Legendary British actor John Hurt dies aged 77

January 29, 2017

London, Jan 29: Legendary British actor John Hurt, best known for playing a drug addict in "Midnight Express," Kane in "Alien," the title character in "The Elephant Man," and Winston Smith in "1984" has died. He was 77.

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Hurt's agent confirmed the actor's death, reported Variety.

No cause of death was immediately known, but Hurt revealed in 2015 that he was battling pancreatic cancer.

The actor first came to prominence after appearing in the best picture Oscar-winning "A Man of All Seasons" in 1966.

Hurt, who decided against a career as an art teacher to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, appeared in countless TV and film roles, including roles in Michael Cimino's "Heaven's Gate," Stephen Frears' "The Hit," Sam Peckinpah's "The Osterman Weekend" and the 1984 adaptation of George Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four," where Hurt played the novel's protagonist Winston Smith.

Hurt's portrayal of imprisoned heroin addict Max in 1978's "Midnight Express" netted the actor his first Golden Globe and BAFTA win as well as an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.

Two years later, Hurt appeared in what was his greatest role as the anguished John Merrick in David Lynch's "The Elephant Man."

In recent years, Hurt appeared as Mr Ollivander, the wand-maker in the first Harry Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone," and for parts 1 and 2 of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," however his scenes in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" were cut.

Hurt's distinct voice also graced characters in animated films like Watership Down and 1978's "Lord of the Rings."

Though he always prioritised film acting, Hurt also made regular appearances on stage, including the first West End production of David Halliwell's cult play "Little Malcolm" and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs in 1967.

Hurt also played numerous roles on TV, including Alan Clark in the 2004 adaptation of "The Alan Clark Diaries" and the "Doctor" in the 50th anniversary special episode of Doctor Who in 2013.

He was married four times, the first time to actress Annette Robertson in the early 1960s, the second time to Donna Peacock, the third time to Jo Dalton.

Survivors include the actor's fourth wife, producer Anwen Rees-Myers, whom Hurt married in 2005, and two children by Dalto.

Many celebrities took to Twitter to express their condolences on Hurt's demise.
"It was terribly sad today to learn of John Hurt's passing. He was a truly magnificent talent," tweeted Mel Brooks.

Stephen Fry tweeted, "Oh no. What terrible news. We've lost #JohnHurt as great on the stage, small screen and big. A great man & great friend of Norfolk & #NCFC".

Chris Evans said, "John Hurt was one of the most powerful, giving, and effortlessly real actors I've ever worked with. Remarkable human being. U will be missed."

"God speed to John Hurt, a legendary actor and good human being," Sharon Stone wrote.

Elijah Wood tweeted, "Very sad to hear of John Hurt's passing. It was such an honor to have watched you work, sir."

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Agencies
July 19,2020

Mumbai, Jul 19: Mumbai Police have registered an FIR against two Instagram account holders for allegedly threatening actor Rhea Chakraborty, an official said on Sunday.

The location of the two accused is yet to be traced, the official said, adding that the investigation in the case is at primary stage.

Chakraborty on Thursday requested the cyber crime cell to look into the rape and murder threats she has been receiving ever since the death of close friend, actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

Rajput, 34, was found dead in his apartment in suburban Bandra here on June 14, leaving people in the film industry and audiences shocked.

Chakraborty, in particular, was subjected to online hate with users blaming her for Rajput's suicide.

"We registered the First Information Report (FIR) on Saturday under Indian Penal Code Sections 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication), 509 (intending to insult modesty of any woman) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act," Santacruz police station's senior inspector Shriram Koregaonkar said.

"No arrest has been made so far. We are conducting an investigation in the case," he added.

On Thursday, sharing a screenshot of a hate message she received on Instagram, Chakraborty said while she had ignored many abusive texts sent to her in the past month, the harassment was now unbearable.

The 28-year-old actor eventually disabled the comments section of her Instagram page.

Chakraborty, known for films such as "Mere Dad Ki Maruti" and "Jalebi", had tagged the cyber cell and requested the authorities to look into the threats.

On June 18, she was called to the Bandra police station to record her statement in connection with Rajput's death.

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Agencies
February 10,2020

Hollywood star Joaquin Phoenix finally ended his dry run at the Oscars as he picked up the best actor trophy for his performance in and as "Joker" at the 92nd Academy Awards.

The 45-year-old actor had earlier bagged a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his turn as a failed, unhinged stand-up comedian who descends into chaos.

In a lengthy and rambling speech, Phoenix touched upon racism, climate change and gender inequality. He also remembered his brother River Phoenix, who died of a drug overdose at the age of 23 in 1993.

"When he was 17, my brother wrote this lyric. He said, 'run to the rescue with love and peace will follow'," Phoenix said. At the Academy Awards and the entire Hollywood award season, Phoenix had emerged as an undisputed frontrunner even though he was up against the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio ("Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"), Adam Driver ("Marriage Story"), "Antonio Banderas ("Pain & Glory") and Jonathan Pryce ("The Two Popes").

An Oscar had eluded Phoenix for the most part of his career, despite his successful collaborations with Ridley Scott ("Gladiator"), James Mangold ("Walk The Line") and Paul Thomas Anderson ("The Master"), all of which had earned him nominations.

But as Arthur Fleck aka The Joker, Phoenix finally managed to break that jinx and became the second actor to win an Oscar for playing the DC comic book villain after the posthumous best supporting actor win to Heath Ledger in 2008.

As Joker, Phoenix took a deep dive into character, capturing its essence as well as maniacal spirit in both body and soul.

He lost 52 pounds to get into the physicality of Fleck and turned to a pathological disorder to get his distinct laughter right.

Phillips wrote the part keeping Phoenix in mind though the actor took some convincing to play the role.

Phoenix started the film's festival circuit tour on a positive note at Cannes last year that followed by stops at Venice and Toronto.

The film had also courted controversies, owing to its theme of gun violence in the movie as well as Phoenix's temperamental press tour that saw him walking out of an interview midway.

But critics and the fans loved the actor's riveting turn in the movie and his pointed speeches.

At the Golden Globes, he called out the industry for its insensitivity towards climate change and pulled up his peers for using private jets for travel, while at the SAGs, he joked how he would always lose a role to DiCaprio and asked Christian Bale to deliver a bad performance for once in his career.

In his acceptance speech at the BAFTAs, Phoenix acknowledged the lack of diversity in the nominations, calling himself a part of the problem. Phoenix's career most praised performances include "Signs ", "We Own the Night", "Two Lovers", "The Immigrant", "Her", "You Were Never Really Here" and "Inherent Vice".

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News Network
April 12,2020

Los Angeles, Apr 12: Pop star Rihanna has asked her fans, who are demanding her to release her new album soon, to back off as her prime focus right now is doing her bit in saving the world from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Grammy winner was one of the first Hollywood personalities who pledged support towards the relief efforts in fighting the COVID-19 outbreak.

Rihanna has been teasing new for quite some time now and eager admirers got an earful from her during an Instagram Live. Her last studio album was 'Anti' which was released in 2016.

Taking a swipe at US President Donald Trump, the Barbadian singer said, "If one of y'all ask me about the album one more time when I'm tryna save the world, unlike y'all president....on sight."

Rihanna's non-profit organisation Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey recently donated USD 2.1 million each to help victims of domestic violence in Los Angeles during the COVID-19 stay-at-home order.

Also CLF and and rapper Jay-Z's Shawn Carter Foundation donated USD 2 million to support undocumented workers, the incarcerated, homeless and elderly populations, and children of frontline healthcare workers in Los Angeles and New York City amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier, Rihanna, through CLF, also donated USD 5 million to support Direct Relief, Partners In Health, Feeding America, the International Rescue Committee and World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund as they continue to fight the pandemic in the US, the Caribbean and Africa.

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