Springsteen Rocks with Jon Bon Jovi at Pre-Grammys Tribute

Honoree Jon Bon Jovi waves onstage during the MusiCares Person of the Year Gala in Los Angeles, California, US, February 2, 2024. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Honoree Jon Bon Jovi waves onstage during the MusiCares Person of the Year Gala in Los Angeles, California, US, February 2, 2024. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
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Springsteen Rocks with Jon Bon Jovi at Pre-Grammys Tribute

Honoree Jon Bon Jovi waves onstage during the MusiCares Person of the Year Gala in Los Angeles, California, US, February 2, 2024. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Honoree Jon Bon Jovi waves onstage during the MusiCares Person of the Year Gala in Los Angeles, California, US, February 2, 2024. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Bruce Springsteen and other music stars paid tribute to rocker Jon Bon Jovi on Friday at an annual pre-Grammys fundraiser, putting their spin on hits such as "Blaze of Glory" from the singer's extensive rock catalog.
Bon Jovi founded a band of the same name in 1983 in New Jersey and helped define the guitar-heavy rock of the 1980s. The 61-year-old was chosen as this year's Person of the Year by MusiCares, a charitable arm of the Recording Academy that raises funds to help musicians with health care and other needs.
Springsteen, also from New Jersey, joined Bon Jovi on stage in downtown Los Angeles for a duet of "Who Says You Can't Go Home?" Both played guitar and sang. In the audience, former Beatle Paul McCartney stood and clapped his hands above his head.
Springteen's mother, Adele Springsteen, died on Wednesday at age 98. Bon Jovi said he would have understood if Springsteen, who he called a friend and mentor, had canceled his appearance.
"But he wanted to be here tonight for MusiCares, and he wanted to be here tonight for me, and I'm forever grateful," Bon Jovi said, according to reuters.
Bon Jovi also talked about the importance of music in his life. "Every time I strum my guitar, I'm reminded that I have a best friend for life. That instrument will never let you down," he said.
During a three-hour tribute, fellow '80s rocker Sammy Hagar belted "You Give Love a Bad Name," folk-rock musician Melissa Etheridge sang "Blaze of Glory" and singer-songwriter Jason Isbell performed "Wanted Dead or Alive."
Other performers included country singer Jelly Roll and husband-and-wife duo The War and Treaty, two acts competing for best new artist at Sunday's Grammys.
Bon Jovi applauded the performances and laughed at jabs from host Jim Gaffigan about the singer's big hair and over-the-top clothing of the 1980s. Gaffigan joked that Bon Jovi and his band looked like "a gang of aerobics instructors" at the time.
The night ended with the all-star lineup gathering on stage with Bon Jovi for rock anthem "Livin' On a Prayer."
Past MusiCares honorees have included Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, Tony Bennett, Billy Joel and Fleetwood Mac.



‘The Brutalist’ Cast Beams over Breadth of Film’s Story

 This image released by A24 shows Adrien Brody in a scene from "The Brutalist." (Lol Crawley/A24 via AP)
This image released by A24 shows Adrien Brody in a scene from "The Brutalist." (Lol Crawley/A24 via AP)
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‘The Brutalist’ Cast Beams over Breadth of Film’s Story

 This image released by A24 shows Adrien Brody in a scene from "The Brutalist." (Lol Crawley/A24 via AP)
This image released by A24 shows Adrien Brody in a scene from "The Brutalist." (Lol Crawley/A24 via AP)

The cast of the film “The Brutalist” is giving their director Brady Corbet all the credit when it comes to the strong acclaim for the movie.

“He's a special filmmaker because he focuses on psychology and behavior and those things that we as actors are genuinely interested in,” said Guy Pearce, who plays wealthy industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren.

“So, it was a real treat from start to finish,” he added.

The movie is an epic tale of a Hungarian immigrant who flees the horrors of World War Two to rebuild his life in the United States, and stars Oscar-winner Adrien Brody in the leading role of the architect Laszlo Toth.

"The Brutalist", which has a three-hour and 35-minute runtime and comes with a 15-minute intermission, was co-written by Corbet's wife, Mona Fastvold.

It was successful at the Venice International Film Festival earlier this year, with Corbet winning the best director prize.

The film, distributed by A24, arrives in movie theaters on Dec. 20 in the United States.

Brody, who had read the script nearly six years ago, expressed his deep connection to the story and his character through both his Hungarian-born mother and grandfather.

“Her [his mother’s] journey as an artist, her pursuits as an artist are deeply profound and linked to this,” he said.

For Brody, the role connected him with his mother’s yearning to leave something of great meaning behind, which was enhanced when contrasted with an understanding of hardship.

He also thought of his own grandfather's struggles with language and assimilation as a foreigner without work opportunities or respect.

“That (respect) was lost and taken from him,” Brody added.

His grandfather, fleeing from home due to the war, largely shaped the actor’s perspective of his role.

For “The Theory of Everything” actress Felicity Jones, who portrays Toth’s wife in the film, Erzsebet Toth, some of the most compelling aspects of the film are its characters and unique storytelling style.

“These characters, particularly Laszlo and Erzsebet, you know, they're doing everything they can to preserve their integrity and their self-worth,” she said.

Brody was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for best performance for a male actor in a motion picture drama and is receiving Oscar buzz for his role.

For “The Pianist” actor, having a strong team was key to the power of the film.

“In order to do work on this level, you need all of those to conspire with you and not against you,” Brody said.