Guillermo del Toro Wins Best Director and Best Picture Oscars for “The Shape of Water”

It’s turned out to be a monster night for Guillermo del Toro

The 53-year-old Mexican filmmaker had a nearly perfect night, picking up his first-ever Academy Awards for his romantic fantasy drama The Shape of Water.

Guillermo del Toro

del Toro, who co-wrote, directed and produced the film, was named Best Director, an award he was predicted to win throughout awards season.

Additionally, del Toro’s The Shape of Water took home the night’s top prize, Best Picture.

The romantic fable was conceived by del Toro as a tribute to the monster movies he loved as a child, updated to tell a story about tolerance and compassion that could speak to a contemporary audience.The film ultimately took home four Oscars, the most of any nominee.

“As a kid enamored of movies growing up in Mexico, I thought it would never happened, but it happened,” said del Toro, in accepting the Best Picture award.

del Toro, who missed out on being 3-for-3 when he lost in the Best Original Screenplay category, urged other young filmmakers to take inspiration from his win, and “use the power of fantasy to tell stories about things that are real in the world.”

The award was presented by Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, who famously announced the wrong Best Picture winner last year, naming La La Land instead of actual winner Moonlight.

He’s the latest Mexican filmmaker to take home multiple awards in the same night… Alejandro González Iñárritu previously scored three Oscar wins in 2015 for Birdman: Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

One year earlier, Alfonso Cuaron took home two Oscars for his film Gravity: Best Director. and Best Film Editing.

Meanwhile, Disney/Pixar’s Dia de los Muertos-themed animated film Coco won best animated feature and its featured tune, “Remember Me,” won Best Original Song.

And, the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film went to A Fantastic Woman, from Chile, the story of a transgender person struggling in the aftermath of the death of a lover.

The film edged out Ruben Östlund’s Swedish satire The Square and Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Russian fable Loveless.

Directed by Sebastián Lelio and written by Lelio and Gonzalo Maza, the film marks the first Chilean entry for the foreign language Oscar since Pablo Larraín’s No, and the first ever Academy award for Lelio, in his follow-up to the acclaimed film Gloria.

At Sunday’s ceremony, the film’s star Daniela Vega became the first openly transgender person to present an award at the Oscars.

Here’s a look at all of this year’s Academy Award winners.

BEST PICTURE
The Shape of Water

ACTRESS
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 

ACTOR
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour

DIRECTOR
Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water 

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Allison Janney, I, Tonya

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 

ORIGINAL SONG (PRESENTED TO SONGWRITERS)
Remember Me, from Coco (Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez)

ORIGINAL SCORE
The Shape of Water, Alexandre Desplat 

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Blade Runner 2049, Roger A. Deakins 

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Get Out, Jordan Peele 

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Call Me By Your Name, James Ivory 

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
The Silent Child 

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405 

FILM EDITING
Dunkirk, Lee Smith 

VISUAL EFFECTS
Blade Runner 2049 

ANIMATED FEATURE
Coco

 SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
Dear Basketball 

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
A Fantastic Woman (Chile) 

PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Shape of Water 

SOUND MIXING
Dunkirk 

SOUND EDITING
Dunkirk, Richard King and Alex Gibson 

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
Icarus 

COSTUME DESIGN
Phantom Thread, Mark Bridges

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Darkest Hour, Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski and Lucy Sibbick

Antonio Méndez Esparza Wins John Cassavettes Award at Spirit Awards

Antonio Méndez Esparza has the Spirit 

The Spanish writer /director took home the John Cassavettes Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

Antonio Méndez Esparza

Méndez Esparza picked up the award for his film Life and nothing more, which he penned and helmed.

Chile’s Sebastián Lelio won the award for Best International Film for A Fantastic Woman.

Here’s the complete list of winners: 

BEST FEATURE
Get Out

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

BEST MALE LEAD
Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name

BEST DIRECTOR
Jordan Peele, Get Out   

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Faces Places
Directors: Agnés Varda, JR
Producer: Rosalie Varda 

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

BEST SCREENPLAY
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast

Mudbound
Director: Dee Rees
Casting Directors: Billy Hopkins, Ashley Ingram
Ensemble Cast: Jonathan Banks, Mary J. Blige, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, Rob Morgan, Carey Mulligan 

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick  

BEST EDITING
Tatiana S. Riegel, I, Tonya   

BONNIE AWARD
Chloé Zhao

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
A Fantastic Woman, Chile
Director: Sebastián Lelio 

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
Life and nothing more
Writer/Director: Antonio Méndez Esparza
Producers: Amadeo Hernández Bueno, Alvaro Portanet Hernández, Pedro Hernández Santos 

BEST FIRST FEATURE
Ingrid Goes West
Director: Matt Spicer
Producers: Jared Ian Goldman, Adam Mirels, Robert Mirels, Aubrey Plaza, Tim White, Trevor White 

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Allison Janney
, I, Tonya 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, Call Me By Your Name

KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
Justin Chon

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD
Summer Shelton

SEATTLE STORY AWARD
Matty Brown

JEEP BRAND TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
Jonathan Olshefski

“Coco” Co-Director Adrian Molina Picks Up Three Trophies at the Annie Awards

Adrian Molina has plenty of reason to celebrate…

The 32-year-old Mexican American filmmaker, screenwriter and storyboard artist’s Coco was the big winner at the 45th annual Annie Awards.

Adrian Molina

The Day of the Dead-themed Disney/Pixar film pummeled the competition, going 11-for-13 in its nominated categories including Best Animated Feature.

Molina, Coco’s co-director, screenplay writer and lyricist, picked up three awards, sharing the trophies for Outstanding Achievement, Directing – Animated Feature Production, Outstanding Achievement, Writing – Feature Production and Outstanding Achievement, Music – Feature Production.

Presented by ASIFA-Hollywood, the Annie Awards honor overall excellence as well as individual achievement in a total of 36 categories including Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Special Production, Commercials, Short Subjects and Outstanding Individual Achievements.

 

Guillermo del Toro Named Best Director by the Directors Guild of America

Guillermo del Toro is having a guild old time…

The Directors Guild of America honored outstanding achievement in directing for film and television at the DGA Awards, with the 53-year-old Mexican filmmaker ’s The Shape of Water winning the award for Best Feature.Guillermo del Toro

Along with his Golden Globe and PGA award, del Toro’s DGA win makes him the favorite for Best Director at this year’s Oscars.

Here’s the full list of winners:

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FEATURE FILM
GUILLERMO del TORO
The Shape of Water
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Unit Production Manager: J. Miles Dale
Production Manager: Dennis Chapman
First Assistant Director: Pierre Henry
Second Assistant Director: Tyler Delben 

DRAMATIC SERIES
REED MORANO
The Handmaid’s Tale, “Offred”
(Hulu)

MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI SERIES
JEAN MARC VALLÉE
Big Little Lies
(HBO)

COMMERCIALS
MARTIN de THURAH
(Epoch Films)

COMEDY SERIES
BETH MCCARTHY MILLER
Veep, “Chicklet”
(HBO)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT OF A FIRST-TIME FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR
JORDAN PEELE
Get Out
(Universal Pictures)

DOCUMENTARY
MATTHEW HEINEMAN
City of Ghosts
(Amazon Studios) 

REALITY PROGRAMS
BRIAN SMITH
MasterChef, “Vegas Deluxe & Oyster Shucks”
(FOX)

VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SPECIALS
GLENN WEISS
The 89th Annual Academy Awards
(ABC)

VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING
DON ROY KING
Saturday Night Live, “Host: Jimmy Fallon”
(NBC)

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
NIKI CARO
Anne with an E, “Your Will Shall Decide Your Destiny”
(Netflix)

Penelope Cruz to Receive Honorary César Award

Life is c’est magnifique for Penelope Cruz 

The Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma has chosen the 43-year-old Oscar-winning actress as the recipient of this year’s honorary César Award.

Penelope Cruz

Cruz has appeared in five films for director Pedro Almodovar, a staple of the Cannes Film Festival.

She recently wrapped the next film from Asghar FarhadiEverybody Knows, which she shot in Madrid with her husband Javier Bardem and which is produced by France’s Memento Films Production. The drama is tipped for a Cannes berth this year.

Her other recent credits include the box office hit Murder on the Orient Express and FX’s The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.

The César nominations will be announced on Wednesday.

The ceremony, which awards France’s equivalent to the Academy Award, will be held on March 2.

Bruno Mars Wins Six Grammys, Including Album, Record & Song of the Year

It’s a (24K) magical time for Bruno Mars

The 32-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter was the big winner at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards, picking up six gramophones.

Bruno Mars

It was a clean sweep for Mars, who’d previously won five Grammys since 2011, including wins in the three major categories.

Mars took home his first Album of the Year award for his own work, his hit album 24K Magic, thereby denying rappers Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z the honor of becoming the first hip-hop artist in 14 years to win the coveted album of the year.

Additionally, he took home the award for song of the year for his hit single “That’s What I Like,” and record of the year for “24K Magic.”

“Don’t cut me off Grammys, please,” said Mars from the stage while accepting the last award of the night. Recounting his early days as a young performer entertaining tourists in his native Hawaii, Mars name-checked writer-producers Babyface, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Teddy Riley as key influences.

Shakira picked up the third Grammy of her career…

The 40-year-old Colombian superstar took home the award for Best Latin Pop Album for his critically acclaimed album El Dorado.

Residente picked up the first Grammy of his career as a solo artist.

The 39-year-old Puerto Rican rapper, who’d previously won two Grammys and a slew of Latin Grammys as a member of Calle 13, took home the award for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album for his self-titled album.

Lin-Manuel Miranda picked up his third Grammy.

The 38-year-old composer, lyricist, playwright, and actor won the award for Best Song Written for Visual Media for his single from Disney’s Moana soundtrack, “How Far I’ll Go.”

Other Latino winners include Aida Cuevas for Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano) and Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado y Orquesta for Best Tropical Latin Album.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Album of the Year: “24K Magic” — Bruno Mars

Record of the Year: “24K Magic” — Bruno Mars

Song of the Year: “That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus and Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best New Artist: Alessia Cara

Best Pop Solo Performance: “Shape of You” — Ed Sheeran

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: “Feel It Still” — Portugal. The Man

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: “Tony Bennett Celebrates 90” — Various Artists; Dae Bennett, producer

Best Pop Vocal Album: “÷” — Ed Sheeran

Best Dance Recording: “Tonite” — LCD Soundsystem

Best Dance/Electronic Album: “3-D The Catalogue” — Kraftwerk

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: “Prototype” — Jeff Lorber Fusion

Best Rock Performance: “You Want It Darker” — Leonard Cohen

Best Metal Performance: “Sultan’s Curse” — Mastodon

Best Rock Song: “Run” — Foo Fighters, songwriters

Best Rock Album: “A Deeper Understanding” — The War on Drugs

Best Alternative Music Album: “Sleep Well Beast” — The National

Best R&B Performance: “That’s What I Like” — Bruno Mars

Best Traditional R&B Performance: “Redbone” — Childish Gambino

Best R&B Song: “That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus and Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best Urban Contemporary Album: “Starboy” — The Weeknd

Best R&B Album: “24K Magic” — Bruno Mars

Best Rap Performance: “HUMBLE.” — Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap/Sung Performance: “LOYALTY.” — Kendrick Lamar featuring Rihanna

Best Rap Song: “HUMBLE.” — K. Duckworth, Asheton Hogan and M. Williams II, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)

Best Rap Album: “DAMN.” — Kendrick Lamar

Best Country Solo Performance: “Either Way” — Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance: “Better Man” — Little Big Town

Best Country Song: “Broken Halos” — Mike Henderson and Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)

Best Country Album: “From a Room: Volume 1” — Chris Stapleton

Best New Age Album: “Dancing on Water” — Peter Kater

Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “Miles Beyond” — John McLaughlin, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album: “Dreams and Daggers” — Cécile McLorin Salvant

Best Jazz Instrumental Album: “Rebirth” — Billy Childs

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: “Bringin’ It” — Christian McBride Big Band

Best Latin Jazz Album: “Jazz Tango” — Pablo Ziegler Trio

Best Gospel Performance/Song: “Never Have to Be Alone” — CeCe Winans; Dwan Hill & Alvin Love III, songwriters

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: “What a Beautiful Name” — Hillsong Worship; Ben Fielding & Brooke Ligertwood, songwriters

Best Gospel Album: “Let Them Fall in Love” — CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: “Chain Breaker” — Zach Williams

Best Roots Gospel Album: “Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope” — Reba McEntire

Best Latin Pop Album: “El Dorado” — Shakira

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: “Residente” — Residente

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano): “Arriero Somos Versiones Acústicas” — Aida Cuevas

Best Tropical Latin Album: “Salsa Big Band” — Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado y Orquesta

Best American Roots Performance: “Killer Diller Blues” — Alabama Shakes

Best American Roots Song: “If We Were Vampires” — Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit)

Best Americana Album: “The Nashville Sound” — Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Best Bluegrass Album: tie, “Laws of Gravity” — The Infamous Stringdusters and “All the Rage — In Concert Volume One” — Rhonda Vincent and the Rage

Best Traditional Blues Album: “Blue & Lonesome” — The Rolling Stones

Best Contemporary Blues Album: “TajMo” — Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’

Best Folk Album: “Mental Illness” — Aimee Mann

Best Regional Roots Music Album: “Kalenda” — Lost Bayou Ramblers

Best Reggae Album: “Stony Hill” — Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley

Best World Music Album: “Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration” — Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Best Children’s Album: “Feel What U Feel” — Lisa Loeb

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books and Storytelling): “The Princess Diarist” — Carrie Fisher

Best Comedy Album: “The Age of Spin/Deep in the Heart of Texas” — Dave Chappelle

Best Musical Theater Album: “Dear Evan Hansen” — Ben Platt, principal soloist; Alex Lacamoire, Stacey Mindich, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, producers; Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, composers/lyricists (original Broadway cast recording)

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: “La La Land” — Various Artists

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: “La La Land” — Justin Hurwitz, composer

Best Song Written for Visual Media: “How Far I’ll Go” — Lin-Manuel Miranda, songwriter (Auli’i Cravalho)

Best Instrumental Composition: “Three Revolutions” — Arturo O’Farrill, composer (Arturo O’Farrill and Chucho Valdés)

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella: “Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra From ‘Catch Me If You Can’” — John Williams, arranger (John Williams)

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals: “Putin” — Randy Newman, arranger (Randy Newman)

Best Recording Package: tie, “Pure Comedy (Deluxe Edition)” — Sasha Barr, Ed Steed and Josh Tillman, art directors (Father John Misty) and “El Orisha de la Rosa” — Claudio Roncoli and Cactus Taller, art directors (Magín Díaz)

Best Boxed or Special Limited-Edition Package: “The Voyager Golden Record: 40th Anniversary Edition” — Lawrence Azerrad, Timothy Daly and David Pescovitz, art directors (Various Artists)

Best Album Notes: “Live at the Whisky A Go Go: The Complete Recordings” — Lynell George, writer (Otis Redding)

Best Historical Album: “Leonard Bernstein — The Composer” — Robert Russ, compilation producer; Martin Kistner and Andreas K. Meyer, mastering engineers (Leonard Bernstein)

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: “24K Magic” — Serban Ghenea, John Hanes and Charles Moniz, engineers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer (Bruno Mars)

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Greg Kurstin

Best Remixed Recording: “You Move (Latroit Remix)” — Dennis White, remixer (Depeche Mode)

Best Surround Sound Album: “Early Americans” — Jim Anderson, surround mix engineer; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Jim Anderson and Jane Ira Bloom, surround producers (Jane Ira Bloom)

Best Engineered Album, Classical: “Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio” — Mark Donahue, engineer (Manfred Honeck and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Producer of the Year, Classical: David Frost

Best Orchestral Performance: “Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio” — Manfred Honeck, conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Best Opera Recording: “Berg: Wozzeck” — Hans Graf, conductor; Anne Schwanewilms and Roman Trekel; Hans Graf and Brad Sayles, producers (Houston Symphony; Chorus of Students and Alumni, Shepherd School of Music, Rice University and Houston Grand Opera Children’s Chorus)

Best Choral Performance: “Bryars: The Fifth Century” — Donald Nally, conductor (PRISM Quartet and The Crossing)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: “Death & the Maiden” — Patricia Kopatchinskaja and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

Best Classical Instrumental Solo: “Transcendental” — Daniil Trifonov

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album: “Crazy Girl Crazy” — Barbara Hannigan (Ludwig Orchestra)

Best Classical Compendium: “Higdon: All Things Majestic, Viola Concerto & Oboe Concerto” — Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Tim Handley, producer

Best Contemporary Classical Composition: “Viola Concerto” — Jennifer Higdon, composer (Roberto Díaz, Giancarlo Guerrero and Nashville Symphony)

Best Music Video: “HUMBLE.” — Kendrick Lamar

Best Music Film: “The Defiant Ones” — Various Artists

Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” Named Top Film by the Alliance of Women Film Journalists

Guillermo del Toro’s latest project is resonating with the ladies…

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists has selected the 53-year-old Mexican filmmaker’s The Shape of Water as its top film, with del Toro earning top director honors, and Sally Hawkins winning its bravest performance award.

Guillermo del Toro

Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird was also honored with three awards that included best supporting actress for Laurie Metcalf and two awards for Gerwig for best woman director and best woman screenwriter.

The alliance awards are called the EDAs in honor of AWFJ founder Jennifer Merin’s mother, actress Eda Reiss Merin. The Florida Project won two EDA Awards for best supporting actor for Willem Dafoe and best breakthrough performance for Brooklynn Prince.

In the EDA special mention categories, documentary filmmaker Agnes Varda was voted to receive the Actress Defying Age and Ageism Award, while receiving the best documentary award for her film Faces, Places.

Kate Winslet won the organization’s Actress Most in Need of a New Agent for Wonder Wheel and The Mountain Between Us.

The alliance also honored Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd and all women who spoke out against sexual harassment with the EDA Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in the Film Industry. The Annual AWFJ Hall of Shame Award was bestowed upon the high-profile group of those accused of sexual abuse including Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, and Brett Ratner.

“This past year was an important year for women to feel empowered to speak out and be heard,” said Merin. “The need for gender parity and gender diversity in the movie industry is patently clear, and the time to stop sexual harassment in all industries is now. These goals are fundamental to AWFJ’s mission and its core values.

“I am thrilled that for this year’s awards, our AWFJ members voted to honor such a diverse array of talent and to recognize those who are leading with their voices to put an end to long time misconduct, making the 2017 EDA Awards particularly relevant when art and film must be the vanguard of social progress.”

Gloria Estefan Becomes First Cuban-American to Receive Kennedy Center Honors

It’s an extra special honor for Gloria Estefan

The 60-year-old Cuban singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman, who became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1974, was among the honorees at Sunday night’s 40th edition of the Kennedy Center Honors, becoming the first Cuban American to receive the special recognition.

Gloria Estefan

Estefan, a seven-time Grammy winner, was lauded by longtime friend Eva Longoria and received musical love from Jon Secada, the cast of On Your Feet! (the Broadway musical based on the life and music of the honoree and her husband/collaborator Emilio), and Becky G and Chaka Khan, whose rendition of “Coming out of the Dark” was a show highlight.

Estefan received the award from her role model and friend, Rita Moreno.

“This, ladies and gentlemen, is the stuff of the American dream, and Gloria and I are living every, single minute of it,” said in a video shared by Estefan.

During her touching acceptance speech, Estefan said, “Every one of the honorees in this room, in their own beautiful way and by putting their lives as examples, and as beautiful ways of expressing through music, through art, through the film, through dance, showed who we are in this country. And we are that amazing tapestry of so many colors and vibrant backgrounds, and that’s what makes this country great because when you weave those things together, it’s just such a strong force. And we need to keep that alive.”

Marking only the fourth time in four decades the sitting president hasn’t attended the event, Donald Trump in August opted to sit this one out amid several suggested boycotts.

Estefan called Trump’s decision to stay away “very thoughtful… I’m thankful he chose not to come because all he does is overshadow the accomplishments of people who have spent a lifetime trying to do something. It’s kind of a bummer when that moment is overshadowed by politics and controversy, so I’m very thankful he allowed us the freedom to just revel in this accomplishment.”

She said she wished “certain things could be improved” about Trump’s governance, citing in particular his current policies regarding Cuba, from where she and her family emigrated when she was young. “I wish he wouldn’t have pulled back the travel restrictions on Cuba because I think person-to-person travel is incredibly important, although I don’t particularly like the Castros.”

The celebration honoring Estefan, LL Cool JLionel Richie, Norman Lear and dancer/choreographer Carmen de Lavallade was a lively, hitch-free night that will air as a special December 26 on CBS.

Gina Rodriguez Receives Bill of Rights Award from the ACLU of Southern California 

Gina Rodriguez fits the bill

The 33-year-old Puerto Rican actress and Jane the Virgin star was honored Sunday by the ACLU of Southern California at the group’s annual Bill of Rights dinner.

Gina Rodriguez

Rodriguez received the Bill of Rights award for her the tireless efforts she puts toward women’s rights and support for immigration as part of her work.

Throughout her career, Rodriguez has been backed up her beliefs in her professional work, with socially-conscious projects like Jane the Virgin, which earned her a Golden Globe, and upcoming shows like Femme, dealing with millennial feminists; and Illegal, dealing with the current climate surrounding immigrant families.

Last month, she fired both her agency and management company, APA and Primary Wave Entertainment, with both linked in the wave of sexual harassment and abuse scandals plaguing Hollywood, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Rodriguez was tearful in detailing what the ACLU recognition meant to her as a Latino representative.

“For those of us who make our living in Hollywood, the images that affect our fellow humans are our responsibility. So I accept this award and in doing so accept my responsibility to present a positive image to all those who look to me for inspiration. I will never stop trying to make this country a place where people of all races and ethnicities can feel accepted,”  she said.

Others on hand lauded for their outspoken social advocacy included Oscar-winning actresses Viola Davis and Jane Fonda; producers Judd Apatow and Reginald Hudlin; and famed labor leader Dolores Huerta, who was given the Lifetime Advocate for Justice Award.

Bruno Mars Snags Five Trophies at the Soul Train Awards

Bruno Mars is livin’ la vida locomotive

The 32-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer proved to be the big winner at this year’s Soul Train Awards, which celebrate the best in black music and entertainment.

Bruno Mars

Mars topped the list of winners with his five awards, including Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Video of the Year for “24k Magic,” and Song of the Year for “That’s What I Like.”

Mars nearly doubled his career count in a single night, having previously won three Soul Train Awards from 2010-2015.

Meanwhile, Cardi B picked up her first-ever Soul Train Awards trophy. The half-Dominican American rapper won the Rhythm & Bars Award (Formerly Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year) for her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves).”

Solange Knowles was the artist to beat at the star-studded award show with seven nominations and Mars trailing behind her with six. Solange took home just one, as Mars ruled the night with his five trophies.

Here’s the full list of winners:

Don Cornelius Legend Award
Toni Braxton

Lady of Soul Award
SWV

Best New Artist
SZA

Best R&B/Soul Male Artist
Bruno Mars

Best R&B/Soul Female Artist
SZA

Soul Train Certified Award
Bell Biv Devoe; Ledisi

Video of the Year
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”

Best Gospel/ Inspirational Award
Lecrae 

Album/ Mixtape of the Year
Bruno Mars – 24K Magic 

Rhythm & Bars Award (Formerly Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year)
Cardi B – “Bodak Yellow”

​Song of the Year
Bruno Mars – “That’s What I Like”

The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award
“Cranes in the Sky” – Written by: Troy L. John, Solange Knowles, Raphael Saadiq (Solange)

Best Dance Performance
Bruno Mars “24K Magic”

Best Collaboration
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”