To say that someone’s life was “like a movie” -- especially an actor’s -- veers dangerously close to cliché, but there’s no denying the fact that Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas’ story couldn’t have been scripted any better. 

“My life -- a B picture. And yet my life is an American life,” Douglas told Roger Ebert <a href="http://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/interview-with-kirk-douglas">during an interview</a> in 1969. “Because the real American life, the typical one, is a B picture. Like mine -- the kid who worked up from abject poverty to become the champion. But you got to fight!”

Douglas died on Wednesday at the age of 103, his son, Michael Douglas, announced on social media.

"It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103,"&nbsp;Michael said in his post. "To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to. But to me and my brothers, Joel and Peter, he was simply Dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great grandchild their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband."

"Kirk’s life was well lived, and he leaves a legacy in film that will endure for generations to come, and a history as a renowned philanthropist who worked to aid the public and bring peace to the planet,"&nbsp;he added. "Let me end with the words I told him on his last birthday and which will always remain true. Dad- I love you so much and I am so proud to be your son."

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-id="social-media" data-ctd-shortcode-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8NCr7Ah40N/">&nbsp;</div>

Douglas rose from humble upbringings in upstate New York to become one of the biggest stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, withstood professional struggles and personal tragedy in his second act, and became an ambassador, philanthropist and best-selling author well into his 90s, never losing the indefatigable spirit that made him a success on stage and screen.

“My dad is an icon. He’s a legend. He’s a true movie star from an era when movie stars were looked at as our version of royalty, and Kirk earned that status,” Michael said during an event in October 2016 <a href="http://people.com/celebrity/kirk-douglas-honored-ahead-of-100th-birthday-at-mptf-gala/">honoring his father’s work</a> with the Motion Picture &amp; Television Fund.

Kirk Douglas’ career apex came during a remarkable run in the 1950s and 1960s, when he emerged as arguably the biggest leading man in film. With his cleft chin and virile appearance, he played a series of tough, uncompromising men, scoring a parade of critical and commercial hits with Ace in the Hole (1951), The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) and Paths of Glory (1957).

The latter film was an example of Douglas branching out. He fought his way out of Hollywood’s restrictive contract system, which tied actors to a particular studio for years, to form his own production company, Bryna, which he named after his mother. Under the Bryna banner, Douglas produced and starred in some of the most important films of the era, including The Vikings, Lonely Are the Brave and Spartacus.

In 1960, Douglas raised the $12 million needed to make Spartacus, making it one of the most expensive pictures of the time, hired a young director named Stanley Kubrick and turned the script over to Dalton Trumbo, who at the time was on the Hollywood blacklist for his alleged Communist ties. The film was a smashing success and directly led to the end of the blacklist, something for which Douglas remained proud until his final days.

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-entity-type="node" data-ctd-entity-uuid="705b6b16-6cfe-4854-9378-b2a2a6d88928" data-ctd-shortcode-id="video" data-ctd-view-mode="related_left">&nbsp;</div>

“I’m proud of using (Trumbo’s) name and breaking the blacklist,” Douglas <a href="http://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/kirk-douglas-spartacus/">recalled in a conversation</a> with Interview. “That was a terrible time in Hollywood history. It should never have happened. We should have fought it. But it’s over and I, in my old age, take solace in the fact that I remember.”

Douglas continued to work steadily in the 1970s and ’80s, directing his first film in 1973 and joining old friend Burt Lancaster for the seventh time in 1986’s Tough Guys. Tragedy struck in 1991, however, when Douglas was involved in a helicopter accident just outside Los Angeles in which two people were killed and Douglas was seriously injured. The actor was deeply moved by the accident and re-embraced his Jewish religion as a result of it.

In 1996, Douglas suffered a serious stroke that left him unable to speak. Douglas briefly considered suicide, but then began working with a speech therapist in order to regain his voice and continue acting. That same year, Douglas was awarded an honorary Academy Award, and while many weren’t sure if he would make an acceptance speech, he received a standing ovation after touching remarks about his family and wife. “I intended to just say ‘thank you,’ but I saw 1,000 people. I felt I had to say something more, and I did,” he <a href="http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/07/25/hollywood-legend-kirk-douglas-his-wife-delve-into-their-60-year-love-affair/">told</a> CBS Los Angeles.

Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch in Amsterdam, New York, in 1916. His parents worked menial jobs while they raised Douglas (who went by Izzy Demsky as a youth) and his six sisters. Douglas was bit by the acting bug very early on, and one interaction would help shape his career and life for years to come.

“I wanted to be an actor ever since I was a kid in the second grade. I did a play, and my mother made a black apron, and I played a shoemaker,” Douglas <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/kirk-douglas-spartacus-michael-330510">told</a> The Hollywood Reporter. “And my father, who never interested himself in what I was doing, was in the back, and I didn’t know it. After the performance, he gave me my first Oscar: an ice cream cone. I’ve never forgotten that.”

After high school, Douglas talked his way into St. Lawrence University, where he worked as a janitor to repay his loan. In 1939, he earned a scholarship to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he met his first wife, Diana Dill, and a fellow classmate named Betty Joan Perske, who would help Douglas find his footing in Hollywood after she had become famous under her new moniker, Lauren Bacall.

Douglas’ first role was in 1946’s The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. From there he would go on to star in nearly 90 films and TV shows. He had two sons, Michael and Joel, with his first wife, whom he divorced in 1951. He was married for more than 60 years to his second wife, Anne, with whom he had two more sons, Peter and Eric. The latter died of a drug overdose in 2004.

In his later years, Douglas authored 11 books and has donated millions to charitable causes, including the rebuilding of hundreds of parks in the Los Angeles area and the expansion of the Motion Picture Home &amp; Hospital, which houses elderly actors. In 2019, Douglas celebrated his <a href="https://www.etonline.com/kirk-douglas-turns-103-see-how-michael-douglas-catherine-zeta-jones-and-more-paid-tribute-137675" target="_blank">103rd birthday</a>&nbsp;with a bevy of sweet messages that included touching tributes from his son, Michael and daughter-in-law Catherine Zeta Jones.

An outpouring of love and memorials followed the news of his passing, with celebrities the world over paying tribute to his life. On Wednesday evening, the&nbsp;Center Theatre Group, who run the famed Kirk Douglas Theatre in&nbsp;Culver City, California, announced that they would be ceremonially dimming the venue's lights in honor of his memory.

"As the world mourns the loss of Kirk Douglas, we are especially going to miss him in the audience, and in our lives here at Center Theatre Group so we will borrow a long-standing Broadway tradition and dim the lights at the Kirk Douglas Theatre," the organization's&nbsp;Artistic Director,&nbsp;Michael Ritchie, said&nbsp;in a statement to ET. "It is a small recognition of a man that brightened so many lives and made this theatre possible."

In his death, Douglas leaves a legacy that will never be in doubt, despite his reluctance to be labeled as a legend.

“Who is really an icon? It’s just words that they use,” Douglas said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight’s Nancy O’Dell. “I think I have been lucky. I started out with nothing left to eat and now I have been able to feed hundreds of people. That’s gratitude for you.”

RELATED CONTENT:

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="527261f3-c50b-4c64-bd8a-fac4ed80e592" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="The Sweet Way Kirk Douglas Kept John Wayne's Spirits High at the End of His Life (Exclusive) " id="speedbump-shortcode-0">The Sweet Way Kirk Douglas Kept John Wayne's Spirits High at the End of His Life (Exclusive)</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="349687a1-a68a-48f6-912d-d4bc84fd5704" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="Kirk Douglas Turns 103! See How Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones and More Paid Tribute" id="speedbump-shortcode-1">Kirk Douglas Turns 103! See How Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones and More Paid Tribute</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-entity-type="node" data-ctd-entity-uuid="3c27c967-0567-4ca3-8624-ea6007626915" data-ctd-shortcode-id="gallery" data-ctd-view-mode="related">&nbsp;</div>

&nbsp;

Elliott Smith

field_byline

News

​Kirk Douglas, Golden Age of Hollywood Legend, Dead​ at 103

With a show as vast in scope as Game of Thrones, it takes time to put all the pieces into place for what figures to be an epic conclusion to the series. So, it makes sense that both episodes so far in season eight, "Winterfell"&nbsp;and Sunday's "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,"&nbsp;have taken great pains to get everything --&nbsp;and everyone --&nbsp;lined up, at a pace a little slower than usual for the show. If you've been waiting on larger-than-life battles, blood-soaked battlefields and shocking deaths, you'll have to wait at least one more episode.

The looming spectre of the Night King and his army of the undead hangs over Winterfell, with several characters remarking on their impending demise before the first White Walker even arrives on the battlefield. Yet there's still quite a bit of gallows humor left in this ragtag bunch, as this ranks as one of the funnier episodes in the series thanks to quips from everyone from Tyrion to Tormund as they seem to make peace with what lies ahead.

The episode opens with Jaime Lannister getting a tongue lashing from both Daenerys and Sansa for his dirty deeds. The one person who remains quiet is Bran, who neglects to tell the assembled crowd that it was Jaime who pushed him out of the window years ago. Brienne of Tarth steps up and vouches for Jaime, recalling how he protected her and lost his hand as a result. Sansa accepts Brienne's word and Jaime finds himself part of Winterfell's fighting force.

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-entity-type="media" data-ctd-entity-uuid="8d7ade94-a2bf-4d25-bdf4-2d7bf83af4eb" data-ctd-shortcode-id="image" data-ctd-view-mode="content_full">&nbsp;</div>

Jaime later apologizes to Bran, but like everyone else, discovers that the child he once knew has been replaced by something else. "You won’t be able to help us in this fight if I let them murder you first,"&nbsp;Bran wisely notes.

A chastened Tyrion admits to Jaime he was fooled by Cersei's pledge to help with the war, but later finds an unlikely ally in Jorah Mormont, who admits to Dany that despite his jealousy of Tyrion, he is indeed a true asset to the queen's strategy.

Like the season premiere, this episode is big on reunions, with Tyrion and Jaime coming together once again after another sticky situation; Jaime pledging his loyalty to Brienne by offering to fight under her command; Theon returning to tell Sansa that he wants to be on the front line at Winterfell; and Tormund reuniting with Jon to tell him the Night King approaches soon.

One of the most anticipated showdowns came when Dany and Sansa finally have their one-on-one moment, which begins filled with optimism as a skeptical Sansa is won over by Dany's proclamation of her love for Jon. Hands are grasped and the two women share a girl&nbsp;power moment, only to see it shattered when Sansa asks what happens post-war and Dany stubbornly insists she will sit on the Iron Throne. "What about the North?"&nbsp;Sansa demands. "We said we'd never bow again."&nbsp;Truce off.

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-entity-type="media" data-ctd-entity-uuid="44d7cb63-0e20-4aed-9dee-65cc1470b618" data-ctd-shortcode-id="image" data-ctd-view-mode="content_full">&nbsp;</div>

Tormund steals the show throughout the episode, wondering of Brienne, "Is the big woman still here?"&nbsp;upon his arrival at Winterfell and later regaling Tyrion, Jaime and Ser Davos about the origins of his surname, Giantsbane, which involves killing a giant and suckling at the teat of his wife for months on end to earn his strength.

With death on her mind as well, Arya corners Gendry and asks him how many women he's been with, to which the flustered weapons maker stammers, "Three."&nbsp;Arya decides she wants to be No. 4 (and wants him to be her No. 1)&nbsp;and goes about seducing him, which, to be honest, is a little weird considering we've seen Maisie Williams grow up on this show. There's a sense of finality about Arya's actions, and those of Jaime, who performs a knighthood ceremony on Brienne, and Grey Worm, who speaks of his future with Missandei.

The huge issue of Jon's true parentage comes to a head near the end of the show, as he tells the story of his birth and his real name of Aegon Targaryen to a shocked Dany, who sees her future on the throne slipping away as the last male heir stands before her. As expected, she reacts poorly to the news, wondering how only Bran and Sam know this long-held secret. And it doesn't seem like either one of them has thought about the whole aunt thing yet, but perhaps that's toward the bottom of their concerns. Maybe that was coming next, but Jon and Dany are pulled away by the approaching sounds of battle, as the episode ends with the undead army appearing just outside Winterfall's walls.

If this episode felt like one final chance to spend time with characters we’ve come to love over the years, the preview for episode three&nbsp;would seem to confirm it, as the battle begins in earnest. Knowing Game of Thrones, there will be casualties. &nbsp;

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-entity-type="media" data-ctd-entity-uuid="6fe63567-bb31-40f8-ba2a-6927cc8146c2" data-ctd-shortcode-id="image" data-ctd-view-mode="content_full">&nbsp;</div>

Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.&nbsp;

RELATED CONTENT: &nbsp;

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="c34a7cd9-e730-4752-9eee-593468185a1e" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="'Game of Thrones' Alum Richard Madden Shares Amazing Throwback Pic With Co-Stars Kit Harington and Alfie Allen" id="speedbump-shortcode-0">'Game of Thrones' Alum Richard Madden Shares Amazing Throwback Pic With Co-Stars Kit Harington and Alfie Allen</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="3e51cda3-bbdc-46b7-a626-701c8f85046b" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="Kit Harington Says 'Game of Thrones' Critics Can 'Go F**k Themselves'" id="speedbump-shortcode-1">Kit Harington Says 'Game of Thrones' Critics Can 'Go F**k Themselves'</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="14d24ce5-d9b3-450e-9f26-346e2c144393" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="'Game of Thrones': Jon Snow Learns the Truth in the Season 8 Premiere" id="speedbump-shortcode-2">'Game of Thrones': Jon Snow Learns the Truth in the Season 8 Premiere</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-entity-type="node" data-ctd-entity-uuid="4f3c74b0-d065-4068-9d66-a01cd2dc96ee" data-ctd-shortcode-id="video" data-ctd-view-mode="related">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-entity-type="node" data-ctd-entity-uuid="c09d9dc3-0099-4ee6-8f32-b770a75ef9d7" data-ctd-shortcode-id="gallery" data-ctd-view-mode="related">&nbsp;</div>

'Game of Thrones': Daenerys Finds Out Jon Snow Is Her Nephew as Death Looms

Rachel McRady

Everything Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Have Said About Starting a Royal Family

A few years ago, during the&nbsp;downtime of filming his motion picture debut, <a href="https://www.etonline.com/news/166479_dope_and_instant_classic_teen_films_of_the_past_10_years" target="_blank">Dope</a>, Shameik Moore thought back to an image that had stuck with him and decided he would try whatever he could to make his vision become a reality.

<meta charset="utf-8" />

“I saw a cartoon a few years earlier where <a href="https://www.etonline.com/media/videos/spider-man-spider-verse-trailer-debuts-miles-morales-animated-feature-93122" target="_blank">Miles Morales</a> made an appearance, and I was like, he looks just like me, and I was very surprised that he was black,” Moore recalled to ET during a recent interview. “My co-star on Dope had given me a journal, and we were trying to will our success into existence. So, I was like, ‘I need to write this down.’ And I wrote, ‘I am Miles Morales. I am Spider-Man.’ ”

His goals committed to paper, Moore had no idea what would come next. But filmmakers Chris Miller and Phil Lord saw Dope at the Sundance Film Festival and decided the 23-year-old actor would be a great fit for their upcoming animated film,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.etonline.com/movies/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse" target="_blank">Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</a>, making Moore’s prediction seem prescient. “A few months after that, I ended up booking it – after they auditioned a few thousand people,” Moore said. “It was perfect. Positive thinking.”

Moore’s voice brings Morales to life in the colorful and compelling Into the Spider-Verse, a much different chapter of the long-running superhero story. After Brooklyn teenager Morales is bitten by a radioactive spider in the subway, he suddenly discovers his new powers and a range of Spideys from across time and space, including Peter Parker (<a href="https://www.etonline.com/first-look-at-jessica-alba-jake-johnson-and-more-in-cbs-all-access-no-activity-season-2-exclusive" target="_blank">Jake Johnson</a>), Spider-Ham (<a href="https://www.etonline.com/people/john-mulaney">John Mulaney</a>) and Spider-Man Noir (<a href="https://www.etonline.com/nicolas-cages-is-haunted-by-the-vengeful-spirit-of-his-dead-wife-in-between-worlds-trailer">Nicolas Cage</a>). But that’s not exactly what Moore had in mind when he wrote down his dreams.

“I had been making a name for myself as an onscreen actor, so when I wrote it down, I was thinking about playing Spider-Man physically,” he said. “But Sony and Marvel aren’t in a place where they’re ready to do that yet. It made sense. Even with Peter Parker, there was a lot of animation before it became live-action. But whatever you throw at me, either on camera or in the vocal booth, I should be able to deliver for you and exceed expectations. That’s my mindset.”

To have Morales, an African-American and Latino superhero, on the big screen as the focal point of a huge Marvel movie is not a fact that’s lost on Moore. While he said that he was equally stirred by action heroes like James Bond and Jason Bourne, the idea that young children will be inspired by his portrayal of Miles is important.

“When I first saw a black Spider-Man, it hit me like, ‘Yo! This dude is black!” Moore said. “I didn’t really know I was missing that until I saw it. And there’s a lot of people who don’t know who Miles Morales is yet. I am the voice of this one, and I can’t wait for kids to feel the way that I felt. And who knows, if I don’t play the live-action Miles Morales, maybe that kid will.”

Into the Spider-Verse marks another major career milestone for Moore, who broke out in Dope and followed that up with another vivid performance in the Netflix series <a href="https://www.etonline.com/media/video/exclusive_the_get_down_star_shameik_moore_teases_shaolin_fantastic_focused_season_2-217379" target="_blank">The Get Down</a>. In the aftermath of Spider-Man, Moore will play a major role in Cut Throat City, the latest feature from Wu-Tang Clan mastermind RZA. “The type of person I am, I want everything now. I’m working on patience,” Moore said.

For now, he’s enjoying the leadup to Into the Spider-Verse, which figures to be another Marvel box-office smash and has drawn rave reviews from critics both for the film itself and Moore’s work. “To play Miles Morales, the first black Spider-Man, and for multiple people to say that it’s the best Spider-Man movie that’s been made?” Moore said. “So many people have been iffy about this movie because there have been so many Spider-Man movies – ‘Do we really need another one?’ ‘Does he have to be black?’ For so many hardcore critics to say that it’s the best one made, that says a lot about this movie. I’m so happy to be a part of such an iconic and groundbreaking project.”

For more on Moore's take on our favorite webslinger, check out the video below:

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-entity-type="node" data-ctd-entity-uuid="1f010d03-2252-4123-8baa-a13991ed8d71" data-ctd-shortcode-id="video" data-ctd-view-mode="related">&nbsp;</div>

&nbsp;

RELATED CONTENT:

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="e2e2e538-b3f2-4b73-824b-9cbf1f55ea51" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="EXCLUSIVE: 'The Get Down' Star Shameik Moore Teases Shaolin Fantastic-Focused Season 2" id="speedbump-shortcode-0">EXCLUSIVE: 'The Get Down' Star Shameik Moore Teases Shaolin Fantastic-Focused Season 2</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="49b85cd0-fe43-4d50-80ba-469d5aa9f2ce" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="EXCLUSIVE: Shameik Moore Dishes on Voicing 'Spider-Man' in New Animated Film &amp; Friendship With Jaden Smith" id="speedbump-shortcode-1">EXCLUSIVE: Shameik Moore Dishes on Voicing 'Spider-Man' in New Animated Film &amp; Friendship With Jaden Smith</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="0ef8bf9c-ed7b-485c-9e59-b0f8de646c8a" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="EXCLUSIVE: Shameik Moore Wants Will Smith to Play His On-Screen Dad, Talks Relationship With Jaden" id="speedbump-shortcode-2">EXCLUSIVE: Shameik Moore Wants Will Smith to Play His On-Screen Dad, Talks Relationship With Jaden</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-entity-type="node" data-ctd-entity-uuid="6a8cabcd-9fdb-4d26-9b4c-c5accbb575d1" data-ctd-shortcode-id="gallery" data-ctd-view-mode="related">&nbsp;</div>

Shameik Moore Breaks New Ground as First Black Spider-Man With His 'Into the Spider-Verse' Role

There was no way to predict that a low-budget, independent horror movie with a no-name cast would go on to become one of the most influential films in cinematic history. But 40 years ago, John Carpenter built the framework for one of the most successful franchises ever and helped create the “slasher” genre with the <a href="https://www.etonline.com/halloween-40-years-later-jamie-lee-curtis-and-john-carpenter-on-the-films-legacy-exclusive-111023" target="_blank">1978 smash Halloween</a>.

In the ensuing years, Michael Myers (aka “The Shape”) became one of culture’s preeminent boogeymen, Carpenter’s haunting theme continued to set an ominous mood and the fictional town of Haddonfield dealt with a serious body count problem. While the motivations for Michael’s actions grew more convoluted, he remained a terrifying force four decades later.&nbsp;

Now, with a <a href="https://www.etonline.com/michael-myers-stalks-jamie-lee-curtis-in-new-halloween-trailer-watch-109085" target="_blank">new installment</a>&nbsp;from director David Gordon Green and writer Danny McBride, featuring original star Jamie Lee Curtis as <a href="https://www.etonline.com/why-jamie-lee-curtis-still-ultimate-scream-queen-89118" target="_blank">the ultimate survivor</a>, back in theaters, ET decided to look back on the franchise to determine which film is a dull butcher knife and which is tops in terror.&nbsp;

11. Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-id="social-media" data-ctd-shortcode-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwt_Qx4OQE4">&nbsp;</div>

Plot: Terror ensues when an internet impresario decides to livestream from Michael Myers’ childhood home on Halloween night. 
Body count: 11

A candidate for the worst movie of all time, this fiasco effectively killed the franchise in its original lineage (and <a href="https://jezebel.com/331464/tyra-banks-acting-career-dies-in-halloween-resurrection" target="_blank">Tyra Banks' acting career</a>), before Rob Zombie took the reins five years later with his reboot. This is a film in which Busta Rhymes gets into hand-to-hand combat with Michael and yells “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxwsEqiptwo" target="_blank">Trick or treat, (expletive)!</a>” It’s one in which you can see Curtis going through the contractually obligated motions during the prologue. And it’s one that helps you realize that even though many of the sequels to the original film were bad, none of them were this bad. This one is only for die-hards.

10. Halloween II (2009)

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-id="social-media" data-ctd-shortcode-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSPqbbjc0BE">&nbsp;</div>

Plot: One year after the brutal Halloween attacks, Laurie tries to put her life back together while Michael continues to torment her.&nbsp; 
Body count: 18

While his initial take on the franchise was relatively restrained, Zombie’s second go-round brought out the worst of his scuzzy, redneck impulses in a sequel that manages to be both extremely brutal and thematically scattered. Zombie gives a large portion of the film to Deborah Myers (who just so happens to be played by his real-life wife, Sheri Moon) thanks to Laurie (Scout Taylor-Compton) experiencing weird dreams of her mom and a white horse. Given the freedom to take the franchise in a new way, Zombie instead ran it into the ground with his own misguided vision.

9. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-id="social-media" data-ctd-shortcode-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAaPBxBxaV8">&nbsp;</div>

Plot: Tommy Doyle and Dr. Loomis team up to stop Michael Myers, who appears to be driven by some sort of supernatural force. 
Body count: 17

The lore behind the sixth film is more interesting than the final product, but it gets major props for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bFoPt69qtg" target="_blank">screen debut</a> of the always charming Paul Rudd as Tommy Doyle, the kid Laurie was babysitting in the first movie. For years, fans clamored for the elusive Producer’s Cut of the film, which was supposed to be markedly better, but don’t be fooled: This is still one of the weaker entries, with a ridiculous subplot that supposes Michael is being controlled by pagan rituals. This was the last film appearance of Pleasance, who died during production.

8. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-id="social-media" data-ctd-shortcode-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MnaYzBhx0A">&nbsp;</div>

Plot: A toy store owner attempts to bring back witchcraft by killing children who are wearing his popular masks. And, oh, yeah, there’s no Michael Myers. 
Body count: 23

The red-headed stepchild of the series, this film proved that audiences of the time were not having a Halloween film without Michael Myers. Originally intended as the first of an anthology series using the title, those plans (and John Carpenter’s direct involvement) were scrapped after the failure of this film. But taken on its own, this third film is a creepy sci-fi tale that has a lot of prescient things to say about consumerism while also delivering some ghoulish treats for horror fans. In this case, the title was more curse than blessing.&nbsp;&nbsp;

7. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-id="social-media" data-ctd-shortcode-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvTjz_LXvPo">&nbsp;</div>

Plot: Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield to kill his niece while Dr. Loomis tries to stop his former patient’s carnage. 
Body count: 12

After the surprisingly good Halloween 4, this quickie sequel squandered most of that goodwill with a by-the-numbers affair that manages little surprise. Danielle Harris remains a strong suit as Michael’s niece Jamie, spending the first half of the film mute before regaining her voice during the climactic showdown with Michael. Donald Pleasence’s Dr. Loomis has an appropriate I’m-too-old-for-this vibe, but this film features what most Halloween fans agree is the <a href="http://halloweenmovie.wikia.com/wiki/H5_Mask?file=Halloween-5-michael-myers-8960717-1200-774.jpg" target="_blank">worst Michael mask</a> in the series.&nbsp;

6. Halloween (2007)

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-id="social-media" data-ctd-shortcode-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qKmXIy9Juk">&nbsp;</div>

Plot: An unspeakable evil stalks a teenager and her friends on Halloween night. 
Body count: 18

Zombie’s “reimagining” of the Carpenter classic is a surprising cinematic experience during its first hour, choosing to dive into the backstory of what made Michael snap as a kid, with Dr. Loomis (Malcom McDowell) growing increasingly concerned about his patient’s mental state. Once Michael breaks out, it basically turns into a straight remake of the first film, as the classic mask is donned and the stalk-and-chase of Laurie (Taylor-Compton) occurs. But it’s hard to copy what Carpenter did in the original, and the remake suffers for it.&nbsp;

5. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-id="social-media" data-ctd-shortcode-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfvBru3MKsg">&nbsp;</div>

Plot: After a long absence, Michael is back in Haddonfield to wipe out his family line by killing his niece, with Dr. Loomis on the case. 
Body count: 17

Seven years after the release of Halloween II (and 10 years since the events of that film), Michael wakes up from his coma while being transferred to the sanitarium and heads back to Haddonfield to continue his rampage. This time, his target is his young niece Jamie (Harris, in her screen debut en route to becoming a scream queen and new star of the franchise). It’s interesting to see Michael brought into the true slasher era, as Jason, Freddy and countless others had picked up the knife in his absence, and it neatly fits in with the other ’80s-era horror flicks.&nbsp;

4. Halloween II (1981)

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-id="social-media" data-ctd-shortcode-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCiuZ9MvdJs">&nbsp;</div>

Plot: Picking up immediately after the events of the first film, The Shape continues to stalk Laurie at Haddonfield Hospital. 
Body count: 9

Carpenter didn’t want to make a sequel, but the power of the dollar was too much to resist for studio execs. Carpenter ceded directing duties to Rick Rosenthal but stuck around to write the script, which introduces that Michael and Laurie are siblings. The horror genre had changed seismically since the first film, and the sequel’s <a href="https://thewolfmancometh.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/halloween-2-ii-1981-michael-myers-blind-eyes-blood.jpg" target="_blank">blood and gore</a> content reflects that. Still, this is more thriller than horror, and Curtis is excellent again. The “TV cut” of the film, while heavily edited, fleshes out more of the story and even changes the fate of some characters.&nbsp;

3. Halloween: H20 (1998)

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-id="social-media" data-ctd-shortcode-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heFY1zqvsyE">&nbsp;</div>

Plot: Twenty years after surviving her brother’s murderous rampage, a post-traumatic Laurie must face down Michael again. 
Body count: 7

It was downright shocking when word came out that Curtis would reprise her role as Laurie for this sequel, which ignores films four through six. Even more surprising was that the film would turn out to be good. Yes, H20 follows the <a href="http://www.etonline.com/features/205294_scream_20_years_later_neve_campbell_and_cast_share_untold_stories" target="_blank">Scream formula</a> that was popular at the time, with glamorous teens -- Michelle Williams, Josh Hartnett, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe -- spouting snarky dialogue, but this film primarily focuses on Laurie and her issues. The final 30 minutes of the film are top-notch, and when Michael and Laurie finally meet after 20 years, it’s an electric scene. Too bad the awesome finale was spoiled by the ensuing sequel.&nbsp;

2. Halloween (2018)

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-entity-type="node" data-ctd-entity-uuid="25a72c08-4401-438a-b9d3-baa3f4a0f940" data-ctd-shortcode-id="video" data-ctd-view-mode="related">&nbsp;</div>

Plot:&nbsp;Laurie comes to her final confrontation with Michael, who has haunted her since she escaped his killing spree on Halloween night 40 years ago. 
Body count: 17

Made my Carpenter fans for Carpenter fans, the new Halloween is the closest thing to a faithful sequel of the original that fans could have ever hoped for. The countless nods to the original will have diehards shouting with glee, while Jamie Lee Curtis gives the performance of a lifetime as the most badass grandmother cinema has ever seen. Michael Myers is scarier than ever as he goes back to his roots in aimlessly stalking babysitters on Halloween night, and the new generation of Strodes (<a href="https://www.etonline.com/top-40-scream-queens-of-past-40-years-jamie-lee-curtis-neve-campbell-111230" target="_blank">scream queen</a> novices Judy Greer and&nbsp;Andi Matichak) prove worthy adversaries. This is not just a great Halloween sequel, it’s also just a great slasher film. &nbsp;

1. Halloween (1978)

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-id="social-media" data-ctd-shortcode-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHuOtLTQ_1I">&nbsp;</div>

Plot: On Halloween night, a babysitter and her friends are stalked and attacked by a masked killer, who has escaped a mental institution. 
Body count: 6

The haunting, simplistic theme song. The creepy mask, created from a William Shatner costume. The performance of Curtis’ plucky, virginal Final Girl. The omnipresent force lurking around every corner. These elements of horror movies have become so iconic, it’s understandable to forget how groundbreaking these ideas were when Carpenter unleashed them on unsuspecting audiences 40 years ago, working with a meager $300,000 budget. Over the years, it was often imitated and never duplicated, as the original film remains by far the best in the franchise and one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5unH8gOhydY" target="_blank">best horror films</a>&nbsp;ever made. Sound, lighting and cinematography all play a huge role in creating the tension, as you perceive what’s happening much more than you see it. Of course, it helped to have a star-making turn from Curtis (in her movie debut) anchoring the film and none of the backstory and convoluted plot twists that bogged down the sequels. This is a lean, mean movie that succeeds in making you&nbsp;scared, which is easier said than done.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Originally published Oct. 2017, this list has been updated and revised to reflect the new installment of Halloween franchise.

RELATED CONTENT:

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="a4c49085-1ae6-4b50-a4da-0576d5953b47" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="The Top 40 Scream Queens of the Past 40 Years" id="speedbump-shortcode-0">The Top 40 Scream Queens of the Past 40 Years</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="840e97c2-1408-43ec-b88f-761044a4835d" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="‘Halloween’ 40 Years Later: Why Jamie Lee Curtis Is Still the Ultimate Scream Queen" id="speedbump-shortcode-1">‘Halloween’ 40 Years Later: Why Jamie Lee Curtis Is Still the Ultimate Scream Queen</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="6d5107c0-137b-4323-886a-577beff0d8ea" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="‘Halloween’ 40 Years Later: Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter on the Film’s Legacy (Exclusive)" id="speedbump-shortcode-2">‘Halloween’ 40 Years Later: Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter on the Film’s Legacy (Exclusive)</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="7a23dec2-da59-43ed-aefe-b4bfe0f941e5" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="Jamie Lee Curtis Reunites With 'Halloween' Co-Star Kyle Richards 40 Years Later (Exclusive)" id="speedbump-shortcode-3">Jamie Lee Curtis Reunites With 'Halloween' Co-Star Kyle Richards 40 Years Later (Exclusive)</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-entity-type="node" data-ctd-entity-uuid="f07615ef-0304-4f51-8d9d-04f22ca57689" data-ctd-shortcode-id="video" data-ctd-view-mode="related">&nbsp;</div>

Features

The ‘Halloween’ Franchise Ranked From the Worst to Best Slash

The Top 40 Scream Queens of the Past 40 Years

From the wintry wilderness of Westeros to the dusty desert plains of Delos, composer Ramin Djawadi is well-versed and deeply embedded in two of the buzziest shows on television, with his music providing an iconic backdrop to Game of Thrones and Westworld’s complex and beloved stories.

This year, the Television Academy took notice. Djawadi was nominated twice in the Outstanding Music Composition for a Series category for his work on the&nbsp;Game of Thrones&nbsp;season seven finale “The Dragon and The Wolf” and the pivotal Westworld episode “Akane No Mai,” giving him double the chance of earning his first-ever Emmy award after four previous nominations.&nbsp;

“It feels very rewarding because what a lot of people don’t know is how much hard work this actually is,” Djawadi tells ET. “I literally work every day and weekends. It’s a lot of hard work and a lot of effort we put in. I didn’t expect anything at all, and then to get two nominations at the same time --&nbsp;it was pretty mind-blowing, I have to say. I feel very honored, and it’s just unbelievable.”

The German-born Djawadi has been with Thrones since the beginning of the series, crafting dramatic and powerful soundscapes that have become embedded in the pop culture conversation. As he began work on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf9u3jPvkkI" target="_blank">season seven</a>, two big elements were on his plate: the love theme between Jon Snow and Daenerys, and the music for the White Walkers, both of which came to the forefront in the finale.&nbsp;

“It was great to develop those over the episodes,” Djawadi says. “At the beginning of every season I sit down with [co-creators] David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss] and we talk broad strokes about the music. Then, we go into even more detail where we hone in on every single episode and discuss where music should go and what it should do.&nbsp;

“The Jon and Daenerys love theme is a good example, because we kind of worked backwards with that one. As their relationship developed through the season, we didn’t want to play that as a love theme from the beginning, because their relationship needed to grow. So, I worked backwards. I wrote the theme first to the big scene in the final episode and then broke it down in the early episodes.”

Meanwhile, Westworld poses its own unique challenges for Djawadi, since many of the episodes interpolate popular music into the score. His work on “Akane No Mai” was especially critical because it finally introduced viewers into Shogun World, a Samurai-themed section of the park, leading to a transformation of the show’s music from Western sounds to Far East rhythms, including a unique twist on the Wu-Tang Clan classic “C.R.E.A.M.”&nbsp;

“With these songs, it’s actually [showrunner] Jonah [Nolan] that comes up with them and then he’ll send me on my way to do piano arrangements or orchestral arrangements or whatever he feels may be the right way to go,” Djawadi says, revealing that episode five also included a departure from the typical process. “The Wu-Tang Clan, in particular, was interesting because we actually did the music before they started shooting so that they were able to play this piece on set and do the choreography to the piece of music, which is really cool.”

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-id="social-media" data-ctd-shortcode-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZbOwiD_Tts">&nbsp;</div>

The in-demand composer, who has stayed busy with a TV and film slate that includes Jack Ryan on Amazon, A Wrinkle in Time&nbsp;and Pacific Rim: Uprising, is also helped by the fact that Thrones and Westworld shoot at different times of the year. “When I work on multiple projects, I’m really good at dividing my days so I start in the morning with a clean slate,” he says.&nbsp;

While he has a bit of a break in his schedule, Djawadi is hitting the road with the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience, a multi-city North American tour during which he leads an orchestra and choir in performing music from all seven seasons of the show, complete with a tricked-out stage and state-of-the-art visuals that help bring the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros to life.&nbsp;

“It’s been a really fun thing to do,” the composer says of the tour, which first started in North America last February before moving on to Europe this summer. The new tour kicked off Sept. 5 in Vancouver before moving to the States. “I think it’s great to see that there is such a connection to film music and the way people react or connect to a character or scene. When we play the ‘Red Wedding’ or we play Arya’s theme, people just love it and cheer. It’s really exciting to see how they identify with the music and how they get emotionally carried away at these concerts. That was always the intention: to relive these scenes with the music in the foreground and enjoy yourself.”

Of course, all Thrones fans are steeling themselves for the final season of the show, which is scheduled to air sometime in 2019 despite <a href="https://www.etonline.com/game-of-thrones-final-season-might-premiere-even-later-than-we-thought-108585" target="_blank">rumors of delays</a>. Djawadi isn’t sure how things are going to end, and but he’s eager to find out what’s in store from a personal and professional standpoint.&nbsp;

“It’s sad and exciting for me at the same time,” Djawadi says. “I’m sad to see this end, but at the same time, I’m really excited to be able to write a conclusion to this amazing series. People think I’m finished, but the fact is, I haven’t even started. I’m very curious, just like everybody else, to see what’s going to happen and what journey it will take me on musically. I can’t wait to get going on it.”

<a href="https://www.gameofthronesconcert.com/" target="_blank">Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience</a> is currently touring the U.S., with performances throughout the country and Canada scheduled until&nbsp;Oct. 14.&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.emmys.com/awards/emmys/creative-arts-emmys">70th Creative Arts Emmy Awards</a> will be handed out over two days, on Sept. 8 and Sept. 9 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. A telecast of the awards will air Saturday, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FXX.

<meta charset="utf-8" />

<meta charset="utf-8" />

RELATED CONTENT:

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="1548c997-5f65-4a8b-a07d-69381cc577f7" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="'Game of Thrones' Final Season Might Premiere Even Later Than We Thought" id="speedbump-shortcode-0">'Game of Thrones' Final Season Might Premiere Even Later Than We Thought</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="0c0d90b3-f728-4d73-8616-38a44ea9e7c6" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Reflects on Jaime Lannister’s Evolution on ‘Game of Thrones’ (Exclusive)" id="speedbump-shortcode-1">Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Reflects on Jaime Lannister’s Evolution on ‘Game of Thrones’ (Exclusive)</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="66af96ee-77cc-417e-a8ea-90ec3503e310" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="How Jimmi Simpson’s ‘Greatest Test’ on ‘Westworld’ Led to His First Emmy Nomination (Exclusive)" id="speedbump-shortcode-2">How Jimmi Simpson’s ‘Greatest Test’ on ‘Westworld’ Led to His First Emmy Nomination (Exclusive)</div>

&nbsp;

‘Game of Thrones’ Composer Ramin Djawadi 'Can't Wait' to Work on the Final Season (Exclusive)

Letitia Wright is one of ET’s featured <a href="https://www.etonline.com/emmy-first-timers-2018-exclusive-ricky-martin-issa-rae-jimmi-simpson-yvonne-strahovski-and-more" target="_blank">first-time Emmy nominees</a>.

&nbsp;

It’s been a great -- and standout -- year for Letitia Wright.

The 24-year-old Guyanese-British actress went from a handful of TV appearances on British shows (Banana, Cucumber and Humans) in 2015 to high-profile projects like an episode of Black Mirror, Drake’s “Nice for What” music video and The Commuter, Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity Wars, <a href="https://www.etonline.com/movies/black-panther" target="_blank">Black Panther</a> and Ready Player One -- all culminating in her first-ever Emmy nomination.

But getting to this point has been an exhausting, if thrilling journey for Wright, who was in the middle of filming her breakout role as Shuri in Black Panther when another dream opportunity came across her plate: a key role in an episode of <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/70264888" target="_blank">Black Mirror</a>, a show she’s followed since it first premiered in 2011.

“[Black Mirror] got the last bit of me, the very, very last bit,” Wright tells ET by phone. Despite her fatigue, however, she dug deep and delivered another knockout performance -- this one worthy of a first-time Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie, putting her up against acting heavyweights like Judith Light, Merritt Wever and Penélope Cruz.

“To know that the hard work and care that went into this character and what she was representing -- that people vibe to it and it got a nomination -- is just a feeling of total gratitude,” Wright continues, revealing that she was taking a break during a driving lesson when she first learned of the Emmy news.

“I just put my head on the steering well and was thanking God, really, because it’s a huge thing. I’m just really grateful, if I’m being honest. I don’t want validation to come about from awards, but when it does happen, it’s a lovely little nudge that says, ‘Hey, kid, you’re going in the right direction.’”

In her Black Mirror episode, “Black Museum,” Wright plays Nish, a young British tourist traveling through the southwest United States. She seemingly stumbles onto the titular roadside attraction, which specializes in technology-based crimes (there are several callbacks to previous episodes) and is overseen by carny proprietor Rolo Haynes (Douglas Hodge). This being Black Mirror, nothing is as it seems, and Nish, who turns out to be “faking” her British accent, gains a measure of familial revenge.

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-caption="Letitia Wright in a scene from the &amp;#039;Black Mirror&amp;#039; episode &amp;#039;Black Museum.&amp;#039;" data-ctd-entity-type="media" data-ctd-entity-uuid="b559fe27-bed5-40e1-a3e8-f6bc93ce4a9a" data-ctd-shortcode-id="image" data-ctd-view-mode="content_full">&nbsp;</div>

The episode was one of the <a href="https://www.etonline.com/every-black-mirror-episode-ranked-worst-best-93082" target="_blank">season’s most controversial offerings</a>, as critics were split on its interpretation of justice versus vengeance, but there were no qualms about Wright’s powerful performance, which she said was inspired by 13th, Ava DuVernay’s Emmy-nominated documentary about racial inequality in the prison industrial-complex.

“What is she doing across the world? What’s the purpose? Everything flipped when I watched 13th. That stuff is crazy, and this story is mirroring what’s going on. It added layers to my character. So, it was going back to telling the truth in every line, every look and every stare,” Wright says of breaking down creator and writer Charlie Brooker’s script.

For Wright, just being part of Black Mirror was special, especially since she’d had an opportunity to be on the show in 2016 but had to turn the part down due to scheduling conflicts. When the chance for “Black Museum” came up during Black Panther, Wright jumped at the opportunity, pulling in some help from her co-star and series veteran, Daniel Kaluuya, to get things just right.

“They asked me to read the script and, if I liked it, put myself on tape. I called up Daniel and was like, ‘Bro, I need that source.’ Come to my apartment and help me,” Wright recalls. “He played Rolo for me. I said, ‘I can’t do two takes, we need to nail this in one.’ We did it and the week after that, I booked it. So, it was like that door for Black Mirror was purposely being closed. God was like, ‘This one is better.’ I am just floored by how amazing it’s all worked out. It’s a blessing to me.”

One catch, however: Wright has yet to see “Black Museum,” claiming her increasingly busy schedule has prevented her from really digging into the season. “By the Emmys, I will have seen the episode,” she says with a laugh. “It’s so bad. I want to see the whole season together, so finding that time is annoying.”

While the Emmy nomination is another feather in the cap for Wright, whose star power continues to enjoy a meteoric rise, her goal is not to get swallowed by the Hollywood star machine. “It’s been cool. The only adjustment is hearing your name come out of people’s mouths who would never know your name, and people being outwardly excited about your work. I really try to keep as grounded as possible,” Wright says.

“I can’t hide anymore on the plane, train or Chick-fil-A. I had to accept that. But it’s not as scary as people make it out to be. I still want to be me. I’m human and you are, too.”

&nbsp;

The <a href="https://www.nbc.com/emmy-awards?nbc=1">70th Primetime Emmy Awards</a>, co-hosted by Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost and Michael Che, will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 17, starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC. Check out the full list of nominees and ET’s ongoing <a href="https://www.etonline.com/awards/emmys">Emmy coverage here</a>.

&nbsp;

RELATED CONTENT:

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="cc797c5a-d5b4-4c22-b703-e7632056287c" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="2018 Emmy Nominations: The Complete List" id="speedbump-shortcode-0">2018 Emmy Nominations: The Complete List</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="5403ff00-e28f-45b7-92eb-e41fabf68320" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="2018 Emmy Nominations: The Biggest Snubs and Surprises " id="speedbump-shortcode-1">2018 Emmy Nominations: The Biggest Snubs and Surprises</div>

‘Black Panther’ Star Letitia Wright Still Hasn’t Watched Her Emmy-Nominated ‘Black Mirror’ Episode (Exclusive)

Aretha Franklin, who didn’t let health issues slow her performance schedule in recent years prior to her <a href="http://www.etonline.com/music/209906_aretha_franklin_announces_she_retiring_this_year_this_is_it" target="_blank">retirement from the industry</a> in 2017, died on Aug. 16, 2018&nbsp;at her home in Detroit, Michigan, surrounded by her loved ones, ET confirms in a statement issued by the singer's family through her longtime publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn.&nbsp;She was 76.

Franklin's oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute, says the singer's official cause of death was due to advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type.

“In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds," reads the family's statement. "We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.”

Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.

The message in <a href="http://www.etonline.com/people/aretha-franklin" target="_blank">Franklin</a>’s most famous song was one that resonated with her throughout her six decades in music. “Everybody wants respect,” Franklin <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/aretha-franklin-on-feminism-beyonce-and-who-should-star-in-her-biopic-20141211">told Rolling Stone</a>. “In their own way, 3-year-olds would like respect, and acknowledgement, in their terms.”

Franklin, whose powerful pipes and signature style earned her the well-deserved title of “Queen of Soul,” rarely, if ever, had to worry about earning respect from an industry that loved her; she was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and took home 18 GRAMMY Awards during her career thanks to iconic songs like “Respect,” “Think” and “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You).” She sold more than 75 million records and tallied 112 Billboard-charting singles.

After several gospel releases and an ill-fated attempt to cast her as a Billie Holiday-esque lounge singer, Franklin reached her creative and commercial peak in 1967, when she signed with Atlantic Records. Working with the legendary Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Franklin came up with the idea of covering an Otis Redding song she liked, and from that “Respect” was born, a song that would rest at the top of both the R&amp;B and pop charts for weeks.

Over the next few years, Franklin would experience an unprecedented amount of success, with songs like “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man,” “(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman,” “Chain of Fools” and “I Say a Little Prayer” becoming iconic parts of her catalog and earning her the sobriquet that would stick with her for the rest of her career. During a show in Chicago in 1968, radio DJ Pervis Spann placed a crown on Franklin’s head and pronounced her the “Queen of Soul.”

And while Franklin enjoyed her reign at the top of the charts during the late 1960s and early 1970s, she never forgot her gospel roots. In 1972, she released Amazing Grace, which would go on to sell more than 2 million copies, making it the most successful gospel record of all time.

“Gospel goes with me wherever I go,” Franklin said in an <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/aretha-franklin-on-why-shell-never-stop-singing/">interview with PBS</a>. “Gospel is a constant with me.”

So was activism. During the turbulent era in which she rose to fame, Franklin used her status to help the civil rights movement, joining forces with the key figures of the time and watching as her songs were adopted as anthems by both the civil rights and feminist movements. Franklin also sang at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.

While the disco era was not kind to Franklin’s career, she bounced back in the 1980s, beginning with a rousing appearance in The Blues Brothers and continuing with hit singles like “Jump to It,” “Freeway of Love” and “I Knew You Were Waiting for Me” with George Michael. She scored on the charts again in 1998 with the title track from her album A Rose Is Still a Rose, and in 2014, her cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” brought her a new generation of fans. “Music changes, and I’m gonna change right along with it,” she said in a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/mar/20/aretha-franklin-classic-interview">prophetic interview</a> over 40 years earlier.

Franklin was born in Memphis, Tenn., on March 25, 1942. Her mother died before Franklin was 10 and she was primarily raised by her father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin, a talented yet promiscuous preacher. Her father, realizing his daughter’s talents, made Aretha a part of his road shows, and her first gospel record, Songs of Faith, was released in 1956 with his encouragement. Her first secular record, Aretha: With the Ray Bryant Combo, was released in 1961 and saw Franklin singing standards and doo-wop.

By this point, Franklin had already given birth to two children -- the first of whom she had at 14 -- and was beginning a tempestuous marriage to Ted White, who became her manager. They divorced in 1969 amid rumors of domestic violence, with Franklin having had another son during the marriage. She had a fourth son in 1970 with her road manager, Ken Cunningham, before beginning a six-year marriage to actor Glynn Turman in 1978.

As Franklin transitioned into “diva mode,” she became famous (and infamous) for amazing performances mixed with health scares. She filled in at the last minute for Luciano Pavarotti and unleashed an epic rendition of “Nessun Dorma” at the 1998 GRAMMY Awards. She performed at the inaugurations of presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and sang the national anthem at Super Bowl XL in her adopted hometown of Detroit. In 2010, she underwent surgery for an undisclosed tumor and had several health scares in the ensuing years, but she never hung up the microphone.

“I’m not ever going to retire,” she <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/aretha-franklin-on-why-shell-never-stop-singing/">told PBS</a> in an interview. “That wouldn’t be good, for one, just to go somewhere and sit down and do nothing. Please. No, that’s not moi.”

Franklin had one more trick up her sleeve, bringing down the house at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors when she performed “Natural Woman” with songwriter Carole King and President Obama in attendance. Clad in a full-length mink coat, Franklin’s performance drew a standing ovation and tears from the president, as the audience was moved to its core by Franklin’s still-powerful vocals.

“Nobody embodies more fully the connection between the African-American spiritual, the blues, R &amp; B, rock ‘n’ roll -- the way that hardship and sorrow were transformed into something full of beauty and vitality and hope,” Obama would later reflect to The New Yorker. “American history wells up when Aretha sings.”

That emotional connection, be it to a child or the president, was Franklin’s ultimate goal.

“That makes it all worthwhile,” Franklin said in an Elle interview. “Just to know I uplifted another person -- I wouldn’t be doing anything else. In terms of helping people understand and know each other a little better, music is universal -- universal and transporting.”

RELATED CONTENT:

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="32b81daf-38f8-4dc8-b0f4-db5017a9853c" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="Aretha Franklin Retires From Performing: 'This Is It'" id="speedbump-shortcode-0">Aretha Franklin Retires From Performing: 'This Is It'</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="c896ca44-d87f-4be7-948e-d37ea9f4d3a2" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="This Aretha Franklin Performance of '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman' Will Change Your Life" id="speedbump-shortcode-1">This Aretha Franklin Performance of '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman' Will Change Your Life</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-type="node" data-ctd-shortcode-entity-uuid="3693e249-85a0-43f6-b74b-0f433fdbe236" data-ctd-shortcode-id="speedbump" data-ctd-shortcode-new-window="1" data-ctd-shortcode-title="GRAMMYs Flashback '91: Aretha Franklin Is a Legend" id="speedbump-shortcode-2">GRAMMYs Flashback '91: Aretha Franklin Is a Legend</div>

<div class="ctd-shortcode" data-ctd-entity-type="node" data-ctd-entity-uuid="6854f60c-fe33-4a5d-b5ca-71a1ebbfd6dc" data-ctd-shortcode-id="gallery" data-ctd-view-mode="related">&nbsp;</div>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Elliott Smith

Latest Articles

Kirk Douglas, Golden Age of Hollywood Legend, Dead at 103

'Game of Thrones': Daenerys Finds Out Jon Snow Is Her Nephew as Death Looms

Everything Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Have Said About Starting a Royal Family

Shameik Moore Breaks New Ground as First Black Spider-Man With His 'Into the Spider-Verse' Role

The ‘Halloween’ Franchise Ranked From the Worst to Best Slash

The Top 40 Scream Queens of the Past 40 Years

‘Game of Thrones’ Composer Ramin Djawadi 'Can't Wait' to Work on the Final Season (Exclusive)

‘Black Panther’ Star Letitia Wright Still Hasn’t Watched Her Emmy-Nominated ‘Black Mirror’ Episode (Exclusive)

Aretha Franklin, Legendary Singer and 'Queen of Soul,' Dies at 76

Elliott Smith

Latest Articles

​Kirk Douglas, Golden Age of Hollywood Legend, Dead​ at 103

'Game of Thrones': Daenerys Finds Out Jon Snow Is Her Nephew as Death Looms

Everything Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Have Said About Starting a Royal Family

Shameik Moore Breaks New Ground as First Black Spider-Man With His 'Into the Spider-Verse' Role

The ‘Halloween’ Franchise Ranked From the Worst to Best Slash

The Top 40 Scream Queens of the Past 40 Years

‘Game of Thrones’ Composer Ramin Djawadi 'Can't Wait' to Work on the Final Season (Exclusive)

‘Black Panther’ Star Letitia Wright Still Hasn’t Watched Her Emmy-Nominated ‘Black Mirror’ Episode (Exclusive)

Aretha Franklin, Legendary Singer and 'Queen of Soul,' Dies at 76

Kirk Douglas, Golden Age of Hollywood Legend, Dead at 103