The writers behind the Oscar-nominated song “ Husavik (My Hometown) ” knew that they wanted it to be an emotional core to the otherwise silly Will Ferrell movie “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.” But they had no idea just how significant the ballad would become to the people of the small Icelandic town it’s named after — especially considering the fact they’ve yet to visit. And yet in the past year, the people of Húsavík, a town of only 2,300, have staged a grassroots Oscar campaign on behalf of the song and adopted it as a de facto local anthem.
The mood on the field was tense during the Super Bowl as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers trounced the Kansas City Chiefs. Off the field, brands sought to relieve the tension of the game — and the year — with lighthearted commercials stuffed with celebrities and nostalgic characters.
They aimed to connect to the estimated 100 million viewers who tune in to the Super Bowl broadcast each year.
NEW YORK (AP) — Super Bowl ads each year offer a snapshot of the American psyche. And this year, it's a doozy.
After a year of pandemic fear and isolation, a tumultuous election capped by a riot at the Capitol, and periodic uncertainty as to whether there would even BE a Super Bowl, marketers have to tread carefully. The ideal: promote their brands to a weary audience looking for comfort and escapism without crossing any lines that might trigger viewers.
BOSTON (AP) — Just like a real-life movie, the story of Buddy the Elf meeting his biological father has come to life, just in time for the holidays.
Doug Henning wore a costume like the one actor Will Ferrell’s character wore in “Elf” while meeting his father face to face for the first time last week at Boston's Logan Airport. He even broke into the same awkward song from the 2003 movie — sample lyrics: “I’m here, with my dad. And we never met, and he wants me to sing him a song!”
NEW YORK (AP) — Adam McKay was head writer at “Saturday Night Live” during the 2000 election — a heady era for the sketch show that saw the phrase “strategery” become lodged in the nation’s consciousness, Darrell Hammond’s Al Gore explain his “lockbox” and a blue-suit clad Will Ferrell dance as Janet Reno.
“ Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,” Will Ferrell’s goofy and highly quotable parody of the long-running European spectacle, is the first great comedy of 2020 and it couldn’t have come soon enough. There hasn’t been much to laugh about lately.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell are standing on the Oscars stage performing some hilarious material for a few dozen people who are in stitches watching the two comedians. No, the entirety of Hollywood didn’t flake on the 92nd Academy Awards or get stuck in some horrendous traffic jam.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tom Hanks, Chris Rock and Taika Waititi are some of the presenters who will take the Oscars stage at the Dolby Theatre during Sunday’s ceremony.
Producers Lynette Howell Taylor and Stephanie Allain announced Wednesday the final slate of actors who signed up to present awards on the ABC broadcast along with Jane Fonda, Oscar Isaac and Natalie Portman.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" are coming back to TV, live and for one night only.
Woody Harrelson, Marisa Tomei, Jamie Foxx and Wanda Sykes will star in re-creations of episodes from the influential sitcoms born in the 1970s.
Norman Lear, who created "All in the Family" and its spinoff "The Jeffersons," and Jimmy Kimmel are hosting the ABC prime-time special airing next month, the network said Thursday.
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (AP) — Video shows actor Will Ferrell was treated by paramedics after sustaining minor injuries from a rollover crash on a Los Angeles-area freeway.
The video by OnScene.TV showed the 50-year-old Ferrell sitting on the side of the highway talking to a firefighter shortly after the Thursday night crash. Another video by LA-OC.tv showed Ferrell talking on a cellphone as he sits on a stretcher and firefighters load him into an ambulance.
Gibson: Hollywood examination of misconduct allegations ‘a little late’
Ferrell: ‘Daddy’s Home 2’ reintroduces Gibson to audiences
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The God of Thunder isn't ready to relinquish his box office throne yet.
Studios estimated Sunday that "Thor: Ragnarok" added $56.6 million from North American theaters in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to $211.6 million.
The film, from Disney and Marvel and directed by Taika Waititi, out-grossed each of its two predecessors domestically in just two weeks, not accounting for inflation.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The God of Thunder isn't ready to relinquish his box office throne yet.
Studios estimated Sunday that "Thor: Ragnarok" added $56.6 million from North American theaters in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to $211.6 million.
The film, from Disney and Marvel and directed by Taika Waititi, out-grossed each of its two predecessors domestically in just two weeks, not accounting for inflation.