Montreux Jazz Festival celebrates 50th edition

MONTREUX, Switzerland (Reuters) - The Montreux Jazz Festival kicked off its 50th birthday edition on Thursday night, marking its half-century with a nod to its origins.

Read more

Oscars organizers invite new members in diversity push

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Organizers of the Oscars, facing an outcry over the lack of diversity on its voting board for the film awards, said on Wednesday it has invited nearly 700 new members with a focus on female and minority talent.

Read more

Drum kit used in early Beatles song to be auctioned in California

LOS ANGELES - A drum kit used in the recording of The Beatles first single "Love Me Do" on their debut album will be up for auction on Thursday in Los  Angeles, Nate D. Sanders Auctions said.

Read more

Film studio Lionsgate to buy Starz for $4.4 billion

(Reuters) - Lions Gate Entertainment Corp , the film studio behind the Hunger Games movies, said Thursday it would buy premium television network Starz for $4.4 billion in cash and stock, in a deal that would unite two media companies with ties to cable mogul John Malone.

Read more

Lions Gate Entertainment nears deal to buy Starz: source

(Reuters) - Lions Gate Entertainment Corp, the film studio behind the Hunger Games movie franchise, is in advanced talks to buy premium television network Starz, in a deal that would unite two media companies with ties to cable mogul John Malone, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Read more

Guests fight paranormal in Madame Tussauds' Ghostbusters Experience

NEW YORK - Madame Tussauds is celebrating the release of the new "Ghostbusters" film next month with a hyper-reality experience that lets guests to the wax museum fight paranormal crime themselves.

Read more

Sweetie darling! Patsy and Edina return in 'Absolutely Fabulous' movie

LONDON - Get the champagne out, Patsy and Edina are back. The champagne-swigging, chain-smoking duo, who love to shop and of course party, return for more antics in "Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie", a big screen adaptation of the hit 1990s British television comedy show. Stars Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley reprise their roles as raucous fashion PR agent Edina Monsoon and her best friend, magazine editor Patsy Stone, alongside other original cast members and plenty of famous names in the

Read more

Elvis Presley guitarist Scotty Moore dies at 84: report

(Reuters) - Scotty Moore, a pioneering rock guitarist best known for backing Elvis Presley as a member of his original band and into superstardom, died on Tuesday at the age of 84, the Memphis Commercial-Appeal reported.

Read more

Audrey Hepburn letters to go under the hammer

(Reuters) - A collection of late British actress Audrey Hepburn's letters to her mentor go on auction at Bonhams in London on Wednesday.

Read more

Tibetan director detained, hospitalized in China: film guild

BEIJING (Reuters) - An award-winning Tibetan film director has been detained and suffered serious injury while in police custody, a Chinese film directors' guild said on Wednesday, sparking widespread condemnation in the Chinese film industry.

Read more

The Walking Dead attack Universal Studios

The zombie apocalypse overtook Universal Studios Hollywood on Tuesday as the theme park unveiled its latest permanent attraction, “The Walking Dead,” based on AMC’s hit horror series of the same name.

Read more

Director David Yates talks 'Fantastic Beasts'

Tarzan is swinging back into Hollywood with a new movie that was feted with a jungle-like premiere in Hollywood.

Read more

Actor Johnny Depp's Basquiat art to go under the hammer

LONDON (Reuters) - Eight works by American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat collected by actor Johnny Depp over 25 years go under the hammer this month at auction house Christie's in London.

Read more

Lady Gaga caught in bad romance with China after meeting Dalai Lama

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Tuesday U.S. pop star Lady Gaga's meeting with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama had unleashed "anger" in the country, as internet users criticized her for meeting a man China condemns as a separatist.

Read more

A very British, and muddy, Glastonbury wraps up for another year

GLASTONBURY, England (Reuters) - As weary Glastonbury fans extricated their tents and cars from the ankle-deep mud on Monday morning, they could at least bathe in the glow of a “Best of British” music festival that did something to dispel their gloom at seeing fellow Britons vote to leave the EU.

Read more

Kanye West stirs up controversy with nude celebrities in 'Famous'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Kanye West set tongues wagging on Monday with his latest music video that features nude portrayals of high profile celebrities including pop singer Taylor Swift, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump and comedian Bill Cosby.

Read more

Suge Knight sues Chris Brown over 2014 Los Angeles club shooting

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Former rap music producer Marion "Suge" Knight sued singer Chris Brown on Monday in connection with a shooting at a West Hollywood nightclub in 2014 that left him with seven gunshot wounds.

Read more

Drake's 'Views' holds on to Billboard top spot for eighth week

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Streaming activity kept Canadian R&B singer Drake on top of the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album chart on Monday for an eighth consecutive week, holding off the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Read more

EU regulators to decide on Sony's Michael Jackson deal by Aug. 1

BRUSSELS - EU antitrust authorities will rule by Aug. 1 whether to allow Sony Corp to buy out the Michael Jackson estate's stake in its music publishing joint venture, a move which rivals such as Warner Music Group say gives Sony too much power.

Read more

Box Office: 'Finding Dory' Drowns Out Disappointing 'Independence Day: Resurgence'

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - "Finding Dory" showed plenty of box office staying power with $73.2 million in an otherwise modest weekend at the North America box office as "Independence Day: Resurgence" invaded with a disappointing $41.6 million.

Read more

Former wrestler Hulk Hogan to serve on Gawker creditor committee

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, whose lawsuit against Gawker Media LLC precipitated its bankruptcy, will serve on the committee of unsecured creditors, according to a court filing.

Read more

Muddy Glastonbury mourns Brexit but awaits British pride, Adele

GLASTONBURY, England (Reuters) - Mud-covered revelers at Britain's Glastonbury festival were in high spirits as the second day of music got under way on Saturday, with British star Adele's performance keenly awaited though many were still mourning Britain's vote to leave the European Union.

Read more

Bernie Worrell, P-Funk keyboardist known as 'Wizard of Woo,' dies at 72

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bernie Worrell, the keyboardist and founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic known as the "Wizard of Woo," died on Friday at the age of 72, according to his website.

Read more

HBO says Brexit won't hurt 'Game of Thrones' production

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Game of Thrones," the hit HBO cable TV series that is partly filmed in Northern Ireland, will not suffer due to Britain's decision to leave the European Union, the cable network said on Friday, aiming to quash speculation that the lavishly produced show would lose EU funding.

Read more

Woman who accused Cosby of sex assault withdraws defamation case

BOSTON (Reuters) - A woman who contends Bill Cosby sexually assaulted her in 1965 withdrew a lawsuit against the comedian on Friday, a day after a federal judge in Massachusetts had blocked an effort by the entertainer's attorneys have the suit dismissed.

Read more

Chicago loses 'Star Wars' museum to California

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Filmmaker George Lucas is pulling his "Star Wars" museum project out of Chicago in favor of a California location after he ran into legal challenges from an open-spaces group in Chicago, he said on Friday.

Read more

Lindsay Lohan fumes over #Brexit, Elizabeth Hurley sleeps soundly

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lindsay Lohan went viral on social media in the early hours of Friday. Only this time, it wasn't about her transgressions.

Read more

Led Zeppelin did not steal 'Stairway' riff, jurors say

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The guitar riff Led Zeppelin used in the 1971 classic "Stairway to Heaven" differed substantially from one the English band was accused of stealing from the U.S. group Spirit, a jury found on Thursday in a copyright infringement trial in Los Angeles.

Read more

Guns N' Roses kick off 'Not In This Lifetime Tour'

Fans prepared to see US rock band, Guns N' Roses, as they kicked off their "Not In this Lifetime Tour" in Detroit on Thursday (June 23).

Read more

Glastonbury revelers in shock over Britain's vote to leave EU

GLASTONBURY, England (Reuters) - Revelers at Glastonbury Festival emerged from their tents in shock on Friday morning at the news Britain had voted to leave the European Union and the prime minister would be resigning.

Read more

Ralph Stanley, U.S. bluegrass music pioneer, dies at 89

(Reuters) - U.S. bluegrass pioneer Ralph Stanley, who with his brother Carter helped popularize the Appalachian music and gained late career fame through the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," died on Thursday, the family said. He was 89.

Read more

Darth Vader resurrected for ‘Star Wars’ origin film

Darth Vader, the much-feared “Star Wars” Sith Lord and one of the most notable villains in film, will be back on the big screen for December’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,’ franchise producer Kathleen Kennedy told Entertainment Weekly this week.

Read more

Whitney Houston, Prince memorabilia to hit auction block

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (Reuters) - From costumes to instruments, a selection of music memorabilia will go under the hammer in Beverly Hills this week, including items belonging to late singers Whitney Houston and Prince.

Read more

Pakistan mourns murdered singer in attack claimed by Taliban

KARACHI (Reuters) - Thousands of mourners crowded the funeral procession of a beloved Pakistani singer on Thursday, a day after he was gunned down in the port city of Karachi in an attack claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban.

Read more

Spielberg brings Dahl's friendly giant to screens with 'The BFG'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood director Steven Spielberg returns to making films through the eyes of children with "The BFG", a big screen adaptation of the much-loved story by British author Roald Dahl.

Read more

'Hamilton' fans endure heat for hot tickets in Chicago

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Hundreds of "Hamilton" fans lined up in Chicago for as much as 24 hours in 90-degree heat to buy the year's hottest theater tickets, for the award-winning hip-hop musical about the United States' first Treasury secretary in its debut outside New York.

Read more

Cars vs. Autobots: Disney sues China firms in copyright dispute

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co has taken three Chinese firms to court over concerns local animation "The Autobots" copied elements from Disney's own hit movie "Cars", as the U.S. firm looks to protect its drive into the world's second-largest economy.

Read more

'Star Trek' actor's death prompts new calls for auto recall fix

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin's fatal accident involving a recalled 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee is renewing calls from safety advocates to fix flaws in the U.S. recall system.

Read more

Fiat Chrysler to investigate crash that killed 'Star Trek' actor

WASHINGTON/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said on Monday it would investigate a crash that killed "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin in his recalled 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Read more

Drake's 'Views' spends 7th straight week atop Billboard chart

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Canadian R&B singer Drake held onto the top spot of the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album chart for a seventh consecutive week on Monday, becoming the first male artist in more than a decade to achieve the feat, according to Billboard.

Read more

Celebrities hit 'Le Mans' race

(Reuters) - It wasn't just the cars drawing fans to Le Mans on Saturday (June 18). Celebrities Brad Pitt, Jason Statham and Jackie Chan were also at the race in north west France. The race, which lasts for 24 hours, sees drivers from all over the world compete to win the coveted trophy.

Read more

Ladyhawke back with upbeat album

New Zealand born musician Ladyhawke is back with her third album 'Wild Things', which she says was only possible after she made some "massive changes" in her life.

Read more

Actor Leslie Odom Jr. to exit hit Broadway show 'Hamilton'

(Reuters) - Leslie Odom Jr., winner of the 2016 Tony Award for best leading actor in a musical for his role in the smash Broadway hit "Hamilton," became on Sunday the latest member of the cast to announce his departure.

Read more

Box Office: 'Finding Dory' Scores Record $136.2 Million Opening

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Family audiences turned out in droves over the weekend, propelling "Finding Dory" to a massive $136.2 million debut and establishing a new record for an animated film opening.

Read more

Out of fashion: how men could fall off the catwalk

MILAN (Reuters) - Men are in danger of falling off the catwalk in Europe.

Read more

Former contestant from Mexico's 'The Voice' dies of gunshot wounds

(Reuters) - A one-time finalist on the Mexican version of the TV singing competition "The Voice" died on Saturday two days after being shot in Chicago.

Read more

Leonardo DiCaprio is ordered deposed over 'Wolf of Wall Street'

(Reuters) - A federal judge has ordered actor Leonardo DiCaprio to be deposed in a defamation lawsuit brought by a former Stratton Oakmont executive over his alleged depiction in the 2013 Martin Scorsese film "The Wolf of Wall Street."

Read more

American rocker Meat Loaf collapses on stage in Canada

(Reuters) - American rock singer Meat Loaf collapsed on stage while performing in Canada on Thursday, videos posted online showed, days after he postponed a show due to illness.

Read more

'Stairway' royalties valued at $58 million in Led Zeppelin trial

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page have made $58.5 million over the years from "Stairway to Heaven," an expert testified in Los Angeles on Friday in a trial over alleged copyright infringement by the band's signature song.

Read more

'Orange is the New Black' season 4 deals with racism, privatization

(Reuters) - A new season of the hugely popular women's prison comedy "Orange is the New Black" launched on Friday on Netflix with cast members saying the show would dig deeper into issues of racism and the privatization of prisons.

Read more

Out on a Lim: Taiwan hard-rocker finds transition to parliament tough

LONDON (Reuters) - After two decades in make-up fronting one of Asia's biggest heavy metal bands, Freddy Lim is finding the transition to the more formal surroundings of the Taiwanese parliament harder than expected.

Read more

Slain singer Christina Grimmie to be remembered in New Jersey

(Reuters) - A memorial was planned on Friday for rising singing star Christina Grimmie near her New Jersey hometown after she was fatally shot by a deranged fan last week while signing autographs in Orlando, Florida.

Read more

Hearing in Amber Heard restraining order against Johnny Depp called off

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A hearing on the restraining order obtained by Amber Heard against Johnny Depp, in a divorce between the celebrity couple in which Heard has accused Depp of abuse, was called off on Thursday, a day before it was set to occur, court officials said.

Read more

Led Zeppelin's Page testifies to 'Stairway' and 'Mary Poppins' song similarity

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page said on Thursday that the riff he is accused of stealing for the band's 1971 hit "Stairway to Heaven" is in fact a commonly used chord progression similar to a melody from the 1964 movie musical "Mary Poppins."

Read more

UK prosecutors say singer Cliff Richard will not face sex crime charges

LONDON (Reuters) - Singer Cliff Richard, one of Britain's best-known entertainers, will not face criminal charges over alleged historical sex crimes because there is insufficient evidence, British prosecutors said on Thursday.

Read more

Pixar dives back in the ocean for 'Finding Dory'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The forgetful blue fish who won hearts in Pixar's blockbuster animation "Finding Nemo" is going on another journey, this time to find her own origin story.

Read more

Led Zeppelin goes on trial for 'Stairway to Heaven' in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A musical riff Led Zeppelin is accused of stealing from another band for its 1971 classic "Stairway to Heaven" was not unique, singer Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page's attorney said at a civil trial on Tuesday.

Read more

Actress Anne Hathaway named as goodwill ambassador to promote women's rights

NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Oscar-winning actress Anne Hathaway has been appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women, a role which will focus on addressing the unequal burden shouldered by women caring for children in the home, the U.N. organization said on Wednesday.

Read more

Britain's Prince William appears on gay magazine cover

LONDON (Reuters) - Prince William will appear on the July cover of Attitude speaking out against homophobia, the first time a British royal has been photographed for the front of a gay publication, the magazine said on Wednesday.

Read more

Myanmar scraps screening of film critical of military's past

YANGON (Reuters) - The abrupt cancellation of the screening of a film critical of Myanmar's military has exposed sensitivities over portrayal of the army as the country deals with the legacy of 49 years of harsh military rule.

Read more

'Inferno' world premiere set for Dante's birthplace of Florence

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The Italian city of Florence, birthplace of Italian poet Dante Alighieri, will stage the world premiere of "Inferno", the third film to be adapted from the Dan Brown novels about symbologist Robert Langdon.

Read more

Rap star Lil Wayne suffers two minor seizures: spokesman

(Reuters) - Rap star Lil Wayne suffered two minor seizures on Monday but is in stable condition, his spokesman said after media reports that the Grammy winner was forced to make an emergency landing in Omaha, Nebraska.

Read more

Lebanese alt-rock band confronts post-Orlando divisions during U.S. tour

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Accustomed to generating controversy in their native Middle East with lyrics tackling love, sex and political apathy, members of Lebanese alt-rock band Mashrou' Leila thought a summer U.S. tour would bring them a welcome respite.

Read more

Smash hit 'Hamilton' sweeps Tonys with 11 wins during somber ceremony

NEW YORK (Reuters) - "Hamilton", the pop culture phenomenon based on U.S. founding father Alexander Hamilton, swept the Tonys on Sunday, winning 11 of Broadway's top awards including best musical, best actor, best direction and best score and book for creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Read more

Bill Murray to be awarded Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Actor and comedian Bill Murray has been chosen to receive the 19th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Read more

Ian McKellen praises Shakespeare in Shanghai

Veteran actor Ian McKellen brought celebrations marking 400 years since William Shakespeare's death to Shanghai on Monday (June 13), launching the British Film Institute's "Shakespeare on Film" collection of movies in the Chinese city.

Read more

Same-sex kiss removed from Les Miserables musical in Singapore

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore organizers of the musical "Les Miserables" have cut a scene in which two male actors kiss after complaints from the public in the conservative city state where sex between men is illegal.

Read more

Singers vie to play Shkreli, America's 'most-hated man', in musical

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fourteen fame-hungry young men tried to out-smug each other at a small studio in Manhattan's Theater District on Saturday to prove they could play 'America's most hated man' in a new musical comedy about pilloried former drug executive Martin Shkreli.

Read more

'Voice' singer Christina Grimmie fatally shot after Florida show

(Reuters) - A man thought to be a deranged fan fatally shot Christina Grimmie, a rising singing star who gained fame on YouTube and as a contestant on television's "The Voice," while she was signing autographs after a concert in Orlando, Florida, police said on Saturday.

Read more

Composer John Williams feted by Hollywood elite at AFI ceremony

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood's top stars such as Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford and J.J. Abrams came together on Thursday to fete John Williams, the prolific composer of some of cinema's most memorable scores including "Star Wars" and "Jaws," as he was honored by the American Film Institute.

Read more

TV actor Michael Jace gets 40 years to life for murder of wife

(Reuters) - Actor Michael Jace, best known for playing a policeman on the TV drama "The Shield," was sentenced on Friday to 40 years to life for shooting his wife dead in front of the couple's two children at their Los Angeles home, a court official said.

Read more

Ed Sheeran faces $20 million copyright lawsuit over 'Photograph'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Two California-based musicians are suing British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran for $20 million over his hit song "Photograph," which they claim bears a similar structure to one of their songs, according to court documents filed on Wednesday.

Read more

Richard Gere speaks out for the homeless as he presents his latest film 'Time Out of Mind' in Rome

(Reuters) - Actor Richard Gere spoke out about the plight of the homeless at a news conference in Rome before a screening of his new film, "Time out of Mind," in which the actor disguises himself as a homeless man and is almost unrecognizable.

Read more

'Independence Day: Resurgence' not a sequel, says director

BERLIN (Reuters) - The aliens may be back but film director Roland Emmerich says his new movie "Independence Day: Resurgence" is too different from the 1996 blockbuster sci-fi adventure to be considered a sequel.

Read more

UK's Enfield haunting mined for Hollywood horror in 'Conjuring 2'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Disembodied voices, flying furniture and levitating children were just some of the supernatural experiences that a British family claimed to experience in the late 1970s in a case that captivated media and now Hollywood, inspiring a new horror film.

Read more

Attorneys for Cosby seek dismissal of Pennsylvania sexual assault case

(Reuters) - Attorneys for Bill Cosby asked a Pennsylvania judge on Wednesday to throw out sexual assault charges filed against the comedian, saying he had not been given an opportunity to confront his accuser during pretrial proceedings.

Read more

New Harry Potter play enchants fans in first preview

LONDON (Reuters) - Dressed in Hogwarts robes and waving wands, eager fans got a first glimpse of the next installment in the Harry Potter saga, giving a new London stage production glowing reviews.

Read more

Minnesota governor declares 'Prince Day' to honor late singer

(Reuters) - Purple reigned on Tuesday as Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton declared June 7 "Prince Day," marking what would have been the late singer and Minnesota native's 58th birthday.

Read more

Late rock star David Bowie honored at NY fashion awards ceremony

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fashion designers paid tribute to David Bowie, the late British rock star and style icon who died of cancer earlier this year, at an awards ceremony recognizing people whose influence impacted the industry.

Read more

Cast of 'Now You See Me 2' return with bigger tricks and villain

NEW YORK (Reuters) - After pulling off a large-scale bank heist masked as a complex magic trick in 2013's "Now You See Me," the cast are back again with new tricks and sleight of hand, this time with a little "Harry Potter" magic.

Read more

'Warcraft' movie director draws inspiration from 'Rings'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When director Duncan Jones was tasked with translating the popular video game "Warcraft" into a studio film, he was inspired by filmmaker Peter Jackson's adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy saga "Lord of the Rings."

Read more

New alien threat returns in 'Independence Day' sequel

The aliens return for more sci-fi action in "Independence Day: Resurgence", a sequel to the 1996 blockbuster packed with special effects and human drama.

Read more

Streaming activity keeps Drake on top of Billboard 200 chart

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Canadian R&B artist Drake continued his reign atop the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album chart on Monday for a third consecutive week on the strength of streaming activity, holding off country singer Dierks Bentley and R&B singer Beyonce.

Read more

Peter Shaffer, award-winning British playwright, dies at 90

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The award-winning British playwright Sir Peter Shaffer, best known for penning "Amadeus" and "Equus," died Monday in County Cork, Ireland, of pneumonia and age-related issues, his long-time agent said. He was 90.

Read more

Surprise Kanye West concert canceled, fans jam Manhattan street

(Reuters) - A concert by rapper Kanye West was called off early on Monday, leaving thousands of fans massed outside the Manhattan venue where the surprise gig was meant to have taken place.

Read more

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2' tops with $35.3 million, 'Popstar' flops

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" debuted to a disappointing $35.3 million over the weekend, becoming the latest sequel this year to fall short of expectations.

Read more

District of Columbia contestant named Miss USA

(Reuters) - A 26-year-old Army officer from the District of Columbia was crowned winner of the Miss USA pageant on Sunday.

Read more

Muhammad Ali, 'the greatest', remembered as boxer who transcended sports

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Reuters) - The death of Muhammad Ali, the former heavyweight champion known as much for his political activism as his boxing brilliance, triggered a worldwide outpouring of affection and admiration for one of the best-known figures of the 20th century.

Read more

German music festival cut short after lightning strikes

BERLIN (Reuters) - German authorities on Sunday canceled the third and final day of a rock music festival attended by more than 90,000 fans after lightning strikes injured 80 people, some seriously, and more bad weather was forecast, festival organizers said.

Read more

Life of rock superstar Prince celebrated in new comic book

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Prince, the innovative, Grammy-winning musician who died of an accidental, self-inflicted overdose of a powerful painkiller in April, is being honored with a comic book about his life.

Read more

Amber Heard sues comedian Stanhope for defamation over Johnny Depp

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lawyers for actress Amber Heard filed a defamation lawsuit against comedian Doug Stanhope on Friday after he wrote an article accusing her of blackmailing and manipulating her estranged husband, actor Johnny Depp.

Read more

'Glee' star Mark Salling pleads not guilty to child porn charges

(Reuters) - Actor Mark Salling, who had a supporting role as a high school athlete-turned-singer in the TV series "Glee," pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges of receiving and possessing child pornography, authorities said.

Read more

Whitney Houston's awards, costumes, memorabilia to be sold at auction

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Awards, costumes and memorabilia from the estate of the late Grammy-winning singer and actress Whitney Houston will be sold during a two-day auction in California later this month.

Read more

Singer Prince died of accidental painkiller overdose: medical examiner

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Music superstar Prince, who was found dead in his home in a Minneapolis suburb in late April, died of an accidental, self-administered overdose of an opioid painkiller, the county medical examiner said in a death report on Thursday.

Read more

Fairport Convention fiddler Dave Swarbrick dies aged 75

LONDON (Reuters) - English folk violinist Dave Swarbrick, a former leading member of the influential 1970s group Fairport Convention, has died at the age of 75, the band's website announced on Friday.

Read more

Madonna prevails in copyright lawsuit over 'Vogue' song

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pop singer Madonna prevailed on Thursday in a copyright lawsuit over her song "Vogue" that alleged a producer copied a fraction-of-a-second segment of horns from an earlier song.

Read more

Eisenberg makes 'nerve-racking' UK stage debut with 'The Spoils'

LONDON (Reuters) - Oscar-nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg brings his self-penned play "The Spoils" to London audiences, making "a nerve-racking" stage debut in Britain which he regards as a theater mecca.

Read more

Straight from the studio: 'Star Wars' prop replicas go on sale

LONDON (Reuters) - From Darth Vader's melted helmet to Rey's lightsaber hilt, "Star Wars" fans can now get their hands on replicas of the props used in the sci-fi franchise's last movie.

Read more

Amber Heard reports Depp domestic violence accusation to police: lawyers

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Amber Heard has given a statement to Los Angeles police in which she accused estranged husband Johnny Depp of domestic violence, her lawyers said on Tuesday, a week after she filed for divorce and obtained a restraining order against Depp.

Read more

Actor Michael Jace of TV's 'The Shield' convicted of murdering wife

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Michael Jace, best known for his role as a policeman on the TV drama "The Shield," was convicted by a jury on Tuesday of second-degree murder for fatally shooting his wife in 2014 in front of the couple's two children at their Los Angeles home.

Read more

Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, 68, is a dad to twins

(Reuters) - Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood is a father once again at age 68, his publicist announced on Tuesday.

Read more