Arts & Life

Bradley Cooper gained 40 pounds of muscle to play Navy SEAL Chris Kyle in the film American Sniper. "It wasn't at all like a costume," he said. "It was like ... this sort of transformative experience to me because there was no going home from it."

Arts

Bradley Cooper: 'Sniper' Controversy Distracts From Film's Message About Vets

3:17pm February 02, 2015

As the film's depiction of the Iraq War has come under scrutiny, Cooper, who portrays Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, says the discussion is moving away from "the fact that 22 vets commit suicide each day."

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Oprah Winfrey and director Ava DuVernay, seen here in November of last year, are collaborating on a new drama series for Winfrey's network, OWN.

Arts

Oprah Winfrey And 'Selma' Director Ava DuVernay Team Up For A Series

2:39pm February 02, 2015

by Linda Holmes

One of the most powerful people in television is teaming up with a top-notch film (and TV) director to create a new series based on the novel Queen Sugar.

Arts

Sandwich Monday: Meow Parlour

2:01pm February 02, 2015

by Eva Wolchover

For this week's Sandwich Monday, we visit a cat cafe in New York. That's like a regular cafe, but with cats — and the people who love them.

Arts

Fast-Sprouting Acorn Challenges PBS' British TV Dominance

1:16pm February 02, 2015

by David Folkenflik

The niche digital portal Acorn holds rights to some of the best-known British TV shows. David Folkenflik reports it's now streaming some of those shows on its own, in competition with PBS and the BBC.

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Excerpted from A Dance Like Starlight: One Ballerina's Dream by Kristy Dempsey, illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Text copyright 2014 by Kristy Dempsey. Illustrations copyright 2014 by Floyd Cooper. Excerpted by permission of Philomel Books.

Books
Arts

8 Picture Books You Don't Have To Be A Kid To Love

1:12pm February 02, 2015

by Nicole Cohen

Here at NPR Books, we may be grown-ups, but we still enjoy channeling our inner 7-year-old. And this week, we have the perfect excuse: Monday's Caldecott Medal announcement for picture book artistry.

As America Grays, A Call For Dignity In Aging And Elder Care

11:42am February 02, 2015

by NPR Staff

In The Age of Dignity, Ai-jen Poo says getting older should be viewed not from a place of scarcity and fear but as an opportunity. And, she writes, the U.S. must fix its flawed care system.

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After years of being treated like she's not there, Mindy Kaling realizes she just might be invisible.

Mindy Kaling's Super Bowl Ad: Are Indian Women Invisible?

11:29am February 02, 2015

by Rhitu Chatterjee

In a commercial, the comedian pretends no one can see her. One Indian journalist wonders if there's more to the ad than selling insurance.

Taraji P. Henson, left, and Terrence Howard star as Cookie and Lucious Lyon in the Fox TV show Empire.

Arts

The Success Of Fox's 'Empire' Reveals A Few Do's And Don'ts For TV

11:12am February 02, 2015

by Eric Deggans

Fox's hip-hop drama is a growing hit that could rescue the network. In a fragmented marketplace, the TV industry is learning the value of creating shows for underserved audiences.

A stranded puppy sits in the rain. Don't worry, though: He's saved by horses.

Sports
Arts

Watch The Super Bowl Or We'll Kick This Dog: The Saddest Ads Ever

11:12am February 02, 2015

by Linda Holmes

After years of nearly naked women and crazy animals, the Super Bowl ads had a new theme this year: your heart, and how to break it.

Football rules, uniforms, helmets and protective gear have changed a lot over the years.

Why Do We Love Football So Much? Theater Tackles Tough Questions

9:24am February 02, 2015

by April Dembosky

A play based on interviews with former NFL players, their families and fans digs deep: What's so fun about a sport that devastates bodies and brains? And what if it can't be made safer?

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