culture

Raider of the lost hearth: Alexander Skarsgård rages for revenge, and his erstwhile homeland, in The Northman.

Arts

In Viking epic 'The Northman,' life is nasty, brutish and short-tempered

5:00am April 20, 2022

by Glen Weldon

Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse) captures both the stark beauty and brutality of the Vikings in his latest film, which tamps down his experimental impulses to tell a familiar revenge tale.

Johnny Depp sued Amber Heard after The Washington Post published her opinion piece, which Depp's lawyers say falsely implies that she was physically and sexually abused by Depp when the actors were married.

Arts

Johnny Depp in court says he has never struck any woman in his life

9:01pm April 19, 2022

Depp says in court: "Never did I myself reach the point of striking Ms. Heard in any way, nor have I ever struck any woman in my life."

Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross in the series finale episode of Black-ish, "Homegoing."

Arts

The legacy of ABC's 'Black-ish': Presenting a Black TV family that isn't a monolith

6:35pm April 19, 2022

by Eric Deggans

The sitcom ends Tuesday after eight seasons.

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A woman walks next to a damaged building after a Russian bombardment in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday. Russia ratcheted up its battle for control of Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland on Tuesday, intensifying assaults on cities and towns along a front

Russia-Ukraine war: What happened today (April 19)

5:02pm April 19, 2022

by NPR Staff

A roundup of key developments and the latest in-depth coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Tim McGraw says he and his wife Faith Hill never sat down to rehearse their lines together for the Paramount+ series 1883: "We didn't want to bring so much of Tim and Faith into our characters. We wanted it to remain Margaret and James."

Country star Tim McGraw travels back in time to '1883' with wife Faith Hill

2:14pm April 19, 2022

by Dave Davies

The Paramount+ series is the first time McGraw and Hill have appeared together on screen. Before they filmed, they attended "cowboy camp," to learn the basics of riding horses and driving wagons.

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A visitor reads a book at a book fair during a Publishers Forum in Lviv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. A regional council in western Ukraine had passed a motion to ban all Russian-language books, films and songs in the region.

Russian invasion upends young, flourishing Ukrainian publishing industry

5:00am April 19, 2022

by Jim Zarroli

After the Crimea invasion, a backlash against Russian books filled with propaganda led to the growth of Ukraine's own book industry. But Russia's latest attacks and Covid have created major obstacles.

An undated portrait of the late Romanian pianist Radu Lupu. Lupu died Sunday at age 76 in Lausanne, France.

Radu Lupu, celebrated Romanian pianist, dies at age 76

8:07pm April 18, 2022

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

A pianist widely admired by his fellow artists, Radu Lupu was known for his interpretations of Brahms, Schubert, Mozart and Beethoven, among others. Lupu retired from performing in 2019.

Encore from NPR's 'Life Kit': The secret to a clean room is mastering the basics

4:26pm April 18, 2022

by Kavitha Cardoza

If you're noticing the dust on the bookshelf or the crumbs on the floor, here are tips and tricks from NPR's Life Kit for how to clean better, starting with your bedroom.

English composer Harrison Birtwistle, seen in 2002, has died, his publisher confirmed on Monday.

Harrison Birtwistle, an influential English composer, has died at age 87

3:33pm April 18, 2022

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

Known for his sonic brashness and unyielding artistic vision, Birtwistle was awarded a British knighthood in 1988. He was one of the U.K.'s most prominent composers for decades.

Bright and cheerful, the Playdate fits in the palm of your hand.

Arts

Review: Playdate console offers pocket-sized gaming, a hand crank and nostalgia

1:57pm April 18, 2022

by Keller Gordon

A new handheld console doesn't have the appeal of the Nintendo Switch or the power of the Steam Deck, but it's got nostalgia and novelty galore.