Reuters Entertainment News Summary
Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.
Germany postpones famous Alpine Passion Play due to coronavirus
Bavaria's Passion Play, staged every decade since the 1630s when villagers thanked God for the end of the plague, has been postponed for two years due to the coronavirus, organizers in the German village of Oberammergau said on Thursday. About half a million people had been expected to descend on the Alpine village between May and Oct. 4 to watch one of the 103 performances of the play, which depicts the last days of Jesus Christ.
Eurovision song contest cancelled due to coronavirus
The Eurovision song contest, one of the world's largest television events, will not take place this year due to the global coronavirus outbreak, organizers said on Wednesday. "It is with great regret that we have to announce the cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam," said Jon Ola Sand, the executive supervisor of the event.
U.S. movie theater owners ask federal government for coronavirus relief
A trade group representing U.S. movie theater owners on Wednesday called on the U.S. Congress and the Trump administration to provide emergency relief to help operators weather the unprecedented closures amid the global coronavirus outbreak. The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) urged U.S. lawmakers to approve loan guarantees to help cover fixed costs, tax benefits for employers providing support to employees, and other measures.
Cannes Film Festival postponed due to coronavirus, organizers say
The Cannes Film Festival in May has been postponed due to the spread of the coronavirus, organizers of the annual event in southern France said on Thursday. Several new dates were under consideration, including the end of June, they said in a statement. The film festival, one of the largest in the world, was due to take place from May 12-23.
'Friends' reunion special latest victim of coronavirus shutdown
The planned "Friends" reunion has been delayed due to disruptions in Hollywood caused by the coronavirus, an industry source said on Wednesday. The one-off special was due to have been filmed next week on the original sound stage in Burbank, California, according to the source, and broadcast in May on the upcoming HBO Max streaming service.
Harvey Weinstein moved to maximum security prison in upstate N.Y.
Former movie producer Harvey Weinstein on Wednesday was transferred to a maximum security prison in upstate New York to serve a 23-year sentence for sexual assault and rape. Weinstein, 67, was taken to the Wende Correctional Facility, located in Alden, east of Buffalo, according to the New York state Department of Corrections website.
Cirque du Soleil axes almost all staff as coronavirus leads to canceled shows
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group said on Thursday it has laid off almost all of its workforce, except the support team, as social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic forced the Montreal-based circus company to cancel shows. The job cuts would impact 95% of its workforce or more than 4,000 people, the company said.
'Hawaii 5-O' actor Daniel Dae Kim tests positive for coronavirus
Actor Daniel Dae Kim, best known for the television series "Hawaii 5-0," said on Thursday he had tested positive for the coronavirus. Kim, speaking from his home in Hawaii, announced the news in an Instagram posting and video.
Netflix sued by former prosecutor over portrayal in 'Central Park Five' miniseries
A former prosecutor who ran the sex crimes unit in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office in 1989 sued Netflix on Wednesday for defamation over her portrayal in "When They See Us," claiming the miniseries about the “Central Park Five” fabricated both her statements and actions related to the case. The four-part series, which debuted on Netflix on May 31, is about the 1989 case of a 28-year-old woman who was attacked while jogging in New York City's Central Park. The victim was white and the five defendants - all black or Hispanic boys - were between the ages of 14 and 16 at the time of the attack.
From Colbert to Shakespeare, the show must go on(line)
Jimmy Kimmel is streaming nightly monologues from home, Willie Nelson and John Legend are playing music online, and Broadway stars like Idina Menzel are singing and chatting from their homes. Movie theaters, theatres on Broadway and London's West End, and concert venues may have shuttered their doors because of the coronavirus pandemic, but actors, comedians and musicians are giving life to the famous adage: The show must go on.
