Q&A: Andra Day talks new album, playing a villain and regaining confidence after injuring vocals
Andra Day gained acting acclaim after her starring role in a 2021 Billie Holiday biopic, but the soulful singer nearly lost the strength of her powerful voice during the process.
Leslie Jordan, versatile Emmy-winning actor, dies at 67
Leslie Jordan, the Emmy-winning actor whose wry Southern drawl and versatility made him a comedy and drama standout on TV series including โWill & Graceโ and โAmerican Horror Story,โ has died.
On Broadway, more visibility, yes, but also an unseen threat
For the first full season since the death of George Floyd reignited a conversation about race and representation in America, Broadway responded with one of its most diverse Tony slates yet.
![Library devoted to Japan novelist Murakami to open in Tokyo](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/Yr5OL0q0O79aFPwCdqHkmu2XqcY=/800x533/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/VUVG4WBJZJA2TNQYBV7GUKNMAA.jpg)
Library devoted to Japan novelist Murakami to open in Tokyo
A library devoted to Japanese novelist Haruki Murakamiโs writings, scrapbooks and record collection opens next week in Tokyo for research, cultural exchange and a gathering spot for his fans.
![George Wein, Newport Jazz Festival co-founder, dies at 95](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/7D85OMZZtYIU8uVLpUoG3rnUpYM=/800x615/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/LOC6OXYCBVCQBCICXMTGVBZ2LA.jpg)
George Wein, Newport Jazz Festival co-founder, dies at 95
George Wein, one of the great impresarios of 20th century music who helped found the Newport jazz and folk festivals and set the template for gatherings everywhere from Woodstock to the south of France, has died at 95.
![Oscars invite Steven Yeun, Issa Rae, others to join Academy](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/cBim6IjtwVjUkGtKmATE5p6QVOE=/800x373/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/ZNZGEKQNERGJTDJAV3OMK7GURE.jpg)
Oscars invite Steven Yeun, Issa Rae, others to join Academy
Steven Yeun, Nathan Lane, Issa Rae, Robert Pattinson, Janet Jackson, Leslie Odom Jr. and Laverne Cox are among the artists being invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
![Webby Awards go to Fauci, Oprah, DuVernay and Pharrell](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/V2fXGMl0sLaAiE9bQLZUYPG3jBs=/800x279/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/KC5YHBHXBJG4XLLP4XEHBCOE2Y.jpg)
Webby Awards go to Fauci, Oprah, DuVernay and Pharrell
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Oprah Winfrey, Ava DuVernay, Riz Ahmed, Dua Lipa, Andra Day and Dwayne โThe Rockโ Johnson all won honors Tuesday at the Webby Awards, which recognize the best internet content and creators.
![Oscar predictions: Can anything beat 'Nomadland'?](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/vfQ-fi4D2M62UMCMDQWTk10XX2w=/800x577/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/RIXB5Y6F4NEOPL3KYOWEMKOPRY.jpg)
Oscar predictions: Can anything beat 'Nomadland'?
Ahead of Sundayโs 93rd Academy Awards, Associated Press Film Writers Jake Coyle and Lindsey Bahr share their predictions for a ceremony that may see historic wins in multiple categories.
![Goldberg, Zendaya to be honored at Essence Hollywood awards](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/XHT7ziOHmeiYagcq0oJ63F4mZ1g=/1600x930/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/B5UVHIAFAFHEBFHE2LLVXSOVUQ.jpg)
Goldberg, Zendaya to be honored at Essence Hollywood awards
This combination photo shows actress Michaela Coel, from left, Andra Day, Cynthia Erivo, Whoopi Goldberg and Zendaya. Essence announced on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, that the actresses are among the honorees at this year's Essence Black Women in Hollywood event. (AP Photo)LOS ANGELES โ Whoopi Goldberg, Andra Day and Zendaya will be among the honorees at this year's Essence Black Women in Hollywood event, which will be livestreamed during Oscars week for the first time this year. Essence on Tuesday announced the honorees for the 14th annual ceremony on April 22. In addition to the Emmy-, Grammy-, Oscar- and Tony-winner Goldberg and โEuphoriaโ star Zendaya, they include actor, singer and songwriter Cynthia Erivo and actor Michaela Coel.
![A by-the-numbers look at a year of Oscar diversity, firsts](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/6UQi-szRHx_9s6dXj683he4VrxQ=/1600x1064/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/BQVE7IUSGRDKBJMFN7SJO573SE.jpg)
A by-the-numbers look at a year of Oscar diversity, firsts
10 โ Nominations for โMank," the most of any film this year, with nods for best picture, best director for Fincher, best actor for Gary Oldman and best supporting actress for Seyfried. In the best supporting actor category, Heath Ledger and Ralph Richardson were nominated, with Ledger winning for โThe Dark Knightโ in 2009. 4 โ Nominations received by โNomadlandโ director Chloรฉ Zhao, a record for a woman in a record year for women. 1 โ Man nominated for both best actor and best original song. ___This story has been corrected to reflect that Olivia Colman won best actress in 2019, not 2020.
![After top Grammy win, singer H.E.R. is heading to the Oscars](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/c18us0S4W-X1PtMxO1TBaZk-np0=/1600x1085/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/MMMF3S6DZRFT5KCAUS2EI3UP5Q.jpg)
After top Grammy win, singer H.E.R. is heading to the Oscars
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)NEW YORK โ A night after winning the top Grammy Award for songwriting, R&B singer H.E.R. Leslie Odom Jr. will also compete for best original song with โSpeak Nowโ from โOne Night in Miami...," which he wrote with Sam Ashworth. AdSongs by John Legend, Mary J. Blige, Janelle Monae and Robert Glasper were shortlisted for best original song but didn't make the final cut. The duo of Reznor and Ross have won a number of awards for their scoring work, including an Oscar, Grammy, Emmy and Golden Globe. Terence Blanchard (โDa 5 Bloods"), Emile Mosseri (โMinari") and James Newton Howard (โNews of the World") round out the best original score nominees.
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'Nomadland,' 'Rocks' lead more diverse BAFTA nominations
This image released by Altitude shows, from left, Kosar Ali, Ruby Stokes and Bukky Bakray in a scene from "Rocks." Much like previous Academy Awards controversies, last year's nominations by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts were denounced for their all-male directing nominees and all-white acting nominees, a backlash that spawned a #BaftasSoWhite hashtag. The British academy responded with a seven-month review. Also nominated are Lee Isaac Chung for the family drama โMinariโ and Thomas Vinterberg for the Danish dark comedy โAnother Round.โMore films were nominated, too. ___AP's Hilary Fox contributed to this report from London___Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
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Clooney, 'Billie Holiday' among AARP movie award honorees
This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Andra Day in "The United States vs Billie Holiday." (Takashi Seida/Paramount Pictures via AP)โThe United States vs. Billie Holiday,โ โMinari,โ โDa 5 Bloodsโ and โOne Night in Miamiโ are among the films AARP is honoring at its annual Movies for Grownups Awards, the nonprofit organization said Thursday. Director Lee Danielsโ โThe United States vs. Billie Holiday,โ starring Andra Day as the jazz singer, was named best picture, while the Korean American family drama โMinariโ got best intergenerational film. โWe focus on films made by and for grownups,โ said Tim Appelo, the film and television critic for AARP. Catherine OโHara took best actress for โSchittโs Creek,โ Mark Ruffalo got best actor for โI Know This Much is Trueโ and โThis Is Usโ was named best series.
![George Floyd kin joins protest anthem album project](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/ymqzCz5wutAGGee7AFn9Tf_BpPg=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/4TNEMB5JL5DY7KZME5JMCBWONA.jpg)
George Floyd kin joins protest anthem album project
Terrence Floyd, brother of George Floyd, plays the drums with other artists during a recording session for an album of protest songs with the Rev. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)NEW YORK โ Before a late night rehearsal in December, Terrence Floyd couldnโt remember the last time he squatted on a drum throne, sticks in hand and ready to perform. Surely, he said, it had not happened since his brother, George Floyd, died at the hands of police in Minneapolis last May, sparking a global reckoning over systemic racism and police brutality. Kevin McCall, a civil rights activist who said he believes an album of street-inspired protest anthems does not yet exist. AdSome historians cite Billie Holidayโs musical rendition of the Abel Meeropol poem, โStrange Fruit,โ in 1939 as one of the sparks of the civil rights movement.
![With loved ones and pets, Globes winners embrace cozier show](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/qR6ymLOa70OtEVW5VphXG1TO2qA=/1600x935/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/N4ZUCY7OOZFEZKUK7PUS5XGFLY.jpg)
With loved ones and pets, Globes winners embrace cozier show
Instead, most of Sunday nightโs winners accepted from their own homes or hotel rooms in laidback settings unheard of for Hollywood's biggest awards shows. Friends watching on television downstairs raised a delayed shout when she was announced as the winner for supporting actress in a motion picture drama. โIt was really fun,โ said Aaron Sorkin, winner for motion picture screenplay. Their daughters, Sunday and Faith, both wore white dresses while making a rare appearance. Known for her singing career, Day became the second Black woman to win for actress in a motion picture drama in her acting debut.
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Fonda says Hollywood needs more diversity after Globes honor
In this video grab issued Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, by NBC, Jane Fonda accepts the Cecil B. deMille Award at the Golden Globe Awards. (NBC via AP)LOS ANGELES โ Just like in her career, Jane Fonda used the Golden Globesโ platform to speak on deeper issues calling for greater diversity in Hollywood while praising the โcommunity of storytellersโ as she accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award. While wearing an all-white suit, Fonda raised the Globesโ highest honor above her head Sunday before commending storytellers for their vital role in troubled times. She is the daughter of Oscar winner Henry Fonda, who died in 1982, and sister of Peter Fonda, who died in 2019. She launched IndieCollectโs Jane Fonda Fund for Women Directors, an organization aimed to support the restoration of films helmed by women from around the world.
![New this week: Billie Eilish, Billie Holiday and Superman](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/N4lWRKe2ulUv2Jfi10GWcbJ6Q6o=/1600x794/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/3ZUA53IR5BH3XCDTEIQ5CWV7GE.jpg)
New this week: Billie Eilish, Billie Holiday and Superman
This combination photo shows promotional art for Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry, a documentary debuting Friday on Apple TV+, from left, The United States vs. Billie Holiday," premiering Friday on Hulu and Superman & Lois," a new series premiering Tuesday on The CW. (AppleTV+/Hulu/The CW via AP)Hereโs a collection curated by The Associated Pressโ entertainment journalists of whatโs arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. Adโ Based on Johann Hariโs 2015 book, โChasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs,โ Lee Daniels' โThe United States vs. Billie Holidayโ chronicles the legendary jazz singer's addiction and activism. Andra Day, who's nominated for a Golden Globe, plays Holiday in the biopic, which premieres Friday on Hulu. ET at the Amazon Music Twitch channel and will feature music from the groupโs new album, โLife Rolls On,โ released on Feb. 12.
![New this week: 'Nomadland,' 'Kenan' and Andra Day music](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/iOouHe44kwFRTuH-qP6EYfjw_gQ=/1000x667/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/FHGMOIGFHNB7LOMCIOSH5WPN2Y.jpg)
New this week: 'Nomadland,' 'Kenan' and Andra Day music
This image released by NBC shows, from left, Dani Lane as Aubrey, Kenan Thompson as Kenan, and Dannah Lane as Birdie in a scene from the comedy series, "Kenan," premiering on Feb. 16. (Casey Durkin/NBC via AP)Hereโs a collection curated by The Associated Pressโ entertainment journalists of whatโs arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. The album has 13 tracks including โTigress & Tweed,โ an original Day wrote with veteran singer-producer Raphael Saadiq. Adโ โSaturday Night Liveโ cast member Kenan Thompson, who two decades ago co-starred in โKenan and Kel,โ is headlining his own sitcom. It details the African American churchโs history, from enslavement to emancipation, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights movement to today.
![Kate Hudson in, Spike Lee out and more Golden Globe chaos](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/Pm8mTUKItQ9tgB-cNKYTqWIpLAY=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/4F6LZXGBAJDK3CTQE3YCPZ4V5Q.jpg)
Kate Hudson in, Spike Lee out and more Golden Globe chaos
Technically they even snubbed an entire category when best supporting actress was skipped over by mistake. From the Kate Hudson movie that no one has heard of to the very awkward shut out of Spike Lee, hereโs a look at some of the biggest surprises of the morning. Youโd be hard pressed to find someone who wasnโt surprised to hear Kate Hudsonโs name announced among the best actress nominees. That movie is called โMusic,โ a fantasy musical drama with Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr. and Maddie Ziegler that marks pop star Siaโs directorial debut. Leeโs acclaimed Vietnam drama โDa 5 Bloodsโ was expected to be a shoo-in for any number of categories: Best picture, best director, best actor for Delroy Lindo or supporting actor for Chadwick Boseman, who died last year.
![Odom Jr., H.E.R., Andra Day score Golden Globe music nods](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/robMIoSgqsMlaswB4nvgOLrnBFM=/1600x744/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/WEE6CDRV4NCWHKR56KVCBFN7RE.jpg)
Odom Jr., H.E.R., Andra Day score Golden Globe music nods
This combination photo shows Leslie Odom Jr. posing for a portrait on Nov. 8, 2019 in New York, from left, H.E.R. On Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, Leslie Odom Jr., H.E.R. and Andra Day were announced along with Celeste and Diane Warren as the Golden Globe nominees for best original song. Day and Odom Jr. follow the footsteps of Mary J. Blige, Lady Gaga and Cynthia Erivo, who all recently scored acting and music nods in a single year. However, the tracks can compete for best original song at the Oscars.
![Jimmy Cobb, 'Kind of Blue' drummer for Miles Davis, dies](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/H__JQFBEEAs0X7ekubNXX0ETb1Y=/1600x1229/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/5O22JU22LVGQHGWDPXBCFKPWPE.jpg)
Jimmy Cobb, 'Kind of Blue' drummer for Miles Davis, dies
In this 2019 photo provided by Smoke Sessions Records, musician Jimmy Cobb poses for the release of his album "This I Dig of You" in New York City. (Courtesy of Smoke Sessions Records via AP)Jimmy Cobb, a percussionist and the last surviving member of Miles Davis 1959 Kind of Blue groundbreaking jazz album which transformed the genre and sparked several careers, died Sunday. But Cobbs role as a drummer on the Kind of Blue jam session headed by Davis would forever change his career. It has sold more than 4 million copies and remains the best selling jazz album of all time. Cobb released his last album, This I Dig of You, with Smoke Sessions Records in August 2019.