ACM Awards recap

Biggest winners and fieriest moments from the 58th ACM Awards in Dallas-Fort Worth

Dolly Parton sang rock 'n' roll, wheeled a goat on stage, and Facetime'd with Willie Nelson. The 58th annual Academy of Country Music Awards - held Thursday, May 11 at the Star in Frisco - were a wild and sometimes wacky celebration of country music in 2023.

There were tributes to Texas and Dallas-Fort Worth throughout the night, including Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott and Emmitt Smith presenting awards and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders waving their silver and blue pom-poms on the red (well, black) carpet. The Star in Frisco is, after all, the Cowboys' home turf.

Keith Urban opened the show with an rousing performance of “Texas Time,” which ended with him being raised into the air on a platform while shredding on his guitar. (Wife Nicole Kidman joined him at the event, in town for her own special gig as keynote speaker for Genesis Women's Shelter's fundraising luncheon in Dallas on Friday.)

Country music icon Dolly Parton teamed up with Garth Brooksas hosts of the two-hour show, which was streamed live and nearly commercial-free on Prime Video. Things got off to a bit of a weird start when he introduced her as the "G.O.A.T." and she then wheeled a real goat onstage (poor thing!) and cracked a joke about a threesome.

“I think I speak for everybody, not just in Texas but around the world, when I say we will always love you,” a blushing Brooks replied.

The show was as much concert as it is awards presentation. The star-studded lineup of performers and special collaborations included Cole Swindell and Jo Dee Messina on their (award-winning) hit "She Had Me At Heads Carolina - REMIX.” Karaoke lyrics displayed throughout the arena urged the audience to join in, whether they knew the song from back in Messina's day or Swindell's updated version.

In another "coming together" of generations, 2022 ACM Female Artist of the Year winner Carly Pearce and Trisha Yearwood (who won the award 25 years ago) performed a special medley of Yearwood’s hits, including “Wrong Side Of Memphis,” “XXX’s And OOO’s,” and “She’s In Love With The Boy."

English pop superstar Ed Sheeranperformed “Life Goes On” from his newly-released album “-” (Subtract) and surprised the crowd when he brought Luke Combs to the stage to join him.

Texas' own Miranda Lambert performed "Carousel,” a song she described as one of her favorite songs she has ever written. (A live version will be released on Amazon Music on May 16.)

New Female Artist of the Year winner Hailey Whitters made her ACM Awards stage debut with a performance of her fan-favorite song, “Everything She Ain’t.”

The War And Treaty mesmerized the crowd with a stripped-back performance of their song “Blank Page.”

Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson performed “Save Me” in a moment that highlighted Academy philanthropic partner ACM Lifting Lives. Also, Wilson electrified the stage a performance of “Grease,” making its TV debut.

Ashley McBryde, along with Brandy Clark, Caylee Hammack, Pillbox Patti, and John Osborne, delivered an empowering performance of “Bonfire at Tina's” from McBryde's ACM Award-nominated album Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville.

It wasn't the only fiery performance.

As promised, Dolly Parton closed the show with one of her biggest performances to date with the world premiere of “World On Fire,” the lead single from her highly anticipated forthcoming rock album Rockstar. The over-the-top production included backup dancers, confetti, and lots of pyrotechnics.

But oh yes, there were awards given out, too. Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, and Cole Swindell were among the night's biggest winners.

Below, a list of the big winners at the 58th ACM Awards. Scroll through the photos above to see some of the most memorable moments from the Texas-sized show.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR: Chris Stapleton

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Lainey Wilson

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Morgan Wallen (who was absent due to illness)

DUO OF THE YEAR: Brothers Osborne

GROUP OF THE YEAR: Old Dominion

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Hailey Whitters

NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Zach Bryan

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Bell Bottom Country - Lainey Wilson, Jay Joyce, Broken Bow Records

SINGLE OF THE YEAR: She Had Me At Heads Carolina - Cole Swindell, Zach Crowell, Warner Music Nashville

SONG OF THE YEAR: She Had Me At Heads Carolina - Cole Swindell, Ashley Gorley, Cole Swindell, Jesse Frasure, Mark D. Sanders, Thomas Rhett, Tim Nichols

VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR: wait in the truck - HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: Ashley Gorley

ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: HARDY

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR: wait in the truck - HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson

Getty Images

Host and performer Dolly Parton brought more than a little fire all by herself.

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Movie Review

Jesse Eisenberg delves into personal family ties in A Real Pain

Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in A Real Pain.

Comedy film duos have a long history, from Laurel and Hardy in the 1920s and ‘30s to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in movies like Baby Mama. But the majority of duos have either been friends or work partners, relationships that can be close, but not as close as family. The new film A Real Pain aims for the comedy that a great duo can bring, but hits deeper because the two lead characters are related to each other.

Benji (Kieran Culkin) and David (Jesse Eisenberg) are first cousins who decide to take a trip to Poland to visit the childhood home of their grandmother, who has recently passed. Their personalities could not be more different, with David buttoned-down and reserved and Benji extremely social, if a little wild. This contrast is on display from the moment they leave on their trip, affecting almost every aspect of their journey.

The two meet up with a diverse tour group in Poland, including guide James (Will Sharpe), recently divorced Marcia (Jennifer Grey), married couple Mark (Daniel Oreskes) and Diane (Liza Sadovy), and Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan), an African man who has converted to Judaism. As the group visits various historical sites, David confronts contrasting feelings about Benji, who goes from charming to abrasive seemingly at the drop of a hat.

Written and directed by Eisenberg, the film is about both the family we have and the history of those who came before us. With Benji and David being Jewish and their grandmother having escaped from the Nazis in World War II, the themes hit harder than they might in other situations. Eisenberg takes care to honor his Jewish ancestors both in the way he has Benji and David talk about their grandmother and the places they visit.

But even though emotions are heightened due to the significance of the trip, the film is far from a dour affair. Benji keeps things interesting at almost all times with a series of impulsive decisions, many that are entertaining for both the tour group and the audience watching the film. He is one of those film characters that is great to watch on screen, but would likely be too much to handle if you were confronted with him in real life.

The relationship between Benji and David is a complicated one; the two obviously have love for each other, but they rarely see eye-to-eye on the best way to approach certain situations. This tension keeps the film grounded, and Eisenberg does a great job at showing the push-and-pull the two cousins have with each other. The little moments, especially when Benji and David go their separate ways, say a lot as the characters try to reconcile where each is at in their respective lives.

Eisenberg has always been an understated performer, so this role is almost perfect for him. Culkin, fresh off his Emmy-winning role in HBO’s Succession, is an ideal foil for Eisenberg, as he has a manic energy that he can control or not control at will. It’s also nice to see Grey in action again, as she brings just the right touch to her supporting role.

The drama in A Real Pain comes from the life experiences of its two main characters, which are on full display despite the story only doling out details in small doses. The film is subtle yet powerful, a testament to Eisenberg’s filmmaking ability and the actors never trying to make too much of their scenes.

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A Real Pain opens in theaters on November 15.

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