Entertainment News Roundup: Meghan wins privacy battle against 'dehumanizing' tabloid paper; HBO Max plans Latin America, Caribbean launch in June and more

Disney's Lucasfilm ditches 'The Mandalorian' star Gina Carano over social media posts Lucasfilm, the Walt Disney Co-owned movie studio, said on Wednesday that it had ditched Gina Carano, a lead actor in its TV series "The Mandalorian", over social media posts that drew parallels between the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany and current hate towards people with different political views.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

UK's Duchess Meghan wins privacy battle against 'dehumanizing' tabloid paper

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, said on Thursday a British tabloid had been held to account for its "dehumanizing practices" after she won a privacy claim against the paper for printing extracts of a letter she wrote to her father. Meghan, 39, the wife of Queen Elizabeth's grandson Prince Harry, sued publisher Associated Newspapers after its Mail on Sunday tabloid printed parts of the handwritten letter she sent to her estranged father, Thomas Markle, in August 2018.

HBO Max plans Latin America, Caribbean launch in June

Video streaming service HBO Max will launch in 39 regions across Latin America and the Caribbean in late June, AT&T Inc's Warner Media said on Thursday, in the first foray outside the United States. HBO Max, home to titles like "Wonder Woman 1984" and "Love Life" was launched in May last year and competes with services like Walt Disney Co's Disney+ and Netflix Inc, which have gained traction during the COVID-19 pandemic as millions were forced to stay indoors.

Ex-'Mandalorian' actress Gina Carano to make film with conservative outlet

Gina Carano, the "Mandalorian" actress who was dropped from the "Star Wars" spinoff over what the studio called "abhorrent and unacceptable" social media posts, said on Friday she will make a film with conservative company The Daily Wire. Walt Disney Co's Lucasfilm studio said on Wednesday it would no longer work with her after she posted on Instagram drawing parallels between persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany and the treatment of people who hold conservative political views today.

Going for a song? Janet Jackson to auction scores of stage outfits

Janet Jackson is cleaning out her closet, putting her wedding dress and dozens of her stage costumes up for auction in May for the first time. Julien's Auctions said on Thursday that the five-time Grammy winner is selling more than 1,000 of the costumes she wore on stage, on tour, on red carpets and in music videos over the past four decades.

'I know I failed': Justin Timberlake apologizes to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson

Pop star Justin Timberlake on Friday issued a public apology to his former girlfriend Britney Spears and singer Janet Jackson, saying he had failed them in the past. Timberlake spoke out on his Instagram account after criticism this week on social and mainstream media of interviews he gave some 20 years ago about his sex life with Spears when both were at the height of their careers.

Nollywood meets Bollywood in love tale 'Namaste Wahala'

Indian-Nigerian restaurant owner Hamisha Daryani Ahuja gave up her long-running business to pursue her dream of making movies. Two years later, the 36-year-old will see her first feature film, the cross-cultural love story "Namaste Wahala", debut on Valentine's Day on Netflix.

Taylor Swift unveils 'songs from the vault' on newly recorded 'Fearless' album

Taylor Swift on Thursday announced the release just hours away of the newest version of her hit song "Love Story (Taylor's Version)," one of 26 tracks on her newly rerecorded album "Fearless (Taylor's Version)." The song will be released at midnight ET (0500 GMT) on Thursday, Swift told viewers on ABC's "Good Morning America."

U.S. actor Shia LaBeouf denies abuse claims by ex-girlfriend FKA twigs

American actor Shia LaBeouf's legal team has denied allegations of sexual battery and assault made by his former girlfriend, British musician FKA twigs, in a civil lawsuit last year. LaBeouf's attorney said in a court filing that the "Honey Boy" actor "denies generally and specifically each and every allegation" in the complaint.

Britney Spears legal case draws new scrutiny after TV documentary

The Britney Spears legal case was back in court on Thursday with little progress on the increasingly controversial issue of how much longer the pop star will have her personal and business affairs controlled by other people. Los Angeles Superior Court judge Brenda Penny said the singer's father and a newly-appointed financial trust company must work together to develop an investment plan that will benefit Spears.

Disney's Lucasfilm ditches 'The Mandalorian' star Gina Carano over social media posts

Lucasfilm, the Walt Disney Co-owned movie studio, said on Wednesday that it had ditched Gina Carano, a lead actor in its TV series "The Mandalorian", over social media posts that drew parallels between the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany and current hate towards people with different political views. "Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future," a Lucasfilm spokesperson said in a statement.