Actors

Sidney Poitier, pictured here in 2006 at the Cannes Film Festival, died Friday, January 7. He was 94. 

How Sidney Poitier Rewrote the Script for Black Actors in Hollywood

Smithsonian curators reflect on the legacy of the late Poitier, who starred in 'In the Heat of the Night' and 'Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner'

Being the Ricardos features Nicole Kidman (left) as Lucille Ball and Javier Bardem (right) as Desi Arnaz.

Based on a True Story

The True History Behind 'Being the Ricardos'

Aaron Sorkin's new film dramatizes three pivotal moments in the lives of comedy legends Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz

The Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk, Maine, hosts an "All Souls Walk" at the town's Hope Cemetery.

In Cemeteries Across the Country, Reenactors Are Resurrecting the Dead

Gravesite readings and performances keep the stories of the dearly departed alive for a new generation

Production still from "Reservation Dogs."

'Reservation Dogs' Marks a Breakthrough for Indigenous Representation Onscreen

"Thor: Ragnarok" director Taika Waititi and Sterlin Harjo developed a comedy about Native American teens in Oklahoma that stars four young Native actors

Some of the details between the film and its source material are, of course, different, but the themes at their respective hearts remain consistent.

'The Green Knight' Adopts a Medieval Approach to 'Modern' Problems

A new film starring Dev Patel as Gawain feels more like a psychological thriller than a period drama

A publicity still from The Wizard of Oz. A lecturer at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. recently stumbled onto one of the costumes worn by Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale in the 1939 film.

Cool Finds

Judy Garland's Long-Lost 'Wizard of Oz' Dress Rediscovered After Decades

A lecturer at Catholic University discovered the rare costume wrapped in a trash bag in a drama department office

The Forever Marilyn statue's June 20 unveiling attracted protesters who view Seward Johnson's 26-foot-tall sculpture as an outdated symbol of sexism.

Why a Newly Installed Statue of Marilyn Monroe Is So Controversial

In the era of #MeToo, some view the sculpture—now on view in California—as a symbol of sexism

This drawing of a performance of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus has given scholars an understanding of how blackface was used in Elizabethan England.

Blackface Is Older Than You Might Think

From medieval European theater troupes to American minstrelsy, the harmful tradition has a surprisingly long history

The costume worn by Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther during his Marvel Studios debut (2016's Captain America: Civil War), from the collection of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

How Black Panther Changed Comic Books (and Wakanda) Forever

The Marvel superhero pounced on the scene in the '60s and never looked back

Olivia de Havilland's 1943 legal victory against Warner Bros. contributed to the downfall of the Hollywood studio system.

Olivia de Havilland, Star of Hollywood's Golden Age, Dies at 104

The actress is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Melanie Hamilton in "Gone With the Wind"

Painting of Charlotte Cushman, 1843, by Thomas Sully

LGBTQ+ Pride

Charlotte Cushman Broke Barriers on Her Way to Becoming the A-List Actress of the 1800s

In the role of a lifetime, the queer performer was one of the first practitioners of 'method' acting

Filmmaker Taika Waititi will lead celebrities in a virtual reading of Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach to raise funds for the fight against COVID-19.

Education During Coronavirus

Join Meryl Streep, Taika Waititi for Roald Dahl Charity Read-Along

Mindy Kaling, Liam and Chris Hemsworth, and Benedict Cumberbatch are among the celebrities collaborating to raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts

Patrick Stewart attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards.

Education During Coronavirus

Hear Daily Shakespeare Sonnets Recited by Patrick Stewart

The classically trained actor is reading a sonnet a day on Instagram

Actor Kirk Douglas, seen here around 1950, died Wednesday, February 5, at the age of 103.

Kirk Douglas, Towering Icon of Hollywood's Golden Age, Dies at 103

A mainstay of 1950s and '60s cinema, Douglas was one of Classic Hollywood's last surviving stars

TV's "Julia" premiered on September 17, 1968 and the show was an instant hit, winning actress Diahann Carroll (above with Marc Copage as Corey Baker) the Golden Globe Award for best actress in a comedy in its first season.

Was the 1968 TV Show 'Julia' a Milestone or a Millstone for Diversity?

Diahann Carroll's award-winning series was a hit, but it delivered a sanitized view of African-American life

In guises ranging from draconian schoolmarm to misanthropic homeless man, Blanchett (above: giving the eulogy at a funeral) performs monologues assembled from excerpts of artistic manifestos.

Cate Blanchett Dons 13 Guises in This Daring Art Installation

Julian Rosefeldt’s “Manifesto,” on view at the Hirshhorn, puts a satiric spin on art history’s seminal texts

Cameramen film the scene as Charles Manson is brought into the Los Angeles city jail under suspicion of having masterminded the Tate-LaBianca murders of August 1969.

What You Need to Know About the Manson Family Murders

Behind the scenes of the brutal crimes lurking throughout Quentin Tarantino's new film, 'Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood'

American actor Doris Day with mutt co-star Hobo on the set of director Charles Walters's film, 'Please Don't Eat the Daisies'.

Hitting the High Notes: A Smithsonian Year of Music

Doris Day's Biggest Hit Is a Song She Could Have Done Without

"Que Sera, Sera" is synonomous with the actress and singer who died on Monday at age 97, though she was never a fan of the tune she called 'a kiddie song'

The Italian poster was created for Lamarr's 1946 World War II film, I Conspiratori (The Conspirators). Her image reflects the allure that led to her being called the “most beautiful woman in the world.”

Ingenious Women

Thank This World War II-Era Film Star for Your Wi-Fi

As the National Portrait Gallery acquires a film poster of Hedy Lamarr, it’s worth reflecting on her double life as an actress and a pioneering inventor

Rami Malek, Olivia Colman, Regina King and Mahershala Ali pose with the Oscars they won for acting at the 91st Academy Awards.

Actors’ Brain Activity May Change When They Are in Character

A new study of actors' brain activity suggests that they may 'lose themselves' when performing

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