Oscar-Nominated Actor Ned Beatty Dies, Aged 83

File photo of Ned Beatty
File photo of Ned Beatty
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Oscar-Nominated Actor Ned Beatty Dies, Aged 83

File photo of Ned Beatty
File photo of Ned Beatty

Ned Beatty, the prolific and Oscar-nominated character actor known for roles in "Network," "Superman" and "Toy Story 3," has died aged 83, US media reported Sunday.

"Ned passed away from natural causes Sunday morning, surrounded by his family and loved ones," Shelter Entertainment Group talent manager Deborah Miller said, according to CNN.

The Kentucky native made his big-screen debut in the 1972 film "Deliverance."

That film, in which Beatty won attention for his performance in a humiliating rape scene, started a film career which would continue until 2013.

Other productions on his long list of credits include "Superman," "All the President's Men," and the acclaimed TV series "Homicide: Life on the Street."

Younger movie fans will recall his 2010 turn as the menacing teddy bear Lotso in "Toy Story 3," which was nominated for best picture at the Oscars.

Lee Unkrich, who directed the film, tweeted that it "was a joy and an incredible honor to work with him."

"Thanks, Ned, for bringing Lotso to life — both his good side and his not-so-good side," he added. "We'll miss you."

It was Beatty's role in "Network" that won him his first and only Oscar nod, for best supporting actor, a performance that included a memorably cynical monologue on dollars, cents and "the primal forces of nature".

Tweeting after news of Beatty's death broke, the actor and director Seth Rogen called it "one of the greatest monologues ever in a movie."

Alex Winter, who starred in the "Bill & Ted" films, called Beatty "one of the greats."



Tomorrowland Music Festival Opens after its Main Stage was Destroyed by Huge Fire

The burned main stage is seen at the Tomorrowland music festival in Boom, Belgium, Friday, July 18, 2025, two days after a huge fire destroyed the stage on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)
The burned main stage is seen at the Tomorrowland music festival in Boom, Belgium, Friday, July 18, 2025, two days after a huge fire destroyed the stage on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)
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Tomorrowland Music Festival Opens after its Main Stage was Destroyed by Huge Fire

The burned main stage is seen at the Tomorrowland music festival in Boom, Belgium, Friday, July 18, 2025, two days after a huge fire destroyed the stage on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)
The burned main stage is seen at the Tomorrowland music festival in Boom, Belgium, Friday, July 18, 2025, two days after a huge fire destroyed the stage on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Fans roared in excitement and organizers sighed with relief as the Tomorrowland music festival kicked off Friday — just two days after a massive fire engulfed the main stage and threw one of Europe's biggest summer concert events into doubt.

Workers labored around the clock to clear out the debris from the elaborate backdrop that was consumed in Wednesday's fire.

Shouting ‘’We made it!'', the festival's opening performers, Australian electronic music group Nervo, were able to take to the main stage Friday after a last-minute scramble and slight delay. Some charred frames were still visible behind them.

No one was hurt in the fire, organizers said. The causes are being investigated.
Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world attend Tomorrowland's annual multi-day festival outside the Belgian town of Boom.

Some 38,000 people were camping at the festival site Friday, Tomorrowland spokesperson Debby Wilmsen said.

’’Maybe there are some few people that say, OK, we would like to have a refund, but it’s only like a very small percentage because most of them are still coming to the festival,” she told AP.

“It is all about unity, and I think with a good vibe and a positive energy that our festival-goers give to each other and the music we offer, I think they will still have a good time,″ she said. ’’We really tried our best.″

Australian fans Zak Hiscock and Brooke Antoniou — who traveled half the world to see the famed festival as part of a summer holiday in Europe — described hearing about the fire.

“We were sitting having dinner when we actually heard the news of the stage burning down. We were very devastated and shattered, quite upset because we travelled a long way,'' Hiscock said.

Ukrainian visitor Oleksandr Beshkynskyi shared their joy that the festival went ahead as planned.

‘’It’s not just about the one DJ or two DJs you’re looking to see, but about all the mood and about the dream being alive," Beshkynskyi said.