'Anora,' 'I Saw the TV Glow' lead Spirit Award nominations

“Anora,” Sean Baker’s odyssey of a New York stripper, and Jane Schoenbrun’s psychological horror “I Saw the TV Glow” dominated nominations for the Film Independent Spirit Awards with six nods each, including best film and best director. The nonprofit organization announced nominations Wednesday on a YouTube livestream.

Three actors in “Anora” were also singled out for their performances including Mikey Madison’s leading turn and Yura Borisov and Karren Karagulian’s supporting turns. Acting categories for the Spirit Awards are gender neutral and include 10 actors each. “I Saw the TV Glow’s” Justice Smith was nominated in lead and Brigette Lundy-Paine in supporting.

Also nominated for best feature film were RaMell Ross’s Colson Whitehead adaptation “Nickel Boys,” Greg Kwedar’s incarceration drama “Sing Sing” and Coralie Fargeat’s body horror “The Substance.”

In the best director category, in addition to Baker and Schoenbrun, nominees included Brady Corbet for “The Brutalist,” its sole nomination, Ali Abbasi for “The Apprentice” and Alonso Ruizpalacios for “La Cocina.” Sebastian Stan was also recognized for his turn as a young Donald Trump in “The Apprentice” in the lead performing category.

Other lead performers who got nods include Amy Adams for “Nightbitch,” Colman Domingo for “Sing Sing,” Demi Moore for “The Substance,” June Squibb for “Thelma,” “Hunter Schafer for “Cuckoo,” Keith Kupferer for “Ghostlight” and Ryan Destiny for “The Fire Inside.”

The supporting category also included both newcomers and veterans: Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”), Carol Kane (“Between the Temples”), Clarence Maclin (“Sing Sing”), Adam Pearson (“A Different Man,” which triumphed this week at the Gotham Awards ), Joan Chen (“Dìdi”), Danielle Deadwyler (“The Piano Lesson”) and Kani Kusruti (“Girls Will Be Girls”).

Sometimes the Spirit Awards overlap significantly with major Oscar contenders and winners, as in the “Everything Everywhere All At Once” year, and sometimes not. Last year’s big winners included Celine Song’s “Past Lives” and Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction.” The awards limit eligibility to productions with budgets of $30 million or less, meaning more expensive productions like “Wicked” and “Dune: Part Two” were not in the running.

International film nominees were: Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine as Light,” which India did not select to represent the country at the Oscars, “Black Dog,” from China, the animated adventure “Flow,” Agnieszka Holland’s “Green Border,” and Mike Leigh’s “Hard Truths.”

The Robert Altman Award, recognizing an ensemble cast, went to “His Three Daughter’s,” Azazel Jacobs’ moving portrait of three women, played by Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne and Elizabeth Olsen, whose father is in hospice.

The Spirit Awards also recognize new fiction and non-fiction television series, where nominees include the Netflix phenomenon “Baby Reindeer,” “Shōgun” and “Ren Fair.”

The organization said that of all the nominees, 46% are women and 30% are people of color.

The Spirit Awards will be held on Saturday, Feb. 22 in Santa Monica, California, and streamed live on IMDb and Film Independent’s YouTube channels. Comedian Aidy Bryant will return to host.

This image released by Magnolia Pictures shows Richard Roundtree, left, and June Squibb in a scene from the film "Thelma." (Magnolia Pictures via AP)

This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows Kieran Culkin, left, and Jesse Eisenberg in a scene from "A Real Pain." (Searchlight Pictures via AP)

This image released by Janus and Sideshow Films shows Kani Kusruti, left, and Divya Prabha in a scene from "All We Imagine As Light." (Janus and Sideshow Films via AP)

This image released by Netflix shows Natasha Lyonne, from left, Elizabeth Olsen, and Carrie Coon in a scene from "His Three Daughters." (Netflix via AP)

This image released by A24 shows Colman Domingo, left, and Clarence Maclin in a scene from "Sing Sing." (A24 via AP)

This image released by Amazon/MGM shows Ethan Herisse, left, and Brandon Wilson in a promotional photo for the film "Nickel Boys." (Orion Pictures/Amazon/MGM via AP)

This image released by Neon shows Mark Eydelshteyn, left, and Mikey Madison in a scene from "Anora." (Neon via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot outside a hotel in midtown Manhattan where he was scheduled to speak at an investor meeting Wednesday morning, according to a person briefed on the investigation.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the investigation.

Police did not release the victim's name, but said a 50-year-old was shot around 6:45 a.m. outside a Hilton before the shooter fled.

The victim was taken to a nearby hospital but could not be saved.

The preliminary police investigation indicated the shooting was “a targeted murder,” according to Mayor Eric Adams.

He said police were looking at evidence recovered from the scene and canvassing video. “Tell New Yorkers: NYPD is on the job,” he said. “Again, this was not what appears to be a just random act of violence. It seems to be clearly targeted by an individual and we will apprehend that individual.”

UnitedHealthcare is the insurance arm of the health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc. The Minnetonka, Minnesota-based company was scheduled to have its annual meeting with investors in New York City to update Wall Street on the company's direction and expectations for the coming year, according to a company media advisory. An announcement was made to attendees Wednesday morning that the conference was ending early.

The Hilton is in a bustling part of Manhattan, a short walk from tourist sites such as the Museum of Modern Art and Rockefeller Center, and often dense with tourists and office workers on weekday mornings. The popular Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting is set to take place Wednesday evening.

Part of the block where the shooting took place was cordoned off with police tape, with a large contingent of police officers at the scene. Many security cameras are nearby.

Thompson had served as CEO for more than three years and had been with the company since 2004.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tweeted that the state is “sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.”

“This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota,” the Democrat wrote.

UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs.

Associated Press writer Tom Murphy in Indianapolis, Indiana, contributed to this story.

The UnitedHealthcare headquarters in Minnetonka, Minn., lowered its flags to half-staff on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in honor of CEO Brian Thompson, who was fatally shot outside a hotel in New York. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

This undated photo provided by UnitedHealth Group shows UnitedHealthcare chief executive officer Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/UnitedHealth Group via AP)

A New York police officer walks outside a hotel where a shooting occurred in midtown Manhattan, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Joe Frederick)