in court and said he uses “dark humor” at times to express himself.

Johnny Depp during testimony on April 21. Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

Other text messages were shared in which Depp discussed his drug use and alcohol use with friends like actor Paul Bettany and musician Marilyn Manson.

‘Pirates of the Caribbean’

As Depp’s lawsuit focuses on the damage that has been done to his once lucrative career, some conversation was focused on “Pirates of the Caribbean,” the popular franchise that Depp led for five films over 15 years.

Rottenborn, Heard’s lawyer, argued that Depp was aware he was “likely out” of the sixth film or that Disney would drop or shrink his role in it, prior to the publication of Heard’s op-ed. Depp denied this.

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl." Disney Pictures

“I would be a real simpleton to not think that there was an effect on my career based on Ms. Heard’s words, whether they mentioned my name or not,” Depp said on the stand.

Depp sheepishly admitted in his testimony that he has not seen the first film in the “Pirates” franchise. He said, however, “I believed in the character wholeheartedly.”

However, when asked by Rottenborn, “If Disney came to you with $300 million and a million alpacas, nothing on this Earth would get you to go back and work with Disney on a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ film, correct?”

“That is true, Mr. Rottenborn,” Depp replied.

Depp added on his career: “One day you’re Cinderella so to speak and then in zero point six seconds you’re Quasimodo. I didn’t deserve that and nor did my children, nor did the people who had believed in me all these years.”

Actor Will Smith banned from attending Oscars for 10 years

CNN —

Will Smith will not be allowed to attend the Academy Awards for the next 10 years, as a result of his slapping comedian Chris Rock on stage during this year’s Oscar ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced in a statement obtained by CNN.

“The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards,” Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement on Friday.

The decision was made during a Board of Governors meeting held earlier in the day in Los Angeles. The meeting, initially scheduled for April 18, was expedited after Smith announced his resignation from the Academy last week.

Smith issued a quick, concise statement on his ban from the Oscars for the next decade.

“I accept and respect the Academy’s decision,” the actor said in a statement to CNN.

CNN has reached out to Rock’s representatives for comment.

The decision came following “tons of debate” on what the consequences of his on-stage slap should be, a board member tells CNN.

The Academy’s letter added: “The 94th Oscars were meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year; however, those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage.”

“During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room,” the letter went on to state. “For this, we are sorry. This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented.”

The Board of Governors said in a previous statement that they wanted the matter to be “handled in a timely fashion.”

Smith’s resignation means that he is no longer part of the Academy’s voting body, but it does not prevent the Oscar winner from being nominated in the future, a source with knowledge previously told CNN.

Smith can also still be nominated despite being barred from attending the Oscars because “the standards of conduct rules” at play in today’s action “do not apply to awards eligibility,” a source close to the Academy with direct knowledge of the rules told CNN on Friday.

Typically, the previous year’s best actor winner presents the current year’s best actress award (and the reigning best actress presents to the best actor trophy). With Smith’s ban, the Oscars will have to break that tradition.

What happened and what came next

The actor struck Rock as the comedian was on stage presenting at the Academy Awards on March 27 after Rock had made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s, close-cropped hair.

Pinkett Smith suffers from hair loss due to alopecia.

Rock has not spoken in depth publicly about the incident.

Days after it occurred, Rock appeared at a comedy show in Boston as part of his “Ego Death Tour” and said “I don’t have a bunch of s*** about what happened, so if you came to hear that, I had like a whole show I wrote before this weekend. And I’m still kind of processing what happened, so at some point I’ll talk about that s***. And it’ll be serious and it’ll be funny, but right now I’m going to tell some jokes.”

Smith publicly apologized to Rock the day after the incident via social media.

Smith also reached out the next morning to the show’s producer, Will Packer, apologized and expressed his embarrassment, the producer told “Good Morning America.”

During the interview with “GMA,” Packer said officers from the Los Angeles Police Department were prepared to arrest Smith for battery, but Rock said he didn’t want that.

In its letter, the Academy expressed “deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances.”

“This action we are taking today in response to Will Smith’s behavior is a step toward a larger goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests, and restoring trust in the Academy,” the letter concluded. “We also hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted.”

Chloe Melas Lisa Respers France
Chloe Melas
Lisa Respers France

Leslie Jordan, beloved actor and social media star, dead at 67 | CNN

CNN —

Leslie Jordan, beloved comedian and actor known for his work on “Will and Grace,” has died, his agent announced.

He was 67.

“The world is definitely a much darker place today without the love and light of Leslie Jordan. Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of its most difficult times. What he lacked in height he made up for in generosity and greatness as a son, brother, artist, comedian, partner and human being. Knowing that he has left the world at the height of both his professional and personal life is the only solace one can have today,” Sarabeth Schedeen, Jordan’s talent agent, said in a statement to CNN.

“Beyond his talents, Leslie’s gifts of bringing joy to those he touched, his ability to connect with people of all ages, his humility, kindness and his sweetness will be sorely missed by all,” his attorney Eric Feig said in a statement.

Jordan was involved in a car accident on Monday morning in Hollywood and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the LA County coroner, who identified Jordan, and a spokesperson for the LA Fire Department.

Jordan’s move to Hollywood

In his 2009 book “My Trip Down the Pink Carpet,” Jordan documented his move from Tennessee to Hollywood in 1982. He “boarded a Greyhound bus bound for LA with $1,200 sewn into his underpants and never looked back,” a publisher’s description of the book read.

The actor found work on television in shows like “The Fall Guy,” “Designing Women” and “The People Next Door.”

Jordan originated the role of Earl “Brother Boy” Ingram in the award-winning play “Sordid Lives,” which he reprised in the 2000 independent film adaption.

Megan Mullally and Leslie Jordan in "Will and Grace." Tina Thorpe/NBC/Getty Images

He was a fan-favorite for his recurring role as Karen’s friend Beverley Leslie on “Will & Grace.” He also appeared in “American Horror Story” and “The Cool Kids.”

His star shone even brighter during the height of the pandemic when his social media presence took off on Instagram, garnering him millions of followers.

Video Ad Feedback Leslie Jordan talks internet fame with Anderson Cooper 21:32 - Source: CNN

The platform also became a place where Jordan shared about his struggles, memories and family stories (many about his beloved mama) through the prism of humor.

Jordan talked to CNN’s Anderson Cooper about his past substance abuse and being sober for more than 20 years.

“People say ‘Well how do you get sober, what’s the best way,’” Jordan said. “Yeah, well 120 days in the jailhouse in Los Angeles. That will sober you up.”

In one post, Jordan recalled a guard who took pity on how much Jordan disliked incarceration and informed him that they had Robert Downey Jr. (who decades ago made headlines for a few brushes with the law) in custody and would be releasing Jordan and giving Downey Jr. his bed.

“Pod A, cell 13, top bunk,” Jordan recalled. “I feel responsible for most of Robert Downey Jr.’s success. Honey, I gave him a bed.”

His last posting on Instagram was him singing a hymn with artist Danny Myrick on Sunday.

Lisa Respers France Chloe Melas
Lisa Respers France
Chloe Melas


Italy arrests Sicilian Mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro after 30 ...

Associated Press

ROME – Italy’s No. 1 fugitive, convicted Mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, was arrested on Monday at a private clinic in Palermo, Sicily, after 30 years on the run, Italian paramilitary police said.

Messina Denaro was captured at the clinic where he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed medical condition, said Carabinieri Gen. Pasquale Angelosanto, who heads the police force’s special operations squad.

Messina Denaro was taken to a secret location by police immediately after the arrest, Italian state television reported.

A young man when he went into hiding, he is now 60. Messina Denaro, who had a power base in the port city of Trapani, in western Sicily, was considered Sicily’s Cosa Nostra top boss even while a fugitive.

He was the last of three longtime fugitive top-level Mafia bosses who had for decades eluded capture.

Messina Denaro, who was tried in absentia and convicted of dozens of murders, faces multiple life sentences.

He is set to be imprisoned for two bombings in Sicily in 1992 that murdered top anti-Mafia prosecutors, Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. Among other grisly crimes he was convicted of is the murder of a Mafia turncoat's young son, who was strangled and his body dissolved in a vat of acid.

The arrest Monday came 30 years and a day after the capture of convicted “boss of bosses” Salvatore “Toto” Riina, in a Palermo apartment after 23 years on the run.

Matteo Messina Denaro: the most-wanted Mafia boss finally behind ...

The last “godfather” of the Sicily’s Cosa Nostra Mafia is facing life in prison after being captured following more than three decades on the run.

Matteo Messina Denaro has been linked to more than 50 murders and went into hiding following a series of bombings in 1993 that left ten people dead and 93 injured. The 60-year-old was Italy's most-wanted Mafia killer before finally being arrested on Monday, after police discovered that he was attending a private medical clinic in Palermo under a false name for cancer treatment.

Messina Denaro – who once boasted that he had “filled a cemetery all by myself” – “calmly admitted his true identity” when confronted by police, The Times's Rome-based correspondent Tom Kington reported.

Who is Matteo Messina Denaro?

Messina Denaro was born into a “very powerful and well-respected” Mafia family on 26 April 1962 in Castelvetrano in western Sicily, said The Sun. Nicknamed Diabolik, after an uncatchable criminal in an Italian comic book, he is “alleged to have learned to use a gun at 14, and committed his first murder at 18”.

The Times's Kington said he also gained “a reputation as a serial seducer of women while “rising through the ranks” of Cosa Nostra, the criminal organisation that terrorised Sicily in the late 1980s and early 1990s, to become head of the Trapani clan and a member of the ruling “Cupola” council.

In 1993, Messina Denaro took part in the kidnapping of Giuseppe di Matteo, the 12-year-old son of a turncoat. The boy was held prisoner and tortured for more than two years in a bid to prevent his father from giving evidence, before finally being strangled to death and his body dissolved in acid.

Months before the kidnapping, the ambitious mafioso had taken over day-to-day running of the Cosa Nostra after his mentor, Salvatore “Totò” Riina, was arrested. But Messina Denaro was forced into hiding later that year following a deadly wave of bombings against Cosa Nostra targets in Rome, Florence and Milan.

The Mafia boss was convicted in absentia and sentenced to life in prison for the bomb attacks, the victims of which included leading prosecuting judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino.

Where had he been for hiding for 30 years?

Messina Denaro “was widely speculated to have fled abroad, undergone plastic surgery to have changed his face, or even died in secrecy”, said the Financial Times (FT)..

Gioacchino Gammino: Google Maps helps Italian police capture ...