Reuters Entertainment News Summary
Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.
Inequality tour: The real-life sights of South Korea's Oscar-winning 'Parasite'
From the houses to the noodles, South Korea's Oscar winning movie "Parasite" tells its story of a suffocating class struggle through the sights and smells of Seoul. "Parasite" made history as the first non-English language movie to win the Oscar for best picture on Sunday, prompting South Korean social media to erupt in celebration.
South Korea's 'Parasite' beats Hollywood greats to make Oscar history
"Parasite," a dark social satire from South Korea, won the Oscar for best picture on Sunday, making history as the first film in a language other than English to claim the movie industry's highest honor. "Parasite," about the gap between rich and poor in modern Seoul, won a total of four Oscars, including best director and original screenplay for Bong Joon Ho and best international feature film. No film had ever won both international feature film and best picture at the Oscars.
Standard poodle crowned top dog in finale of Westminster Kennel Club show
A standard poodle named Siba was crowned "Best in Show" at the annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York on Tuesday, taking home the grand prize in the most prestigious competition for pure-bred canines in the United States. Just shy of four years old, the graceful black female from Northampton, Pennsylvania triumphed over crowd favorites Daniel the golden retriever and Bono the Havanese at the grand finale of the three-day event at Madison Square Garden, her crown of tall black fluff bobbing as she loped around the ring.
Highlights from Harvey Weinstein's rape trial
Harvey Weinstein's lawyers concluded their defence in the once-powerful Hollywood producer's rape trial in New York on Tuesday. Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to charges he sexually assaulted two women, Mimi Haleyi and Jessica Mann, and faces life in prison if convicted on the most serious charge, predatory sexual assault.
Oscars TV audience hits record low in 'driverless' ceremony
The U.S. television audience for the 2020 Oscars fell to an all- time low for a ceremony that brought big wins for South Korean satire "Parasite" but was criticized by reviewers as long and haphazard. Viewership for Sunday's show, broadcast on Walt Disney Co -owned ABC, dropped 20% from a year ago to an average audience of 23.6 million, according to Nielsen data released on Monday.
Actor Jussie Smollett charged again related to alleged staging of hate crime
Former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett was charged on Tuesday in a six-count felony indictment accusing him of staging a phony hate crime in Chicago, nearly a year after similar charges were abruptly dismissed by local prosecutors. The indictment, capping a five-month special prosecutor's probe, accuses Smollett, who is black and openly gay, of making four separate false reports to Chicago police related to his account of being the victim of a violent hate crime.
Demand for streaming TV services remains strong, Nielsen survey suggests
Consumers love streamed TV and film and want content providers to keep it coming, a new survey from U.S. data and measurement firm Nielsen suggests. In a survey it conducted for its latest Total Audience Report, Nielsen found that, even as the number of streaming services rise, 93% of respondents would keep paying for the ones they have or subscribe to others.
'Parasite' reflects deepening social divide in South Korea
The black comedy "Parasite" is a tale of two South Korean families - the wealthy Parks and the poor Kims - mirroring the deepening inequality in Asia's fourth-largest economy. The film made history as the first non-English language movie to win the Oscar for best picture on Sunday, prompting South Korean social media to erupt in celebration.
Weinstein rape trial defense seeks to undermine accusers through their ex-friends
A former friend of Jessica Mann, one of two woman who accuse former movie producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, testified on Monday that Mann did not seem in distress on the day of the alleged attack and described Weinstein as a "soulmate." Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to charges in New York of raping Mann and to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi.
Harvey Weinstein will not testify at his New York rape trial, defense rests case
Former movie producer Harvey Weinstein will not testify in his own defense at his rape trial, his lawyers said on Tuesday as they rested their case. Outside the presence of the jury, one of Weinstein's lawyers told Justice James Burke that Weinstein would not be taking the stand in the trial that began in New York on Jan. 6 and is a milestone in the #MeToo movement.
