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☆ Ex-producer Harvey Weinstein faces sentencing for Los Angeles rape conviction
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LOS ANGELES, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Harvey Weinstein, the onetime Hollywood titan who came to epitomize a culture of pervasive sexual misconduct by powerful men that ignited the #MeToo movement, is to be sentenced on Thursday for the 2013 rape of an actress in Los Angeles. Whatever sentence is pronounced should be served once the former movie producer and Miramax co-founder has completed the 23-year sentence imposed for a sexual misconduct conviction in New York, prosecutors argued in their sentencing memorandum. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lisa Lench declared a mistrial on the deadlocked charges. The producer of "Pulp Fiction" and "Shakespeare in Love" was convicted of sexual misconduct in New York in February 2020, and extradited from New York to a Los Angeles prison in July 2021. In New York, Weinstein is appealing his conviction and prison sentence.

☆ Nipsey Hussle's killer sentenced to at least 60 years in prison
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Jorge Garcia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Apu Gomes/Pool via REUTERSLOS ANGELES, Feb 22 (Reuters) - A California man was sentenced on Wednesday to at least 60 years in prison for the 2019 killing of Grammy-winning rapper Nipsey Hussle after a chance encounter in the south Los Angeles neighborhood where the men grew up. A jury had found Eric Holder Jr, 32, guilty of first-degree murder in July 2022 for fatally shooting Hussle outside a clothing store the rapper owned. Holder was ordered to serve an additional 10 years in prison for shooting two bystanders. Public defender Aaron Jansen acknowledged that Holder killed Hussle but argued that he should not be convicted of first-degree murder because he said the attack was not pre-meditated. Reporting by Lisa Richwine and Jorge Garcia in Los Angeles Editing by Leslie Adler, Matthew Lewis and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Film academy response to Will Smith slap was 'inadequate,' group's president says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Feb 13 (Reuters) - Hollywood's film academy did not adequately respond to Will Smith's slap of Chris Rock at the Academy Awards last March, the organization's president said on Monday at a gathering of this year's Oscar nominees. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was criticized for allowing Smith to remain in his seat, and accept the best actor trophy, after he assaulted Rock on stage. "What happened on stage was totally unacceptable," academy president Janet Yang said at the annual Oscar nominees' luncheon in Beverly Hills. Smith resigned from the academy after the incident, and the academy banned him from attending the Oscars for 10 years. He remains eligible to be nominated for and win Academy Awards.

PARIS, Feb 14 (Reuters) - LVMH (LVMH.PA) top label Louis Vuitton said on Tuesday it has hired Pharrell Williams to head artistic direction of its menswear designs, tapping a popular figure from the music industry to fill the high-profile position left vacant since the passing of star designer Virgil Abloh over a year ago. "Louis Vuitton is delighted to welcome @Pharrell as its new Men’s Creative Director", Louis Vuitton said in a tweet, confirming earlier reports from the Wall Street Journal and the French daily Le Figaro. loadingWilliams' first collection for the label will be shown in June during Men's Fashion Week in Paris, the brand added. Williams rose to fame in the music business as a producer and singer with hits including "Happy" and "Blurred Lines." "Happy," written for the animated movie "Despicable Me 2," earned Williams one of his two Oscar nominations.

☆ Down-to-the-wire Super Bowl draws game's second-largest audience, Nielsen says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nielsen's figure includes people who watched on the Fox or Fox Deportes TV networks (FOXA.O) or streamed the game on Fox digital properties or NFL+. Football - NFL - Super Bowl LVII - Half-Time Show - State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona, United States - February 12, 2023 Rihanna performs during the halftime show REUTERS/Caitlin O'haraThe Super Bowl draws the biggest audience on U.S. television each year. The most-watched Super Bowl took place in 2015, when an average of 114.8 million people watched the New England Patriots defeat the Seattle Seahawks. Viewership rose roughly 11% from last year, when Nielsen reported an audience of 101 million people. Fox said the audience increased during the halftime show starring pop and R&B superstar Rihanna, averaging 118 million people on TV and digital platforms.

☆ NFL says Super Bowl watched by 113 million viewers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LOS ANGELES, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Sunday's Super Bowl attracted an average of 113 million viewers across traditional television and digital platforms, the National Football League said on Monday, citing preliminary data. The NFL said that figure represented a six-year high for its championship game, which this year was broadcast on the Fox TV network (FOXA.O) and streamed on Fox digital properties and NFL+. A final audience tally will be released by Nielsen on Tuesday, the NFL said. The Super Bowl ranks as the most-watched event on U.S. television every year, though viewership has been dwindling since it peaked in 2015. Viewership increased during the halftime show starring pop and R&B superstar Rihanna, averaging 118 million people on TV and digital platforms, the NFL said.

☆ Pregnant Rihanna lights up Super Bowl stage with 'Diamonds'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 12 (Reuters) - Pop and R&B superstar Rihanna made a grand return to the stage on Sunday, floating high above the Super Bowl field, thrilling the crowd with a fast-paced medley of her hits and revealing that she is pregnant with her second child. It was the 34-year-old Grammy winner's first stage performance in five years. The Hollywood Reporter and other media outlets said a representative for the singer confirmed that Rihanna was indeed pregnant. She concluded her Super Bowl set with "Diamonds" as fireworks lit up the sky around the stadium. Rihanna joined a list of music luminaries who have performed at the Super Bowl, from Lady Gaga to Beyonce, Prince, Madonna and the Rolling Stones.

"This reorganization will result in a more cost-effective, coordinated approach to our operations," Iger told analysts on a conference call. Disney earlier reported its first quarterly decrease in subscriptions for its Disney+ streaming media unit, which lost more than $1 billion. Iger also repositioned the company to capitalize on the streaming revolution, acquiring 21st Century Fox's film and television assets in 2019 and launching the Disney+ streaming service that fall. Now, Iger will seek to put Disney's streaming business on a path to growth and profitability. It reorganized its business in 2018 to accelerate the growth of its streaming business, and again in 2020, to further spur streaming's growth.

Iger said he would reorganize the company into three segments: an entertainment unit that encompasses film, television and streaming; a sports-focused ESPN unit; and Disney parks, experiences and products. "This reorganization will result in a more cost-effective, coordinated approach to our operations," Iger told analysts on a conference call. Disney earlier reported its first quarterly decrease in subscriptions for its Disney+ streaming media unit which lost more than $1 billion. Now, Iger will seek to put Disney's streaming business on a path to growth and profitability. It reorganized its business in 2018 to accelerate the growth of its streaming business, and again in 2020, to further spur streaming's growth.

[1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress is broadcasted to a television set up in a hallway at Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Amanda Andrade-RhoadesFeb 8 (Reuters) - An estimated 23.4 million people watched U.S. President Joe Biden's State of the Union speech on the biggest TV networks Tuesday, according to early ratings figures from Nielsen and shared with Reuters by Fox News and NBCUniversal, down from total viewership last year. The early figure includes viewership on the biggest U.S. broadcast and cable networks, including Fox News, CNN, ABC News and NBC News. Biden's early audience figure came in below the final ratings total for former President Donald Trump's first State of the Union speech in 2018, which attracted close to 46 million people. Nielsen is expected to provide final ratings data later on Wednesday, which will include viewership across smaller networks.

☆ At Sunday's Grammys, will Beyonce finally win top honor of best album?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Singer Beyonce arrives at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards in New York, U.S., August 28, 2016. Beyonce heads into the show in Los Angeles with nine nominations, including an album of the year nod for dance-heavy album "Renaissance." The acclaimed 2016 album "Lemonade" was defeated by Adele's "25," prompting the British vocalist to say on stage that Beyonce deserved the honor. Beyonce's other nominations include record and song of the year for "Break My Soul." Scheduled performers include Styles, Lizzo, Sam Smith, Luke Combs and Bad Bunny.

WASHINGTON, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Ticketmaster is preparing to sell tickets for Beyonce's first tour in six years in a different way, hoping to avoid a repeat of last year's Taylor Swift debacle. Ticketmaster tweeted on Thursday that the demand to register for a chance to buy tickets for concerts in the nine cities in Group A, whose registration closed on Friday, exceeded the number of tickets by more than 800%. The North American leg of Beyonce's tour opens in Toronto on July 8 and closes in New Orleans on Sept. 27, according to the Ticketmaster website. After loud complaints from Taylor Swift fans, the company blamed more than 3.5 billion requests from fans, bots and scalpers for its overwhelmed website. On Thursday, the Judiciary Committee retweeted a news report about the Beyonce tour announcement and tweeted to @Ticketmaster, "We're watching."

☆ Netflix to feature electric cars from GM and others in programming
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] A Cadillac Lyriq electric vehicle (EV) under General Motors is seen during its world premiere on a media day for the Auto Shanghai show in Shanghai, China April 19, 2021. REUTERS/Aly SongLOS ANGELES, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) has unveiled a new star for some of its upcoming programming: electric vehicles from General Motors (GM.N) and other automakers. The streaming service announced an agreement on Thursday to feature vehicles including the Chevrolet Bolt, the electric GMC Hummer pickup and the Cadillac Lyriq in TV series and films "where relevant." Shows that will feature GM's electric vehicles include "Love is Blind," "Queer Eye" and "Unstable." Netflix productions also will include electric vehicles made by other automakers, the company said.

Several of this year's Grammy nominees, including "abcdefu" singer Gayle and R&B artist Muni Long, rose in popularity after influencers and everyday users posted TikTok videos with their music. Even as the music industry gathers in Los Angeles to celebrate artists and their songs at Sunday's Grammy awards, the relationship between hitmaker TikTok and music labels is showing signs of strain. As deals with the major music companies expire, the labels are looking to receive some of TikTok's ad revenue, according to Tatiana Cirisano, music industry analyst for Midia Research. One music industry insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said "it’s open to interpretation" why this is happening now. "TikTok has become really integral to the way that younger people relate to music, discover music and consume it,” Cirisano said.

Despite a rich stable of characters from Batman to Wonder Woman, the DC film and television studio has failed to match the success of Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) Marvel hit factory. Also in 2025, DC Studios will release "Batman - Part II," a sequel starring Robert Pattison, a darker, more adult tale that is not part of Gunn's newly envisioned "DC Universe." While Marvel has become the highest-grossing film franchise in history, DC Studios has had mixed results. Four DC film projects that were completed before Gunn and Safran took over the studio will be released to theaters this year, "Shazam! Zaslav cut some costs by scrapping a third "Wonder Woman" film and a "Batgirl" movie that was headed to streaming.

☆ Film academy says it will not disqualify surprise Oscar nominee Riseborough
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Cast member Andrea Riseborough arrives at the premiere for 'Matilda the Musical' in London, Britain, November 21, 2022. REUTERS/Maja SmiejkowskaLOS ANGELES, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Hollywood's motion picture academy will not revoke the unexpected best actress nomination for "To Leslie" star Andrea Riseborough, the group's chief executive said on Tuesday after a review of an aggressive campaign on her behalf. The surprise nomination sparked questions about whether a campaign for Riseborough had violated lobbying rules set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Several A-list stars posted social media comments touting her performance. "However, we did discover social media and outreach campaigning tactics that caused concern.

☆ Film academy reviewing Oscar campaigns after surprise nomination
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Hollywood's film academy said on Friday it was reviewing this year's campaigns for Oscar nominations, a day after a media report raised questions about the surprise nod for British actress Andrea Riseborough. Media newsletter Puck reported on Thursday that the unexpected nomination had sparked questions about whether an aggressive campaign for Riseborough had violated lobbying rules set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The academy limits how studios can reach out to voters, how often and what they can say in any communications as part of their Oscars campaigns. Dozens of A-list stars then "sang her praises and helped win her the coveted nomination," Puck said. "We have confidence in the integrity of our nomination and voting procedures, and support genuine grassroots campaigns for outstanding performances," the academy statement said.

Box office receipts can rise as much as 75% in the weeks following a best picture nomination, according to Comscore data. The distributor, United Artists Releasing, planned the release strategy to coincide with this week's Oscar nominations, with the hope the movie would benefit from a box-office bounce. "Tar," a best picture contender starring Cate Blanchett as a manipulative orchestra conductor, will expand to 535 theaters from 100. 'NOT LOOKING GREAT'Even legendary director Steven Spielberg has had trouble drawing crowds to best picture nominee "The Fabelmans," his autobiographical story about family strife and anti-Semitism he faced as a teenager. Warner Bros is re-releasing the film in movie houses this weekend after it landed eight Oscar nominations including best picture and best actor.

☆ 'Elvis,' 'Everything Everywhere' vie for Oscar nods on Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLOS ANGELES, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Hollywood's film academy will announce this year's Oscar nominees early on Tuesday, a field expected to range from biopic "Elvis" to dark comedy "The Banshees of Inisherin" and multiverse adventure "Everything Everywhere All at Once." The Oscars and other entertainment awards shows have been struggling to attract TV viewers, particularly younger ones who spend time on TikTok and YouTube. Last year's Academy Awards show, when Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock before winning best actor, drew about 15.4 million TV viewers, the second-smallest audience ever. The Gold Derby website, which monitors Hollywood's awards races, gives "Everything Everywhere" the best odds at the moment to ultimately win best picture. The movie stars Michelle Yeoh in a dimension-hopping action film about an exhausted woman trying to finish her taxes.

☆ Angela Bassett becomes Marvel's first actor nominated for an Oscar
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Danielle Broadway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Angela Bassett accepts the Best Supporting Actress award for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" during the 28th annual Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 15, 2023. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLOS ANGELES, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Angela Bassett made history on Tuesday as the first Marvel Cinematic Universe star to be nominated for an acting Oscar for her “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” role as Queen Ramonda. After being nominated in the best supporting actress category, Bassett paid tribute to the character she portrayed. Bassett was previously nominated for a best actress Academy Award for her portrayal as Tina Turner in the biopic "What's Love Got To Do With It." Disney’s "Black Panther” sequel sold around $330 million in tickets and set a November record in the United States and Canada.

☆ Box office hits 'Everything Everywhere,' 'Elvis' and 'Avatar' land Oscar nominations
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"Everything Everywhere," a science-fiction flick about an exasperated Chinese immigrant struggling to finish her taxes, landed 11 nominations, including best picture and four acting nods. Other films in the hunt for the top trophy at the Academy Awards included sequel "Avatar: The Way of Water," James Cameron's visual spectacle that currently ranks as the sixth-highest grossing movie of all time. Last year's Academy Awards ceremony, when Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock before winning best actor, drew about 15.4 million TV viewers, the second-smallest audience ever. Apple TV+ (AAPL.O) nabbed best picture last year for heartwarming drama "CODA." This time, Disney received the most nominations, a total of 22, for movies including "Avatar," "Banshees" and animated "Turning Red."

☆ Box office haul for 'Avatar: The Way of Water' tops $2 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Director James Cameron arrives at the world premiere of 'Avatar: The Way of Water' in London, Britain December 6, 2022. "The Way of Water" debuted in late December, 13 years after the original "Avatar" introduced the lush world of Pandora and became a worldwide phenomenon. Box office sales for "The Way of Water" totaled $2.024 billion on Sunday, according to Disney estimates. Roughly $1.4 billion of ticket sales have come from international markets outside the United States and Canada. A third "Avatar" movie, which Cameron has already filmed, is scheduled to debut in December 2024.

"This was my road to Damascus experience, a turning point in my understanding of the role of talent density in organizations," Hastings wrote. Hastings credits the company's culture of internal transparency and innovation, which endows top-performers with unusual autonomy, for Netflix's success. "This is a big psychological change for Netflix," said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData. "There's no big strategy shifts or big culture shifts," he said in a post-earnings video interview with an analyst. They'll also need to find new sources of revenue, including in video games -- where Netflix will confront established rivals.

REUTERS/Andrew KellyJan 19 (Reuters) - A New Mexico prosecutor on Thursday charged actor Alec Baldwin and others in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the filming of Western "Rust." District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin and the film's armorer after more than a year of investigation into the October 2021 shooting on a film set outside Santa Fe. “On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice.”Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will each be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, she said. Under New Mexico law, involuntary manslaughter is a fourth-degree felony and is punishable by up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine. The sheriff's office focused on how live rounds got onto a movie set and how they were loaded into a firearm.

[1/3] District attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies speaks at a news conference after actor Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the film set of the movie "Rust" in Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S., October 27, 2021. REUTERS/Adria MalcolmJan 19 (Reuters) - A New Mexico prosecutor on Thursday will announce a long-awaited decision on whether she will charge actor Alec Baldwin or others for fatally shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021 as Baldwin rehearsed a scene on the Western movie "Rust." Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded when a gun Baldwin was using during a rehearsal in October 2021 fired off a live bullet. Authorities have been trying to determine how a real bullet made its way to the movie set. Under the agreement, filming on the low-budget movie is set to resume this month with Hutchins' husband serving as an executive producer.

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