Guilty pleasures
By NewsPress Now
Harrison Ford, Angela Bassett, Miley Cyrus honored as Disney Legends
ANAHEIM, Calif. | Harrison Ford held back tears, Miley Cyrus let them flow and several stars got emotional as they accepted the prestigious Disney Legends honor Sunday.
The company bestowed Legends status on 14 artists it says have had a “significant impact” on Disney’s legacy, including director James Cameron, film composer John Williams, Angela Bassett, Jamie Lee Curtis and Kelly Ripa, among several others.
This year’s class of Disney Legends was inducted into the company’s version of the hall of fame in a ceremony Sunday at The Honda Center in Anaheim, California, as a part of the D23 fan convention. Ryan Seacrest hosted the show, which will be available to stream Monday on Disney+.
Ford, who was the first to accept the award, called himself an “assistant storyteller,” noting the many contributions of his collaborators to his career.
“I love the life you’ve given me,” he said to the crowd of over 15,000. “I love the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Nobody does anything in this business alone.”
Ford was teary as he thanked Disney CEO Bob Iger, who presented him with the award, for his professional guidance and friendship.
The “Indiana Jones” and “Star Wars” actor received the honor more than 20 years after he was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The revered actor is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming “Captain America: Brave New World.”
Cyrus said she wasn’t as strong as her fellow honorees who held back their tears as she accepted the award with an emotional speech.
“Legends get scared, too. I’m scared right now, but the difference is we do it anyway. All of you can do that every single day. It’s legendary to be afraid and do it anyway,” Cyrus said. “There’s no such thing as failure when you try.”
Country singer Lainey Wilson warmed the crowd up with a rousing performance of “The Best of Both Worlds” from Cyrus’ breakout show, “Hannah Montana,” and noted her personal admiration for Cyrus, whose popular character she impersonated in her early music gigs.
The “Flowers” singer, who rose to fame after starring as the titular popstar in “Hannah Montana” in 2006, is the youngest Legends recipient. Following her time on the sitcom, Cyrus has had a long-running career in music, winning her first Grammy Award in February.
Bassett, who appeared in “Black Panther” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” reunited with the film’s director, Ryan Coogler, who presented her with the honor. Bassett also stars in ABC’s “9-1-1.”
“To the fans, you are the magic,” Bassett said. “There are not enough words to let you know how much I appreciate you, how much I love you. I stand here today because you bought the tickets, you have watched the television shows, you have cheered me on my best days and lifted me up on the more difficult ones.”
Lindsay Lohan and Jodie Foster joined forces to present Curtis with her award. Foster said her “bestie” was “inventive, fearless and full of surprises” before bestowing old-fashioned Mickey Mouse ears upon Curtis.
“Legends aren’t born, they’re created,” Curtis said. “They’re created and nurtured and taught and educated and then they make art and then we connect.”
Curtis has appeared in her share of projects under The Walt Disney Studios banner, from “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” to “You Again.” She is set to reprise her role in the upcoming sequel of the fan-favorite movie “Freaky Friday,” opposite Lohan. Curtis and Lohan surprised fans at Friday’s D23 presentation and shared a first look at “Freakier Friday.”
Ford stepped back out on stage to honor Williams, who created the iconic scores of Ford’s “Indiana Jones” and “Star Wars” movies, as well as “Jurassic Park” and “Jaws,” among several others. Williams has created the “soundtrack of our lives,” Ford said.
The Pacific Symphony performed a medley of music Williams, who was not in attendance, composed specially for the occasion.
Kate Winslet and Zoe Saldaña, the stars of “Titanic” and “Avatar,” respectively, teamed up to celebrate James Cameron.
“It’s a dream come true,” Cameron said of being in a group with his fellow honorees. “There’s just such an incredible display of creativity and imagination here tonight and I’m just happy to be in this crowd, to be part of this club and part of the Disney family tonight.”
ABC talk show host and mainstay Ripa reunited with her former co-host Seacrest as he introduced her to accept her honor. Her career at the television network spans over 30 years and she now hosts “Live with Kelly and Mark” with her husband, Mark Consuelos.
“It is a very rare thing, anybody can tell you in this industry, to be employed consistently in this industry, but to be employed by the same company for 34 years is my great good fortune,” Ripa said. “I owe everything to Disney.”
Danny DeVito, one of director James L. Brooks’ long-runnning collaborators and friends, presented the “Simpsons” and “Mary Tyler Moore Show” creator with the award, calling him a “genius.”
“There will never be another writer, director, producer, like my dear friend,” DeVito said.
Disney also honored six behind-the-scenes creatives who have contributed to groundbreaking films, art and Disney experiences.
Those honorees include Colleen Atwood, an Oscar-winning costume designer; Mark Henn, a prominent animator known for his work animating several Disney princesses; Steve Ditko, the late comics artist known for characters such as Spider-Man and Doctor Strange; Frank Oz, a noted puppeteer of “Muppets” characters and a filmmaker; Martha Blanding, a longtime manager at The Walt Disney Company and Disneyland, and Joe Rohde, a former Disney Imagineer.
Previous Disney Legends include Elton John, Steve Jobs, Betty White, Dick Van Dyke, Robert Downey Jr. and Whoopi Goldberg. They are among more than 300 honorees since the program’s inception in 1987.
Young Thug trial resumes with new judge presiding
ATLANTA | Jurors in the long-running racketeering and gang prosecution against rapper Young Thug and others returned to an Atlanta courtroom Monday after an eight-week pause to find a new judge on the bench.
The jury was already on a break in early July when the trial was put on hold to allow a judge to determine whether the judge overseeing the case should be removed. Two weeks later, Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville was removed from the case after two defendants sought his recusal, citing a meeting the judge held with prosecutors and a state witness.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker was appointed to take over the case. After she denied motions for a mistrial, the trial resumed Monday with Kenneth Copeland returning to the witness stand, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Young Thug, a Grammy winner whose given name is Jeffery Williams, was charged two years ago in a sprawling indictment accusing him and more than two dozen others of conspiring to violate Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. He also is charged with gang, drug and gun crimes.
He is standing trial with five other people indicted with him.
Brian Steel, a lawyer for Young Thug, has said his client is innocent and seeks to clear his name through a fair trial.
Lawyers for Young Thug and co-defendant Deamonte Kendrick had filed motions seeking Glanville’s recusal. They said the judge held a meeting with prosecutors and prosecution witness Copeland at which defendants and defense attorneys were not present. The defense attorneys argued the meeting was “improper” and that the judge and prosecutors had tried to pressure the witness to testify.
Glanville’s colleague, Judge Rachel Krause, did not fault Glanville for holding the meeting but said he should be removed to preserve the public’s confidence in the judicial system.
Copeland, who was granted immunity by prosecutors, agreed to return to the stand Monday after Whitaker told him he could testify or sit in jail until the trial ends, the Journal-Constitution reported. Copeland repeatedly said he didn’t remember events from years ago, admitted lying to police and said he mentioned Young Thug’s name to police to get himself out of trouble.
MTV Video Music Awards move to new date due to presidential debate
The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards have moved to a new date because of the forthcoming U.S. presidential debate.
The VMAs will now air live on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. from the UBS Arena on New York’s Long Island, a day later than previously announced.
Last week, ABC News confirmed that the campaigns of both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump had agreed to participate in a debate on Sept. 10, the previous date of the 2024 VMAs.
On Tuesday, MTV announced the 2024 nominees.Taylor Swift once again tops the VMA noms with 10 — eight for her “Fortnight” music video and nods in the artist of the year and best pop categories. She’s followed by her “Fortnight” collaborator Post Malone, who is nominated along with Swift eight times and earned his ninth nom for his country hit “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen.
Rounding out the artist of the year category nominees are Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Eminem, Sabrina Carpenter and SZA.
Swift took home nine VMAs last year, bringing her total to an impressive 23. That places her just behind Beyoncé, who has 28 (two with Destiny’s Child) and just ahead of Madonna, who has 20 awards, and Lady Gaga, who has 19.
Grande, Carpenter and Eminem are tied with six nods; Megan Thee Stallion and SZA have five each. Blackpink’s LISA, Olivia Rodrigo and Teddy Swims follow with four nominations each.
Fan voting across 15 gender-neutral categories is currently active online and ends Aug. 30.
Voting in the best new artist category will remain active throughout the show.
Performers at the 2024 VMAs include Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, GloRilla, Rauw Alejandro and Camila Cabello.
—From AP reports
