Reuters Entertainment News Summary
Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.
New Cannes dress code forces Halle Berry to switch outfits
Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry was caught off-guard by the Cannes Film Festival's updated dress code and had to switch her outfit choice last minute, she told journalists on Tuesday. Under the rules, nudity is not allowed on the red carpet, and "voluminous outfits, in particular those with a large train," that block the way for other guests and complicate theater seating are also no longer permitted.
Warner Bros Discovery revives HBO Max branding for global push
Warner Bros Discovery is hitting rewind on Max's branding, bringing back the HBO name it dropped from the streaming service two years ago. The company will rebrand its streaming platform as HBO Max this summer, betting that the iconic brand's global reputation will drive subscriber growth as it expands internationally.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' ex says he threatened to ruin her with 'Freak Off' videos
Sean "Diddy" Combs' ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura testified on Wednesday that the hip-hop mogul beat her during drug-fueled sex parties known as "Freak Offs," threatened to release videos of her taking part, and warned he would ruin her career. "He would grab me up, push me down, hit me in the side of the head, kick me," Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known as Cassie, told jurors in Manhattan federal court on the third day of Combs' trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
Stars strive to dispel tariff gloom at Cannes Film Festival
Movie legends from Tom Cruise to Denzel Washington will gather in Cannes this week for the 78th incarnation of its film festival, as the industry tries to shake off worries over dwindling audiences and threatened U.S. tariffs. Cruise will be launching what is touted as the last in his "Mission: Impossible" franchise and scores of others will be hoping to follow the path that last year's top prize winner "Anora" took to Oscar glory.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial: Day One takeaways
Here are five takeaways from Monday's first day of music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs' New York trial where he faces federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. Combs, who has pleaded not guilty, could face life in prison if convicted of all five felony counts. VIDEO OF HOTEL ATTACK SHOWN
Ex-girlfriend testifies Sean 'Diddy' Combs forced her into drug-fueled sex parties
Sean "Diddy" Combs' former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, the star prosecution witness at his sex trafficking trial, testified on Tuesday that the rapper and hip-hop mogul forced her into repeated drug-fueled sex parties he organized. Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known as Cassie, said she took part in Combs' parties known as "Freak Offs" for about a decade, at first to please him and later because he blackmailed her with videos of the encounters.
French cinema icon Depardieu convicted of sexual assault - court ruling
A court in Paris found French film star Gerard Depardieu guilty of sexual assault against one woman who had accused him on Tuesday. The ruling was still ongoing. Depardieu has denied wrongdoing.
Paris court convicts actor Depardieu of sexual assault, imposes suspended sentence
A Paris court on Tuesday found actor Gerard Depardieu guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set and handed him an 18-month suspended sentence, with the judge saying he appeared not to have grasped the "traumatic" impact of his behavior. In the highest-profile #MeToo case to come before judges in France, Depardieu repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer said he would appeal the court's decision.
Disney's new streaming service ESPN to cost $29.99 per month
Walt Disney said on Tuesday its new streaming service would be named ESPN and cost $29.99 per month, as the media company aims to tap sports fans who have never subscribed to traditional television. The new service, which is set for launch this fall, will provide access to ESPN networks, including professional and college football and basketball games.
From London, a Russian film maker explores the pain of exile
Russian film maker Roma Liberov had long been fascinated by writers who fled the country after the 1917 Bolshevik revolution. He never imagined that he would one day become an exile himself. In the midst of the COVID pandemic in January 2021, Liberov left Russia because of a powerful conviction that its people had become "hostages of the state" and that a long-simmering conflict with Ukraine would erupt into full-scale war.
'I have babies, and I have to live' Kim Kardashian told Paris robbers, her stylist tells court
A stylist for reality TV star Kim Kardashian told a court on Tuesday of the "terror" they both felt during a multi-million dollar jewelry robbery in Paris in 2016, with the star screaming that she had babies and wanted to live. The billionaire celebrity is set to testify later on Tuesday at the trial of a gang accused of robbing her at gunpoint in her hotel room in 2016, an attack which stylist Simone Harouche told the court had been traumatizing.
Mexican beauty influencer shot to death during TikTok livestream
A young Mexican social media influencer, known for her videos about beauty and makeup, was brazenly shot to death during a TikTok livestream, in an incident that sent shockwaves through a country that faces high levels of gender-based violence. The death of Valeria Marquez, 23, is being investigated according to protocols for femicide - the killing of women or girls for reasons of gender - the Jalisco state prosecutor said in a statement released on Tuesday evening.
Kim Kardashian gives evidence in Paris jewel heist trial
Celebrity billionaire Kim Kardashian gave evidence on Tuesday in the trial of a gang dubbed the "grandpa robbers," who are accused of stealing jewelry worth millions of euros from her at gunpoint during Paris Fashion Week in 2016. Here is what she told the court, at times in tears:
Paris court convicts actor Depardieu of sexual assault, imposes suspended sentence
A Paris court on Tuesday found actor Gerard Depardieu guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set and handed him an 18-month suspended sentence, with the judge saying he appeared not to have grasped the "traumatic" impact of his behavior. In the highest-profile #MeToo case to come before judges in France, Depardieu repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer said he would appeal the court's decision.
Factbox-Cannes 2025: Who is on the jury headed by Juliette Binoche?
Almost as prestigious as winning the Palme d'Or, the Cannes Film Festival's top prize, is being on the jury that picks the winner. Artists from around the world are picked to sit on the jury, with one member designated as jury president.
