Latest news with #PaulTazewell
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michelle Williams on Returning to Broadway With ‘Death Becomes Her,' Her Tony Snub and Beyoncé's Backstage Visit
Michelle Williams may not be a Tony nominee this year, but in her estimation, she still has plenty to celebrate. The former member of Destiny's Child is back on Broadway for the first time in seven years, originating the role of the mysterious mystic Viola Van Horne in Universal's new adaptation of the campy, macabre 1992 movie comedy 'Death Becomes Her.' Earlier this month, 'Death Becomes Her' racked up ten Tony nominations, tying with 'Maybe Happy Ending' and 'Buena Vista Social Club' for the most nominated show of the year. More from Variety Michelle Williams Says It Was 'Horrible' Living With Ryan Gosling During 'Blue Valentine' Production and Doing 'Improvisations' as a Struggling Couple: 'We Need to Burn It Down' Broadway's New Tony Icons: How Cole Escola, Sadie Sink and Fina Strazza Define the Theater Awards Race 'Death Becomes Her' Costume Designer Paul Tazewell Leaned Into Old Theater Magic for Helen's Hole-in-the-Stomach Moment and Other Iconic Looks From the Original Film Williams' name wasn't one of the ones called that morning. 'It stung a little bit,' she admitted over lunch not long after the nominations announcement on May 2. 'But I was like: Girl, you're back on Broadway after you didn't think you ever would be. Who's the winner? I'm still the winner! That fixed me.' In the years since Destiny's Child disbanded, Williams has carved out a career as a solo artist with a string of gospel hits under her belt. She's also become something of a stage regular, following up her 2003 Broadway debut in 'Aida' with stints in 'Chicago' on Broadway and in the West End, 'The Color Purple' in Chicago, 'Jesus Christ Superstar' on tour, and more. In 2018, Williams stepped into the Tony-winning Broadway revival of 'Once On This Island' — and just two weeks later was forced to exit the show, on doctor's orders, to receive treatment for depression. She was certain the experience would have repercussions on her stage career. 'I thought I was a liability,' she said. 'I thought I would never be welcomed back into the theater community.' Since then she's become a prominent advocate for mental health issues, a regular public speaker on the topic and the author of the 2021 memoir 'Checking In: How Getting Real About Depression Saved My Life — and Can Save Yours.' With 'Death Becomes Her,' she's now originating a role in a new musical for the first time — and returning to Broadway after worrying that door had closed for good. 'I don't take it lightly, or for granted,' she said. So she's enjoying every minute of it, bonding with her cast and welcoming guests backstage including Isabella Rossellini, who played the movie's version of Viola, and Michelle Williams, the Emmy-winning actress who shares the same name. The two had never met, and their ebullient first encounter after a performance in April drew attention online. ('It was a such a joy,' Williams recalled.) Around the time when 'Death Becomes Her' opened in November, the other former members of Destiny's Child, Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, turned out to applaud Williams in the show. 'I just adore them,' Williams said. 'They make me grow. I love them as the wives and mothers, the artists and the friends that they are.' The performer said she's also relishing the chance to play a haughty, devious character, and has pushed herself to stop trying to be liked onstage. 'I'm the opposite of Viola — unless you lie to me! — and at first I didn't want people to think badly of me,' Williams admitted. 'I'm the nice one! I'm the gospel artist! But now I'm trying to take advantage of getting to be Viola.' She's also formulating her own backstory for why the immortal Viola wants to tempt people into living forever, consequences be damned. 'I know why I'd live forever,' Williams said with a laugh. 'It's because I'm nosy. I want to know everything and see everybody's evolution.' With Broadway and her activities in the mental health space taking up most of her time at the moment, she's not sure when she'll be releasing new music. Her last album, 'Journey to Freedom,' came out in 2014. 'I'm working with someone to possibly do an EP or something,' she said. 'I don't want to do it an album — I don't think. You say that and then before you know it, you have 12 songs. We will see. I've just been enjoying using my gifts in other ways to impact people.' She added with a laugh, 'But sometimes a hit song is a nice thing to have every now and then.' Best of Variety 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Emmy Predictions: Apple, Netflix Lead the Pack as FYC Events Roll On Including 2,100+ Waiting List for HBO Max's Hit Series 'The Pitt' Emmy Predictions: Guest Acting (Comedy, Drama) - Scene-Stealers, Sleeper Hits and One Lucky Charm With Beau Bridges
CBS News
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Paul Tazewell on vision behind "Wicked" costume transformation and telling stories through clothing
Oscar-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell says his creative process for "Wicked" began with abstract concepts, transforming the land of Oz through detailed costume design. "That was where the idea of the spiral came into play for 'Wicked,' and the idea of the texture of mushrooms," Tazewell said. "I am working to align those elements." The designer, who made history as the first Black man to win an Oscar for costume design, described how his approach focuses on character development. "All of it is about telling stories through what my medium is, which is clothing, and making those characters visually more interesting or more specific," Tazewell said. His reimagining of the iconic witch's hat demonstrates his innovative approach. "It was a number of things. One was that there's the moment when Glinda gives the hat to Elphaba, which is given as a joke," Tazewell explained. "The way that John Chu wanted to start the film, he was describing it from the very beginning, that it would be, you would see it from a distance, and it would look like a mountain, and then you'd come in close and you realize it." The costume designer's journey began in the Midwest. "We would sleep outside and behind our house in Akron, Ohio, and dream about what our lives would be as adults," Tazewell reflected. "It was being, becoming famous, and, you know, leading a glamorous life... but I didn't know that it would give me the full, rich life that I've had, which has been being a costume designer, working with amazing talents, being able to tell really important stories." With this Oscar win, Tazewell expressed gratitude for the opportunity to inspire others. "Being an inspiration for just all of the young people who find themselves in the world of costume and want to express themselves creatively. I mean, it's exactly where I came from, as well developing as a creative person, going from wanting to be a performer to wanting to be a costume designer, and finding my power in that. I'm so grateful."
BBC News
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
World Cup qualifiers, Lenten, Chimamanda book, UCL and oda tins wey dey happun inside March
Omo!!! Di world of today don turn upside down but e be like pipo look di month of March she say e get 31 days and tok say make we add as many tins as possible say time dey. As di month just dey start na im di movie awards wey di world like dey torchlight bin happun wey dem call Oscars say make e torchlight. So we go try to torchlight some major activities for Nigeria and di rest of di world wey go happun for di month of March. March 1 - Ramadan start Ramadan, wey be di month wen muslim faithfuls dey go on dia month long fast from all ova di world start for di faithfuls for March 1 dis year. Inside dis month, Muslims all over di world dey expected to fast from sunrise to sunset, for 29 to 30 days depending on wen dem see di moon. March 2 - Academy Awards Di Oscars break records for black pipo on Sunday as di first edition wey black man go win di award for best costume design. Paul Tazewell wey do di costume to di popular musical feem wey dem dey call Wicked gbab dat award. Zoe Saldana also break records dat night as di first pesin of Dominican heritage wey go win Best Supporting Actress for her role for id controversial feem Emilia Perez. Di Academy Awards wey happun for Los Angeles, see Anora pack di most awards, while Conclave, The Brutalist, Wicked and Emilia Pérez also take oda prizes. March 4 - Chimamanda new book, 'Dream Count' Popular Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie release her first novel in 12 years wey she call Dream Count. In di meantime, she drop di feminist manifesto, The Thing Around Your Neck and even pikin story book wey dem call Mama's Sleeping Scarf. She bin start to dey write dis book, afta her mama die for 2021. She say she bin no tink say she dey write about her mama until she don almost finish writing di book and find say, plenti tins about mama and daughters dey inside. For interview wey di 47 year old author do wit di BBC, she tok say, "I bin feel strongly say, in many ways, my mama open door for me to enta dis magical place wey mean say I fit write fiction. I bin reason say she dey comfort me and e bin actually dey deeply emotional for me wen e click for me." March 4 - Champions League Di round of 16 for di Uefa Champions League dey start on Tuesday, March 4. Di last sixteen wey dey di competition till now na Club Brugge, Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund, Lille, PSV, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Atleti, Feyenoord, Inter, Bayern München, Leverkusen, Benfica, Barcelona, Paris and Liverpool. March 5 - Lent Lent wey dey observed by millions of Christians all ova di world go start on 5th March 205 wit Ash Wednesday. On Ash Wednesday, churches go hold special services and worshippers go dey marked wit ash. Ash Wednesday na holy day for some Christians all over di world as e dey mark di beginning of di 40-day period for fasting, prayer and repentance. On dat day, Catholic and some oda orthodox church members go waka go dia church to collect ash in form of cross sign for dia forehead to remind dem say dem be dust and dem go still return to dust wen dem die. March 9 - Canada new Prime Minister go emerge Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign im position on Monday 6 January for one press conference. Card holding members of di Liberal Party for Canada go vote for 9th of March to vote for who go replace oga Trudeau as Prime Minister and di leader of di party. Di new leader go also be di party candidate go into di kontri general elections wey go hold on or bifor di 20 October, 2025. Di choices for Prime Minister now na former govnor of di banks of Canada and England Mark Carney, former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, House goment leader Karina Gould and businessman and former MP Frank Baylis. March 14 - Holi Holi na im dey mark di last full moon day of di lunar month. Di festival of Holi na to mark di start of spring for di kontri. Before di festival proper-proper, pipo go light big fire to show say good don win over evil. March 17 - African World Cup Qualifiers African qualifiers for di World Cup wey go dey hosted by United States, Mexico and Canada dey expected to resume for March 2025. E dey expected to start from March 17- 25, 2025. Di qualifiers dey picked na from di nine groups wey don dey already arranged wit six teams for each group. Di nine group winners at di end of 10-match campaign go qualify for di 2026 World Cup, while a 10th African team go qualify through di intercontinental play-off. March 20 - Amambra Govnorship Primaries Nigeria electoral commission Inec don announce how di election season for Southeastern state, Anambra state go run dia election dis year. Anambra na one of di states for Nigeria wey dey get dia election in di off-season of di election cycle. Inec don announce say di election go hold on di 8th of November but as for di start of dis election period, na inside di month of March e go happun. Dem say di primaries dey start for di 20th of March.
CBS News
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Former CMU faculty member Paul Tazewell wins Oscar for best costume design for "Wicked"
Paul Tazewell, an Akron, Ohio, native and former faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University, made history Sunday night at the 97th Academy Awards when he became the first Black man to win an Oscar for best costume design for the theatrical adaptation of the Broadway musical "Wicked." It is his first win and second nomination after he was previously nominated in the category for his work on Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story." "I'm the first Black man to receive the costume design award," he said in his acceptance speech. "I'm so proud of this." Tazewell, who held a faculty position at Carnegie Mellon from 2003 to 2006, designed over 1,000 looks for the film. "I was [at CMU] from 2003 to 2006. It was a beautiful time. I met great people, [and] very talented students. I really enjoyed that nurturing. I really enjoyed nurturing that young talent." Tazewell comes from a family of artists similar to him. His mother was an artist and educator, while his grandmother was a painter. Nearly two years ago, he spoke with KDKA-TV's Director of Community Impact, Lisa Smith, while working on "Wicked." "When you think about my training as a dancer, I understand how a body moves in space and what that feels like and I translate that into clothing, and what the fabric does when it's moving, and different kinds of fabric," he said. He's been designing costumes for 35 years. Tazewell's other work includes "The Color Purple," "Memphis," the Michael Jackson musical, among many other films. Alongside the Academy Award, he has also earned a Tony Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. "There was never a Black male designer that I saw that I could follow, that I could see as an inspiration, and to realize that's actually me, it becomes a "Wizard of Oz" moment," he said.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean Baker, Zoe Saldaña among stars making history with Oscar wins
The 2025 Oscars ceremony was full of standout moments — from the show's powerful opening number featuring Wicked nominees Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo to Conan O'Brien's hosting zingers — but the night was also filled with famous firsts. Whether it was director Sean Baker's sweep or costume designer Paul Tazewell's notable win, the Academy Awards made history on multiple fronts. The Anora director took home four Oscars on Sunday night, a first since Walt Disney did the same in 1954. Baker won not only Best Director but also Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing, even poking fun at his multiple roles in his acceptance speech for editing. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. 'God if you saw that footage — I saved this film in the edit. Trust me! That director should never work again,' he joked. Disney pulled off the same feat more than 70 years ago, when the Mickey Mouse creator won for Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary (Short Subject), Best Short Subject (Cartoon) and Best Short Subject (Two Reel). Baker is also the first director to take home the Film Editing award as a solo editor. Paul Tazewell, who created the costumes for Wicked, became the first Black man to win the award for Best Costume Design at the Oscars, a moment he called 'astounding.' 'Thank you, Academy, for this very significant honor,' he said in his acceptance speech. 'I'm so proud of this." Tazewell elaborated on the honor when he went back to the Oscars press room. 'I've been designing costumes for over 35 years. Much has been on Broadway, and now into film," he said. "The whole way through, there was never a Black male designer that I saw that I could follow that I could see as an inspiration. And to realize that that's actually me, it becomes a Wizard of Oz moment. It's like, no place like home." The Walter Salles-directed film won the Academy Award for Best International Film, making I'm Still Here the first Brazilian entry to win in the category. Starring Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner Fernanda Torres, I'm Still Here tells the true story of Eunice Paiva (Torres), who must take charge of her family after her husband disappears under mysterious circumstances during the country's military dictatorship in the early 1970s. Salles, who was also nominated for his 1998 film Central Station, starring Torres's mother, Fernanda Montenegro, honored all three women in his acceptance speech. 'This goes to a woman who, after a loss suffered during an authoritarian regime, decided not to bend. And to resist. So, this prize goes to her. And it goes to the two extraordinary women who gave life to her, Fernanda Torres, and Fernanda Montenegro,' he said. The Emilia Pérez actress earned her first Oscar nomination and win for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first American of Dominican origin to win an Academy Award. She said she knows she 'will not be the last.' 'I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity and hard-working hands," Saldaña said in her acceptance speech. Speaking to journalists in the press room after her win, Saldaña said the biggest obstacle she had to overcome in getting to that moment was 'getting out of my own way.' She also said it was important to listen to and trust your voice. 'You know that you being a part of that is going to be something really special,' she said. 'You just have to listen to that.' Flow, an animated film from Latvia about a cat's remarkable journey for survival, won the Academy Award for Animated Feature Film, making it the country's first Oscar win. The film, which boasts no dialogue and was created with Blender, an open-source computer graphics software tool, beat out studio films like Disney's Inside Out 2 and The Wild Robot from DreamWorks Animation. Director Gints Zilbalodis, who celebrated his win at California fast-food staple In-N-Out Burger á la Paul Giamatti, told journalists after his win, 'I think you can express a lot more without words. Some of these emotions and ideas I couldn't articulate with words but with music, sound, movement and editing, I can say a lot more.' Best Actor winner Adrien Brody has been here before. The Oscar winner took home his second Academy Award in the category, this time for his role as fictional Hungarian immigrant architect László Tóth in The Brutalist. This marks the first time an actor has had back-to-back wins from his only two nominations. Brody won his first Best Actor Oscar in 2003 for his role in The Pianist, in which he also played a Holocaust survivor. Brody also holds the record for the youngest winner of the Best Actor Oscar, which he won at 29. The actor recalled his own grandparents' struggles as Hungarian immigrants in a moment backstage. 'Their loss and their resilience have paved the way for my own good fortune,' he said, 'and I had an opportunity to honor them in this film.'
