Entertainment

The New York Times reports: Chita Rivera, the fire-and-ice dancer, singer and actress who leapt to stardom in the original Broadway production of “West Side Story” and dazzled audiences for nearly seven decades as a Puerto Rican lodestar of the American musical theater, died on Tuesday. She was 91. The death was announced in a statement by her daughter, Lisa …

The New York Times reports: “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” were among the films that scored nods for best picture when the Oscar nominations were announced this morning. After a year that found the movie industry hobbled for months by dual strikes by writers and actors, the focus shifts now to an especially strong slate of movies …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: Alec Baldwin has been charged again in the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins after a grand jury presented with a new investigation into the incident recommended indicting the actor and producer of the low-budget Western. Baldwin was charged on Friday with involuntary manslaughter by New Mexico prosecutors, who initially dropped the criminal case to …

Just in via press release: Comedian Tom Smothers, one half of the legendary Smothers Brothers comedy team, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, at the age of 86, following a recent battle with cancer. Dick Smothers, Tom’s brother and co-star of the celebrated and groundbreaking Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, announced that Tom was at home with his family …

Screen Rant reports: Disney celebrates its 100th anniversary with a touching new video featuring clips from many of its most beloved films and attractions. Known as the studio behind animated movies like Snow White, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King, among countless others, Walt Disney Animation Studios continues to produce hits today, with movies like Frozen and Encanto becoming …

Reuters reports: British-Irish actor Michael Gambon, best known to global audiences for playing the wise professor Albus Dumbledore in the “Harry Potter” movie franchise and whose career was launched by his mentor Laurence Olivier, died aged 82 on Thursday. He died peacefully in hospital, PA Media reported citing a family statement. Gambon began his acting on the stage in the …

Deadline reports: The Kenergy is so high on Warner Bros’ Barbie that it spiked by 3% at the international box office on Wednesday versus Tuesday and added $32.7M in 69 markets. That brings the global running cume on the Greta Gerwig pic to a fantastic $528.6M, including $291.4M from overseas. This is all after only one week of release. Meanwhile, …

The New York Times reports: The union representing a segment of Broadway crew members reached a tentative agreement for a new contract with theater owners just as its members were voting on whether to authorize a potential strike, the organizations announced Thursday. The deal involved a subset of Broadway workers who are covered by what is known as the “pink …

People Magazine reports: Treat Williams, the star of Everwood and Hair, has died after being involved in a motorcycle accident. He was 71. The actor’s death was confirmed to PEOPLE on Monday evening by his agent of 15 years, Barry McPherson. “He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off,” …

The BBC reports: Sweden’s Loreen was always the one to beat, and her team knew it too. She had something none of the other contestants competing on Saturday’s Eurovision grand final had – the experience of winning it before. The 39-year-old from Stockholm took the title with her banger Euphoria in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2012. Now, with Tattoo, and 583 …

Variety reports: Willie Nelson just got an only slightly late 90th birthday present: an impending induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The country music legend was one of seven music figures announced Wednesday morning as having been voted into the hall, along with Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow, George Michael and the …

NBC News reports: Thousands of unionized scribes who say they are not not paid fairly in the streaming era went on strike just after midnight Tuesday, bringing TV production to a halt. It comes after high-stakes negotiations between a top guild and a trade association representing Hollywood’s marquee studios failed to avert the first walkout in over 15 years. The …

The BBC reports: Australian entertainer Barry Humphries, best known for his comic character Dame Edna Everage, has died aged 89. The star had been in hospital in Sydney after suffering complications following hip surgery in March. He had a fall in February. Humphries’ most famous creation became a hit in the UK in the 1970s and landed her own TV …

Variety reports: Prosecutors are expected to drop manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin in the death of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, sources confirmed on Thursday. In a statement, Baldwin’s lawyers said they were pleased with the outcome. “We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances …

ABC News reports: The final curtain came down Sunday on New York’s production of “The Phantom of the Opera,” ending Broadway’s longest-running show with thunderous standing ovations, champagne toasts and gold and silver confetti bursting from its famous chandelier. It was show No. 13,981 at the Majestic Theatre and it ended with a reprise of “The Music of the Night” …

The BBC reports: Singer Melody Thornton has apologised after rowdy audience members halted a performance of The Bodyguard musical. The ex-Pussycat Dolls star was unable to complete the show’s final song due to the disruption at Manchester’s Palace Theatre on Friday. Speaking on Instagram, Thornton said she “fought really hard” to finish the show, but it had not been possible. …

“Hey, look over there! A classic distraction technique, distracting us away from the real issues that they were voted into office to focus on: jobs, healthcare, keeping our children safe from harm at their own school. “But we know that bullies are incompetent at solving real issues. They look for easy targets so they can give the impression of being …

Yahoo Entertainment reports: Tom Sizemore, who often played tough guy roles in a career dating back to the ’80s and who, in real life, struggled with addiction and a string of legal issues, died Friday, almost two weeks after suffering a brain aneurysm, as the result of a stroke. He had been hospitalized in critical condition and remained in a …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Harvey Weinstein was sentenced Thursday in downtown Los Angeles to 16 years in prison for rape and other sex crimes. With the already incarcerated former producer in attendance at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center courtroom today, the somewhat delayed ruling by Judge Lisa B. Lench is in addition to the 23 years the much-accused Weinstein …

Reuters reports: Late pop singer George Michael, 89-year-old country music icon Willie Nelson and rapper Missy Elliott are among the first-time nominees announced on Wednesday for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2023. Of the 14 nominees on this year’s list, eight are first-timers, including singers Sheryl Crow, Cyndi Lauper and the late singer/songwriter Warren Zevon, alongside …