Movies

Muhammad Ali throws a playful punch at Chuck Wepner, ahead of their 1975 fight.

Sports

'I'm A Brawler,' Says Chuck Wepner, The Boxer Who Inspired 'Rocky'

8:12am May 10, 2017

by Andrew Limbong

Chuck Wepner fought the biggest boxer of the time — Muhammad Ali. He didn't win, but went 15 rounds, becoming the inspiration for the movie Rocky. Now he's got his own biopic coming out called Chuck.

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Indian Film 'Baahubali 2' Is Breaking Box Office Records

4:53am May 10, 2017

The new movie Baahubali 2: The Conclusion has broken sales records in India and is even a big hit at U.S. box offices. Shashank Bengali of the Los Angeles Times explains the phenomenon.

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Composer Jerry Goldsmith, shown in 2000, wrote the scores for more than 200 films over a 50-year career.

Music & Culture

Jerry Goldsmith, 'The Composer's Composer,' Honored With Hollywood Star

4:36pm May 09, 2017

by Tim Greiving

Goldsmith scored more than 200 films, including Alien, Chinatown and the first Star Trek movie. While his career paralleled that of John Williams, he never enjoyed the same kind of name recognition.

Before landing her first film role, Gabourey Sidibe struggled to find work. "This is my path, and I'm really grateful that I'm on it," she says of acting.

Books
Arts

Actress Gabourey Sidibe On Anxiety, Phone Sex And Life After 'Precious'

3:21pm May 08, 2017

by Terry Gross

As a young woman, Sidibe struggled to find work before landing the film role that would change her life. "This is my path, and I'm really grateful that I'm on it," Sidibe says of her acting career.

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Liev Schreiber plays the boxer Chuck Wepner, who fought Muhammad Ali in 1975.

Arts

Liev Schreiber On The 'Unsafe' Obsession With Celebrity And The Story Of 'Chuck'

12:20am May 07, 2017

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with actor Liev Schreiber about his new film Chuck, which tells the story of boxer Chuck Wepner, the real-life inspiration for the Rocky film franchise.

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Actor Richard Gere says of his new character, "I think there's a kindness and softness in Norman, where he really believes these schemes are going to be good for people."

'Every Culture Has A Norman': Richard Gere On Playing A Fixer And Wandering Jew

7:48am May 06, 2017

by Scott Simon

Gere's latest film, Norman, is about a Jewish man who pops up on the streets of Manhattan dropping names, handing out cards and promising to connect people.

Director Alrick Brown and actress Olivia Washington on the set of The Forever Tree.

Arts

In Fantasy Short 'Forever Tree,' A Black Heroine Learns To Stop Playing Small

7:12am May 06, 2017

by Scott Simon

The film is set during the Harlem Renaissance and tells the mysterious, magical story of Tawny Bennett, an antiquarian's apprentice.

Arts

Grooving To That 70s Beat, 'Guardians Of The Galaxy' Return In Volume 2

4:31pm May 05, 2017

by Bob Mondello

It was a surprise last time, but now comes volume two of the Marvel superhero team, Guardians of the Galaxy.

Director Laura Poitras began filming WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in 2011.

Arts

'Risk' Is A Messy, Ambitious Portrait Of WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange

1:41pm May 05, 2017

by John Powers

Laura Poitras began filming the man known for cyber-releasing classified documents in 2011. Critic John Powers says the resulting documentary is an intimate take on an enigmatic rebel.

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Arts

'Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2' Is Overlong And Void Of Suspense

1:41pm May 05, 2017

by David Edelstein

Marvel returns to its Guardians superheroes in this sequel, but the resulting film is lacking. Critic David Edelstein calls Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 "a big mess — with dumb jokes."

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