No more weed or nipple pasties as Miley Cyrus debuts new image

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Miley Cyrus says she is steering away from marijuana, alcohol and nipple pasties and rolling out a new sound that could help people take her more seriously after she was dubbed one of pop music's bad girls.

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Stars Wars fans say, 'May the 4th be with you'

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Dozens of fans costumed as Jedi knights, stormtroopers of the Galactic Empire and protagonist Luke Skywalker thronged central Taipei on Thursday to celebrate Star Wars Day, the 40th anniversary of the sci-fi film franchise.

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Activision's 'Overwatch' fuels revenue beat; forecasts raised

(Reuters) - Activision Blizzard Inc raised its full-year adjusted profit and revenue forecasts, and reported quarterly revenue above estimates, as the videogame publisher benefited from the popularity of its "Overwatch" game.

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A minute with: Dev Patel talks politics, typecasting

DUBAI (Reuters) - "Lion" star Dev Patel talked to Reuters this week about his views on politics, typecasting in the film industry and his next film project.

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'I don't regret that': Colbert responds to backlash sparked by crude joke

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The late-night television show host Stephen Colbert unapologetically responded to criticism of a crude joke he made about U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that prompted calls for the comedian to be fired.

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Sci-fi bar offers galaxy's geeks a good time

(Reuters) - If your idea of a fun Saturday night inclines more toward swinging a light sabre than tripping the light fantastic, then a new bar in Los Angeles may be just the place for you.

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Crude Trump-Putin joke triggers attacks and support for TV's Colbert

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A crude joke about U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has sparked a social media storm with calls for late-night TV show host Stephen Colbert to be fired competing with praise for his outspoken remarks.

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Shock, thrill, excitement: Broadway stars react to their Tony nods

(Reuters) - From shock to excitement, nominees for this year's Tony awards described their range of emotions when they found out they were recognized for their work on Broadway.

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Singer Tony Bennett's career, paintings on show in New York

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Legendary singer Tony Bennett may have left his heart in San Francisco, but the native New Yorker was in his hometown on Wednesday celebrating his long, prolific career as a singer and a painter.

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Brad Pitt says he quit drinking, in therapy after split with Jolie

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Brad Pitt has opened up for the first time about his divorce from Angelina Jolie, admitting to heavy drinking and pot smoking and a lifetime of cutting himself off emotionally from others.

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Hulu launches live TV streaming service

(Reuters) - Hulu LLC said on Wednesday it has launched its live TV streaming service, putting itself in the center of a growing and competitive market as viewers increasingly watch TV through the internet rather than on cable and satellite television.

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The Eagles sue Hotel California

(Reuters) - The Eagles have filed a lawsuit accusing the owners of a Mexico hotel of using the name "Hotel California," arguably the band's most famous song, without permission.

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China's all-girl pop band crushes hopes of besotted female fans

BEIJING (Reuters) - Just a little under a year ago, Min Junqian was an unknown art student in China's eastern province of Shandong, dreaming of becoming a star and hitting the big time.

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'American Gods' reflects country's immigrant past and present

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A TV series following an ex-convict embroiled in a battle between ancient mythological gods and new man-made deities has tapped into a timely discussion of America's own history of race, religion and immigration.

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Midler, Groban score Tony nominations, 'Sunset Boulevard' snubbed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cate Blanchett, Sally Field and Bette Midler received acting nominations for Broadway's Tony Awards on Tuesday, while "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" led the pack with 12 nods including the top prize, best musical.

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Celebrities embrace avant-garde challenge at 2017 Met Gala

NEW YORK (Reuters) - On a night when celebrities can let loose on their fashion choices, pop princesses and Hollywood actress took it up a notch in the avant-garde department at New York's Met Gala on Monday.

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Singer Janet Jackson to go back on tour after time off for family

LONDON (Reuters) - Singer Janet Jackson has announced she is going back on tour later this year, returning to the stage in the United States and Canada after taking time off to give birth to her first child.

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Hollywood writers, studios keep talking past strike deadline

(Reuters) - Hollywood writers and representatives of movie and television studios kept talking past a midnight deadline into the early hours of Tuesday morning to try and stave off a strike that could black out TV talk shows and soap operas.

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Kendrick Lamar's 'Damn' holds steady atop Billboard 200 chart

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Kendrick Lamar's latest album "Damn." held onto the top spot of the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album chart on Monday, holding off Drake and Ed Sheeran.

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Filmmaker Michael Moore brings his political satire to Broadway

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Provocative documentary maker Michael Moore is bringing politics to Broadway with a one-man show billed as "guaranteed to take audiences on a ride through the United States of Insanity."

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Hollywood writers talks resume as strike deadline looms

(Reuters) - Hollywood writers and representatives of movie and television conglomerates on Monday resumed contract talks aimed at staving off a strike as early as Tuesday that could black out TV talk shows and soap operas.

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'Fate of the Furious' drives China box office to fastest growth in over a year

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's box office sales grew at their fastest pace in over a year in April, driven by the U.S. action movie "The Fate of the Furious", the eighth instalment of the high-octane fast car franchise.

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Fox News reporter says she was shunned over article about health condition

(Reuters) - A Fox News contributor said in a lawsuit filed on Monday that she was taken off the air after writing an article about a medical condition that would likely leave her infertile, in the latest of a series of discrimination claims against the network.

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'Latin Lover' Tops 'The Circle,' 'Fate of the Furious' Rides to Third Straight No. 1

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - It has become a familiar story -- "The Fate of the Furious" is, once again, the box office champ.

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Cast of 'The Godfather' reunite for emotional 45th anniversary

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Al Pacino was considered too short, Marlon Brando was required to do a screen test, and director Francis Ford Coppola was almost fired.

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Springsteen recounts struggle to live outside bliss of rock songs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bruce Springsteen talked on Friday about his struggle to live in the real world rather than inside the lyrical songs he has composed over his 40-year career.

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Comedy series 'Roseanne' could be latest U.S. television comeback

(Reuters) - "Roseanne," the hit 1990s television comedy about a working-class American family, could be on its way back, Hollywood trade publications reported on Friday, marking the latest in a trend for revivals of 20-year-old shows.

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More Star Trek stamps? Make it so, says Canada Post

TORONTO (Reuters) - "Star Trek" fans can now get Starfleet's most famous figures to help deliver their mail, thanks to a new collection of seven stamps issued on Friday by Canada Post, the country's mail operator.

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China's first androgynous all-girl pop band challenges ideal of femininity

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's all-girl "boy band", FFC-Acrush, had more than 749,000 followers on social networking site Weibo even before any of their music was released.

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Emma Watson says 'The Circle' brought home pitfalls of social media

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Emma Watson says making her new movie "The Circle," about a fictitious social media giant, had been a tough and vulnerable experience that brought home issues of ethics and the boundaries of privacy in an increasingly public age.

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Fox News anchor, others hit network with race bias claims

(Reuters) - Fox News faces renewed legal claims that it mistreated non-white employees, a week after network parent Twenty-First Century Fox Inc severed ties with its biggest star over unrelated sexual harassment complaints.

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Ballet great Baryshnikov granted Latvian citizenship

RIGA (Reuters) - Latvia has granted citizenship to ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov, who left more than 50 years ago when the Baltic country was still under the Soviet rule.

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'Silence of the Lambs' director Jonathan Demme dies of cancer

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jonathan Demme, the eclectic movie director whose work ranged from thrillers like "The Silence of the Lambs" to documentaries on leading musicians, died on Wednesday of cancer, his publicist said.

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Charter, AMC team up to produce original programming

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Charter Communications Inc will develop and produce original programming with AMC Networks Inc, which is known for the show "The Walking Dead," to differentiate its content offerings, the cable company said on Wednesday.

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Instagram ban of Imogen Cunningham nude photos stuns Boston museum

BOSTON (Reuters) - Social media company Instagram pulled photos by U.S. photographer Imogen Cunningham promoting an exhibit at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, saying they violated decency standards, even as parent company Facebook Inc faces criticism for users' live videos of murder.

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Actor Orlando Bloom discusses spy thriller 'Unlocked'

LONDON (Reuters) - Actor Orlando Bloom said his latest film about a fictional biological attack threatening London "could absolutely happen" in the real world and that the increasingly topical subject of terrorism is handled sensitively.

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Actress Zoe Saldana welcomes 'Avatar' sequel filming announcement

LONDON (Reuters) - Actress Zoe Saldana is happy release dates for the long-anticipated sequels to 2009 box office smash hit "Avatar" have been announced, joking she does not want to get "too old" to not be able to do her own stunts in the adventure fantasy.

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'Star Wars: Episode IX' gets May 2019 release date: Disney

(Reuters) - The final film in the new "Star Wars" trilogy, "Star Wars: Episode IX," will be released in May 2019, movie studio Walt Disney Co said on Tuesday.

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Elton John recovering from 'potentially deadly' bacterial infection

(Reuters) - Elton John spent two nights in intensive care with a potentially deadly bacterial infection and has canceled all his concerts for the rest of April and May, his publicist said on Monday.

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Tom Hanks jokes Twitter CEO inspired his character in 'The Circle'

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, who plays a Silicon Valley tycoon in the new film "The Circle" about a powerful social media company, teased Twitter Inc Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey on Monday that he may have been inspiration for the part.

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'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' author Pirsig dies at 88

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Robert M. Pirsig, author of the influential 1970s philosophical novel "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," died on Monday at the age of 88, his publisher said.

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Lamar's 'Damn.' scores biggest debut of the year on Billboard chart

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Kendrick Lamar scored the biggest debut album of the year on Monday as his latest album "Damn." sold more than 600,000 copies, eclipsing Drake's "More Life."

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'Fate of the Furious' Stays on Top; 'Unforgettable,' 'The Promise' Bomb

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - "The Fate of the Furious" is racing to defend its title at the top of the box office, while a number of new releases including "The Promise" and "Unforgettable" are being left in the dust.

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'Lady Macbeth' star talks murder, sex and playing her scary part in new film

LONDON (Reuters) - The star of dark and racy period drama "Lady Macbeth", Florence Pugh, says playing the new British film's protagonist was terrifying, not just because her character was so complex but because she herself was scared of her.

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will.i.am to mix tech know-how with banking at Britain's Atom

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Atom has hired pop star will.i.am as a strategic adviser to its board as the app-based bank seeks to grow.

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CNN anchor alleges Fox News ex-CEO Roger Ailes also harassed her

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Television journalist Alisyn Camerota said on Sunday she was a target of sexual harassment by Roger Ailes when she worked at Fox News, joining other former colleagues at the cable channel who have accused their ex-boss of inappropriate behavior.

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Lively, Chastain, Chelsea Clinton honored for philanthropic work

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hollywood actresses Blake Lively and Jessica Chastain were among the six women honored on Friday for their philanthropic efforts with organizations helping women and children.

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Hillary Clinton makes surprise appearance at New York film panel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton, who until recently had avoided the spotlight in the wake of her election defeat in November, made a surprise appearance at New York's Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday as a panelist to discuss illegal elephant poaching.

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New 'Handmaid's Tale' TV version 'not a feminist story,' says its star

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The cast of a new adaptation of dystopian novel "The Handmaid's Tale" insisted on Friday they did not set out to make a feminist statement, but some hoped the TV show would inspire viewers to take political action.

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'Genius' TV series shows drama of Albert Einstein's life

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Philosopher, humanitarian and physicist Albert Einstein is the subject of new TV series "Genius," which delves into the drama and passion of the man who developed the theory of relativity and helped initiate the U.S. effort to build an atomic bomb.

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'American Gods' reflects real world issues in modern mythology saga

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A storm is brewing in Starz's gritty new series "American Gods," as deities old and new gear up for a battle that reverberates with topical issues in the real world.

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The truth is still out there as 'X-Files' returns for new season

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Mulder and Scully's search for the truth will continue in a new series of Fox's hit sci-fi show "The X-Files," the network said Thursday, a year after the show was revived.

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Lauren Hutton turns heads at 73 in new lingerie ad

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Model and actress Lauren Hutton is turning heads again by appearing in a commercial for Calvin Klein underwear, at the age of 73.

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Stars turn out in New York to sing for music producer Clive Davis

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Record producer Clive Davis did not just get a documentary celebrating his five decades in the music business. He also got a world-class show from some of the stars whose careers he promoted.

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New Prince music release blocked by U.S. court

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. judge has blocked a planned release of new Prince music on the first anniversary of his death this week.

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FCC votes to allow some broadcasters to buy more TV stations

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted 2-1 on Thursday to reverse a 2016 decision that limits the number of television stations some broadcasters can buy.

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Bill O'Reilly to receive maximum of one year salary -source

(Reuters) - Bill O'Reilly will receive a maximum of one year's salary following his ouster from Fox News, a source familiar with the situation said on Thursday.

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Bill O'Reilly out at Fox after harassment allegations

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Twenty-First Century Fox Inc has parted ways with star cable news host Bill O'Reilly following allegations of sexual harassment, the company said on Wednesday.

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Julia Roberts named People's 'most beautiful' for record fifth time

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Julia Roberts was named People magazine's world's most beautiful woman for a record 5th time on Wednesday, but the actress said she thought her best years were yet to come.

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A Minute With: singer Natalie Imbruglia on comebacks and touring

LONDON (Reuters) - Singer-songwriter Natalie Imbruglia kicks off her "Acoustic Tour" this week, performing 26 dates across Europe.

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New Prince music released a year after musician's death

(Reuters) - A set of previously unreleased tracks by Prince are going on sale to mark the one-year anniversary of the musician's death.

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Kevin Spacey to host Broadway's Tony Awards for first time

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stage and screen actor Kevin Spacey will step up to host Broadway's Tony Awards, organizers said on Tuesday, less than two months before the national broadcast of the annual theater honors.

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Discovery to build $400 million theme park in Costa Rica

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Discovery Communications, owner of Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, will build a $400 million theme park in Costa Rica, the government said on Tuesday.

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Drake profits are sought in New York lawsuit

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The record label Cash Money Records was sued on Monday by Drake's former label for a share of the profits from the Toronto rapper's first six solo albums, potentially totaling tens of millions of dollars.

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Numerous opioids found in Prince home, but no clue on source of fentanyl

(Reuters) - Police investigating the death a year ago of pop star Prince found numerous opioids scattered around his home but appear not to have identified where or who supplied the dose of fentanyl that caused his death, according to court documents unsealed on Monday.

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The Chainsmokers debut atop Billboard 200 chart with 'Memories...'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Dance-pop DJ duo The Chainsmokers ousted rapper Drake from the top spot on the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 chart on Monday, scoring their first chart-topping album after a slew of hit singles.

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'Fate of the Furious' Debuts to Hefty $100.2 Million

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - "The Fate of the Furious" is roaring to a record-setting global debut over the weekend even as domestic audiences showed less enthusiasm for the latest installment in Universal's long-running "Fast and Furious" series.

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Once preposterous, now immediate; Margaret Atwood on 'Handmaid's Tale'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Margaret Atwood did not have any creative control over the latest adaptation of her dystopian novel "The Handmaid's Tale," but she was very clear what she didn't want.

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Next Star Wars movie to feature new female character

ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - The largely testosterone-fueled Star Wars movie franchise has added an important new female character in the eighth film, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi", director Rian Johnson said on Friday at a fanfest in Orlando.

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'Cash me ousside' star cashes in as viral villain

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When Barbara Ann Bregoli appeared on CBS's "Dr. Phil" show in December to get advice about how to control her car-stealing teenage daughter, nobody could have predicted she would be giving birth to a villainous viral star.

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Environment, politics and 'The Godfather' on Tribeca film fest menu

NEW YORK (Reuters) - After a turbulent U.S. presidential election and a rollercoaster start to President Donald Trump's administration, this year's Tribeca film festival will come with a statement.

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Hollywood's Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner file for divorce

(Reuters) - Actors Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner officially filed for divorce nearly two years after the Hollywood A-list couple split, the Los Angeles Times reported.

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'The Promise' brings tragedy of 1915 Armenian massacre to big screen

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Celebrities of Armenian descent including Cher and the Kardashians lent their support this week to "The Promise," a period drama centered around the massacre of Christian Armenians during World War One in what is now Turkey.  "The Promise," out in U.S. theaters on April 21, stars Oscar Isaac as an Armenian medical student and Christian Bale as an American foreign correspondent, both of whom fall in love with the same woman.

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Bobbleheads and droids lure collectors to Disney's 'Star Wars' event

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - For die-hard "Star Wars" collectors, this weekend's fan convention in Orlando, Florida, is a must-attend event. The annual Star Wars Celebration is the only place Walt Disney Co licensees are selling a new Luke Skywalker action figure, limited-edition Stormtrooper helmets and other coveted merchandise.

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Cosby loses latest appeal in Pennsylvania sexual assault case

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pennsylvania's high court has rejected Bill Cosby's latest appeal in his sexual assault case, ensuring the 79-year-old comedian will face trial in June.

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Nicole Kidman fans get a treat as Cannes festival lineup unveiled

PARIS (Reuters) - Nicole Kidman will supply multiple doses of Hollywood glamour at this year's Cannes Film Festival, appearing in four productions during the two-week movie showcase, the organizers said on Thursday as they announced the full line-up.

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'Star Wars' embraces girl power with new heroine stories, toys

(Reuters) - "Star Wars" is beefing up its girl power through a new series of animated short movies featuring the sci-fi saga's heroines including Princess Leia, Rey and Jyn Erso.

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A Minute With: Gemma Arterton on "The Finest", solidarity among women

LONDON (Reuters) - Actress Gemma Arterton joins forces with fellow Britons Sam Claflin and Bill Nighy in heart-warming film "Their Finest", playing a writer asked to pen a movie to lift morale in World War Two Britain.

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India's biggest film franchise hot on Hollywood's heels

HYDERABAD, India (Reuters) - Dozens of animators work into the night in India's southern city of Hyderabad, fueled by caffeine and huddled over computer screens in a darkened studio to put the finishing touches on India's biggest and most ambitious film.

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Comedian Charlie Murphy dies in New York at age 57: reports

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Comedian and actor Charlie Murphy died in his sleep at a New York hospital on Wednesday at age 57 after suffering from leukemia, according to entertainment media reports.

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O'Reilly's ratings stay strong despite sexual harassment claims

(Reuters) - Embattled Fox News TV anchor Bill O'Reilly maintained strong viewership ratings ahead of his two-week vacation, even after more than 50 advertisers pulled their commercials from "The O'Reilly Factor" news show, according to Nielsen.

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German cinematographer Ballhaus, Hollywood veteran, dead at 81

BERLIN (Reuters) - German cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, who counted "Goodfellas", "Gangs of New York" and "The Departed" among the blockbuster movies he filmed, died overnight at his home in Berlin, his publisher said on Wednesday. He was 81.

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Jude Law cast as young Dumbledore in next 'Fantastic Beasts' movie

(Reuters) - British actor Jude Law will play a young version of Hogwarts' venerable headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the second film of J.K. Rowling's "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" franchise.

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Alabama country music star Jeff Cook suffering from Parkinson's

(Reuters) - Jeff Cook of the country music group Alabama said on Tuesday he has the nervous system disorder Parkinson's disease and will be stepping back from touring with the band.

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Musician J. Geils, dies at Massachusetts home: police

NEW YORK (Reuters) - J. Geils, leader of The Geils Band whose hard-driving hits of the late 1970s and early 1980s included "Centerfold," "Freeze Frame" and "Love Stinks," died on Tuesday at his home in Groton, Massachusetts, police said. He was 71.

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No charges expected for One Direction star in LA airport scuffle

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson is not expected to be criminally charged over a tussle with a photographer at Los Angeles airport last month, judicial officials said on Tuesday.

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Sweden's girl with dragon tattoo returns in new thriller

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sweden's girl with the dragon tattoo is heading back to bookstores in a fifth thriller about the troubled computer hacker Lisbeth Salander created by the late novelist Stieg Larsson, publishers said on Tuesday.

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'Stop staring,' says Caitlyn Jenner, announcing genital surgery

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Caitlyn Jenner says she has undergone genital surgery, two years after the Olympic-winning decathlete announced she had transitioned to a woman.

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Streaming keeps Drake's 'More Life' atop Billboard 200 chart

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Canadian R&B artist Drake kept his reign at the top of the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album chart on Monday, boosted by strong online streaming of his "More Life" record.

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Janet Jackson splits with husband 3 months after birth of son: reports

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pop star Janet Jackson has split up with her Qatari businessman husband just three months after giving birth to her first child, according to media reports.

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Librarians asked to pull Cosby books after sex assault charges: study

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bill Cosby's "Little Bill" children's book series landed on a list of the 10 books Americans most often asked librarians to remove from shelves last year after he faced sex assault charges, according to a ranking released on Monday.

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U.S. Box Office: 'Boss Baby' beats up on 'Smurfs: The Lost Village'

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - The Smurfs may be feeling kind of blue.

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Winners of Pulitzer Prizes for U.S. journalism to be announced

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The 101st Pulitzer Prizes, to be announced on Monday, will pay tribute to the best in American journalism and letters from a news year highlighted by the 2016 presidential election campaign.

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Edward Enninful named first male editor of British Vogue

LONDON (Reuters) - Fashion magazine British Vogue said on Monday it has appointed Edward Enninful as its new editor-in-chief, making him the first male editor in the publication's 100-year history.

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'Harry Potter' triumphs with magical sweep at Olivier Awards

LONDON (Reuters) - "Harry Potter And The Cursed Child", a stage adaptation of J.K Rowling's fantastical world of witches and wizards, cast a magical spell at the Olivier Awards on Sunday, scooping nine wins at Britain's big night for theater.

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'Veep' and the art of nailing Washington politics, Trump or not

NEW YORK (Reuters) - "Veep" returns to HBO next week with a defeated female president painfully navigating her way back to public life after a year nursing her wounded psyche.

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Politics pierces the nostalgia at Rock Hall of Fame induction

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Late rapper Tupac Shakur and 1960s protest singer Joan Baez were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Friday on a night where nostalgia was mixed with calls to political action.

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Serialized documentaries ineligible for Oscars in rules shakeup

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Multi-part documentary series will be ineligible for the Oscars, organizers said on Friday as part of a new list of awards rules, just a few months after ESPN's serialized "O.J.: Made in America" won the Oscar for best feature documentary.

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Snoop Dogg on a mission in Augusta to make golf cool

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - Rapper Snoop Dogg this week said that while the U.S. Masters may be the most prestigious tournament in golf, it suffers from a coolness deficit, something he plans to change when he brings his brand of "hip hop flavor" to the staid tournament.

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'Jersey Shore' star Sorrentino indicted on new U.S. charges

(Reuters) - Michael Sorrentino, a former star known as "The Situation" in the MTV reality series "Jersey Shore," and his brother Marc were indicted on Friday on additional criminal charges in a tax case, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

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'Nervous' One Direction singer Harry Styles releases debut solo single

LONDON (Reuters) - A "nervous" Harry Styles unveiled his debut solo single on Friday, the singer's first own music release since hugely popular boy band One Direction announced it was taking a break.

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Master insult comic Don Rickles dead at age 90 in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Don Rickles, the master insult comic who created laughs with ridicule and sarcasm in a decades-long career that earned him the facetious nickname "Mr. Warmth," died on Thursday at his Los Angeles home from kidney failure, his publicist said. He was 90.

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Johansson says she 'baffled' by Ivanka Trump's advocacy comments

(Reuters) - Actress Scarlett Johansson said on Thursday she was "baffled" by Ivanka Trump's recent comments that she would prefer to be an advocate for issues behind the scenes of President Donald Trump's administration rather than in the public arena.

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Judge sets 2018 trial date for rap mogul Suge Knight

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Jailed rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight was ordered on Thursday to stand trial in Jan. 8, 2018 on murder charges stemming from a fatal hit-and-run at a Los Angeles area burger stand more than two years ago.

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YouTube tweaks ad strategy to curb content stealing

(Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's YouTube said on Thursday it would place ads on videos only if they reach 10,000 views as it tries to weed out channels that make money by stealing content from other sources.

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'Get Out' leads expanded, gender-free MTV Movie and TV Awards

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Horror comedy "Get Out," the hit movie with a racial twist, led nominations on Thursday for the MTV Movie and TV Awards in a list that dispenses with gender classifications and pits film, television and streaming shows against each other.

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Actor Chris Evans talks about celebrity in the digital era

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Chris Evans, known for playing superheroes Captain America and The Human Torch, takes on a different kind of role in his latest film "Gifted", and spoke about being a celebrity in the digital age while promoting the film.

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Anne Hathaway back in 'Colossal' independent comedy

TORONTO (Reuters) - Anne Hathaway has ventured back into independent cinema to star in one of the quirkiest films of the year, "Colossal", which she refuses to categorize.

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'Your Name' draws modern love film from ancient poem

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A thousand-year-old Japanese poem inspired filmmaker Makoto Shinkai to create "Your Name," an animated story that weaves love and time travel into what he called a message of hope for Japanese millennials.

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Barry Manilow feared disappointing fans by coming out as gay

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Barry Manilow has spoken publicly for the first time about being gay, saying he feared he would disappoint his mostly female fan base had he come out decades ago.

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Singer Jackie Evancho hopes Trump changes heart on transgender issue

NEW YORK (Reuters) - After a year that began in controversy as one of the few celebrities to agree to perform at the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, teen singer Jackie Evancho is hoping to switch the focus back to her music.

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Trump defends Fox News host O'Reilly as 'good person'

(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday defended TV anchor Bill O'Reilly after a report that the conservative commentator and his employer, 21st Century Fox, paid five women to settle claims he sexually harassed them.

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Sheena Easton debuts at West End in '42nd Street' musical

LONDON (Reuters) - Grammy award-winning artist Sheena Easton has made her West End debut in the musical "42nd Street", with Britain's Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, actor Morgan Freeman and tennis coach Judy Murray attending the show's premiere.

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Pepsi draws outrage for ad depicting Kendall Jenner at protest

(Reuters) - Pepsi's new ad featuring Kendall Jenner prompted Twitter users to howl outrage on Wednesday, with civil-rights advocates saying it trivialized recent street unrest across the United States.

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Armani to show Emporio women's line in London this September

MILAN (Reuters) - Giorgio Armani said on Wednesday he would showcase the spring summer 2018 collection of his Emporio Armani women's line in London this September rather than in Milan, on the day the renovated Bond Street Emporio Armani store opens.

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Spice Girl Mel B gets restraining order after accusing husband of abuse

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) - Spice Girl Melanie 'Mel B' Brown was granted a restraining order against her estranged husband after filing court papers claiming he had emotionally and physically abused her for much of their 10-year marriage.

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Orwell's '1984' back in theaters in stand against 'alternative facts'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nearly 200 independent movie theaters across the United States on Tuesday screened the film of George Orwell's "1984" novel about a dystopian future, in what organizers say is a stand against U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.

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Theron says villainous role in last 'Fast and Furious' was challenge

BERLIN (Reuters) - Oscar winner Charlize Theron said it was an exciting challenge to play the main villain in the latest installment of the "Fast and Furious" racing film series with Vin Diesel.

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Ex-Fox News chief Ailes' sex scandal makes way to U.S. television

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The story of the rise and fall of former Fox News chairman Roger Ailes is coming to U.S. television in what producers on Tuesday called a "provocative" limited series.

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New U.S. spelling bee rules aim to prevent T-I-E-S

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scripps National Spelling Bee winners aced "gesellschaft" and "feldenkrais" to be named co-champions of last year's competition, but it was the word "tie" that gave organizers a headache.

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Roman Polanski loses latest bid to end U.S. rape case from abroad

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Filmmaker Roman Polanski on Monday lost another bid to end his 1970s rape case without serving more jail time when a Los Angeles judge ruled the French-Polish director could not seek relief from the courts while still a fugitive.

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Harrison Ford not disciplined by U.S. agency for pilot mishap

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Harrison Ford, the daring space pilot of "Star Wars" fame, will get to keep flying airplanes in real life after federal officials closed a probe of his latest aviation mishap near Los Angeles without fines or other discipline, his lawyer said on Monday.

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Drake unshakeable on Billboard 200 with 'More Life'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Drake's album "More Life" spent a second week at the top of the Billboard 200 chart on Monday, keeping Britain's Ed Sheeran in second place while musician Trey Songz debuted at No. 3, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.

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Rap anti-hero Tupac Shakur bigger in death than life

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tupac Shakur's recording career lasted just five years before he was murdered in 1996, but it is the rapper's influence from beyond the grave that will be celebrated when he is inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Friday.

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'Speaking up', Depeche Mode expect more musicians to sing about world today

LONDON (Reuters) - With lyrics like "We're going backwards" and "Blame misinformation", the British electronic band Depeche Mode hope to "make people think" about the state of the world with their new album and expect more musicians to do the same.

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Cosby in criminal court on Monday as fight over evidence continues

(Reuters) - Comedian Bill Cosby was due back in a Pennsylvania courtroom on Monday where his lawyers and state prosecutors will wrangle over what evidence can be admitted at his trial in June on criminal charges of sexual assault.

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U.S. Box Office: 'Boss Baby' tops 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Ghost in the Shell' bombs

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - "Boss Baby" is enjoying the view from the top.

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Nobel saga all over now as Dylan finally gets prize

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Bob Dylan got the Nobel Literature prize-giving he wished for on Saturday, a Swedish broadcaster reported, finally receiving his diploma and medal in a private ceremony in Stockholm a world away from the media storm the award has generated.

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Latin singer Maluma eyes English music crossover with upcoming album

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Already one of the biggest names in Latin music, Colombian pop star Maluma is hoping to cross over to a wider audience with an upcoming album of Spanish and English music.

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Actress Pamela Anderson plays down Assange romance rumors

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Actress Pamela Anderson was coy about a rumored romance with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, saying his being holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London made dating "a little bit difficult".

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Katy Perry joins Sheeran, Radiohead for Glastonbury festival

LONDON (Reuters) - American pop singer Katy Perry will join the likes of Ed Sheeran, Radiohead and the Foo Fighters to perform at this year's Glastonbury festival, a huge green-field music event held in the countryside in southwest England.

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Usher, Lauryn Hill to perform at Montreux Jazz Festival

MEZIERES, Switzerland (Reuters) - Usher, Lauryn Hill, Macy Gray and Erykah Badu are booked to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival during its 51st edition, organizers said on Thursday.

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'Wonder Woman' and 'Blade Runner 2049' showcased at Vegas convention

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Warner Bros presented "Wonder Woman", "Blade Runner 2049" and other upcoming films at CinemaCon, a four-day movie convention held in Las Vegas.

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Oscar accountants get reprieve after best picture blunder

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The accountancy firm behind the biggest blunder in Oscar history is staying in the picture.

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NBCUniversal slightly ahead of Sochi for 2018 Winter Olympics ad sales

(Reuters) - Comcast Corp’s NBCUniversal is pacing ahead in the amount of advertising inventory it has sold for next February’s Winter Olympics compared with the same time four years ago, NBC Sports executives said on Wednesday.

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At last: Dylan to receive Nobel prize in Stockholm

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan will receive his Nobel Literature Prize diploma and medal in the next few days in Stockholm, where is he due to perform this weekend, the secretary of the Swedish Academy said on Wednesday.

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A Minute With: Lisa Kudrow on 'Boss Baby,' 'Friends,' Hollywood sexism

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lisa Kudrow, best known for playing the kooky Phoebe Buffay in hit sitcom "Friends," said she was delighted to reunite with Alec Baldwin, who played one of Phoebe's boyfriends, in new DreamWorks animated film "The Boss Baby."

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Private funeral held for singer George Michael in London

LONDON (Reuters) - Best-selling British superstar singer George Michael was buried in London on Wednesday in a private funeral some three months after his death on Christmas Day, his publicist said.

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Two black women sue Fox News executive, network for racial harassment

(Reuters) - Two black employees of Fox News have accused a white executive of racial harassment and the cable network of ignoring their claims of discrimination in a lawsuit filed in New York City.

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'Five Came Back' and changed Hollywood's depiction of war

NEW YORK (Reuters) - William Wyler lost his hearing, George Stevens never made another comedy, and John Huston suffered what is now known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after years of filming scenes of death and destruction.

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After decade apart, Busted say band reunion feels 'normal'

LONDON (Reuters) - British pop punk band Busted say their reunion after a decade apart feels "normal now" as they adapt to a new music industry since the height of their success in the early 2000s.

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Drake ends Sheeran's Billboard 200 reign, smashes streaming record

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Drake ended Ed Sheeran's two week reign atop the Billboard 200 album chart on Monday, selling a monster 505,000 copies of his new album "More Life," according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.

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U.S. Box Office: 'Beauty and the Beast' dazzles again, 'Power Rangers' off to solid start

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Disney's second weekend of blockbuster "Beauty and the Beast" is dominating moviegoing in North America with $88.3 million at 4,210 locations - capping the best March ever.

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Music on the metro - Moscow commuters enjoy live performances

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Moscow commuters are getting a taste of live music on their metro journeys as performers turn stations into their stages under an entertainment project in the Russian capital.

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Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds lauded at public memorial service

(Reuters) - Mother-daughter-mother actresses Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher, who died in December just a day apart, were remembered by fans and friends on Saturday at a public memorial service in the Hollywood Hills, where they were laid to rest side-by-side in January.

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Harrison Ford called himself a 'schmuck' after plane incident

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Harrison Ford is heard calling himself a "schmuck" in an audio recording released on Friday of his exchange with an air traffic controller following a February incident in which the actor landed his private plane on a taxiway instead of a runway.

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Emma Thompson says wants people to 'shout loudly' about climate change

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - From "Sense and Sensibility" to "Love Actually" and "Nanny McPhee", British actress Emma Thompson is known for her memorable roles in costumes dramas, comedies and fantasy films.

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No 'Love Actually' when Trump asked actress Emma Thompson for date

(Reuters) - British actress Emma Thompson says President Donald Trump once called her out of the blue years ago and asked her for a date.

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Kanye West settles with Hungarian singer over alleged song theft

(Reuters) - Kanye West has settled a lawsuit by a Hungarian rock singer who accused the hip-hop star of sampling one of his best-known works without permission for the 2013 song "New Slaves."

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Rebooted Power Rangers return to big screen

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The latest reboot of the 1990s "Power Rangers" children's television series held its world premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

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Charlize Theron joins racing 'Fast and Furious' series with 'badass jet'

BEIJING (Reuters) - Fast car chases, daring stunts and explosions return to the big screen in the eighth installment of the "Fast and Furious" racing film franchise and Oscar winner Charlize Theron joins the cast with her own "badass jet".

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Bob Dylan says 'not yearning' for old days in latest cover album

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bob Dylan's new album "Triplicate" explores American standards from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, but the veteran singer-songwriter says that does not mean he is yearning for the past.

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U.S., Canada lift global box office as international sales flat

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Worldwide movie ticket sales increased by 1 percent to a record $38.6 billion in 2016 as theaters in the United States and Canada rung up higher sales and overseas returns were flat, according to industry statistics released on Wednesday.

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Kremlin says it wants review of Ukraine's decision to bar Russian Eurovision entry

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia expects Ukraine's "unfair" decision to ban the Russian entry for the 2017 Eurovision song contest from entering the country to be reviewed, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

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Daring designs lead looks on Tokyo catwalks

TOKYO (Reuters) - Colorful embroidery, creative batik designs and fearless facial jewelry brightened the catwalks at Tokyo Fashion Week where Asian designers presented their Autumn/Winter 2017-18 collections this week.

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Chuck Barris, 'The Gong Show' host, dies at 87

(Reuters) - Chuck Barris, who tapped into Americans’ hunger to be on television by creating game shows such as “The Dating Game,” “The Newlywed Game” and his showcase for the acutely untalented, “The Gong Show,” died on Tuesday, media outlets reported.

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Disney stole 'Zootopia,' writer claims in U.S. lawsuit

(Reuters) - Walt Disney Co was sued on Tuesday by a longtime Hollywood screenwriter and producer who accused the studio of copying its blockbuster, Oscar-winning animated film "Zootopia" from his work without permission.

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'Gay moment' stays put as Malaysia to release 'Beauty and the Beast' without cuts

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Walt Disney blockbuster "Beauty and the Beast" will be released in Malaysia this month without any cuts, the company said on Tuesday, after censors had earlier asked for the removal of a "gay moment" in the movie.

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Barber-turned-rapper crowned 'Afghan Star' in talent show

KABUL (Reuters) - A barber-turned-rapper has been crowned the winner of an Afghan talent show that offered its audience some relief from daily stories of insurgents and suicide bombs.

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Wyclef Jean says 'treated like criminal' in LA handcuffing incident

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Grammy award-winning hip hop artist Wyclef Jean said he was handcuffed and "treated like a criminal" when he was briefly detained on Tuesday by law enforcement officers in Los Angeles as they investigated a robbery.

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Singer Jason Derulo discusses acting ambitions at 'Swalla' launch

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hip hop artist Jason Derulo has big ambitions to break into movies and television but when it comes to auditions, the singer said they are not his thing.

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Swedish singer Zara Larsson seeks to build U.S. fan base

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Swedish pop star Zara Larsson may have racked up more than 1 billion streams on music service Spotify within a few days of her new album's release, but the 19-year-old knows she still has some work to do in the United States.

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Roman Polanski wants 1977 rape case over, attorney tells L.A judge

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Fugitive movie director Roman Polanski will have to wait up to three months to hear whether he can resolve his four-decade-old rape case without serving more jail time in the United States.

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Ed Sheeran's 'Divide' tops U.S. Billboard charts for second week

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - British singer Ed Sheeran reigned atop the weekly U.S. Billboard album and digital song charts on Monday, as his latest album garnered strong sales for a second consecutive week.

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TV's Kardashian says she's 'much better' person after Paris robbery

(Reuters) - Reality television star Kim Kardashian has finally given a first-hand account of being robbed at gunpoint in Paris last year, an experience she said has helped her grow and become a better person.

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Singer Vera Lynn, voice of hope in wartime Britain, turns 100

LONDON (Reuters) - Vera Lynn, who entertained British troops during World War Two with songs that captured a longing for home and peace, was honored on her 100th birthday on Monday with her image projected onto the iconic White Cliffs of Dover.

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Box Office: 'Beauty and the Beast' smashes records with towering $170 million debut

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - This is what makes Disney such a powerhouse.

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Polanski cannot dictate terms to end rape case: LA prosecutors

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Fugitive director Roman Polanski could face a tough U.S court battle next week as he seeks to resolve his four-decade rape case without spending more time in jail.

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Depeche Mode return with new album 'Spirit'

BERLIN (Reuters) - Depeche Mode are back, releasing their 14th studio album which the British synth-pop musicians describe as "bleak".

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Vast Beatles collection goes on auction in Paris

PARIS (Reuters) - A vast collection of rare Beatles vinyl records, photos and other paraphernalia will go on auction in Paris on Saturday.

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Thimble, wheelbarrow, boot kicked out of Monopoly board game

SEATTLE (Reuters) - If you have ever wanted to rampage through a game of Monopoly like a dinosaur, you're in luck.

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Nobel laureate poet Derek Walcott dies in St. Lucia

CASTRIES, St. Lucia (Reuters) - Poet Derek Walcott, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1992, died at his home in St. Lucia on Friday aged 87, a spokesman for his publisher said.

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Selena Gomez reveals Instagram addiction, low self-esteem

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pop star Selena Gomez said she canceled her world tour last year and went to therapy because she was depressed, anxious and "my self-esteem was shot."

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Former 'Power Rangers' actor admits killing roommate with sword

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An actor best known for his role in the "Power Rangers" children's television series who prosecutors said stabbed his roommate to death with a sword during an argument pleaded guilty on Thursday to manslaughter.

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Fashion house Givenchy names Waight Keller as new artistic director

PARIS (Reuters) - French fashion house Givenchy said on Thursday it had named British designer Clare Waight Keller as its new artistic director.

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Brits still waiting for full Brexit comedy dividend

LONDON (Reuters) - They were the two stories that rocked the Western world last year. But while Donald Trump's election injected new life into U.S. political comedy, the British are still waiting for Brexit to usher in their new golden age of satire.

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Comcast's Fandango Media to launch online merchandise store

(Reuters) - Fandango Media LLC, a Web-based movie ticketing platform owned by Comcast Corp, said it would launch an online merchandise store next month.

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'Beauty and the Beast' launch begins as Disney pulls film from Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia stood by its decision to bar "Beauty and the Beast" from cinemas without a "gay moment" being cut as the worldwide rollout of the Walt Disney movie began on Thursday.

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Emma Watson plans legal action over stolen photos

(Reuters) - "Beauty and the Beast" star Emma Watson is planning legal action over photos said to have been leaked online, but her representatives on Wednesday denied reports that the pictures showed the British actress nude.

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Trump hits back at Snoop Dogg 'assassination' video

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday attacked a music video in which rapper Snoop Dogg points a fake gun at a clown-like Trump figure.

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Musician Rutherford returns with new Mike + The Mechanics album

LONDON (Reuters) - British pop rock group Mike + The Mechanics return with new album "Let Me Fly" next month, their first in six years, with founding member Mike Rutherford saying the band's old hits still resonate with audiences nearly 30 years on as they tour Britain.

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Off the catwalk, bloggers and editors vie for fashion fans' attention

NEW YORK/LONDON/MILAN (Reuters) - Dressed in a red top, fuchsia pleated skirt and fluffy boa worn on the shoulder, fashion blogger Beatrice Balaj poses for pictures in her front row seat at a New York catwalk show.

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Ben Affleck says he has completed treatment for alcohol addiction

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Ben Affleck said on Tuesday that he had completed treatment for alcohol addiction, saying he wanted to "be the best father I can be."

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'Family blooper' goes viral after Korea expert's kids crash BBC interview

BUSAN, South Korea (Reuters) - The man at the center of a viral BBC interview who was unceremoniously interrupted by his children live on air said on Wednesday he was flattered by the many "gentle sentiments" his family had received after millions watched the video online.

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Costume jewelry worn by Hollywood's Golden Age stars up for auction

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - From the coral necklace worn by Vivien Leigh in "Gone With The Wind" to Marilyn Monroe's gold and pearl drop earrings from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," the glittering adornments made for Hollywood's stars will go up for auction this year.

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Paul McCartney should wait to get back Beatles songs, Sony/ATV says

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Paul McCartney, who has waited decades to reclaim ownership of hundreds of the Beatles' songs, should wait a little longer rather than continue his U.S. lawsuit against Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, the defendant said.

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'Beauty and the Beast' release postponed in Malaysia, even after 'gay moment' cut

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Major cinema chains in Muslim-majority Malaysia have postponed the release of Walt Disney's "Beauty and the Beast", cleared by censors after a "gay moment" was cut, due to "unforeseen circumstances".

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Larry King distills thousands of interviews into a few life lessons

NEW YORK (Reuters) - For a complete history of broadcasting, you do not need to go through archives or visit a museum. Just have a chat with Larry King.

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Theroux's re-enactments in Scientology documentary prompt criticism

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When British documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux was unable to gain access to the Church of Scientology for a new film, he opted for what he thought would be the next best thing - to reenact scenes based on the memories of a former member.

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Ed Sheeran storms U.S. Billboard charts

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ed Sheeran stormed the U.S. charts on Monday, taking the top spot on the Billboard 200 with his new album "Divide" and also topping the digital songs chart with lead single "Shape of You."

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Peace, love and 'Barbecue,' a global film ode to grilled meat

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The primal confluence of food, flames and family simmers in high definition in "Barbecue," a globe-trotting new documentary and cinematic love letter to cooking meat over an open fire.

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Robot takes to stage in British 'Spillikin' play

LONDON (Reuters) - When Judy Norman walks on stage for the play "Spillikin", she performs beside a somewhat different cast member - a humanoid robot.

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Ukraine mulls ban on Russia's Eurovision entry

KIEV (Reuters) - This year's Eurovision Song Contest host Ukraine may ban Russia's competitor from entering the country following reports the singer has visited Crimea since the peninsula was seized by Russia, Ukraine's state security service (SBU) said on Monday.

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'Avatar 2' movie 'not happening' in 2018, James Cameron says

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The sequel to all-time box office champion "Avatar" has been delayed again and will not be arriving in movie theaters as expected in 2018, director James Cameron has said.

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Joni Sledge of 'We Are Family' group Sister Sledge dies aged 60

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Joni Sledge, who along with her siblings formed the group Sister Sledge and recorded the enduring hit "We Are Family," has died aged 60, representatives for the group said on Saturday.

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Divide and conquer: Sheeran smashes UK chart records with new album

LONDON (Reuters) - British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran's new album "÷" became the fastest selling by a solo male artist in British chart history on Friday, with hits from the record also dominating the singles chart.

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Kristen Stewart says coming out is worthwhile if she can help others

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sporting a bleached-blond buzz cut, American actress Kristen Stewart hit the red carpet in New York to promote her new film "Personal Shopper", saying she hoped to help others by going public about her sexual orientation.

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'Bridges of Madison County' author Waller dies at age 77

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Robert James Waller, author of the best-selling romantic novel "The Bridges of Madison County," has died at the age of 77, his literary agency said on Friday.

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War comes to Westeros as 'Game of Thrones' unveils July return

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The premiere date of HBO's medieval fantasy series "Game of Thrones" was announced with fiery fanfare on Thursday, as a block of ice was melted live online to reveal the July 16 start of the new season.

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Exclusive: MGM in talks to acquire entirety of Epix - sources

(Reuters) - MGM Holdings Inc is in talks to acquire the 81 percent of Epix it does not already own from two of its partners in the premium U.S. channel, Viacom Inc and Lionsgate , people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

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Trump-Clinton election campaign to get HBO miniseries treatment

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cable channel HBO said on Thursday it is planning a dramatized TV miniseries about the extraordinary 2016 U.S. presidential, one of the first of several such projects being discussed in Hollywood.

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Noble, sympathetic Kong reimagined for 'Kong: Skull Island'

(Reuters) - King Kong is back again - not climbing the Empire State Building clutching a distressed damsel in his colossal clutches, but as the mighty protector of a remote island in the 1970s.

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Facebook's Zuckerberg and wife expecting a second daughter

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook Inc founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are expecting a second child, a daughter, the billionaire internet mogul said on Thursday.

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Gere delights Israeli fans at premier of Israel-U.S. movie

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Hollywood actor Richard Gere delighted fans after walking the red carpet in Jerusalem for the Israeli premiere of his new film "Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall Of A New York Fixer".

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'French Elvis' Johnny Hallyday says getting cancer treatment

PARIS (Reuters) - Aging rocker Johnny Hallyday, a huge crowd-puller in France and other parts of the French-speaking world, is being treated for cancer.

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Scarlett Johansson files for divorce, requests custody of daughter

(Reuters) - American actress Scarlett Johansson filed for divorce from French journalist Romain Dauriac in New York this week and asked for full custody of the couple's daughter, as her estranged husband asked her to return to the negotiating table.

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Cher wins dismissal of lawsuit over album cover font

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit accusing Cher of using a typeface created by Brooklyn, New York, graphic designer for her 2013 album "Closer to the Truth" without permission.

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Ukrainian ballet star Polunin aims to help others manage their demons

LONDON (Reuters) - Ukrainian ballet sensation Sergei Polunin shocked the dance world when he quit as the Royal Ballet's principal dancer in 2012 at the age of just 21.

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Exhibition charting American pop art opens at London's British Museum

LONDON (Reuters) - One of the UK's first major exhibitions charting modern and contemporary American pop art opened at the British Museum in London this week, with works from New York’s Museum of Modern Art and Washington DC's National Gallery of Art.

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Viacom in talks with ex-Fox Chairman Gianopulos to lead Paramount: WSJ

(Reuters) - Viacom Inc is in talks with former Twentieth Century Fox Chairman Jim Gianopulos to lead its Paramount Pictures film studio, the Wall Street Journal reported.

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SEC's 'Hamilton' Ponzi case expands to Dylan, McCartney, Harry Potter

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Entertainment featuring Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones and even Harry Potter are now part of a U.S. regulator's expanded lawsuit accusing two New York men of running a Ponzi scheme centered on the resale of tickets to events such as the smash Broadway musical "Hamilton."

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Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks to make first film together: report

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two of the most celebrated actors of their generation, Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, will star together for the first time in new Steven Spielberg political drama "The Post", according to Hollywood trade magazine Variety.

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Rapper Future makes Billboard chart history with 'HNDRXX'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Atlanta rapper Future became the first artist to score two consecutive chart-topping albums in as many weeks on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart, as his latest release debuted at No. 1 on Monday, a week after his last chart-topping album.

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Alec Baldwin says Trump impersonation revived his comedy career

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Alec Baldwin said that his impersonation of U.S. President Donald Trump on NBC's sketch show "Saturday Night Live" has revived his "dead" comedy career after he wrapped up sitcom "30 Rock" in 2012.

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Coca-Cola serves up gay-friendly ad for all genders, generations

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Soft drinks maker Coca-Cola Co has launched a gay-friendly ad featuring a brother and sister vying for the attention of a handsome pool boy in the campaign that has won praise for diversity and inclusion.

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Stella McCartney brings dance to Paris Opera for fashion week

PARIS (Reuters) - Stella McCartney livened up the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week on Monday with dancing models wearing her signature over-sized clothes in trademark neutral shades with splashes of unusual colors.

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Saint Laurent told to modify ad campaign after uproar in France

PARIS (Reuters) - France's advertising watchdog on Monday said it had asked French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent to modify two ads from its latest campaign after receiving 50 complaints that they were "degrading" to women.

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Actress Emma Watson says revealing photo does not undermine feminism

(Reuters) - British actress Emma Watson hit back at critics who said she betrayed her feminist ideals by posing for a revealing picture in Vanity Fair magazine where parts of her breasts were exposed.

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Box Office: 'Logan' roars with massive $85.3 million debut

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - "Logan" tore into the weekend box office, opening to a massive $85.3 million and proving that moviegoers will show up in force for R-rated comic book movies. The superhero spinoff marks Hugh Jackman's last turn as Wolverine after 17 years of donning the adamantium claws.

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'Beauty and Beast' gay character sparks Christian boycott calls

(Reuters) - An evangelist preacher is calling for a boycott of the upcoming Walt Disney film "Beauty and the Beast" because it features a gay character, saying that the company is trying to promote an LGBT agenda to children.

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Natalie Portman had second baby, days before Oscar ceremony

(Reuters) - Actress Natalie Portman had a great reason for missing Sunday's Oscar ceremony.

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Los Angeles police investigate 'That 70s Show' actor Danny Masterson in sex assaults

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "That 70s Show" actor Danny Masterson is being investigated for alleged sexual assault of three women, Los Angeles police said on Friday.

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Schwarzenegger quits 'Celebrity Apprentice' over show's Trump ties

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Arnold Schwarzenegger said on Friday he will not be back for another season of NBC's reality show "The Celebrity Apprentice," blaming U.S. President Donald Trump's ongoing role as executive producer for low ratings.

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We need to talk about Brexit: Britannia hears her people in new play

GLOUCESTER, England (Reuters) - Brendon O'Donnell voted to leave the European Union because he felt British money should go to struggling communities or local hospitals rather than Brussels, and his voice was not being heard.

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Bette Davis, Joan Crawford's bitter rivalry comes alive in 'Feud'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - One of Hollywood's most famous rivalries is taking center stage in a new television series, as "Feud" explores a salacious battle between Golden Age screen legends Joan Crawford and Bette Davis.

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Security boosted for accountants in Oscar gaffe who froze backstage

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Security has been stepped up for the two accountants responsible for botching the Oscar best picture announcement, their company said on Thursday, as the ceremony's stage manager said the pair had to be pushed onstage to set things right after the gaffe.

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Really tremendous: Trump mimic Alec Baldwin co-authors White House 'memoir'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Alec Baldwin is taking his "Saturday Night Live" impersonation of U.S. President Donald Trump from the screen to the pages of a satirical White House memoir due for release later this year, Penguin Press said on Wednesday.

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Neverland Ranch back on market with cut price, no Michael Jackson reference

(Reuters) - Michael Jackson's famed Neverland Ranch in California is back on the market at a much reduced price of $67 million and with no mention of the late pop star in the real estate listing.

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Children give Oscars fashion the pint-sized treatment

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - It's high fashion on a small scale, as the Oscar gowns worn by some of Hollywood's biggest names got re-imagined into child-sized versions by a Los Angeles photographer.

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PwC accountants blamed for Oscar gaffe barred from future shows

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The two accountants found at fault for botching the climactic announcement of the winner for best picture at the Academy Awards have been officially declared unfit for any future Oscar duty, organizers of the ceremony said on Wednesday.

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'Beauty and the Beast' features Disney's first gay character

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co's live-action adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast," one of the most anticipated movies of the year, will feature a gay character for the first time in Disney's history, according to the film's director.

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Lady Gaga replaces pregnant Beyonce at Coachella music festival

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lady Gaga will step in for Beyonce at this year's Coachella music festival after the R&B singer, who is pregnant with twins, dropped out of her headlining slot due to doctor's orders.

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Hugh Jackman returns as clawed mutant Wolverine in 'Logan'

BEIJING (Reuters) - Australian actor Hugh Jackman returns as Wolverine in "Logan", playing the clawed mutant one last time after 17 years in the popular "X-Men" franchise.

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'Viceroy's House' sends timely 'divide and rule' message, says director Chadha

LONDON (Reuters) - A new film exploring the partition of India will offer audiences a poignant reminder, 70 years on, that using politics to divide communities is nothing new, its British director says.

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Late actor Heston's insult of judge helps upend murder conviction

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A decades-old feud between a Philadelphia judge and the late actor Charlton Heston may have helped a Pennsylvania man get his 1998 murder conviction overturned on Tuesday.

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Murdoch's Fox set to request EU approval for Sky takeover bid

LONDON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's Twenty-First Century Fox will seek approval from the European Commission for its $14.4 billion bid for European pay-TV firm Sky in the coming days, a person familiar with the matter said.

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U2 is sued for allegedly stealing song for 'Achtung Baby'

(Reuters) - A British songwriter and guitarist has sued U2, claiming the band stole one of his works for a song on its blockbuster 1991 album "Achtung Baby."

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Xbox unveils $9.99 monthly subscription for videogames

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp's Xbox division said on Tuesday it would launch a $9.99-per-month subscription service that will allow gamers to play over 100 Xbox One and "backward compatible" Xbox 360 videogames.

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SoundCloud launches budget plan to attract paying subscribers

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Music-streaming service SoundCloud launched a budget subscription package on Tuesday, hoping to convert more listeners into paying subscribers and undercutting rivals Apple and Spotify.

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Early Oscars ratings show fewer viewers than last year - Nielsen

(Reuters) - ABC's Sunday night broadcast of the 89th Academy Awards drew a 22.4 overnight rating, down 4 percent from last year's low-rated show, according to Nielsen data released by the Walt Disney Co unit.

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Milan's fashion week wraps up with Armani's expressive colors

MILAN (Reuters) - Once again Italian designer Giorgio Armani stunned with bright and eloquent colors in his autumn and winter collection, wrapping up six days of catwalk shows at Milan's Fashion week.

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Pennsylvania judge to hear arguments on moving Cosby criminal trial

(Reuters) - Lawyers for comedian Bill Cosby return to court on Monday to argue that his sexual assault case has drawn too much publicity to allow for a fair criminal trial in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

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Trump policies play supporting role in 2017 Oscars

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Donald Trump's name was rarely mentioned during Sunday's Academy Awards, but the U.S. president's policies were a running subtext throughout the evening.

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Amazon, Netflix grab a share of Oscar glory

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Silicon Valley crashed Hollywood's biggest awards show on Sunday as Amazon.com Inc and Netflix Inc collected the first Academy Awards for streaming services while independent studio A24 won the coveted best picture Oscar.

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Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel pokes fun at new world under Trump

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comic Jimmy Kimmel opened Sunday's Oscars show seeking to break the tension among jittery nominees by poking deadpan fun at the political tumult roiling the United States and the globe during President Donald Trump's early weeks in office.

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Iran's 'The Salesman' wins best foreign language Oscar

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Iranian film "The Salesman," a domestic tale of revenge and honor within a modern marriage, won the Oscar on Sunday for best foreign language film.

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Stars shimmer on Oscar red carpet as diamonds and gold have their day

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood's A-list stars flaunted gold and silver gowns on the Oscar red carpet on Sunday, doused with a generous helping of diamonds, feathers, sequins and symbolic blue ribbons on the world's most cinematic runway.

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Actor Bill Paxton, known for roles in 'Big Love,' 'Titanic,' dies at 61

(Reuters) - American actor Bill Paxton, who rose to stardom with roles in Hollywood blockbusters such as "Aliens" and "Titanic," has died at age 61 after complications from surgery, his family said in a statement on Sunday.

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Box Office: Jordan Peele's 'Get Out' scores monster $30.5 million opening

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - "Get Out," a trenchant horror film about race relations, rode critical raves to a smashing box office debut.

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Escape with 'La La Land' or time to get real? Oscars face choice

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The red carpet has been rolled out and the champagne is on ice for Hollywood's big night on Sunday, but the biggest question may not be who will win but how much politics will rain on the "La La Land" Oscar parade.

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'Moonlight' sweeps Spirit Awards with six wins ahead of Oscars

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Reuters) - "Moonlight" triumphed at the Film Independent Spirit Awards with six wins on Saturday, besting grief drama "Manchester by the Sea" ahead of Sunday's Oscars ceremony.

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Syrian Oscar nominee says can't get to ceremony because of passport problem

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A Syrian cameraman and rescue worker whose documentary about the "White Helmets" Civil Defence group has been nominated for an Oscar will not attend the awards ceremony because Damascus has canceled his passport, the group said on Sunday.

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Meryl Streep accuses Karl Lagerfeld of spoiling her Oscars

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Meryl Streep on Saturday accused designer Karl Lagerfeld of spoiling her night at the Academy Awards ceremony by falsely accusing her of being paid to wear a gown on the Oscars red carpet.

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'Batman v Superman,' 'Hillary's America' win Razzie 'worst' films

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Even the Razzie Awards are getting political.

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Oscars so divided: Hollywood still struggles with race

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - On their way to this year's Oscars, Dev Patel searched for his Indian roots, Denzel Washington wrestled with racism as an angry African-American patriarch and Octavia Spencer became a top black female mathematician.

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Foreign Oscar contenders denounce 'fanaticism' in U.S.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (Reuters) - The directors of all five Oscar-nominated foreign language films on Friday denounced what they called a "climate of fanaticism and nationalism" in the United States and elsewhere, and dedicated their Academy Award to the cause of unity and free expression.

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Vionnet's birds of paradise fly in Milan palazzo

MILAN (Reuters) - Fashion house Vionnet unveiled an airy and colorful collection inspired by birds of paradise in the brand's first fashion show in Milan following its decision to switch from the Paris catwalks.

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Iranian-American space experts to step in for Farhadi at Oscars

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has chosen an Iranian-American female engineer and a former NASA scientist to represent his film "The Salesman" at Sunday's Oscar ceremony, which he is boycotting in protest over U.S. President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration.

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Judge allows a second accuser to testify at Cosby sex assault trial

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A judge ruled on Friday that a second woman who said comedian Bill Cosby sexually assaulted her would be allowed to testify at his upcoming trial in Pennsylvania on charges he sexually assaulted a former employee of Temple University.

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Emma Thompson won't take part in short 'Love Actually' sequel

LONDON (Reuters) - Actress Emma Thompson has said she is not taking part in a short "Love Actually" sequel for Britain's Comic Relief charity appeal because it is "too soon" to reprise her role in the romantic comedy after the death last year of co-star Alan Rickman.

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Ahead of Oscars, golden "La La Land" statues come to London

LONDON (Reuters) - The Oscar buzz around romance musical "La La Land" and its 14 nominations at Hollywood's top film awards has come to London, with two golden statues of stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling erected in the heart of the city.

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Prada combines soft and strong elements for its winter collection

MILAN (Reuters) - Italian fashion house Prada brought to the catwalk soft and strong designs in an attempt to define the role of women in society, in a powerful show ending the second day of Milan's fashion week.

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Moschino shows anything can be worn, as long as there is attitude

MILAN (Reuters) - "Couture is an attitude, not a price point", read the plain white t-shirt over sturdy leather biker trousers worn by Moschino's designer Jeremy Scott at the end of the Italian brand's extravagant fashion show in Milan.

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Pregnant Beyonce pulls out of Coachella music festival

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pregnant singer Beyonce on Thursday pulled out of performing at California's Coachella music festival in April, citing doctor's orders.

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Movie-inspired Fendi designs treat Milan's fashion elite

MILAN (Reuters) - Milan's fashion elite strolled down an elegant street in "Rome" on Thursday, sporting subtle and elegant creations that recalled the timeless movie scenes of yesteryear.

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Princess Diana's dresses go on display in London, 20 years after her death

LONDON (Reuters) - Gowns worn by Princess Diana for everything from meeting diplomats to dancing with movie stars feature in an exhibition celebrating the fashion of one of Britain's favorite royals, which opens in London this week.

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Little Mix win 'British single' prize at BRIT Awards

LONDON (Reuters) - British girl band Little Mix won the "British single" prize at the 2017 BRIT Awards for their song "Shout Out to My Ex" in London on Wednesday, beating competition from the likes of Coldplay and Tinie Tempah.

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Lights! Camera! Action! Getting ready for the Oscars' red carpet

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - It's not just women who are getting ready for the Oscars' red carpet on Sunday.

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Gucci's magic garden kick off Milan Fashion week

MILAN (Reuters) - The curtain went up on Milan's fashion week on Wednesday with Gucci's enchanted garden inspired looks and Fay's 1990s rock chick styles paraded for the womenswear autumn and winter 2017/2018 season.

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Burberry turns to artist Henry Moore for latest London Fashion Week show

LONDON (Reuters) - British artist Henry Moore provided the inspiration for luxury label Burberry's latest collection at London Fashion Week on Monday, with models strutting amid his sculptures in neutral designs influenced by his work.

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Angelina Jolie says 'we'll always be a family' despite divorce

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Angelina Jolie said on Tuesday she hoped her family would be stronger after her divorce from Brad Pitt, but that the actress still thinks of him as a wonderful father.

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Passion plus timing makes magic formula for 2017 Oscars

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - This year's Oscars is filled with projects fueled by passion and deeply-held personal visions that prevailed over skepticism, funding troubles and conventional wisdom.

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'La La Land' has Hollywood singing a different tune on musicals

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - From "Singin' in the Rain" to "The Wizard of Oz," musicals haven't traditionally seen much love from the Oscars. But "La La Land" has changed all that, tapping into a desire for escapism and sending Hollywood scrambling to dust off its dancing shoes.

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Ex-teen idol David Cassidy says he has dementia

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Former teen idol David Cassidy said on Monday he was suffering from dementia, a day after weekend performances in California in which he forgot his words and appeared to fall off stage raised concern about his health.

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Attenborough, 90, to present BBC "Blue Planet" sequel

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's most revered TV naturalist David Attenborough, 90, is returning to present a sequel to "The Blue Planet" documentary series, 16 years after the original illuminated the depths of the world's oceans.

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'Moonlight', 'Arrival' writers win top Writers Guild of America awards

(Reuters) - Writers for the films "Moonlight" and "Arrival" won top Writers Guild of America awards on Sunday, boosting the films' chances in the upcoming Academy Awards, Hollywood's biggest honors.

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Box Office: 'Lego Batman' flies high over 'Great Wall,' 'Fist Fight'

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - "The Lego Batman Movie" is dominating the North American box office with an estimated $44 million this President's Day weekend -- nearly matching the combined haul of "Fifty Shades Darker" and "The Great Wall."

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Hungarian love story wins top prize at Berlin Film Festival

BERLIN (Reuters) - A Hungarian love story called "On Body and Soul" about two lonely hearts working in a slaughterhouse in Budapest won the Golden Bear for best film on Saturday at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival.

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Amid record betting on Oscars, 'La La Land' is seen as a lock

NEW YORK (Reuters) - "La La Land" is set to sweep the Oscars, but the race to be crowned Hollywood's leading man is going down to the wire, say bookmakers who are seeing record bets on the Academy Awards this year.

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Exclusive: Paramount CEO Grey to depart as soon as next week - sources

(Reuters) - Brad Grey, the chairman and chief executive officer of Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures film studio is expected to leave with an announcement coming as early as next week, according to two sources familiar with the situation.

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Syrian 'White Helmets' makers get visas for Oscar travel

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Two Syrian rescue workers said on Friday they plan to travel to next week's Oscar ceremony, where their documentary "White Helmets" is nominated for an award, after weeks of uncertainty caused by U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban.

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After New York, London kicks off fashion week with eyes on creativity

LONDON (Reuters) - Chunky knits and frilly dresses took over the London catwalk on Friday as the British capital kicked off its leg of the autumn/winter womenswear fashion week calendar.

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Federal judge dismisses Massachusetts defamation lawsuit against Cosby

BOSTON (Reuters) - A federal judge in Massachusetts on Thursday dismissed a defamation lawsuit against Bill Cosby by an actress who claimed he raped her, ruling that the comedian acted within his rights when he proclaimed himself innocent of the crime.

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Australian rock band Midnight Oil to play first world tour in 20 years

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian rock band Midnight Oil said on Friday they will play their first world tour in 20 years, vowing to continue their political activism during the six-month, fifty-show world tour.

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At New York Fashion Week, it's all about breaking the rules

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Fashion Week ended with a flourish on Thursday after a parade of innovative shows that gave an affectionate nod to the 1980's, with designers mixing power suits, chunky furs and metallic fabrics into lavish new looks for both day and night.

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Disney plans midnight 'Star Wars' event to unveil 'Last Jedi' toys

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co and major retailers will release the galaxy's newest "Star Wars" toys at a Sept. 1 midnight event ahead of the holiday debut of the next film in the saga, "The Last Jedi," company executives told Reuters.

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Dr. Luke email shows criticism of Kesha's weight in legal case

(Reuters) - Music producer Dr. Luke said in 2012 that musicians were unwilling to give pop singer Kesha their songs to perform because of her weight, according to court documents filed this week amid the singer's case to get out of her recording contract.

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Sirius XM wins dismissal of Turtles copyright lawsuit in New York

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sirius XM Holdings Inc on Thursday won the dismissal of a New York copyright lawsuit over the satellite radio company's playing of older songs by the 1960s band The Turtles and other artists, reducing the size of a related settlement between both sides in November.

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Kanye West unveils new Yeezy line during New York Fashion Week

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Three months after being hospitalized for exhaustion, rapper Kanye West made his first major public appearance on Wednesday, turning up for his Yeezy fashion show during New York Fashion Week.

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Canadian humorist, radio show host Stuart McLean dies at 68: CBC

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Stuart McLean, a Canadian humorist and broadcaster best known for his popular syndicated comic radio show The Vinyl Cafe, died on Wednesday at the age of 68, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp said.

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Spanish film about bar shooting shows how people react in extreme situations

BERLIN (Reuters) - A Spanish film that depicts a shooting in a Madrid bar explores how people react in extreme situations - a scenario that is a reality in Europe as militants have staged attacks in Paris and other places.

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Unemployment in Portuguese movie 'Colo' is one reason for populism, director says

BERLIN (Reuters) - The unemployment portrayed in a movie competing at the Berlin Film Festival is a factor behind growing support for populists such as U.S. President Donald Trump and French right-winger Marine Le Pen, the film's director said.

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Iran defeats U.S. Navy in defiant animated film

DUBAI (Reuters) - A full-length animated film depicting an armed confrontation between Iran's Revolutionary Guards and the U.S. Navy is soon to open in Iranian cinemas, amid rising tensions over President Donald Trump's hardening rhetoric against Tehran.

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Beuys film depicts German artist as laughing revolutionary

BERLIN (Reuters) - A documentary about German conceptual artist Joseph Beuys wowed the audience at its world premiere in Berlin, depicting him as a creative wizard and provocative prankster who enjoyed challenging traditional thinking about art, politics and money.

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Recovering from memory loss, Kanye West focuses on fashion comeback

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two months after being hospitalized for exhaustion and still recovering from memory loss, Kanye West is expected to make his first major public appearance at New York Fashion Week, his producer revealed.

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Syrian films bring tears and smiles to Berlin Film Festival

BERLIN (Reuters) - One drops you, trapped and powerless, in the middle of a civil war, while the other uses humor to depict what's it like to start a new life in Europe after escaping the same conflict.

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YouTube, Disney ditch PewDiePie over anti-Semitic content

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - YouTube and Walt Disney Co have cut their ties with influential Swedish social media star PewDiePie after he posted a series of videos deemed anti-Semitic.

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2017 MTV Europe Music Awards to be held in 'musical epicenter' London

LONDON (Reuters) - The MTV Europe Music Awards will take place in London this year, more than 20 years since the ceremony was last held in the British capital, channel MTV said on Tuesday.

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Metal shades shimmer on BAFTAs red carpet

LONDON (Reuters) - Despite the chilly winter, guests at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards appeared to ditch traditional gowns for some fun and flirty looks, with metallics, sequins and embellished dresses dominating the red carpet.

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Family of late singer George Michael 'extremely upset' at leaked emergency call

LONDON (Reuters) - The family of George Michael is "extremely upset" that a recording of an emergency call about the singer on the day he died at his southern England home was leaked to the press, lawyers said.

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Pregnant Beyonce keeps all eyes on her despite shock Grammy loss

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A surprise loss didn't stop Beyonce from being center of attention Sunday's Grammy awards, as the pregnant singer delivered the night's most anticipated performance and was praised on stage by the artist who triumphed over her.

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Late pop stars Prince, George Michael saluted at Grammys

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Prince and George Michael, two Grammy-winning pop veterans who died unexpectedly months apart last year, were honored with special musical tributes from younger stars on Sunday during the recording industry's top awards show.

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Pop divas leave little to imagination on Grammys red carpet

(Reuters) - The pop world's reigning divas dueled on the Grammys red carpet on Sunday, raising eyebrows with cleavage-baring looks, and politically charged fashion statements found a voice on the music industry's big night.

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Seven-time Grammy winner Al Jarreau dies at 76

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Jazz and R&B singer Al Jarreau, a seven-time Grammy winner whose hits included "We're in This Love Together" and "Moonlighting," died on Sunday in Los Angeles at age 76, just days after announcing he was retiring from touring because of poor health.

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Prince back on streaming platforms, two new albums coming

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Prince's early music catalog was made available across all streaming services on Sunday, almost a year after his death, and record label Warner Bros. said it planned to release two albums of new music from the pop funk musician in June.

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'La La Land' wins best film BAFTA award to continue hot streak

LONDON (Reuters) - Musical "La La Land" won big at Britain's main film awards on Sunday as it scooped the prize for best film, while Emma Stone and Damien Chazelle picked up awards for best actress and best director respectively.

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All eyes on Beyonce as pregnant powerhouse leads Grammys charge

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pregnant pop superstar Beyonce heads into the Grammy awards on Sunday aiming to clinch her first album of the year win, while riding high on a wave of goodwill that greeted her surprise announcement that she was expecting twins.

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Box Office: 'Lego Batman Movie' tops 'Fifty Shades Darker' with $55.6 million

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Costumed avengers, a billionaire with a kinky side, and a brutally efficient hit man proved to be just the tonic for an ailing domestic box office.

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Making 'Final Portrait' was as difficult as Giacometti's painting: Tucci

BERLIN (Reuters) - If you want a taste of the psychological and physical strain that comes with posing for one of the 20th century greatest painters, then go watch "Final Portrait".

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Kinky 'Fifty Shades' stokes fantasy, not reality, says author

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - E.L. James, the British author and producer of the erotic "Fifty Shades of Grey" novels and film franchise, knows that her story about an attractive couple engaged in a kinky relationship is very much a fantasy.

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Grammy Awards shape up as clash of pop titans Beyonce and Adele

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Grammy awards are shaping up to be the ultimate showdown between pop's two biggest female stars as Beyonce and Adele go head-to-head for song, record and album of the year on Sunday.

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Gere faults Trump for blurring meaning of 'refugee' and 'terrorist'

BERLIN (Reuters) - Actor and activist Richard Gere said on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump has managed to merge the meaning of the words "refugee" and "terrorist" in the minds of many Americans.

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"Fifty Shades Darker" a darker film, says author and producer E.L. James

LONDON (Reuters) - "Fifty Shades Darker", the sequel to the 2015 hit "Fifty Shades of Grey", promises to be a darker experience for viewers, both the cast and producer of the film agreed at the film's premiere in Britain.

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George Clooney and wife Amal expecting twins: Matt Damon

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - George Clooney and his wife Amal are expecting twins, actor Matt Damon said on Thursday, adding he was so thrilled for the high-profile couple that he "almost started crying" when he found out last fall.

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China may increase quota for Hollywood films: state paper

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China is likely to raise the quota of imported films allowed into the country, the state-run Global Times newspaper said, a potential fillip for Hollywood producers who are increasingly looking to tap the country's fast-growing box office.

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Jake Gyllenhaal to make Broadway debut at historic Hudson Theatre

NEW YORK (Reuters) - One of New York's oldest theaters will stage a play for the first time in almost 50 years when movie star Jake Gyllenhaal makes his Broadway debut later this month at the Hudson Theatre in a musical about 19th century French artist Georges Seurat.

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Michael Jackson's mom bullied and afraid of nephew: court papers

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Katherine Jackson, the 86-year-old mother of late pop star Michael Jackson, has won a restraining order against a nephew she accuses of bullying her, getting information on her bank accounts and other emotional abuse.

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The show must go on: New York Fashion Week braves massive storm

(Reuters) - New York Fashion week got off to a snowy start on Thursday with celebrities and the design world's elite braving a massive storm to watch models strut street-wear and gowns at some of the most important runway shows.

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Would you play for the Nazis? 'Django' movie poses moral dilemma

BERLIN (Reuters) - When the Nazis asked Django Reinhardt to play for troops heading to the Eastern Front, the musician faced a moral dilemma relevant to artists today, the director of a biopic on the jazz guitar pioneer said on Thursday.

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Aretha Franklin to retire from full time touring

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Soul music legend Aretha Franklin says she plans to retire from full-time touring after she releases a new album in September.

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Tom Hiddleston says Taylor Swift shirt a joke, romance 'was real'

(Reuters) - British actor Tom Hiddleston has opened up about his 2016 summer romance with Taylor Swift, insisting their relationship "was real" but explaining that his much-mocked "I (heart) T.S." tank top was just a joke.

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Madonna introduces newly adopted twin girls from Malawi

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pop star Madonna debuted two new daughters on social media on Wednesday, saying she had completed her adoption of the twins from Malawi and was "overjoyed" to bring them into her family.

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Berlin festival showcases films on artists, refugees and shooting

BERLIN (Reuters) - A legendary jazz guitarist on the run from the Nazis, a family trapped in a Syrian apartment as bombs rain down, and a shooting at a Madrid bar - those are some of the roughly 400 stories that will hit screens at this year's Berlin Film Festival.

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Lady Gaga tells bodyshamers 'I'm proud of my body'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lady Gaga hit back at cyber bullies who made fun of her body during her spectacular halftime show at Sunday's Super Bowl.

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'Alice in Wonderland' collection fetches 88,000 dollars at auction

LONDON (Reuters) - One of the world's largest collections of "Alice in Wonderland" memorabilia, featuring over 3,000 items, was sold at an Oxford auction house on Wednesday for around 70,000 pounds ($88,000).

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Harry Potter spinoff helps Time Warner top estimates

(Reuters) - Time Warner Inc reported higher-than-expected fourth-quarter results, largely due to box office hits such as the "Harry Potter" spinoff "Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them."

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Trump accuser follows Cosby playbook by pursuing defamation suit

NEW YORK (Reuters) - When former reality television contestant Summer Zervos accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct last fall, she pursued her claims solely in the court of public opinion, since the allegations dated too far back to allow a lawsuit.

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'White Helmets' filmmakers say Trump travel ban hurts Syrian subjects

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The filmmakers of Oscar-nominated "The White Helmets" about Syria's rescue workers said the documentary's subjects are directly affected by U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban and their absence at the Oscars is a "lost opportunity."

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Diversity to rock the runway at New York Fashion Week

NEW YORK (Reuters) - From faux furs and statement outerwear to floral prints and pants suits for warmer weather, a diversity of styles for all seasons will hit the runway at New York Fashion Week.

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YouTube stars can live stream from mobile, make money from fans

(Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's YouTube said it was rolling out live streaming from mobile devices for users with more than 10,000 subscribers, adding a feature that will help them make money, as it takes on Facebook Live.

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Madonna granted permission to adopt twins from Malawi

LILONGWE (Reuters) - Malawi's High Court on Tuesday granted Madonna permission to adopt twins from the Southern African country, a judiciary spokesman said.

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Sting, Wayne Shorter win 2017 Polar Music Prize

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - British rock star Sting and American jazz musician Wayne Shorter have been awarded Sweden's Polar Music Prize, committee officials said on Tuesday.

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