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Eurovision Host Austria Backs Israel’s Participation, Aims to Stage Record Event

A view of the main hall of Wiener Stadthalle the venue of next year's Eurovision Song Contest, in Vienna, Austria, November 18, 2025. (Reuters)
A view of the main hall of Wiener Stadthalle the venue of next year's Eurovision Song Contest, in Vienna, Austria, November 18, 2025. (Reuters)
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Eurovision Host Austria Backs Israel’s Participation, Aims to Stage Record Event

A view of the main hall of Wiener Stadthalle the venue of next year's Eurovision Song Contest, in Vienna, Austria, November 18, 2025. (Reuters)
A view of the main hall of Wiener Stadthalle the venue of next year's Eurovision Song Contest, in Vienna, Austria, November 18, 2025. (Reuters)

Austrian national broadcaster ORF, which will host next year's Eurovision Song Contest, said it wants Israel to take part despite several countries' objections and hopes it can host the biggest event in years despite boycott threats.

Eurovision, an annual feast of pop music and high camp from around Europe and as far afield as Australia, became embroiled in a dispute over the war in Gaza in 2025 and 2024 and was hit by street protests over Israel's participation.

The national broadcasters of five countries - the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland, Ireland and Spain - have called for Israel to be excluded from the contest over the number of civilians killed during Israel's war against Hamas.

Those broadcasters have said they will boycott the 70th song contest in Vienna or consider not taking part if Israel does.

"Now is the time for diplomacy," ORF Director General Roland Weissmann told a press conference when asked about talks ahead of next month's annual meeting of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), at which the issue will be discussed and potentially voted on.

The EBU is an alliance of public broadcasters that organizes and co-produces the annual event.

"We have used the time wisely, we have held diplomatic talks behind the scenes, and I am very, very optimistic that we will have a record number of participating broadcasters," he added.

Austria and Germany are among Israel's staunchest allies in the European Union, on account of their historical atonement for the Nazi Holocaust. They hope a US-brokered ceasefire that took effect in Gaza on October 10 will soften opposition to Israel taking part.

Hamas-led fighters took 251 hostages during the October 7 attacks on southern Israel and killed another 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed nearly 69,000 Palestinians, health officials in the enclave say.

Three countries' broadcasters are likely to rejoin the song contest next year, organizers said: Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova. They withdrew over costs. Canada has also been reportedly considering joining, which would make it the Americas' first participant.

Asked if Canada should join, Weissmann said: "Hurrah, hurrah, Canada! Yes, of course. Everyone is welcome. We are happy to host the world."

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Entertainment

Oscar-Winner Sean Penn Skips Ceremony to Visit Kyiv

In this handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on March 16, 2026, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) meets with US actor Sean Penn (R) at his office in Kyiv, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Handout / Ukrainian Presidential Press Service / AFP)
In this handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on March 16, 2026, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) meets with US actor Sean Penn (R) at his office in Kyiv, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Handout / Ukrainian Presidential Press Service / AFP)
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Oscar-Winner Sean Penn Skips Ceremony to Visit Kyiv

In this handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on March 16, 2026, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) meets with US actor Sean Penn (R) at his office in Kyiv, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Handout / Ukrainian Presidential Press Service / AFP)
In this handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on March 16, 2026, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) meets with US actor Sean Penn (R) at his office in Kyiv, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Handout / Ukrainian Presidential Press Service / AFP)

Sean Penn, who won an Oscar for best supporting actor for "One Battle After Another" on Sunday, was in Ukraine on Monday where he met President Volodymyr Zelensky in a show of support for the war-torn country.

An AFP reporter saw the "Mystic River" star getting out of a black car in central Kyiv earlier Monday, wearing sunglasses and carrying a box of cigarettes.

Penn -- a vocal advocate for Ukraine who has visited the country several times -- on Sunday won his third acting Oscar but was not at the ceremony.

"We can say that he's in Ukraine, but it's his personal visit; that's how he sees it, that he needs to be in Ukraine," a senior Ukrainian official told AFP, adding: "He just wants to support Ukraine."

Penn -- who co-directed a 2023 documentary about Zelensky -- met the Ukrainian president on Monday.

"Sean, thanks to you, we know what a true friend of Ukraine is," Zelensky said on social media, posting a picture of the pair sat down in the president's office.

"You have stood with Ukraine since the first day of the full-scale war. This is still true today," Zelensky said.

In an interview with AFP in February, Zelensky listed "One Battle After Another", starring Penn, among his most recently watched movies and said he "liked it".

A second source told AFP that the actor was also "planning to go to the front" in eastern Ukraine.

The film Penn co-directed, an admiring portrait of Zelensky about his rise from comedian to war leader when Russia invaded in 2022, premiered at the Berlin film festival in 2023.

In 2025, Penn and rock star Bono made an impassioned plea at the Cannes film festival for the West to stand by Ukraine, posing for pictures on the red carpet with Ukrainian soldiers.

Entertainment

‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Wins Best Animated Feature Oscar

Maggie Kang, from left, Chris Appelhans, and Michelle L.M. Wong, winners of the award for animated feature film for "K-pop Demon Hunters," pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Maggie Kang, from left, Chris Appelhans, and Michelle L.M. Wong, winners of the award for animated feature film for "K-pop Demon Hunters," pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
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‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Wins Best Animated Feature Oscar

Maggie Kang, from left, Chris Appelhans, and Michelle L.M. Wong, winners of the award for animated feature film for "K-pop Demon Hunters," pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Maggie Kang, from left, Chris Appelhans, and Michelle L.M. Wong, winners of the award for animated feature film for "K-pop Demon Hunters," pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

“KPop Demon Hunters” won the Oscar for best animated feature on Sunday, capping a record-breaking run after becoming Netflix’s most-watched film ever on its 2025 debut.

"For those of you who look like me, I'm so sorry that it took us so long to see us in a movie like this, but it is here," Reuters quoted director Maggie Kang ⁠as saying on stage. ⁠She said the win was for Korea and for Koreans everywhere.

The action-packed feature was also nominated for best original song for “Golden,” written by EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick. The film follows Huntrix — Rumi, Mira and Zoey — ⁠a global KPop girl group who juggle superstardom with their secret lives as demon hunters.

The animated musical fantasy previously swept major awards, winning best animated feature and best song at the 31st Critics Choice Awards and best animated motion picture and best original song at the 83rd Golden Globes.

Animated by Sony Pictures Animation, the Netflix hit also earned a Grammy ⁠for ⁠best song written for visual media, marking the first-ever Grammy win for a KPop song.

Directed by Kang and Chris Appelhans, the film’s soundtrack has trended worldwide. In a January 2026 press its most-watched title over a six-month period with 482 million views and 32 million views for the film's lyric videos.

Other nominees in the best animated feature category included “Zootopia 2,” “Arco,” “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain" and "Elio."

Entertainment

With Oscar Race Locked, Actresses Celebrate Backstage Anyway

Emma Stone spent some of the Oscars in the bar on the ground floor, a well known spot to mingle with the people who matter in Hollywood. ANGELA WEISS / AFP
Emma Stone spent some of the Oscars in the bar on the ground floor, a well known spot to mingle with the people who matter in Hollywood. ANGELA WEISS / AFP
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With Oscar Race Locked, Actresses Celebrate Backstage Anyway

Emma Stone spent some of the Oscars in the bar on the ground floor, a well known spot to mingle with the people who matter in Hollywood. ANGELA WEISS / AFP
Emma Stone spent some of the Oscars in the bar on the ground floor, a well known spot to mingle with the people who matter in Hollywood. ANGELA WEISS / AFP

At an Oscars full of nerve-shreddingly tight races, best actress was one of Sunday night's few entirely predictable categories.

Pundits were -- correctly -- unanimous that Jessie Buckley would win for her tear-jerking turn as William Shakespeare's wife in "Hamnet."

But that did not stop her rival nominees enjoying the night -- if anything, they were the life and soul of the party.

Emma Stone, a two-time best actress winner already, spent much of the ceremony happily chatting backstage with friends and admirers in the theater's most exclusive lobby.

"The bar is the place!" Stone, nominated for her role in conspiracy theory thriller "Bugonia," told AFP.

Indeed, while the Oscars are being handed out in the adjoining theater, the Dolby Theater's ground-floor bar is renowned as a free-flowing gossip, networking and champagne spot for the industry's movers and shakers.

Stone jokingly admitted she wasn't sure exactly how many Academy Awards she'd attended, but by now knew where to wait for her category to come up.

For Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve, it was a second trip to Hollywood's top awards show, but a first as an acting nominee.

She came to the Oscars four years ago for best foreign film contender "The Worst Person in the World," but was personally recognized this time for "Sentimental Value."

"It's so much more chill this time -- this time I actually know people!" she told AFP.

Moments later, she effusively greeted Pedro Pascal like an old friend. He promptly stepped on her toe as they embraced and profusely apologized, to mutual laughter.

After her fellow supporting actor and actress nominees had missed out in their early categories, the film's Norwegian team gathered at the bar again with their plus ones.

"Last time I couldn't bring a guest. This time, I got to bring my sister," the Norwegian star added.

Reinsve predictably lost best actress, but the whole gang took to the stage as "Sentimental Value" won best international film.

"It's about a very dysfunctional family, and it's the opposite of what I felt of this beautiful group behind me," said director Joachim Trier, from the stage.

'Exciting'

This year, the Oscars bar's raucous chatter was muted temporarily by the moving tribute to Rob Reiner and the start of the "In Memoriam" section honoring Hollywood legends who died this year.

There was spontaneous applause when Catherine O'Hara, star most recently of Hollywood satire "The Studio," was shown on screens.

Inside the theater, wins for "Sinners" consistently drew the loudest cheers from the in-person audience, with even those in the nosebleed seats rising to a standing ovation when Michael B. Jordan won best actor.

"It's so much more chill this time -- this time I actually know people!" she told AFP.

Moments later, she effusively greeted Pedro Pascal like an old friend. He promptly stepped on her toe as they embraced and profusely apologized, to mutual laughter.

After her fellow supporting actor and actress nominees had missed out in their early categories, the film's Norwegian team gathered at the bar again with their plus ones.

"Last time I couldn't bring a guest. This time, I got to bring my sister," the Norwegian star added.

Reinsve predictably lost best actress, but the whole gang took to the stage as "Sentimental Value" won best international film.

"It's about a very dysfunctional family, and it's the opposite of what I felt of this beautiful group behind me," said director Joachim Trier, from the stage.

'Exciting'

This year, the Oscars bar's raucous chatter was muted temporarily by the moving tribute to Rob Reiner and the start of the "In Memoriam" section honoring Hollywood legends who died this year.

There was spontaneous applause when Catherine O'Hara, star most recently of Hollywood satire "The Studio," was shown on screens.

Inside the theater, wins for "Sinners" consistently drew the loudest cheers from the in-person audience, with even those in the nosebleed seats rising to a standing ovation when Michael B. Jordan won best actor.