MESA, Ariz. (KNXV) — Actor Troy Kotsur’s vehicle was stolen in Mesa, Arizona on Saturday. The vehicle reportedly had his Oscar trophy inside.

Police say they were notified about the theft and were able to locate the vehicle with two juvenile boys inside.

The boys reportedly admitted to stealing the vehicle and were taken into custody. Police say all of Kotsur's property was returned to him.

Mesa Mayor John Giles honored Kotsur, who is from the city, with a key to the city on Thursday evening.

“It is such a special honor to receive the key to the City of Mesa, the place where I was born and raised, and will always consider home. I’m grateful for the love and support of everyone in the community who have stood by me and supported me through the years,” Kotsur said of the honor. “I’m very proud to be able to share this recognition with my family and friends, right here in my hometown.”

Kotsur, the first deaf man to win an Academy Award after his role in CODA, was celebrated at the Mesa Arts Center.

This story was originally reported on abc15.com

Henry Silva, a prolific character actor best known for playing villains and tough guys in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ocean's Eleven” and other films, has died at age 95.Silva's son Scott Silva told Variety that his father died Wednesday of natural causes at the Motion Picture and Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.Silva was a New York City native who dropped out of school as a teenager, in the 1940s. He was accepted the following decade into the Actors Studio, where fellow students included Shelley Winters and Ben Gazzara. He went on to have a long and busy career in film and television, with hundreds of credits before retiring from acting in 2001.He had a breakthrough role on stage and screen in the 1950s as a drug dealer in "A Hatful of Rain” and supporting parts in two of Frank Sinatra's best known movies, both from the early 1960s: “Ocean's Eleven,” the Las Vegas heist film that was a showcase for Sinatra, Dean Martin and other “Rat Pack” members; and “The Manchurian Candidate,” the Cold War thriller about brainwashing and the attempted assassination of a presidential nominee that starred Sinatra, Laurence Harvey and Janet Leigh. (In his last film appearance, Silva was cast in the “Ocean's Eleven” remake from 2000 that starred George Clooney and Brad Pitt).“Our hearts are broken at the loss of our dear friend Henry Silva, one of the nicest, kindest and most talented men I’ve had the pleasure of calling my friend," Dean Martin's daughter, Deana Martin, tweeted. “He was the last surviving star of the original Oceans 11 Movie.”Silva was also seen on such television series as “Wagon Train” and “The F.B.I.,” and in such films as Warren Beatty's “Dick Tracy,” Jerry Lewis' “Cinderfella” and “Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai,” in which he played a mobster in the 1999 release directed by one of his admirers, Jim Jarmusch.

SEATTLE, Wash. — Watching Debra Ann Byrd take the stage is something unforgettable

"It is sometimes a difficult story. Sometimes it's a challenging story, but it is a story of hope," she said, referencing her autobiographical solo show Becoming Othello: A Black girl's journey, performed at Seattle Shakespeare Company.

While her work shows that she was clearly born to take the stage, her journey to it was anything but given to her.

"The every Black girl who had been disenchanted and disillusioned by being told, 'You can't perform the classics,' I wanted to be a voice for them. I wanted to be a voice for the people who feel like they had no hope," she said.

Show business is rarely easy, but the discrimination Debra Ann says she and many Black actors and playwrights face in their theatre careers has been a barrier difficult to overcome.

"I decided somebody has to fix this, and maybe that's somebody's me," she said.

According to the New York Times, the Broadway theater season right before the pandemic featured only two Black playwrights. The season after it and the nationwide racial reckoning, the number increased to 8. This represents some of the progress made in American theatre, especially when it comes to featuring work written by Black playwrights, as the theater is a powerful way to open minds.

"It was very important that people saw, physically saw, people of color on the stage performing the classics because some people don't believe it until they see," she said.

Debra Ann fell in love with Shakespeare in the 90s when she saw a Black troop performing his work. It inspired her to later start a theater company featuring actors of color and to found the Harlem Shakespeare Festival. She herself has played Othello three times. While she's a groundbreaker, she says she's only following history.

"Way back in 1821, before Black people were free from slavery, there were Black people doing Shakespeare in New York," she said. "I can't do it because what? Because you're lying."

Debra Ann believes misconceptions about certain industries or arts shouldn't hold people back, and on this Black History Month, she invites people outside of the Black community to seek out not only performances by people of color but the stories behind what it took to get them to the stage.

"If I can make it visible, if I can make people see it, see us, and not just people of color, mixed race cast, you'll see the stage won't explode. The show becomes alive. It has some salt and some pepper, some paprika, and a little bit of cayenne, and you will see a story that comes alive in a way that you may have not experienced," she said.

Actor Tom Sizemore, known for his roles in "Saving Private Ryan" and "Black Hawk Down" has died weeks after suffering a brain aneurysm, multiple outlets are reporting. He was 61.Earlier this week, Sizemore's family issued a statement saying they were "deciding end-of-life matters" following an update from his doctors. "Today, doctors informed his family that there is no further hope and have recommended end of life decision," the statement said. "We are asking for privacy for his family during this difficult time and they wish to thank everyone for the hundreds of messages of support, and prayers that have been received. This has been a difficult time for them."Sizemore was hospitalized in February and "remained in critical condition, in a coma and in intensive care" from that point forward, according to the family's statement.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

It's a classic love story about a French bulldog and "Superman" star Henry Cavill.

Too bad Cavill doesn't know about it.

About six months ago, Heather Land was watching TV when her French bulldog, Rory, became smitten by Cavill.

Now, every time he's on TV, she moves closer to the screen, seemingly entranced by his voice.

"If he comes on the screen and she hears his voice she will wake up out of a deep sleep and pop up and look for him," Land told CNN.

One video even shows Rory struggling to get out from under the covers to get a closer look.

This is not the norm for Rory, Land said. Many times, Rory isn't excited by people and never used to watch TV.

Now, even if Land displays a photo of Cavill, Rory can't look away.

"I don't think she'd even look at pictures of me like that if I wasn't around and I'm her favorite person," Land said.

Videos of Rory's infatuation had TikTok fans sending so much Cavill-themed merchandise, it's become a shrine of sorts.

"It's just a one-way love story," Land said.

She's hopeful that one day, the two can meet in person.

Actor-comedian Adam Sandler will be honored by comedic and entertainment royalty when he receives the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Sunday night.Video above: Adam Sandler at 2020 OscarsSandler, 56, first came to national attention as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live.” After being fired from the cast following a five-year stint, Sandler launched a wildly successful movie career that has spanned more than 30 films, grossing over $3 billion worldwide.“Adam Sandler has entertained audiences for over three decades with his films, music, and his tenure as a fan favorite cast member on ‘SNL,’” Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter said in a statement when Sandler’s prize was announced in December. “Adam has created characters that have made us laugh, cry, and cry from laughing.”Sandler's top hits include “Happy Gilmore,” “The Wedding Singer” and “You Don't Mess with the Zohan.” Although primarily known for slapstick comedy and overgrown man-child characters, Sandler has also excelled in multiple dramatic roles such as the films "Punch Drunk Love" and “Uncut Gems.”Mark Twain recipients are honored with a night of testimonials and video tributes, often featuring previous award winners. Other comedians receiving the lifetime achievement award include Richard Pryor (the inaugural recipient in 1998), Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett and Dave Chapelle. Bill Cosby, the 2009 recipient, had his Mark Twain Prize rescinded in 2019 amid multiple allegations of sexual assault.The long-running comedy institution "SNL" has provided more than its share of the 24 Mark Twain recipients; Sandler is the seventh cast member to receive the prize, joining Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Will Farrell, Billy Crystal, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louise-Dreyfus. Show creator and producer Lorne Michaels won in 2004.Among those scheduled to honor Sandler on Sunday night, according to the Kennedy Center, are Jennifer Aniston, Judd Apatow, Drew Barrymore, Steve Buscemi, Dana Carvey, Luis Guzmán, Tim Herlihy, Tim Meadows, Idina Menzel, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade and Ben Stiller.The ceremony will be broadcast on March 26.

A popular actor steps out onto the street and is brutally reminded that, despite his fame and wealth, places still exist where the color of his skin and sexual orientation put him in danger.

That was the story that ricocheted around the world after Jussie Smollett, a Black and openly gay actor, reported to Chicago police that he was the victim of a hate crime.

Nearly three years later, Smollett is about to stand trial on charges that he staged the whole thing.

Video above: Smollett has maintained his innocence throughout the process

He was charged with felony disorderly conduct after law enforcement and prosecutors said he lied to police about what happened in the early morning hours of Jan. 29, 2019, in downtown Chicago. He has pleaded not guilty. Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday. Disorderly conduct, a class 4 felony, carries a sentence of up to three years in prison but experts have said it is more likely that if Smollett is convicted he would be placed on probation and perhaps ordered to perform community service.

Smollett told police he was walking home from a Subway sandwich shop at 2 a.m. when two men he said recognized him from the TV show “Empire” began hurling racial and homophobic slurs at him. He said the men struck him, looped a makeshift noose around his neck and shouted, “This is MAGA country,” a reference to then-President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”

Reaction to his reported assault underscored the increasingly polarized political landscape; Democratic politicians and others called it a shocking example of Trump-era bigotry and hate, while Republicans accused liberals of rushing to paint the president's supporters as racists.

Just weeks later came the stunning announcement that Smollett was charged with staging the attack to further his career and secure a higher salary. And, police said, he hired two brothers from Nigeria, to pretend to attack him for $3,500.

This made the spotlight on Smollett shine even brighter, but this time he was vilified as someone willing to use one of the most potent symbol of racism in the U.S. to further his career.

“The most vile and despicable part of it, if it’s true, is the noose,” Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke Jr., who is Black, said during Smollett's first court appearance. “That symbol conjures up such evil in this country’s history.”

Smollett also became a national punch line. He was the subject of a “Saturday Night Live” skit and a host of Black celebrities, from NBA analyst Charles Barkley to comedian Dave Chappelle, took turns poking fun at him.

Then came the anger that Smollett's fame accorded him influence that is out of reach for most. Reports indicated Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, at the request of former first lady Michelle Obama's onetime chief of staff, communicated with a member of Smollett's family early in the investigation. Foxx recused herself from the case then her office suddenly dropped the charges, and Foxx found herself at the center of a media firestorm as she refuted the suggestion that her office gave the television star a break.

All that set the stage for what turned a simple question of Smollett's innocence or guilt into a convoluted legal saga that has dragged on for nearly three years.

The trial was delayed in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought cases around the country to a halt for months. But also, charges were filed, dropped and filed again by a special prosecutor who was brought in to take over the case.

Smollett — whose career has since faded — will this week return to the glare of the media spotlight, but this time as he passes the forest of news cameras as he makes his way to and from court.

The producers of “Empire,” on which he starred for four years, renewed his contract for the sixth and final season in 2019, but he never appeared in an episode. Nor has he released any music or given significant musical performances.

He has, however, directed an independent film, funded by his own production company, that is premiering at the American Black Film Festival this month. The movie, “B-Boy Blues” is an adaptation of a 1994 novel, the first in a series, about the lives of gay Black men in New York.

But once in court, what will unfold will be what may sound like a bad movie for the simple reason that a short movie is exactly what authorities have long maintained Smollett was trying to create.

Key witnesses will be the brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, who say Smollett wrote them a check to stage the attack. They are expected to characterize Smollett as the star and director of an “attack" in full view of a surveillance camera that he mistakenly believed would record the whole event.

And, according to their lawyer, the brothers will also describe how Smollett drove them to the spot where the incident was to play out for a “dress rehearsal.”

“He was telling them ‘Here’s a camera, there’s a camera and here’s where you are going to run away,’” said their lawyer, Gloria Rodriguez.

___

Associated Press reporter Andrew Dalton contributed from Los Angeles.

Harrison Ford lost his credit card during a stay in a beach town near Palermo, Sicily, but got it back thanks to a German tourist, police in Sicily said Saturday.The tourist found a credit card with Ford’s name emblazoned on it Thursday, and turned it in to the local police station in the beach town of Mondello. Officers tracked the actor down and returned the card, police said. It wasn’t clear if the actor was aware that the card had been missing.Italian media published a photo of the smiling actor wearing a T-shirt and what appears to be bathing trunks, holding the card up for the camera alongside two officers and the local commander.Mondello, separated from Palermo by a the 700-meter (2,300-foot) tall Montepellegrino, is known for its long sandy beach and Liberty style villas.

NEW YORK —

Ned Beatty, the indelible character actor whose first film role as a genial vacationer raped by a backwoodsman in 1972's "Deliverance" launched him on a long, prolific and accomplished career, has died. He was 83.

Beatty's manager, Deborah Miller, said Beatty died Sunday of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by friends and loved ones.

After years in regional theater, Beatty was cast in "Deliverance" as Bobby Trippe, the happy-go-lucky member of a male river-boating party terrorized by backwoods thugs. The scene in which Trippe is brutalized became the most memorable in the movie and established Beatty as an actor whose name moviegoers may not have known but whose face they always recognized.

"For people like me, there's a lot of 'I know you! I know you! What have I seen you in?'" Beatty remarked without rancor in 1992.

Beatty received only one Oscar nomination, as supporting actor for his role as corporate executive Arthur Jensen in 1976′s "Network," but he contributed to some of the most popular movies of his time and worked constantly, his credits including more than 150 movies and TV shows.

Beatty's appearance in "Network," scripted by Paddy Chayefsky an directed by Sidney Lumet, was brief but titanic. His three-minute monologue ranks among the greatest in movies. Jensen summons anchorman Howard Beale (Peter Finch) to a long, dimly lit boardroom for a come-to-Jesus about the elemental powers of media.

"You have meddled with the primal forces of nature, Mr. Beale, and I won't have it!" Beatty shouts from across the boardroom before explaining that there is no America, no democracy. "There is only IBM and ITT and AT&T and DuPont, Dow, Union Carbide, and Exxon. Those are the nations of the world today."

He was equally memorable as Otis, the idiot henchman of villainous Lex Luthor in the first two Christopher Reeve "Superman" movies and as the racist sheriff in "White Lightning." Other films included "All The President's Men," "The Front Page," "Nashville," and "The Big Easy." In a 1977 interview, he had explained why he preferred being a supporting actor.

"Stars never want to throw the audience a curveball, but my great joy is throwing curveballs," he said. "Being a star cuts down on your effectiveness as an actor because you become an identifiable part of a product and somewhat predictable. You have to mind your P's and Q's and nurture your fans. But I like to surprise the audience, to do the unexpected."

He landed a rare leading role in the Irish film "Hear My Song" in 1991. The true story of legendary Irish tenor Josef Locke, who disappeared at the height of a brilliant career, it was well reviewed but largely unseen in the United States. Between movies, Beatty worked often in TV and theater. He had recurring roles in "Roseanne" as John Goodman's father and as a detective on "Homicide: Life on the Streets."

On Broadway he won critical praise (and a Drama Desk Award) for his portrayal of Big Daddy in a revival of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," a role he had first played as a 21-year-old in a stock company production. He created controversy, however, when he was quoted in The New York Times on the skills of his young co-stars, Ashley Judd and Jason Patric.

"Ashley is a sweetie," he said, "and yet she doesn't have a lot of tools." Of Patric, he remarked: "He's gotten better all the time, but his is a different journey." His more recent movies included "Toy Story 3" in 2010 and two releases from 2013, "The Big Ask" and "Baggage Claim." He retired soon after.

Ned Thomas Beatty was born in 1937 in Louisville, Ky., and raised in Lexington, where he joined the Protestant Disciples of Christ Christian Church. "It was the theater I attended as a kid," he told The Associated Press in 1992. "It was where people got down to their truest emotions and talked about things they didn't talk about in everyday life. ... The preaching was very often theatrical." For a time he thought of becoming a priest, but changed his mind after he was cast in a high school production of "Harvey."

He spent 10 summers at the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia, and eight years at the Arena Stage Company in Washington, D.C. At the Arena Stage, he appeared in Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" and starred in Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman." Then his life changed forever when he took a train to New York to audition for director John Boorman for the role of Bobby Trippe. Boorman told him the role was cast, but changed his mind after seeing Beatty audition.

Beatty, who married Sandra Johnson in 1999, had eight children from three previous marriages.