title: America's Cup

text: Lipton died in 1931, and English aviation industrialist Sir Thomas Sopwith bought "Shamrock V" with the intent of preparing the next challenge. To Nicholson's skills, he added aeronautical expertise and materials that would intensify the rivalry into a technological race. In 1934, the Royal Yacht Squadron issued a challenge for Sopwith's newly built challenger "Endeavour". Being steel-plated, she was less disfavoured than "Shamrock V", especially after a minimum mast weight limit was set to , as this made American duralumin technology less advantageous for this contest. "Endeavour" received significant innovations, but Sopwith failed to secure the services of his entire "Shamrock V" professional crew due to a pay strike. He hired amateurs to complete his team, and while the "Endeavour" was described unanimously as the faster boat in the Cup, taking the first two races, failed tactics and crew inexperience lost her the following four races to Vanderbilt's new defender "Rainbow".


title: America's Cup

text: To challenge again, Sopwith prepared himself a year early. In 1936, Nicholson designed and built the "Endeavour II" to the maximum waterline length allowed, and numerous updates to the rig made her even faster than her predecessor. A change in the America's Cup rules now allowed a contending yacht to be declared 30 days before the races, so both the "Endeavour" and "Endeavour II" were shipped to Newport, where the RYS held selection series before declaring "Endeavour II" as the challenger. Meanwhile, Harold S. Vanderbilt, taking all syndicate defense costs to himself, commissioned Starling Burgess and the young designer Olin Stephens to provide designs. They anonymously produced three designs each, and thoroughly tank-tested boat models of the six designs, until model 77-C was selected for its projected performance in light airs. The resulting defender "Ranger" was even more accomplished than her challenger, and Vanderbilt steered his last J-Class boat to a straight victory.


title: America's Cup

text: The J-class yachts from the 1930s remained the default for the cup, but post-war economic realities meant that no-one could afford to challenge in this hugely expensive class. As twenty years had passed since the last challenge, the NYYC looked for a cheaper alternative in order to restart interest in the cup. In 1956 Henry Sears led an effort to replace the J-class yachts with 12-metre class yachts, which are approximately in overall length.


title: America's Cup

text: The first post-war challenge was in 1958, again from the British. Briggs Cunningham, the inventor of the Cunningham sail control device, as skipper with Sears as navigator led "Columbia" to victory against "Sceptre", which was designed by David Boyd at Alexander Robertson & Sons, for a Royal Yacht Squadron Syndicate, chaired by Hugh Goodson.


title: America's Cup

text: The first Australian challenge was in 1962, when "Gretel" lost to the NYYC's "Weatherly", designed by Philip Rhodes and helmed by Emil Mosbacher.


title: America's Cup

text: A second Boyd/Robertson challenger, "Sovereign", lost to the Olin Stephens–designed "Constellation" in 1964. In 1967, another Australian challenger, "Dame Pattie," lost to the innovative Olin Stephens design "Intrepid", skippered again by Emil Mosbacher (which won again in 1970, to become the second yacht, after "Columbia" of 1899–1901, to defend the Cup twice).


title: America's Cup

text: For the 1970 America's Cup, interest in challenging was so high that the NYYC allowed the Challenger of Record (the original yacht club presenting the challenge accepted for the match) to organize a regatta among multiple challengers with the winner being substituted as challenger and going on to the cup match. This innovation has been used ever since, except for the default deed of gift matches in 1988 and 2010.


title: America's Cup

text: Alan Bond, an Australian businessman, made three unsuccessful challenges between 1974 and 1980. In 1974 the cup was successfully defended by "Courageous", which successfully defended again in 1977, at which time she was skippered by Ted Turner. In 1980 the Cup was defended by "Freedom".


title: America's Cup

text: Bond returned in 1983 for a fourth challenge, complete with a symbolic golden wrench which he claimed would be used to unbolt the cup from its plinth, so that he could take it back to Australia. In 1983 there were seven challengers for the cup competing for the inaugural Louis Vuitton Cup, the winner of which would go on to the America's Cup match against the NYYC's yacht selected in their trials. Bond's yacht, "Australia II", designed by Ben Lexcen, skippered by John Bertrand, and representing the Royal Perth Yacht Club, easily won the Louis Vuitton challenger series, and Dennis Conner in "Liberty" was selected for NYYC's Cup defense.


title: America's Cup

text: Sporting the now famous Boxing Kangaroo flag and the controversial winged keel designed by Ben Lexcen, the hull of "Australia II" was kept under wraps between races and was subject to attempts by the NYYC to disqualify the boat. In the cup races, the Australians got off to a bad start with equipment failures and false starts giving the USA defenders a head start. But it was not to be a repeat of the last 132 years: the Australians came back and, despite a 3–1 deficit at the start of the fifth race, won the 1983 America's Cup 4–3 in a best-of-seven format. This was the first time the NYYC had lost the cup in 132 years and 26 challenges and opened the opportunity for other US Clubs to earn the trophy in future races. Alan Bond joked that the cup would be renamed "The Australia's Cup".


title: America's Cup

text: For the first time since its inception the America's Cup was defended outside of the US off the coast of Fremantle. This was a new era for the cup with interest in competing being shown by many countries.


title: America's Cup

text: Now representing his hometown San Diego Yacht Club, Conner returned to win the 1987 America's Cup. His yacht "Stars & Stripes 87" earned the right to challenge by winning the 1987 Louis Vuitton Cup against an unprecedented field of 13 challenger syndicates. In the America's Cup regatta he faced defender Iain Murray sailing "Kookaburra III", who had beaten Alan Bond's "Australia IV" in the defender selection trials. "Stars & Stripes 87" swept "Kookaburra III" in four straight races for the title.


title: America's Cup

text: Technology was now playing an increasing role in yacht design. The 1983 winner, "Australia II," had sported the revolutionary winged keel, and the New Zealand boat that Conner had beaten in the Louis Vuitton Cup final in Fremantle was the first 12-metre class to have a hull of fiberglass, rather than aluminum or wood.


title: America's Cup

text: The 12-metre class rules stipulated that the hull had to be the same thickness throughout and could not be made lighter in the bow and stern. The other challengers demanded that core samples be taken from the plastic hull to show its thickness. At one press conference Dennis Conner asked, "Why would you build a plastic yacht ... unless you wanted to cheat?" Despite attempts to defuse the situation, the "cheating comment" added to the controversy surrounding the Louis Vuitton challenge races. Chris Dickson, skipper of the "Kiwi Magic" (KZ 7), took the controversy in stride and with humour, and Conner has since stated his regret over his comment. New Zealand syndicate head Sir Michael Fay's comment was that core samples would be taken "over my dead body". Eventually some small holes were drilled to test the hull, and ultrasonic testing was done to rule out air pockets in the construction. The boat was found to be within class rules, and the issue was set aside. Fay ceremoniously lay down in front of the measurer before the samples were taken.


title: America's Cup

text: Years later, a less than contrite Connor would say he was "glad" he lost the race as the effort to regain the cup following his loss focused attention from more than just the narrow interest of yachting enthusiasts. Although unsaid, loss of the cup also allowed it to be won not only by the New York Yacht Club but by other US yacht clubs as well, such as Connor's own San Diego Yacht Club in future series.


title: America's Cup

text: In 1987, soon after Conner had won back the cup with "Stars and Stripes" but before the San Diego Yacht Club had publicly issued terms for the next regatta, a New Zealand syndicate, again led by merchant banker Sir Michael Fay, lodged a surprise challenge. Fay challenged with a gigantic yacht named "New Zealand" (KZ1) or the "Big Boat", which with a waterline, was the largest single masted yacht possible under the original rules of the cup trust deed. This was an unwelcome challenge to the San Diego Yacht Club, who wanted to continue to run Cup regattas using 12-metre yachts. A legal battle ensued over the challenge, with Justice Carmen Ciparick of the New York State Supreme (trial) Court (which administers the Deed of Gift) ruling that Fay's challenge on behalf of Mercury Bay Boating Club (MBBC) was valid. The court ordered SDYC to accept it and negotiate mutually agreeable terms for a match, or to race under the default provisions of the Deed, or to forfeit the cup to MBBC.


title: America's Cup

text: Forced to race, and lacking time for preparation, Conner and SDYC looked for a way to prevail. They recognized that a catamaran was not expressly prohibited under the rules. Multihulls, due to a lower wetted surface area and vastly lower mass, are inherently faster than equal-length monohulls. Conner, however, left nothing to chance and commissioned a cutting-edge design with a wing sail, named—as his 12-metre yachts had been—"Stars and Stripes".


title: America's Cup

text: The two yachts raced under the simple terms of the deed in September 1988. New Zealand predictably lost by a huge margin. Fay then took SDYC back to court, arguing that the race had been unfair, certainly not the "friendly competition between nations", envisaged in the Deed of Gift. Ciparick agreed and awarded New Zealand the Cup. However, Ciparick's decision was overturned on appeal and SDYC's win was reinstated. Fay then appealed to New York's highest court and lost. Thus SDYC successfully defended the cup in what observers described as the most controversial cup match to that point. (The 2010 America's Cup was a direct descendant of the 1988 cup, as it featured two gigantic multi-hull yachts and generated even more legal activity and controversy ).


title: America's Cup

text: In the wake of the 1988 controversies, the International America's Cup Class (IACC) was introduced, replacing the 12-metre class that had been used since 1958.


title: America's Cup

text: In 1992, for the first time, the challenger yacht club, Venice Compagnia della Vela hailed from a non English-speaking country. After winning the Louis Vuitton Cup, the Challenger Il Moro di Venezia (owned by the billionaire Raul Gardini), was defeated 4-1 by USA-23 of the "America³" team, skippered by billionaire Bill Koch and Olympic medalist Harry "Buddy" Melges.


title: America's Cup

text: In 1995, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron syndicate Team New Zealand, skippered by Russell Coutts, first won the challenger series in "NZL 32", dubbed "Black Magic" because of her black hull and uncanny speed. Black Magic then easily swept Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes team, in five straight races to win the title for New Zealand. Although team Young America's cup candidate yacht "USA-36" was defeated in defender trials by Stars & Stripes' "USA-34", the San Diego Yacht Club elected to defend the cup with "USA-36" crewed by Stars & Stripes. The run-up to the 1995 Cup was notable for the televised sinking of "oneAustralia" during the fourth round robin of the Louis Vuitton challenger selection series, with all hands escaping uninjured. The 1995 defender selection series also had the first mostly female (with one man) crew sailing the yacht "USA-43", nicknamed "Mighty Mary".


title: America's Cup

text: On 14 March 1996, a man entered the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's clubroom and damaged the America's Cup with a sledgehammer. The man, Benjamin Peri Nathan, was charged and found guilty of criminal damage and sentenced to 34 months imprisonment (reduced to 18 months on appeal). The damage was so severe that it was feared that the cup was irreparable. London's Garrards silversmiths, who had manufactured the cup in 1848, painstakingly restored the trophy to its original condition over three months, free of charge. In 2003, an extra 20 cm was added to the cup's base to accommodate the names of future winners.


title: America's Cup

text: At Auckland in 1999–2000, Team New Zealand, led by Sir Peter Blake, and again skippered by Russell Coutts, defeated the Italian Prada Challenge from the Yacht Club Punta Ala. The Italians had previously beaten the "AmericaOne" syndicate from the St Francis Yacht Club in the Louis Vuitton Cup final. This was the first America's Cup to be contested without an American challenger or defender.


title: America's Cup

text: During the Twelve-Metre era, the New York Yacht Club, citing the Deed language that the Cup should be "perpetually a Challenge Cup for friendly competition between foreign countries", had adopted several interpretive resolutions intended to strengthen nationality requirements. By 1980, these resolutions specified that besides being constructed in the country of the challenger or defender, a yacht had to be designed by and crewed by nationals of the country where the yacht club was located. Globalization made it increasingly difficult to enforce design nationality rules, and starting in 1984, the Royal Perth Yacht Club began relaxing this requirement. Numerous members of the New Zealand AC 2000 team became key members of the Swiss 2003 "Alinghi" challenge, led by biotechnology entrepreneur Ernesto Bertarelli. To satisfy the crew nationality requirements, New Zealand team members of Alinghi took up residence in Switzerland.


title: America's Cup

text: In 2003, several strong challengers vied for the right to sail for the cup in Auckland during the challenger selection series. Bertarelli's team representing the Swiss yacht club, Société Nautique de Genève (SNG), beat all her rivals in the Louis Vuitton Cup and in turn won the America's Cup in a five-race sweep. In doing so, Alinghi became the first European team in 152 years of the event's history to win the cup.


title: America's Cup

text: For the 2007 challenge, SNG rescinded all interpretive resolutions to the deed, essentially leaving "constructed in country" as the only remaining nationality requirement. The 2007 defense of the cup was held in Valencia, Spain. This was the first time since the original 1851 Isle of Wight race that the America's Cup regatta had been held in Europe, or in a country different from that of the defender (necessary because Switzerland, despite having huge lakes and a national passion for sailing, does not border a "sea or arm of the sea" as specified in the Deed). Eleven challenging yacht clubs from 9 countries submitted formal entries. The challenger selection series, the Louis Vuitton Cup 2007, ran from 16 April to 6 June 2007. Emirates Team New Zealand won the challenger series finale 5–0 against Italians Luna Rossa and met "Alinghi" between 23 June and 3 July 2007. Ernesto Bertarelli's Team- Alinghi successfully defended the America's Cup 5–2, under the colors of SNG.


title: America's Cup

text: After Société Nautique de Genève successfully defended the trophy in the 32nd America's Cup, they accepted a challenge from Club Náutico Español de Vela, a Spanish yacht club formed expressly for the purpose of challenging for the cup and keeping the regatta in Valencia. When SNG and CNEV published their protocol for the 33rd America's Cup, there was criticism over its terms, with some teams and yacht clubs calling it the worst protocol in the history of the event. Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC) then filed its own challenge for the cup and also filed a court case asking that CNEV be removed as being unqualified under the deed of gift, and that GGYC be named the challenger, being the first club to file a conforming challenge.


title: America's Cup

text: There followed a long and acrimonious legal battle, with the New York Court of Appeals finally deciding on 2 April 2009 that CNEV did not qualify as valid challenger, and that the GGYC was thus the rightful challenger.


title: America's Cup

text: Since the two parties were unable to agree otherwise, the match took place as a one-on-one Deed of Gift match with no other clubs or teams participating.


title: America's Cup

text: The match was sailed in gigantic, specialized multihull yachts in a best-of-three race series in Valencia, Spain from 8 to 14 February 2010. The rigid wing sail of the challenging trimaran "USA-17" provided a decisive advantage, and it won the 2010 America's Cup in two straight races.


title: America's Cup

text: The Challenger of Record for the 34th America's Cup was Club Nautico di Roma, whose team Mascalzone Latino had competed in the challenger selection series for the 2007 America's Cup. In September 2010, GGYC and Club Nautico di Roma announced the protocol for AC34, scheduling the match for 2013 in a new class of boat, the AC72, a wing-sailed catamaran. Paralleling the "Acts" of the 32nd America's Cup—a series of preliminary events in different venues leading-up to the actual event—a new series, the America's Cup World Series was to be run using AC45 class boats (smaller one-design versions of the AC72s), in various world venues in 2011 and 2012.


title: America's Cup

text: On 12 May 2011, Club Nautico di Roma withdrew from the competition, citing challenges in raising sufficient funds to field a competitive team. As the second yacht club to file a challenge, the Royal Swedish Yacht Club assumed the duties of the challenger.


title: America's Cup

text: Rumors of stable hydrofoiling of an AC72 were confirmed when Team New Zealand's AC72 yacht "Aotearoa" was seen to be sailing on hydrofoils in August 2012. This triggered a technology race in foil development and control. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron won the right to sail in the America's Cup match easily beating the Italian and Swedish challengers in the Louis Vuitton Cup. The resulting match between the US and NZ was the longest on record both in calendar time, and the number of races, with the Golden Gate Yacht Club staging an improbable come-from-behind victory, winning eight straight races to defend the cup and beat New Zealand 9–8.


title: America's Cup

text: Oracle Team USA was defending the America's Cup 26 May27 June 2017 on behalf of the Golden Gate Yacht Club in Bermuda where racing took place on the Great Sound. Preliminary races were held in Portsmouth, Gothenburg, and Bermuda in foiling AC45s. After the 2013 America's Cup, the Golden Gate Yacht Club accepted a notice of challenge from the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, with whom a new protocol and a smaller wingsail foiling catamaran class rule were proposed in cooperation with participating challengers. The Hamilton Island Yacht Club withdrew from the America's Cup in July 2014, citing unanticipated cost in mounting its challenge.


title: America's Cup

text: The exiting challenger of record was replaced by a challenger committee, where decisions are made by popular vote. When an even smaller 50ft wingsail foiling catamaran class rule amendment was voted in April 2015, Luna Rossa Challenge also withdrew, citing significant costs wasted on the development of the larger vessel. Yachts from France, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, and the UK remained in the competition to challenge for the cup. In June 2016, for the first time in history, an America's Cup race included fresh water sailing, when preliminary races were held on Lake Michigan and based in Chicago, Illinois. Emirates Team New Zealand won the 2017 Louis Vuitton Cup and then challenged the defender, Oracle Team USA. New Zealand won the America's Cup with a score of 7 to 1.


title: America's Cup

text: The 36th iteration of the America's Cup saw the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron defend the cup in Auckland New Zealand in the early southern autumn in March 2021, with the challenger series, the Prada Cup, sailed in the summer between December 2020 and February 2021. For the 2021 America's Cup, a new design rule, the "AC75" AC75 was agreed between the Defender (the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron, Emirates Team New Zealand) and the Challenger of Record (Luna Rosa Prada Pirelli). The AC75 would be a 75' foiling monohull with common design components of the canting foil mechanics and software, and a limit of a total of 6 foil and rudder "packages" during the complete campaign. The Challenger was Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, the winner of 2021 Prada Cup. The start of AC36, scheduled for 6 March 2021, was delayed to 10 March due to COVID-19 restrictions in place in Auckland.


title: America's Cup

text: Emirates Team New Zealand sailing AC75 "Te Rehutai" successfully defended the 36th America's Cup in Auckland New Zealand on 17 March 2021, beating the Italian challenger Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli by 7 victories to 3 victories. Despite being sailed in light and testing conditions (wind speeds never exceeded 15 knots well within the 21 knots allowed) on the Hauraki Gulf, the new AC75 boats reliably and continuously foiled at speeds well in excess of 30 knots on both windward and leeward legs. A fantastic spectacle was put on and off water with thousands of spectator boats, and thousands more land based spectators. The racing courses were in the inner Hauraki Gulf, well positioned for land-based viewing - particularly the "Stadium Course", course "C" which was the scene of the best race of the regatta with a come-from-behind victory for the defender. Great sporting respect was noted by both teams during the post competition team interviews.


title: America's Cup

text: On 19 March 2021, Emirates Team New Zealand confirmed that the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has accepted a Notice of Challenge for the 37th America's Cup (AC37) from the Royal Yacht Squadron Racing, represented by INEOS TEAM UK, which will act as the Challenger of Record for AC37. The following statement was made :


title: America's Cup

text: "The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron have received and accepted a challenge for the 37th America's Cup from our long-standing British friends at Royal Yacht Squadron Racing." Said Aaron Young – RNZYS Commodore. "It is great to once again have the RYSR involved, given they were the first yacht club that presented this trophy over 170 years ago, which really started the legacy of the America's Cup. Along with Emirates Team New Zealand, we look forward to working through the details of the next event with them."


title: America's Cup

text: A Protocol Governing 37th America's Cup will be published within eight months including the provisions outlined in this release.


title: Isaac Wright Jr.

text: Isaac Wright Jr. (born January 23, 1962) is an American attorney, consultant, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is best known for being falsely accused and convicted as a drug lord and sentenced to life in prison in 1991 facing 10 charges involving the sale of cocaine. His conviction was overturned in 1997 after litigation brought by him on the basis of police corruption during his investigation and the prosecutor’s knowing presentation of perjured testimony at his trial. His story is depicted in the television drama/series production "For Life", which premiered in 2020 on American Broadcasting Company. He was a candidate for mayor of New York City in the 2021 New York City mayoral election.


title: Isaac Wright Jr.

text: Wright was born on January 23, 1962, in Orlando, Florida, to Isaac Wright Sr. and Sandra B. Wright. Wright’s father was a career military man and Wright lived both in numerous cities of the U.S. and abroad. He attended Berkeley High School in Moncks Corner, South Carolina.


title: Isaac Wright Jr.

text: In the early 1980s Wright, while living in New York City along with his wife and daughter, appeared on the talent show "Star Search" for several weeks as a member of the dance trio Uptown Express. By the late 1980s he was a talent manager and owned an independent record label called X-Press Records while his wife, Sunshine, was a member of platinum selling group he co-founded called The Cover Girls, a pop and urban contemporary musical group.


title: Isaac Wright Jr.

text: In 1989, Isaac Wright Jr. was arrested and falsely charged with being the mastermind behind one of the largest drug distribution networks in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan areas. After being detained for almost two years, he was tried in 1991 and convicted under New Jersey's drug kingpin statute. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison on the kingpin conviction and a total of 72 years on convictions for other charges.


title: Isaac Wright Jr.

text: While still serving a life sentence, Wright formulated a new theory in a supplemental defense pro se brief he submitted in another prisoner’s case, State v. Alexander, 264 N.J.Super 102 (1993). In that legal brief, Wright attacked the jury instructions used by New Jersey in kingpin cases, reasoning that the instructions were contrary to the legislature’s intent on who should be charged and convicted as a drug kingpin. Wright’s argument prevailed in Alexander and, when that decision was unsuccessfully appealed to the New Jersey Supreme Court by the State of New Jersey, Wright created new law. Wright then used that new law in a supplemental defense pro se brief to reverse his own kingpin conviction and life sentence in State v. Wright, 143 N.J. 580 (1996). While this allowed Wright to successfully get rid of his life sentence, he remained in prison on numerous other convictions with sentences totalling over 70 years.


title: Isaac Wright Jr.

text: With his direct appeal over, Wright motioned the trial court for Post Conviction Relief (PCR), claiming police and prosecutorial misconduct in his case. At his 1996 PCR hearing, during Wright's cross-examination of a veteran police detective James Dugan, the detective confessed to police misconduct in his case. Wright’s ultimate release came as a result of that cross-examination, as Dugan’s confession opened revelations of wide and systematic police and prosecutorial misconduct and cover-up in Wright’s case.


title: Isaac Wright Jr.

text: Somerset County Prosecutor, Nicholas L. Bissell Jr., who had prosecuted Wright’s case, was identified as the orchestrator of the misconduct. Bissell directed police officers to falsify reports, while he personally dictated the false testimony of witnesses against Wright. Bissell further made secret deals with defense attorneys to have their clients lie to the jury that Wright was their drug boss and that they had pled guilty and were going to prison.


title: Isaac Wright Jr.

text: Dugan pled guilty to official misconduct in order to escape prison. Wright’s trial judge, Michael Imbriani, who further concealed the secret deals through illegal sentencing schemes, was removed from the bench and incarcerated on unrelated theft charges. Bissell, after learning of Dugan’s confession on TV news, took flight with federal authorities in pursuit and later committed suicide when police tried to apprehend him. Wright’s remaining convictions were vacated, and after having spent over seven years in prison, he was immediately released and ultimately exonerated of all the charges. The Supreme Court of New Jersey affirmed that decision.


title: Isaac Wright Jr.

text: After his release from prison, Wright pursued law and graduated with the degree of Bachelors of Science in Human Services from Thomas Edison State University in 2002, entering law school in 2004 and graduating from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2007. After attaining admission to the bar in 2008, Wright spent the next nine years being investigated by the New Jersey Bar’s Committee on character before being granted admission to the bar by the New Jersey Supreme Court on September 27, 2017. On that date, Wright became the first and only person in the US history to have been sentenced to life in prison, securing his own release and exoneration, and then being granted a license to practice law by the very court that condemned him.


title: Isaac Wright Jr.

text: In 2017, Curtis Jackson signed a deal to produce a TV series "For Life", inspired by Wright’s life. Hank Steinberg, Jackson and his G-Unit Film & Television production company, and Wright executive produced the series adaptation alongside Doug Robinson and Alison Greenspan via Robinson’s Doug Robinson Productions.


title: Isaac Wright Jr.

text: As of 2021, Wright is an attorney at a full-service law firm Hunt, Hamlin & Ridley, located in Newark, New Jersey.


title: Isaac Wright Jr.

text: In 2022, Wright will publish a memoir, "Marked for Life: One Man's Fight for Justice from the Inside".


title: Angus Macfadyen

text: Angus Macfadyen (born 21 September 1963) is a Scottish actor. His roles include Robert the Bruce, both in "Braveheart" and "Robert the Bruce", Komodo in "Warriors of Virtue", Vice-Counsel Dupont in "Equilibrium", Jeff Denlon in the "Saw" franchise, Robert Rogers in the AMC historical drama "", McCreedy in Cameron Crowe's "We Bought a Zoo," and biologist James Murray in "The Lost City of Z". He has made appearances on several television series such as "Californication", "Criminal Minds", the final season of "Chuck" and "Superman & Lois".


title: Angus Macfadyen

text: Macfadyen was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and was brought up in the Philippines, Africa, Singapore and France. His father was a doctor in the World Health Organization. Macfadyen attended the University of Edinburgh and the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.


title: Angus Macfadyen

text: Macfadyen's first role was Philip in the film made for television "The Lost Language of Cranes" (1991). He portrayed a young man who must tell his parents that he is gay. Playing the role of his father was fellow Scottish actor Brian Cox. Macfadyen then acted in five episodes of "Soldier Soldier" before appearing in the television film "15: The Life and Death of Philip Knight" (1993) and also on the television series "Takin' Over the Asylum" (1994) about a salesman who runs a radio station in a mental institution. That role led to his role as Robert the Bruce in Mel Gibson's film "Braveheart" (1995). In 1995 he also portrayed Richard Burton in the TV miniseries "".


title: Angus Macfadyen

text: After "Braveheart" won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, Macfadyen acted in the independent film "Nevada" (1997), before giving the most over-the-top performance of his career in the action/fantasy "Warriors of Virtue" (1997). He also co-starred alongside Don Cheadle and Ray Liotta when he played Peter Lawford in the HBO film "The Rat Pack" (1998).


title: Angus Macfadyen

text: Macfadyen played Orson Welles in Tim Robbins's third directorial film "Cradle Will Rock" (1999). Although the film received a nomination for the Palme d'Or at Cannes, it was a financial flop. Macfadyen next made the Shakespearan film "Titus" (1999), alongside Anthony Hopkins, where he played Lucius, eldest son of Titus Andronicus. Directed by Julie Taymor, the film was a critical triumph but with mediocre box office results.


title: Angus Macfadyen

text: After the noir film "Second Skin" (2000), Macfadyen acted in a number of poorly received films. One such film was the action film "Styx" (2001) which starred Peter Weller. A year later, he acted in the comedy film "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" (2002) alongside a number of famous names: Sandra Bullock, Ellen Burstyn, Maggie Smith and Ashley Judd. That same year, Macfadyen took the role of Vice-Counsel Dupont in "Equilibrium" (also 2002). The film, also starring Christian Bale, Sean Bean, Taye Diggs and Emily Watson, is set in the future, where a fascist regime forbids all emotions.


title: Angus Macfadyen

text: Macfadyen acted as Marcus Crassus in a TV mini-series of "Spartacus" (2004), and the character of Bill in "The Pleasure Drivers" (2005).


title: Angus Macfadyen

text: In 2006, he was the lead in the dramatic film "The Virgin of Juarez" (2006). He then starred in Kevin Connor's mini-series "Blackbeard", it co-stars Richard Chamberlain, Jessica Chastain, Mark Umbers, Stacy Keach, David Winters, and Rachel Ward. It's about pirate Blackbeard (Macfadyen), who wreaks havoc on the high-seas looking for Captain Kidd's treasure. His dark presence causes controversy in the local port town of New Providence, especially among Gov. Charles Eden (Chamberlain) and his adopted daughter Charlotte (Chastain), who is being wooed by Lt. Robert Maynard (Umbers).


title: Angus Macfadyen

text: His next big role was that of Jeff Denlon in "Saw III" (also 2006). Jeff is a man obsessed with revenge, and he is led into a series of traps that test his ability to forgive. The film was a smash hit for its $10 million budget, earning almost $200 million worldwide. Macfadyen then co-starred in the box office bomb "Redline" and "Saw IV" (both 2007), which was also a box office success.


title: Angus Macfadyen

text: Macfadyen continued making films, starring as the outlaw Will Tunney in his western film "Shadowheart" (2009). He has appeared on television on the series "Killer Wave" (2007) and "Californication" (2008) He has also acted in the mystery film "San Saba" (2008) and the thriller film "Clean Break" (aka, "Unnatural Causes", 2008).


title: Angus Macfadyen

text: Macfadyen has appeared in two thrillers: "Pound of Flesh" (2010) alongside Malcolm McDowell which revolves around a corrupt college professor, and the crime thriller "Shadows of the White Nights" (aka, "Assassins Run", 2013) alongside Christian Slater. He starred as Lucas Blackstone in the Christian film "Taken by Grace" (also 2013). Additionally, Macfadyen was part of the cast of the USA Network's television series "Psych", the Cameron Crowe feature film "We Bought a Zoo" (2011) starring Matt Damon, and the final season of "Chuck" as villain Nicholas Quinn.


title: Angus Macfadyen

text: Macfadyen also starred as Robert Rogers in AMC's historical drama series "" (2014–17), and Allan Pinkerton on the first-run syndicated series "The Pinkertons" (2014–15). "Macbeth: Unhinged" (2016) is a modernised feature-length film adapted from the Shakespearean play in which he stars and directs. He appeared opposite Charlie Hunnam and Robert Pattinson as biologist James Murray in the 2016 biographical drama "The Lost City of Z."


title: Tusshar Kapoor

text: Tushar Ravi Kapoor (born 20 November 1976), popular as Tusshar Kapoor, is an Indian actor and film producer working in Hindi films.


title: Tusshar Kapoor

text: Tusshar Kapoor is the son of Indian actors Jeetendra and Shobha Kapoor. His sister Ekta Kapoor is a television and film producer. He attended the Bombay Scottish School where he was in the same class as Abhishek Bachchan. He then studied at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor for his BBA degree at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business.


title: Tusshar Kapoor

text: Prior to making his debut as an actor, Kapoor worked with film director David Dhawan as an assistant. Following this, he trained as an actor with Roshan Taneja and Mahendra Verma, in their acting school, and in dance with Nimesh Bhatt.


title: Tusshar Kapoor

text: He made his debut in 2001 under guidance of his Gujarat-based friend Dharmanshu Parmar alias Monty with the blockbuster "Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai", a remake of the Telugu super hit "Tholi Prema", along with Kareena Kapoor. He received the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for his work in the film. He then starred as Rahul in coming of age film "Kyaa Dil Ne Kahaa" alongside Esha Deol. Kapoor then appeared in two more Telugu remakes "Jeena Sirf Merre Liye" (2002), and "Yeh Dil" (2003), which fared poorly at the box office.


title: Tusshar Kapoor

text: He then appeared in Ram Gopal Varma's production "Gayab" (2004) which was declared a below average at the box office but Kapoor received appreciation for his work. Starting in 2004, Kapoor starred in commercial hits such as "Khakee" (2004), "Kyaa Kool Hai Hum" (2005), "Golmaal" (2006), "Shootout at Lokhandwala" (2007) in which he has essayed the role of gangster Dilip Buwa, and received good reviews for his work, "Golmaal Returns" (2008), "Golmaal 3" (2010), "The Dirty Picture" (2011), "Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum" (2012), the critically acclaimed "Shor in the City" (2012), and "Shootout at Wadala" (2013).


title: Tusshar Kapoor

text: In 2012, Kapoor took part in the "Fashion for a Cause" event which raised money for homeless children. He has co-produced the film "Chaar Din Ki Chandni" (2012), in which he has also starred. He worked as a lead actor in Bollywood adult comedies "Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3" (2016) and "Mastizaade" (2016) both did average business.


title: Tusshar Kapoor

text: In 2017, he starred as Lucky in the comedy film "Golmaal Again", which ended up being a blockbuster. In 2018, he was seen in "Simmba", in a special appearance as himself in the song "Aankh Marey". He also voiced part of the song.


title: Tusshar Kapoor

text: In 2019, he starred as Manav in the ALT Balaji's web horror series "Boo Sabki Phategi" alongside Mallika Sherawat,


title: Tusshar Kapoor

text: In 2020 he produced "Laxmii" which starred Akshay Kumar, Kiara Advani, Sharad Kelkar and Ashwini Kalsekar. The film is co-produced by his production house Tushar Entertainment.


title: Tusshar Kapoor

text: In 2021, he made his debut as an author with a book titled ‘Bachelor Dad’ published by Penguin. The book chronicles his journey as a single parent. The book addresses the questions facing single fathers.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: Ben 10 is an American reboot animated television series created by Man of Action for Cartoon Network. The series is served as a parallel world. The series premiered in Australia, New Zealand and Asia-Pacific on October 1, 2016, and premiered in the United States on April 10, 2017, before concluding on April 11, 2021, after four seasons, a film, and three specials, the latter featuring a crossover with "Generator Rex" and previous "Ben 10" television series continuity.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: A film based on the series, "", was announced on February 19, 2020, and was aired on October 10, 2020.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: Building on the highly successful franchise about kid hero Ben Tennyson, Ben 10 introduces a re-imagined Ben, his cousin Gwen, and Grandpa Max, as they travel the country during summer vacation. When Ben finds the Omnitrix, a mysterious watch that transforms him into 10 different aliens, a world of extraterrestrial superpowers opens up to him. The series is produced by Cartoon Network Studios and created and executive produced by Man of Action Entertainment ("Big Hero 6", "Generator Rex" and the original four "Ben 10" shows in their shared continuity), with John Fang ("Mixels", "Generator Rex") on board as supervising producer.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: Ten-year-old Ben Tennyson has spent his summer vacation traveling across the country with his cousin Gwen and Grandpa Max, in an RV nicknamed the Rustbucket. However, after coming across a strange high-tech watch known as the Omnitrix, which enables him to transform into 10 alien heroes, he finds himself in the position of a superhero. At each place his family stops, Ben goes from trying to find a source of entertainment to doing battle against supervillains such as the mad scientist Dr. Animo, the dark sorcerer Hex, the psychotic clown Zombozo, the technology-loathing Steam Smythe, the emotionless Weatherheads, amongst other threats both big and small. Despite having lots to learn, he hones his hero skills with Gwen and Max's help.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: While battling one of Animo's mutant creations during a trip to Portland, Ben unlocks an 11th alien he names Gax, a Chimera Sui Generis with laser vision and great strength. However, unlocking this form seems to have an odd effect on the Omnitrix, leaving him unable to control his transformations. To determine the source of this issue, Max calls in his old friend Phil. Ben finds himself under attack from three alien bounty hunters: Tetrax, Kraab, and Sixsix. While he's able to fend them off, he meets a mysterious aged Chimera Sui Generis calling himself "Vil", who trains Ben to use Gax's powers. However, it turns out "Vil" and Gax are the two halves of the alien conqueror Vilgax, who absorbs Gax's power to restore himself to full strength. The bounty hunter trio were hired to prevent Vilgax from reforming and thus team up with Ben to prevent Vilgax from destroying the Omnitrix. However, Vilgax wins this battle, dispatching the hunters and leaving Ben rapidly changing between his alien forms and unable to return to human form.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: Vilgax intends to use lava from Mount Megalodon to recharge his ship and restart his conquering spree. Ben, regardless of his current state, engages Vilgax in battle; while initially hampered by his inability to predict which form he'll become next, Ben is able to turn the tides and defeat Vilgax by using Upgrade to upgrade the Omnitrix, supposedly sacrificing the Galvanic Mechamorph.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: The Tennysons continue to visit some of America's greatest tourist spots, as Ben continues to take his hero career to new heights. As his enemies grow stronger, Ben is aided by the appearance of new "Omni-Enhanced" versions of his alien forms, who possess a strange blue energy that packs a major punch in battle. He also has unlocked a new alien hero whom he dubs "Shock Rock", who is composed of the same blue energy.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: Meanwhile, Vilgax, still seeking a method to escape Earth, forms alliances with some of Ben's enemies to harness the Omnitrix's power. Team Tennyson make it their mission to defeat Vilgax and stop his devious machinations from seeing light.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: However, following a battle with Vilgax's war-bot, Ben learns that his new forms are a sign of a bigger threat. Shock Rock is a Fulmini, whose DNA pod replaced Upgrade following his sacrifice. The Fulmini Empire and their leader, the High Override, have been manipulating Ben to invade Earth and use the Omnitrix as a gateway. Ben and Vilgax team up, entering the Omnitrix and allying with Glitch, a fusion between Ben and Upgrade's DNA. Though the High Override banishes Vilgax to the Null Void and turns Ben into his mind controlled warrior, Team Tennyson are able to free Ben from his control and purge the Fulmini from the Omnitrix, causing it to reboot. Glitch survives the reboot by escaping the Omnitrix, joining the family.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: After a serious battle with the High Override, Glitch merges with the Rustbuggy and becomes part of the Tennyson family. Ben gets frustrated when the Omnitrix reboots for a week, but it activates just as the Tennyson family is about to do some world traveling. Phil has created a helicopter called the "Omni-Copter" for the Tennyson Trio so they can travel around the world. Ben also gains access to three new aliens: Rath, Slapback, and Humungosaur, who replace Grey Matter, Overflow, and Wildvine. With Vilgax in the Null Void, Ben has a new enemy to fight: Kevin Levin, who has a variant of the Omnitrix called the Antitrix that gives him access to altered versions of Ben's aliens. Meanwhile, a mysterious villain called the Forever Knight gathers several of Ben's villains to help him go back in time and prevent aliens from making contact Earth.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: Throughout the season, the Forever Knight tests Team Tennyson's enemies to determine those he needs for this goal: the final roster consists of Kevin, Charmcaster, Vin Ethanol, Billy Billions, Simon Sez, and a disillusioned Ben. Kevin, angry at the Forever Knight for discarding him during their plan's final stage, teams up with Gwen to help Ben prevent the Forever Knight from altering history. In the end, both Kevin and the Knight end up trapped in the void within time and space.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: Ben and Gwen make it back to the present and head back to America aboard the Omni-Copter alongside Grandpa Max, Phil, Vin, and Simon, the latter two being convinced to join Team Tennyson. Also, Billy and Charmcaster get taken into custody, and the Forever Knight's helmet emerges from the portal on its own.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: In the start of Season 4, Ben unlocks the "Omni-Kix" feature on the Omnitrix, thus giving his aliens robotic armor; and later unlocks the alien Jetray, who replaces Stinkfly. He also reunites and occasionally teams up with a reluctant Kevin 11, following his surprising return from the time tunnel Forever Knight was trapped in. Ben also unlocks news aliens such as Way Big and Goop with the help of a Galvan named Azmuth.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: In an Alternate Future, an alien horde known as the Xerge attacks the Earth, forcing President Gwen to bring her retired cousin, Ben 10,000 out of retirement to fight this invasion. In response, Ben 10,000 travels back in time to recruit his younger self to fight alongside them.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: As Ben finds out his summer vacation is beginning to end, he meets Generator Rex, a E.V.O (Exponentially Variegated Organism) with the power to create machines from his body and control technology, and his friend Bobo Haha, an E.V.O. monkey. When a fight breaks out between them, Rex accidentally damages the Omnitrix, which begins leaking out all of its DNA storages, turning humans into aliens. Hex begins to control them with his powers, while the agency Providence plans to eliminate them all, so Ben and Rex must work together to repair the Omnitrix and restore everyone back to normal.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: The Tennyson family is attacked by a dimensional-hopping alien named Alien X, who has been going around other worlds and stealing the Omnitrices of their respective Bens. An alternate version of Max shows up to help them, along with alternate universe counterparts of Ben and Gwen, who team up to stop Alien X from taking over the Multiverse.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: Unlike the Omnitrix aliens they are modeled after, the Antitrix aliens are all voiced by Greg Cipes and sound just like their user Kevin. Meanwhile, Alien V and Anti-Vilgax are voiced by Yuri Lowenthal and sound just like their user Vilgax.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: Cartoon Network announced on June 8, 2015, that "Ben 10" was to be relaunched with a new revival television series. In June 2016, the network began to release information about the show. Its sneak peek was released at the 2016 SDCC on July 21, 2016. The series had its world premiere on October 1, 2016, in Australia. In March 2017 at the Cartoon Network's 2017 Upfront, it was announced that the series would premiere in the United States on April 10, 2017, and that it would be possible to watch episodes of the series on the Cartoon Network app ahead of its television premiere.<ref name="Toonzone:The All-New Ben 10 Premieres Monday, April 10 at 5:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Cartoon Network. Get a Sneak Peek Today on the Cartoon Network App."></ref>


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: Building on the franchise about the kid hero Ben Tennyson, "Ben 10" introduces a re-imagined Ben (in his 10-year-old form), his cousin Gwen, and Grandpa Max, as they travel the country during summer vacation. When Ben finds the Omnitrix, a mysterious watch that transforms him into 10 different aliens, a world of extraterrestrial superpowers opens up to him. Produced by Cartoon Network Studios, the series is created and executively produced by Man of Action, with John Fang on board as supervising producer but also as executive producer. It is animated by Sunmin Image Pictures and Mua Film.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: On May 22, 2017, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on February 19, 2018. On March 8, 2018, the series was renewed for a third season which premiered on February 23, 2019. On January 10, 2019, the series was renewed for a fourth season, which premiered on January 19, 2020.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: In the EMEA, the series has reached more than 27 million viewers. It reached 1.2 million viewers and 9% of boys on CITV in the UK. It was watched by half of the boys in South Africa, Romania, Spain and Portugal, more than 30% of boys in Hungary, Poland, and Sweden, and has also received high ratings in France and Italy.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: In October 2017, Panini UK partnered with Cartoon Network and launched a magazine for the series with an original 8-page comic strip every month written by Jason Quinn with art by Russ Leach.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: In June 2015, a toy line for the series was announced to be released in the fall of 2017 by Playmates Toys. It was released in the United States at Toys R Us in June 2017 and in all other retailers in August.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: In July 2017, toys were released by Playmates Toys, with Flair distributing them in the UK and Giochi Preziosi Group releasing them everywhere else in the EMEA. Cartoon Network has partnered with various licensing partners across the EMEA to release merchandise ranging from apparel to accessories to publishing.


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: A video game based on the series was released worldwide on November 10, 2017 (for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One). It was published by Outright Games and distributed by Bandai Namco Entertainment in the EMEA. In the game, players must help Ben defeat three of his greatest enemies: Zombozo, Queen Bee, and the Weatherheads. On March 3, 2020, it was announced that a second game was in development and was released on October 9, 2020. It was called "Ben 10: Power Trip".


title: Ben 10 (2016 TV series)

text: "Ben 10 Challenge" is a live-action game show produced by the Spanish production company La Competencia Productions in Madrid for Turner EMEA. It follows two teams of people who compete in challenges and get tested on their Ben 10 knowledge. Versions were created for France, Germany, Italy, the Middle East, Poland, Spain, Turkey, and the UK, with the Spanish version also airing in Portugal dubbed. The English version premiered in the UK and Ireland on October 13, 2017, and in Africa on December 23, 2017.


title: John Leguizamo filmography

text: The following is the complete list of filmography by Colombian-American actor, stand-up comedian, film producer, playwright and screenwriter John Leguizamo.


title: Christine Ebersole

text: Christine Ebersole (born February 21, 1953) is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in film, television, and on stage. She starred in the Broadway musicals "42nd Street" and "Grey Gardens", winning two Tony Awards. She has co-starred on the TBS sitcom "Sullivan & Son", in which she played Carol Walsh, and earned an Emmy Award nomination for her work in "One Life to Live". Since 2019, she has played the role of Dottie on "Bob Hearts Abishola".


title: Christine Ebersole

text: Ebersole was born in Winnetka, Illinois, the daughter of Marian Esther (née Goodley) and Robert "Bob" Ebersole. Her father was the president of a steel company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has Swiss-German and Irish ancestry. Ebersole graduated from New Trier High School in 1971. She attended MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois, class of 1975, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.


title: Christine Ebersole

text: She met Marc Shaiman when he was 19 and the musical director of her first club act. She appeared in two different parts on "Ryan's Hope" in 1977 (as a nurse) and 1980 (as Lily Darnell), and was a cast member of "Saturday Night Live" during 1981–82, the first full season under new producer Dick Ebersol (their similar surnames being a coincidence), acting as "Weekend Update" co-anchor with Brian Doyle-Murray and at times impersonating Mary Travers, Cheryl Tiegs, Barbara Mandrell, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Rona Barrett. Following "SNL", she appeared in "One Life to Live" as daffy Maxie McDermott (receiving an Emmy nomination) and "Valerie". She co-starred with Barnard Hughes on the sitcom "The Cavanaughs", played the title role in the short-lived sitcom "Rachel Gunn, R.N.", and guest-starred on "Will & Grace", "Dolly!", "Just Shoot Me", "Murphy Brown", "Ally McBeal", "Samantha Who", "Boston Legal", "The Colbert Report", and "Royal Pains". In 1991, she appeared as the titular Miss Jones in a pilot for an ABC series about a single mother, but the series was not taken up.


title: Christine Ebersole

text: She appeared in the 1993 television movie adaptation of "Gypsy" starring Bette Midler, and in the 2000 ABC-TV movie "Mary and Rhoda" starring Mary Tyler Moore and Valerie Harper.


title: Christine Ebersole

text: In 2011, she had a recurring role on the TV Land sitcom "Retired at 35". In 2014, she played Carol Walsh on the TBS sitcom "Sullivan & Son". She has a recurring role on the USA Network television show "Royal Pains" as Ms. Newberg.


title: Christine Ebersole

text: Ebersole's films have included "Tootsie" (1982), "Amadeus" (1984), "Three Men and a Baby" (1987), "Mac and Me" (1988), "My Girl 2" (1994), "Richie Rich" (1994), "Black Sheep" (1996), and "My Favorite Martian" (1999).


title: Christine Ebersole

text: Ebersole has found considerable success on stage. She appeared in "Going Hollywood", a musical by David Zippel and Jeremy Shaeffer. She was in the chorus in 1983 with Jerry Mitchell. They were both excited about the possibility of going to Broadway but never made it. She was featured in "Paper Moon" by Larry Grossman and Ellen Fitzhugh and Carol Hall, which ran at the Paper Mill Playhouse (Millburn, New Jersey) in September 1993. Off-Broadway, she has appeared in "Three Sisters" and "Talking Heads", and her Broadway credits include "On the Twentieth Century", the 1979 revival of "Oklahoma!" (as Ado Annie), the 1980 revival of "Camelot" and the 2000 revival of "Gore Vidal's The Best Man".


title: Christine Ebersole

text: In 2001, she appeared in the Broadway revival of "42nd Street" as Dorothy Brock, for which she won her first Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, She next appeared in the 2002 Broadway revival of "Dinner at Eight" as Millicent Jordan for which she was nominated for the Tony Award, Featured Actress in a Play. In 2005 she played M'Lynn in the Broadway production of "Steel Magnolias".


title: Christine Ebersole

text: In 2006, Ebersole took the dual roles of Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale ("Big Edie") and Edith Bouvier Beale ("Little Edie") in "Grey Gardens", a musical based upon the film of the same name. After a sold-out off-Broadway run, Ebersole remained with the roles when the production moved to Broadway in November 2006, and remained with the show through its closing in July 2007. For this role, she won her second Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical. She appeared as Elvira in the 2009 Broadway revival of the Noël Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit".


title: Christine Ebersole

text: She appeared in the new musical "War Paint", which premiered at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago on June 28, 2016, for a run through August 2016. The show began previews at the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway on March 7, 2017, and opened on April 6, 2017. It closed on November 5, 2017. She played the role of Elizabeth Arden, opposite Patti LuPone as Helena Rubinstein. The musical had a book by Doug Wright with the music composed by Scott Frankel (music) and Michael Korie (lyrics).


title: Christine Ebersole

text: Ebersole appears in concerts and cabaret engagements at venues such as the Cinegrill and Cafe Carlyle. She won the 2010 Nightlife Award for Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist in a Major Engagement for her 2009 Café Carlyle cabaret. In 2009 she performed with Michael Feinstein at his club, Feinstein's at Loews Regency, (New York City) in a cabaret titled "Good Friends". She was one of the performers on the "Playbill" Cruise in September 2011. In November 2011, she performed for two sold-out nights at Birdland in New York City with jazz violinist Aaron Weinstein and his trio.


title: Christine Ebersole

text: In 2015, Ebersole toured her show "Big Noise from Winnetka", which included the 1938 jazz song "Big Noise from Winnetka" and a stop in Illinois.


title: Christine Ebersole

text: She also has appeared on several albums. She was featured on the "Bright Lights, Big City" concept album. She also released an album of Noël Coward songs after browsing through them for scene change music for "Blithe Spirit". She is also the voice actress for White Diamond on the popular show "Steven Universe".


title: Christine Ebersole

text: In 2012, Christine Ebersole appeared on InfoWars' The Alex Jones Show, expressing her misgivings about the Federal Reserve System and the Council on Foreign Relations.


title: Christine Ebersole

text: Ebersole has been married twice, to actor Peter Bergman from 1976 through 1981, and since 1988 to Bill Moloney, with whom she has adopted three children. She lives in Maplewood, New Jersey, with her family.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: The game combines characters and settings from Disney animated features with those from Square's "Final Fantasy" series, in addition to original characters and worlds created for the game. It follows the adventures of Sora, a cheerful teenager who fights against the forces of darkness alongside Donald Duck, Goofy and other Disney characters. The game was a departure from Square's standard role-playing games, introducing a substantial action and hack and slash element to the gameplay. The score was composed by Yoko Shimomura. "Kingdom Hearts" has an all-star voice cast and includes many of the Disney characters' official voice actors. It was longtime Square character designer Tetsuya Nomura's first time in a directorial position.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: "Kingdom Hearts" received critical and commercial success and was praised for its unusual combination of action and role-playing, its unexpectedly harmonious mix of Square and Disney elements, and Shimomura's music. It was a large presence in the 2002 holiday season, receiving numerous year-end game awards, and went on to achieve Sony "Greatest Hits" status. The game's success spawned a franchise and numerous sequels, with the "Kingdom Hearts" series going on to ship over 35 million copies worldwide and becoming one of Square's most popular franchises. "Kingdom Hearts" is the tenth best-selling PlayStation 2 game of all time, and is considered by some gaming publications to be one of the greatest video games of all time.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: "Kingdom Hearts" is influenced by its parent franchise, "Final Fantasy", and carries gameplay elements over into its own action-based, hack and slash system. The main battle party consists of three characters: Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy. Sora is directly controlled by the player from a third person camera angle. All other party members are computer-controlled, though the player can customize their behavior to an extent through the pause menu. Donald and Goofy comprise the party in most areas, but nearly every level features a character who may replace them. For instance, Jack Skellington can join Sora's party in Halloween Town, but cannot accompany the player elsewhere. In some worlds, the party changes its appearance, has abilities unique to that world or both; the characters can fly in Neverland, acquire aquatic forms in Atlantica which enable them to survive underwater, and gain Halloween costumes in Halloween Town to blend in with the locals.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: Like traditional role-playing games, "Kingdom Hearts" features an experience point system that determines character development. As enemies are defeated, the player characters gain experience and grow stronger, gaining access to new abilities. Unlike other games of its type, "Kingdom Hearts" allows a degree of character development customization through a short tutorial found at the beginning of the game. The tutorial allows the player to select from one of three main attributes―strength, defense, or magic―for Sora to excel in and one to lack in. By choosing certain options, the player may manipulate how Sora learns abilities, grows statistically, and gains levels. Donald, Goofy, and any other additional party members are assigned specific areas of strength from the outset. Donald excels in magic, while Goofy excels in defense and special attacks.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: The game progresses linearly from one story event to the next, usually presented as a cutscene, though there are numerous side quests available that provide benefits to the characters. Players may also choose the order in which they tackle some areas. Most of the gameplay occurs on interconnected field maps where battles take place. Combat in "Kingdom Hearts" occurs in real time and involves pressing buttons to initiate attacks by the on-screen character. An action menu, similar to those found in "Final Fantasy" games, found at the bottom left of the screen provides other combat options such as using magic and items, although players can also assign selected magic spells that can be instantly used whilst holding the shoulder button. As players progress through the game, they can receive certain Disney characters as summons, such as Dumbo and Tinker Bell, each with their own unique abilities. There is also a context-sensitive option at the bottom of the menu, usually used for interacting with the environment or performing special attacks. This menu is manipulated by using the right analog stick or digital pad, while movement is controlled by the left analog stick, allowing the player to navigate the menu while avoiding or approaching enemies.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: Sora, along with his allies, both possess a Hit Point (HP) meter and a Magic Point (MP) meter, which increase as they gain experience and level up. The MP meter is divided into various segments that are used up whenever that character performs magic, with more powerful magic consuming more MP. MP can be replenished by performing melee attacks or using items. The HP meter determines the character's health, reducing whenever a character takes damage, although it can be replenished by using healing items or spells. If one of Sora's allies runs out of health, they will be knocked out temporarily until someone heals them. However, if Sora loses all of his health, the game ends and the player must resume play from the beginning of an area or boss. Defeating enemies causes various orbs to fall: green orbs which replenish health, blue orbs which restore MP, and yellow orbs which represent Munny, the game's currency, and can be used to purchase new items.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: The Gummi Ship is the mode of travel between the various worlds in the game. The gameplay for piloting the vessel is different from the rest of the game as it switches to a rail shooter format. The player controls the Gummi Ship from a rear third-person perspective as it travels in an outer space setting. While traveling, the player must avoid obstacles and defend against enemy ships that attempt to destroy the player's vessel by firing missiles or ramming it. Surviving the route allows access to the next world. Once the player's gummi ship is destroyed, it will have the option to either return to the world selection menu or retry the level. At the beginning of the game, there are few options available to customize the vessel, but as the game progresses, new weapons, engines, and armor become available. Different pre-designed blueprints can be found throughout the game that can be used to quickly construct Gummi Ships. Geppetto also gives the player different Gummi Ship designs based on the number of Heartless defeated. From the start, the player can travel between worlds by using "Normal Drive", which initiates the rail shooter-like minigame. Later in the game, Sora can acquire a "Warp Drive", which allows instant travel between previously visited worlds without having to play the minigame. However, worlds that have not been visited cannot be accessed with Warp Drive and must be discovered normally first.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: The universe of "Kingdom Hearts" is a collection of various levels, referred to as "worlds", through which the player must progress. Fourteen worlds out of which thirteen can be accessed in the game and one, Disney Castle, is shown in cutscenes. Additional worlds are mentioned by various characters but are inaccessible because they have been destroyed by the Heartless. Ten Disney worlds are based on fiction, primarily from the Disney animated features canon, and the other four were created by Square specifically for the game.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: The graphics and characters of each world were designed to resemble the artwork style of each Disney film. Each Disney world is inhabited by characters from the film: including Hercules and Philoctetes in Olympus Coliseum, and Aladdin, Princess Jasmine and Jafar in Agrabah. Each world is disconnected from the others and exists separately. Most characters in the world are unaware of other ones, with few exceptions. Players travel from one world to another via Gummi Ship.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: The worlds created specifically for the game mirror the overall appearance of the other worlds and feature either new characters or ones from several "Final Fantasy" games. The new worlds include: the Destiny Islands, where the story opens; Traverse Town, which serves as a launching point for most of the game; Hollow Bastion, which many of the "Final Fantasy" characters call home; and the End of the World, a large, dark world created from the remnants of various worlds consumed by the Heartless. The main characters travel from world to world to seal each "Keyhole"; this protects the world from the Heartless and ultimately from destruction. They also try to minimize their interaction with characters of other worlds to maintain a balance of separation. This sometimes requires Sora, Donald and Goofy to blend in with the world inhabitants by changing their physical appearance.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: The collaboration between Disney and Square resulted in a mixture of familiar Disney and Square characters, as well as several new characters created and designed by Tetsuya Nomura. The primary protagonist of the game is Sora, a 14-year-old boy chosen to wield the Keyblade—a weapon which is a cross between a key and a sword—for battling darkness. The game also features two friends from his home world, Riku and Kairi. For most of the game, Sora is joined by Donald Duck and Goofy. Donald, the court wizard, and Goofy, captain of the royal guard, are sent from Disney Castle to find the Keyblade. The three join forces to search for King Mickey Mouse, Kairi, and Riku. The primary antagonist is Ansem, who seeks power and knowledge by using dark beings called the Heartless. The Heartless, hearts corrupted by darkness, serve as most of the enemies encountered in the game and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Maleficent, from the 1959 film "Sleeping Beauty", leads a group of Disney villains that seeks to use the Heartless for their own gain.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: As a game meant to explore the fictional universes of various Disney films, over one hundred Disney characters are featured in various capacities. While many serve as major characters in the story, others appear in cameo roles, such as the One Hundred and One Dalmatians playing a part in a side-quest. Most worlds also feature a Disney villain whom the player must defeat. The player can summon various Disney characters to fight alongside Sora in battle, causing Donald and Goofy to withdraw from the battlefield for the duration of the summon. Available summoned characters include the Genie from "Aladdin", Tinker Bell from "Peter Pan", and Simba from "The Lion King", among others.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: Square also incorporated several characters from the "Final Fantasy" series into the game, though the characters were slightly altered to fit the game's back-story. On the Destiny Islands, the player meets younger versions of Tidus and Wakka from "Final Fantasy X", and Selphie from "Final Fantasy VIII". In Traverse Town, the player encounters Squall Leonhart (also known as "Leon") from "Final Fantasy VIII", as well as Aerith, Cid, and Yuffie from "Final Fantasy VII". Rikku from "Final Fantasy X" was originally set to appear, but was replaced by Yuffie. Cloud and Sephiroth, both from "Final Fantasy VII", make appearances in Olympus Coliseum, where the player can fight them in tournaments. The emphasis on characters from later "Final Fantasy" installments stems from Nomura's hesitation to use characters he did not design. The game also uses other "Final Fantasy" icons such as the Moogles who mediate item synthesis.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: Sora, Riku, and Kairi build a raft with the intent to leave their home world of Destiny Islands to explore new worlds. On the night before the planned voyage, the islands are attacked by the Heartless, and Riku and Kairi disappear. Before the Heartless consume the islands, Sora mysteriously obtains the Keyblade, a weapon effective against the Heartless. Meanwhile, King Mickey has left his own world to deal with the increasing number of Heartless, leaving instructions for Donald and Goofy to find the "key" that will protect the worlds from the encroaching darkness. Donald and Goofy use the Gummi Ship to travel to Traverse Town, where they find Sora after he has drifted there from his destroyed world. The three decide to travel together – Donald and Goofy to find Mickey, and Sora to find Kairi and Riku – traveling to various worlds and sealing "Keyholes" in the worlds that, when sealed, prevent the "heart" of those worlds from being consumed by the Heartless. Meanwhile, a group of Disney villains led by Maleficent seek out the seven Princesses of Heart to unlock the final keyhole that leads to Kingdom Hearts, a repository of knowledge and power, and the source of all hearts. Maleficent also finds Riku and recruits him into her services, manipulating him into believing that Sora abandoned him.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: Sora and his friends eventually arrive at Hollow Bastion, Maleficent's headquarters, where Riku takes the Keyblade from Sora, revealing himself to be its intended user with Sora only receiving it in his absence; Donald and Goofy reluctantly leave Sora as per their orders. Sora later challenges Riku, stating that his heart derives strength from his friends, inspiring Donald and Goofy to return to him and regaining control of the Keyblade. After the three defeat Maleficent, Sora finds Kairi's comatose body and confronts Riku, who is now possessed by Ansem, a figure who has been manipulating Maleficent from the beginning to open the way to Kingdom Hearts. Ansem reveals Kairi as the seventh Princess of Heart, her heart having transferred into Sora's body when the Destiny Islands were destroyed. After defeating the possessed Riku, Sora impales himself with Ansem's Keyblade, which is designed to unlock hearts, releasing both his and Kairi's hearts; Kairi's heart returns to her body, in turn completing the final Keyhole, while Sora becomes a Heartless. Kairi recognizes Sora's Heartless, and the light in her heart restores him to human form.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: After Kairi gives him a good luck charm, Sora and his group venture to the End of the World, the remnants of the worlds destroyed by the Heartless, to confront Ansem as he reaches the door to Kingdom Hearts. After a battle, Ansem calls upon Kingdom Hearts to aid him, believing it to be the ultimate reservoir of darkness. However Ansem is destroyed when the door opens, revealing light. Also beyond the door are Mickey and Riku, who help Sora and his friends close the door before Sora and Mickey lock it with their Keyblades from both sides. The worlds lost to the Heartless reconstruct themselves; as the Destiny Islands reform, Kairi returns there while Sora is forced to part with her. Sora, Donald, and Goofy resolve to find Riku and Mickey.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: The initial idea for "Kingdom Hearts" began with a discussion between Shinji Hashimoto and Hironobu Sakaguchi about "Super Mario 64". They were planning to make a game with freedom of movement in three dimensions like "Super Mario 64" but lamented that only characters as popular as Disney's could rival a Mario game. Tetsuya Nomura, overhearing their conversation, volunteered to lead the project and the two producers agreed to let him direct. A chance meeting between Hashimoto and a Disney executive in an elevator—Square and Disney having previously worked in the same building in Japan—allowed Hashimoto to pitch the idea directly to Disney. Nomura struck down a number of proposals from Disney in order to pursue his own concept featuring an original character not based on a Disney property. The production team consisted of over one hundred members from both Square and Disney Interactive. The game began development in February 2000 and originally focused more on the gameplay with a simple story to appeal to Disney's target age range. After executive producer Hironobu Sakaguchi told director Tetsuya Nomura the game would be a failure if it did not aim for the same level as the "Final Fantasy" series, Nomura began to develop the story further. When choosing the Disney worlds to include in the game, Nomura and his team tried to pick worlds that had distinctively different looks. They also tried to take into account worlds with Disney characters that would be interesting. Thanks to support from Disney's then-president and current chairman and chief executive Bob Iger, the team had few restrictions on which worlds they could use from the Disney franchises. However, they tried to remain within each character's boundaries set by their respective Disney films. In a June 2013 interview, Nomura stated the name of the game was inspired by Disney Theme Parks, particularly Animal Kingdom, which had recently opened when development on the game began. However, Nomura could not secure the IP as just "Kingdom". Later on, when the development team began to think about "hearts" as a core part of the story, it was decided to combine the two to form the title "Kingdom Hearts". Outside contractors Telecom Animation Film Company, and Kazuhide Tomonaga helped animate the game by being the animation supervisors.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: Additional content was added to the North American release that was absent in the initial Japanese release: new optional bosses, one of which, Kurt Zisa, was named after the winner of the official website's "Name-In-Game" sweepstakes, an extra difficulty level, and a teaser of "Kingdom Hearts II" accessible by meeting certain criteria. Nomura included the teaser in order to gauge fan reaction to the possibility of a sequel; he felt that if the idea was unpopular, then it would be best to leave certain events in the game unexplained. The new content was later added to the Japanese re-release "Kingdom Hearts Final Mix". "Final Mix" included further additional content such as new items, cutscenes, and enemies, such as a new secret boss that sets up the sequel. The new content further hinted at plotlines that would be explained in sequels. Some content omitted from "Kingdom Hearts" was later added into "Kingdom Hearts II". A world based on "The Lion King", for instance, was unfeasible because an additional program was required to process movement on four legs—a necessity since Sora would become a lion in that world. Due to time constraints, the developers left out an optional boss battle, similar to the Sephiroth battle, against Tifa Lockhart. She was later included in "Kingdom Hearts II" as a more developed character.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: Yoko Shimomura composed and produced the music of "Kingdom Hearts". While there are arranged melodies derived from previous Disney films, most of the soundtrack consists of original themes written specifically for the game by Shimomura. The opening orchestration and ending credits theme were arranged and orchestrated by Kaoru Wada and performed by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. The main vocal theme for the original Japanese release is titled . The English version of "Hikari," "Simple and Clean," was used in the Western releases and the Japanese re-release, "Final Mix". Both versions were composed and performed by Hikaru Utada. Their involvement, along with the Japanese song title, was announced in January 2002. Utada was the only singer Nomura had in mind for the "Kingdom Hearts" theme song. This marked the first time Utada had produced a song for a video game. The single, "Hikari," was released in Japan on March 20, 2002 and proved to be very popular; by August 2002, it had sold over 860,000 copies in Japan. The "Kingdom Hearts" soundtrack was released on a two CD set on March 27, 2002, in Japan and a year later in the United States. The soundtrack was later included in the "Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack Complete", which was released in Japan on March 28, 2007. Music from "Kingdom Hearts" was also included in Shimomura's best works compilation album "Drammatica".


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: "Kingdom Hearts" featured well-known voice actors for both the Japanese and English versions. The Japanese version featured Miyu Irino as Sora, Risa Uchida as Kairi, and Mamoru Miyano as Riku. Other voice actors included Kōichi Yamadera, Hideo Ishikawa, and Maaya Sakamoto. A special effort was made to preserve the official voice actors of characters from the Disney movies used in "Kingdom Hearts". Some of the voice actors from the related television series or direct-to-video sequels were chosen over the original voice actors from films, where applicable (e.g. Dan Castellaneta as Genie, rather than Robin Williams). The English version featured Haley Joel Osment as Sora, David Gallagher as Riku, and Hayden Panettiere as Kairi. Other voice actors included Billy Zane, Christy Carlson Romano, David Boreanaz, James Woods, and Mandy Moore.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: "Kingdom Hearts" was announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in May 2001. Initial details were that it would be a collaboration between Square and Disney Interactive and would feature worlds developed by both companies and Disney characters. New characters were designed by Nomura and included Sora, Riku, Kairi, and the Heartless. A playable demo was available at the Tokyo Game Show in 2001. The gameplay of the demo showcased many action role-playing game elements that would be included in the final product. To help market the English release of the game, Square launched the official website in April 2002, which featured trailers, a "Name-In-Game" sweepstakes, and other Internet content. On May 14, 2002, a press release announced a list of the English voice actors. The list included Haley Joel Osment, David Gallagher, and Hayden Panettiere as the three new characters introduced in the game. It also announced that many of the Disney characters would be voiced by the official voice actors from their respective Disney films. Other marketing efforts included auctions of the game and related items before the North American release and a Consumer Demo Day in San Francisco, California.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: Multiple versions of "Kingdom Hearts" have been released. The first was the original Japanese release, followed by the North American and PAL releases, which includes additional content. The game was later re-released in Japan as "Kingdom Hearts Final Mix", which features the content of the North American/PAL release, as well as more new content.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: Originally released only in Japan on December 26, 2002, "Kingdom Hearts Final Mix" has several events and a number of gameplay tweaks that are not in previous releases. Spoken dialogue is in English, with Japanese subtitles. New scenes, clarifying certain plot points, such as Riku's journey and foreshadowing of "Kingdom Hearts II", were included, but no new dialogue was recorded. A gameplay option allows the player to skip cutscenes after seeing them once. The optional bosses first included in the English version were introduced to Japanese players for the first time, along with a new fight against "Unknown Man," in an attempt to raise interest for the sequel.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: In another attempt at foreshadowing, a video titled "Another Side, Another Story 【 deep dive 】" plays at the ending if the player accomplishes certain tasks. New music tracks incorporated were "Disappeared" and "Another Side." The "Night on Bald Mountain" and "One-Winged Angel" tracks from the English version were included as well. Other changes include new abilities, new weapons, new items, additional and recolored enemies, and gameplay tweaks to make the game easier for the player, along with two new levels of difficulty. When first released, "Final Mix" included either a deck of "Kingdom Hearts" cards or special music CD. A limited "Platinum Edition" version of "Kingdom Hearts Final Mix" was later released with an action figure of Sora, a sticker set, and sketches of some of the main characters.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: It was released for the first time in North America, Europe and Australia as part of "Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix".


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: During August 2011, Nomura expressed desire to release a high definition rerelease of the game though he had yet to confirm such plans. In September 2012, Square Enix announced "Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix", a compilation for the PlayStation 3, that includes both "Kingdom Hearts Final Mix" and "" in HD and trophy support. The character models from "" were used as a base for the game's characters. The gameplay of the original "Kingdom Hearts" was modified to play more like "Kingdom Hearts II". Additionally, the collection includes HD cinematic scenes from "Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days". It was released in Japan on March 14, 2013, in North America on September 10, 2013, on September 12, 2013, for Australia, and September 13, 2013, for Europe.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: In June 2013, Nomura stated that the original game assets for "Kingdom Hearts" had been lost some time ago. He explained, "[The game data] was lost, so we had to research, and we had to dig out from the actual game what was available and recreate everything for HD. We had to recreate all the graphics and it was actually not that easy."


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: In October 2016, Square Enix announced a single-disc compilation release of "Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix" and "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix" for the PlayStation 4. It was released on March 9, 2017, in Japan, and was released on March 28, 2017, in North America, and March 31, 2017, in Europe. Additional pieces of free downloadable content for the PS4 version released in June 2017 added a Theater mode for "Kingdom Hearts Final Mix" and an extended scene for "Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days".


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: On November 14, 2019, Square Enix announced that both "Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix" and "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix" were coming to Xbox One, marking the Xbox debut of the first 2 "Kingdom Hearts" games and spinoffs. The two games are combined into a collection titled "Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix", and released on February 18, 2020.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: Both Square and Disney also released numerous types of merchandise before and after the release of the game. Merchandise ranged from toys and figurines to clothing items and books. Like the "Final Fantasy" games, Square released an "Ultimania" book on "Kingdom Hearts" in Japan following the release of the game and a revised edition following the release of "Final Mix". In North America, a strategy guide was released by Brady Games. It featured a comprehensive walkthrough and a sticker activity journal. A manga series based on the game was released in Japan and the United States. A novel series also based on the game was released in Japan. It was authored by Tomoco Kanemaki and illustrated by Shiro Amano. The novel series consists of two volumes and was released in North America on March 25, 2008.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: The game was adapted into a manga by Shiro Amano. The story follows the events that took place in the game with a few minor differences to account for the loss of interactivity a video game provides. Some events that took place in the "Final Mix" version were also included. The manga was originally serialized in Japan by Enterbrain's "Famitsū PS2", but has since been released worldwide in four volumes. The volumes have been published in English in the United States by Tokyopop. The first volume was released on October 11, 2005, and the fourth volume was released on July 10, 2006. The entire series was later released in a boxed set on October 10, 2006. The manga series has had moderate success. The first volume was ranked 95th in "USA Today"s "Top 150 best sellers" during the week of its release. IGN praised Amano's artwork and commented on wanting to replay the game after reading. They criticized the lack of new content and stated the transition from game to print lost most of the story's appeal. The series was followed by others based on the game's sequels: "" and "Kingdom Hearts II".


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: "Kingdom Hearts" sold very well. During the first two months of its North American release it was one of the top three highest-selling video games and was among the top selling titles during the 2002 Christmas and holiday season. In November 2002, UBS Warburg listed it as the 6th highest console game in terms of sales during the week of November 5. At the end of April 2003, Square announced that "Kingdom Hearts" had sold its millionth copy in the United States, which made it eligible for PlayStation's "Greatest Hits" status, and over 3.0 million worldwide. Sales reached 1.2 million in Japan in the first quarter of 2004, and broke 4.0 million worldwide. In December 2005, the NPD Group listed it as "one of the top ten best-selling PlayStation 2 titles of all time in North America." By July 2006, "Kingdom Hearts" had sold through 2.6 million copies and earned $100 million in the United States alone. "Next Generation" ranked it as the seventh highest-selling game launched for the PlayStation 2, Xbox or GameCube between January 2000 and July 2006 in that country. As of December 2006, "Kingdom Hearts" had shipped over 5.6 million copies worldwide with 1.1 million in PAL regions, 1.5 million in Japan, and 3.0 million in North America. As of 2006, the original game and the "Final Mix" version had sold 6 million copies on PS2. As of October 2021, the "Kingdom Hearts" series has shipped over 35 million copies worldwide.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: The game received critical acclaim among reviewers. In IGN's Best of 2002 awards, it was nominated for "PS2's Best Game of 2002 Editor's Choice Award" and was a runner up for "PS2's Best Game of 2002 Reader's Choice Award." In 2007, the website listed "Kingdom Hearts" as the 22nd best PlayStation 2 game of all time. Critics commended the visuals, orchestral score, voice acting, and hybrid action-adventure and role-playing feel to the game, with acclaim for its mix of Square and Disney elements. IGN named it "Best Art Style/Direction," runner-up for "Best CG Graphics," and honorable mention for "Best Animation" in IGN's 2003 list of "Best Looking Games on PS2." GameSpy listed "Kingdom Hearts" twice in its "Top 25 Video Game Cinematic Moments." "GamePro" stated that the graphics were "gorgeous," giving them high marks. The audio was also praised, particularly the quality of the voice-overs and musical score. "GamePro" had positive comments on the overall audio and gave that aspect a perfect score.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: Criticism about the gameplay was mixed. Many reviews complained that the camera was at times frustrating and the Gummi Ship portions were out of place. GameSpot cited "tedious" gameplay and Gummi Ship sections as "pale imitations of the "Star Fox" series," but stated that the combat was fun, particularly the boss fights. Dengeki Online commented on the camera controls, saying that the camera would often run into objects while being rotated by the player. "GamePro" compared the battle system to "old N64 "Zelda" games" and had positive comments about Donald and Goofy's artificial intelligence.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: GameSpot commented that the concept of mixing the serious elements of "Final Fantasy" with the lighter elements of Disney seemed impossible, but was pulled off quite well. Because of that they awarded "Kingdom Hearts" "Best Crossover Since "Capcom vs. SNK"" in their 2002 Best and Worst of the Year awards. GameSpy noted that the periodic departure from the main plot into the Disney side stories was disappointing, and when the original plot builds to a climax, "the story fails to gel thanks to a confusing mish-mash of vague terms and symbolism that probably made more sense in the director's head than in this final product." Aside from the plot, they stated that the overall package was worth playing through to the end. G4TV awarded it "Best Story" at their 2003 G-Phoria awards show. Fan response was also positive; "Kingdom Hearts" was voted as the 19th best game of all-time by readers of the Japanese magazine "Famitsu", 16th by the users of website GameFAQs, and 92nd by IGN users. "Kingdom Hearts" ranked ninth on IGN's most recent "Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time" list. It ranked first on GamesRadar's "Top 7 Disney Games" list in 2009. It was also a nominee for the Best Game Award from the for 2001–2002. In the making of the 2004 video game "Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel" the developers, Racjin, looked at other titles for inspiration, particularly "Kingdom Hearts" when making the game.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: "Kingdom Hearts" was followed by several sequels, becoming the first game in the "Kingdom Hearts" series. It was followed by a direct sequel, "", on the Nintendo Game Boy Advance, which was released in Japan on November 11, 2004. "Kingdom Hearts II" is the third game in the series, set one year after "Chain of Memories", and was released in Japan on December 22, 2005, for Sony PlayStation 2. Like the first game it was re-released as "Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix" alongside a PS2 remake of "Chain of Memories". A "Kingdom Hearts" game was developed exclusively for V CAST, Verizon Wireless's broadband service, and was released on October 1, 2004, in Japan and on February 4, 2005, in the United States. In November 2008, "Kingdom Hearts coded" was released for mobile phones in Japan, the game takes place after the events of "Kingdom Hearts II". A followup, "Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days", was developed for the Nintendo DS and released in Japan on May 30, 2009, and in North America on September 29, 2009. A prequel was released in Japan on January 9, 2010, entitled "Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep", for the PlayStation Portable, which takes place 10 years before the events of "Kingdom Hearts". The following title in the series was "" for the Nintendo 3DS, released in 2012. At E3 2013, "Kingdom Hearts III" was announced to be in development for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, before being released in January 2019, followed by a downloadable content expansion titled "Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind" in early 2020. The following title, "", set after the "Re Mind" scenario, was then released in Japan on November 11, 2020, and worldwide two days later.


title: Kingdom Hearts (video game)

text: During Square Enix's 20th anniversary event for the franchise in April 2022, a mobile title, "Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link", was announced for iOS and Android devices, with a closed beta arriving in August, while the next mainline installment, "Kingdom Hearts IV", was also revealed to be in development.


title: Medium (website)

text: Medium is an American online publishing platform developed by Evan Williams and launched in August 2012. It is owned by A Medium Corporation. The platform is an example of social journalism, having a hybrid collection of amateur and professional people and publications, or exclusive blogs or publishers on Medium, and is regularly regarded as a blog host.


title: Medium (website)

text: Williams, previously co-founder of Blogger and Twitter, initially developed Medium as a means to publish writings and documents longer than Twitter's 140-character (now 280-character) maximum.


title: Medium (website)

text: In March 2021, Medium announced a change in its publishing strategy and business model. The change is to its mix of paid journalists working on its own publications – this will be proportionally reduced – versus its support of independent writers, which will increase.


title: Medium (website)

text: Evan Williams, Twitter co-founder and former CEO, created Medium to encourage users to create posts longer than the then 140-character limit of Twitter. When it launched in 2012, Williams stated, "There's been less progress toward raising the quality of what's produced."


title: Medium (website)

text: By April 2013, Williams reported there were 30 full-time staff working on the platform, including a vacancy for a "Storyteller" role, and that it was taking "98 percent" of his time. By August, Williams reported that the site was still small, although he was still optimistic about it, saying "We are trying to make it as easy as possible for people who have thoughtful things to say".


title: Medium (website)

text: Medium has been focusing on optimizing the time visitors spend reading the site (1.5 million hours in March 2015), as opposed to maximizing the size of its audience. In 2015, Williams criticized the standard web traffic metric of unique visitors as "a highly volatile and meaningless number for what we're trying to do". According to the company, as of May 2017, Medium.com had 60 million unique monthly readers.


title: Medium (website)

text: Medium maintained an editorial department staffed by professional editors and writers, had several others signed on as contractors and served as a publisher for several publications. Matter operated from Medium Headquarters in San Francisco and was nominated for a 2015 National Magazine Award. In May 2015, Medium made deep cuts to its editorial budget forcing layoffs at dozens of publications hosted on the platform. Several publications left the platform.


title: Medium (website)

text: In 2017, Medium introduced paywalled content accessible only to subscribers. In 2017, Medium began paying authors based on how much users expressed their appreciation for it through a like button which each user could activate multiple times. The formula for compensation was soon adapted to also include the amount of time readers spent reading, in addition to the use of the like button.


title: Medium (website)

text: There was an aborted attempt to introduce advertising to the site, leading to Medium cutting its staff by 50 employees in January 2017 and closing offices in New York and Washington, D.C. Williams explained that "we had started scaling up the teams to sell and support products that were, at best, incremental improvements on the ad-driven publishing model", but that, instead, Medium was aiming for a "new [business] model for writers and creators to be rewarded, based on the value they're creating for people". At that time, the company had raised $134 million in investment from venture capital firms and Williams himself.


title: Medium (website)

text: In 2016, Medium acquired the rich media embedding platform Embedly, a provider of content integration services for numerous websites, including Medium itself. That same year there were 7.5 million posts published on the platform, and 60 million readers used medium.com.


title: Medium (website)

text: In March 2017, Medium announced a membership program for $5 per month, offering access to "well-researched explainers, insightful perspectives, and useful knowledge with a longer shelf life", with authors being paid a flat amount per article. Subsequently, the sports and pop culture website "The Ringer" and the technology blog "Backchannel", a Condé Nast publication, left Medium. Backchannel, which left Medium for "Wired" in June, said Medium was "no longer as focused on helping publications like ours profit."


title: Medium (website)

text: In October 2017, Williams reaffirmed Medium was not planning to pursue banner advertising as part of their revenue model and was instead exploring micropayments, gratuities and patronage.


title: Medium (website)

text: In January 2021, Medium announced that it had acquired the social-based ebook company Glose. In November 2021, Medium acquired browser-based graphic design tool Projector. Projector's team joined Medium and Projector was shut down in 2022. Projector co-founder and CEO Trevor O’Brien became Medium’s chief product officer. In November 2021, Medium also acquired audio-based learning platform Knowable.


title: Medium (website)

text: Medium employees announced their intent to form a trade union with CODE-CWA in February 2021. According to the Medium Workers Union, 70% of eligible employees have signed union cards, representing workers in editorial, engineering, design and product departments. On February 11, they asked management for voluntary recognition of their union. On March 1, the company announced that the Medium Workers Union had fallen one vote short of the number needed for union recognition. During the leadup to the unionization campaign, Medium hired the union-busting firm Kauff McGuire & Margolis and the CEO Ev Williams led small discussion groups in which he urged employees not to join the union.


title: Medium (website)

text: On July 12, 2022, the company announced that Ev Williams would be stepping down as CEO and transitioning to chairman of the board. Tony Stubblebine, chief executive of Coach.me, took over as CEO of Medium on July 20, 2022. On August 11, 2022, Stubblebine announced a layoff of 29 staff members.