Oscar nomination for ’20 Days in Mariupol,’ AP’s first, comes as bombs fall on filmmaker’s hometown

NEW YORK – “20 Days in Mariupol,” Mstyslav Chernov’s harrowing chronicle of the besieged Ukrainian city and the international journalists who remained there after Russia’s invasion, has been nominated for best documentary at the Academy Awards, handing The Associated Press its first Oscar nomination in the 178-year-old news organization’s history. The film, a co-production between … Read more

Christopher Nolan on ‘Oppenheimer’ Oscar success: ‘Sometimes you catch a wave’

NEW YORK – Christopher Nolan was still sleeping when his film, “Oppenheimer,” landed a leading 13 Academy Awards nominations Tuesday. Emma Thomas, Nolan’s wife and producing partner, roused him after a flurry of congratulatory messages came through on her phone. “Don’t take it as being blase,” Nolan told The Associated Press, laughing. “We just didn’t … Read more

Diane Warren and past winners Mark Ronson and Billie Eilish react to 2024 Oscar music nominations

LOS ANGELES – The often-nominated Diane Warren and past winners Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell are among the nominees for music awards at the 2024 Oscars. The hyper-competitive original song and original score categories include nominees from the films “Barbie” to ”Oppenheimer” and beyond. Warren is vying for original song with … Read more

Rapper YFN Lucci pleads guilty to gang charge after reaching deal with prosecutors

ATLANTA – Rapper YFN Lucci pleaded guilty Tuesday to a gang-related charge after reaching a deal with prosecutors nearly three years after he was indicted on murder, gang and racketeering charges in Atlanta. The rapper, whose given name is Rayshawn Bennett, was one of a dozen people charged in a wide-ranging indictment targeting alleged members … Read more