Oscar winning actor Jamie Foxx leapt to a stranger's rescue Monday night in California, his rep confirmed to E! News.
According to California Highway Patrol, 32-year-old Brett Kyle was driving at “a high rate of speed” when his car drove into a drainage ditch in the road, collided with a drainage pipe and concrete, rolled over multiple times and landed on the passenger side engulfed in flames.
While Kyle was trapped inside the car, two witnesses near the scene — including Foxx — ran to the blazing site to help free the trapped driver. The actor grabbed a rescue tool from his vehicle, which allowed the witnesses to break the window, cut the seat belt and get Kyle out alive.
Immediately after, fire and medical emergency personnel arrived to the scene. Kyle was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and was taken to the hospital to treat his injuries.
The 48-year-old actor also went on ABC 7 News yesterday, describing the incident in detail. — The National Staff
Hollywood artists join Spike Lee’s Oscars boycott
Film director Spike Lee, who is leading calls for a boycott of the 2016 Oscars over the lack of black actors among nominees, called for Hollywood to adopt policies to address the issue of racial diversity behind and in front of the camera.
Lee, who was awarded an honorary Oscar in November, said Hollywood had fallen behind the worlds of music and sports, saying it makes sense business-wise for the movie and TV industry to reflect the racial diversity of the United States.
Lee’s call for a boycott on Monday followed nominations last week which featured no people of colour in the 20 lead and supporting actor and actress nominations.
Director Michael Moore said on Tuesday he would join the boycott, along with Jada Pinkett-Smith, the actress wife of snubbed Concussion star Will Smith.
Membership of the Academy is by recommendation of two other members, or is automatically awarded by being Oscar nominated. The full list of the 6,000 or so Academy members has never been disclosed although a 2012 Los Angeles Times study found that its members were nearly 94 per cent white and 77 per cent male. — Reuters
John Abraham plans to remake ‘Rocky Handsome’ in Tamil, Telugu
Actor-producer John Abraham, plans to remake his next venture Rocky Handsome in several Indian languages, including Tamil and Telugu.
The actor said several South Indian superstars were interested in the remake because of its commercial appeal.
Directed by Nishikant Kamat, the Hindi version features Abraham and Shruti Hassan, who last starred together in Welcome Back.
The 43-year-old actor said he trained for martial arts Tai chi and Aikido in Thailand for the movie. — IANS
France honours Michael Keaton for contribution to arts
France has honoured American actor Michael Keaton with a prestigious cultural award, giving him a medal for his contributions to the arts and literature.
The Birdman and Spotlight actor was in Paris on Monday to receive the medal, awarded by French Minister of Culture and Communication Fleur Pellerin.
“I don’t know who you are Michael Keaton and that is just fine,” Pellerin said.
“But I know you are an actor with extraordinary talent and dexterity, capable of taking on the most diverse of roles, from the most tragic to the most comical, sliding from one to the other without ever running out of breath.”
Academy Award nominee Keaton has appeared in a range of movies including Batman, Much Ado About Nothing, Beetlejuice, as well as starring as Boston Globe journalist Walter Robinson in Catholic Church sex abuse probe film Spotlight. — Reuters
Ghulam Ali to make acting debut with Indian film
Pakistan's legendary ghazal singer Ghulam Ali, whose performances in India were marred last year by Shiv Sena threats, is now geared to make his acting debut with Hindi feature film Ghar Wapsi, directed by Suhaib Ilyasi. He has also composed and lent his voice to an Indian patriotic song for the movie.
Ghulam Ali is currently in India to dub his portion of the film.
The ghazal maestro has enthralled fans across the globe with his baritone voice, and was in
Kolkata last week where he performed to a packed audience, three months after the cancellation of his concert in Mumbai.
The film also stars Alok Nath, Farida Jalal, Reema Lagoo, Deepak Tijori and Zarina Wahab, and also includes the work of singers like Sunidhi Chauhan, Sonu Nigam and Shaan, as well. — IANS
