JUDI DENCH

LOS ANGELES — (AP) — When "The Crown" returns Wednesday after a two-year absence, the splintering marriage of Charles and Diana and more woes for Queen Elizabeth II are in the drama's elegant but intrusive spotlight. The death of Queen Elizabeth, 96, in September adds an uneasy dimension: We speculate freely about the famous before and after they're gone, but is more owed a country's beloved and longest-serving monarch? Among the prominent critics is Judi Dench, an Oscar-winner for her role as Elizabeth I in "Shakespeare in Love." It's a demand that Netflix has heard before and continues to resist, framing the series as drama inspired by historical events. “I'm looking forward to King Charles' reign, and seeing what he can do to change things.”Copyright 2022 The Associated Press.

“The Crown” returns Wednesday after a two-year absence from Netflix.

When “The Crown” returns Wednesday after a two-year absence, the splintering marriage of Charles and Diana and more woes for Queen Elizabeth II are in the drama’s elegant but intrusive spotlight. There’s swirling off-stage drama as well for the Netflix series that began with Elizabeth’s marriage in the late 1940s and, in its fifth season, takes on the British royal family’s turbulent 1990s. The death of Queen Elizabeth, 96, in September adds an uneasy dimension: We speculate freely about the famous before and after they're gone, but is more owed a country’s beloved and longest-serving monarch?

Judi Dench accused "The Crown" of being "cruelly unjust" in its depictions of the royal family in its most recent season and called for a disclaimer at the start of each episode.

Dozens of stars of musical theater gathered Tuesday night for a celebration titled "Old Friends" to raise money for the Stephen Sondheim Foundation, which will benefit young composers. “He always considered London his second home,” producer Cameron Mackintosh, who organized the event, told the sellout crowd of about 1,100 at a theater renamed the Sondheim from the Queen’s in 2019. There was a minimal set and some cast members were costumed during a flowing program that showcased Sondheim's Tony, Olivier and Pulitzer Prize-winning work. As young singers joined the full company for the concluding “Our Time,” Peters crossed the stage exchanging hugs as confetti fell and Dench appeared to be holding back tears. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Dozens of stars of musical theater gathered at a London theatre for a celebration titled “Old Friends” to raise money for the Stephen Sondheim Foundation, which will benefit young composers.

Prince Andrew has lost another ceremonial honor as groups throughout Britain cut ties to the royal disgraced by allegations of sexual misconduct.

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars provoked intense opinions online, especially from comedians who felt it was an assault on their art.

94th Academy Awards - Show Tony Hawk, from left, Kelly Slater and Shaun White present a Bond anniversary tribute at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. And more laughs came when Hawk said he intended to say Slater and White are the best in their sports. “The Golden Globes.”— Associated Press’ Jake Seiner___5:10 p.m.Serena Williams and Venus Williams opened the Oscars by paying tribute to their hometown — and introducing Beyoncé. The producer of the Academy Awards says Sunday’s show will strike a balance between being upbeat and fun, while also acknowledging the war in Ukraine. The telecast for the 94th Academy Awards will begin, as usual, at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.

Ariana DeBose lived up to Oscar predictions and followed the path of her “West Side Story” predecessor Rita Moreno.

Yes, folks, dinosaurs do still roam the Earth. Come Sunday night, an increasingly irrelevant Hollywood elite — look, kids, Dame Judi Dench got another nomination! In less than two weeks, Major League Baseball will throw out the first pitch on another fun-filled season of jockstrap adjustments and dallying even longer than usual between pitches so every fielder, plus a couple of hot dog vendors, have time to shift to one side of the field.

James Bond didn’t get an Oscar nomination this year, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be part of the ceremony.

The Academy Awards have always loved a comeback story.

What's going to win best picture at the 94th Academy Awards.

Rita Moreno told her “Enjoy it, honey!”.

This year's Oscar nominations brought double acknowledgment for two sets of couples.

The 94th Oscar nominations were full of surprises in both satisfying and disappointing ways, but when there are only five nominees in most categories, it’s almost guaranteed that a few favorites will miss the cut.

Awards Season 2022 Caitriona Balfe, from left, Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, Jude Hill and Lewis McAskie appear in a scene from "Belfast." (Rob Youngson/Focus Features via AP) (Rob Youngson)NEW YORK — (AP) — The reading of this year’s Oscar nominees has begun. In pulling from films released in myriad ways, these Oscar nominations are sure to reflect a tumultuous pandemic year for Hollywood that began with many theaters shuttered and ended with Sony Pictures' “Spider-Man: No Way Home” smashing box-office records. As COVID-19 cases surged in the last two months due to the omicron variant, much of Oscar season also turned virtual. ___Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP___For more on this year’s Oscars nominations, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/academy-awardsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Nominations to the 94th Academy Awards will be announced Tuesday beginning at 8:18 a.m. EST. Campion's director of photography, Ari Wegner, is also poised to be just the second woman ever nominated for best cinematography. The only previous deaf actor nominated in Oscar history is Marlee Martlin, Kotsur's “CODA” co-star. Films including “Dune" (despite the objections of its director), Pixar's “Luca" and “King Richard” were among those that went straight to homes. For better or worse, the Academy Awards will also be without its usual lead-in.

“And I said yes.”In "Belfast," Branagh reconstructs a poignant and pivotal moment from his childhood. And while the love is already being spread around to Branagh's cast, the film, perhaps, glows brightest when Dench and Hinds are on screen. Dench, one of the few stars of “Belfast” who isn’t Irish, is a Brit from York (though her mother was from Dublin). As played by Hinds, Pop is both sage and mischievous. “I go to work.”The memories dredged up by “Belfast” have affected both Hinds and Dench in different ways.

In Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast,” a black-and-white, heartfelt memory piece told largely from the perspective of the filmmaker as a boy, the tension outside on the streets weighs on a young family.

This image released by Netflix shows, from left, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Norm Lewis, Clarke Peters, Delroy Lindo and Jonathan Majors in a scene from the Spike Lee film "Da 5 Bloods." (David Lee/Netflix via AP)Heres a collection curated by The Associated Press entertainment journalists of whats arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. MOVIESDa 5 Bloods: Its always the right time for a Spike Lee joint and thankfully Netflix has his latest ready to debut Friday. AP Music Editor Mesfin FekaduTELEVISIONGabrielle Union, engaged in a battle with NBC over her firing from Americas Got Talent, is firmly in control on L.A.s Finest, the drama she produces and stars in with Jessica Alba. Also back are closeted man of the cloth Leonard (Al Weaver) and Tessa-Peake Jones as an indispensable if stern housekeeper.

This image released by NBC shows host Ricky Gervais speaking at the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

This image released by NBC shows host Ricky Gervais speaking at the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Ricky Gervais kicked off the Golden Globes by telling the audience his fifth time hosting would be his last, then proceeded to deliver an expletive-laced skewering of Hollywood's elites. True to his reputation, Gervais opened the show on Sunday with a mix of evisceration and exasperation, pretending to confuse Joe Pesci for Baby Yoda, calling the Hollywood Foreign Press Association racist and declaring Netflix's takeover of Hollywood. He made fun of Felicity Huffman for her prison sentence in a college exam cheating scandal, saying she made the license plate on his limo. Few in the audience should have been surprised by Gervais' tone: He's taken delight in dicing up the Hollywood elite with his jokes with his previous hosting stints.