• Apple Inc. has struck a multiyear deal with Oprah Winfrey to produce original content, the technology giant announced Friday as the battle for talent among tech titans and traditional studios keeps heating up. Winfrey, one of the most influential voices in media for several decades, is also expected to have an on-screen role in the new Apple programming. The Cupertino, Calif., tech giant has been courting Hollywood to produce original programming for the company, which manufactures streaming devices called Apple TV. The company hopes to compete in entertainment with the likes of Netflix Inc. and Amazon.com Inc., which have been aggressively signing deals with prominent entertainment producers to boost their original content offerings. Landing a deal with Winfrey provides the instant star power that Apple needs to build an audience, analysts say. For Winfrey, the deal provides a chance to expand her audience among consumers who increasingly seek out on-demand programming online. It's unclear what kind of programming Winfrey will produce for Apple. Apple declined to comment beyond its news release. A spokesman for Winfrey also declined to comment.
• John Travolta and Kelly Preston didn't just receive the Gotti family's blessing to make a bio-pic about the late, infamous crime boss John Gotti -- they also were fed well, in true Italian style. "Victoria Gotti made us a gorgeous spread one afternoon. It was awesome," recalled Travolta at the film's premiere Thursday. "We've had quite a few meals. Quite a few great Italian meals," added Preston, who plays Victoria, John Gotti's wife. Gotti, who died in prison in 2002, was head of the Gambino crime family and was convicted of murder and racketeering in 1992. Gotti, which opened in the United States on Friday, had been in the works for years. Travolta said one of the things viewers will take away from the film is how popular Gotti was. "Unlike [John] Dillinger and [Al] Capone, Gotti was loved, and I discovered why he was loved. He was actually like a local Robin Hood, he was a good will factor to many situations, whether it was putting businesses back in the black, and profit again, or supporting families that weren't doing well, or neighborhood celebrations, so they loved him on a personal level," Travolta said. The movie Gotti was sanctioned by the family, and some critics say it's too sympathetic and favorable toward the mafia boss.
A Section on 06/17/2018