Entertainment News Roundup: Italian brand sues Kendall Jenner over breach of modelling contract; Funeral service for rapper Biz Markie held in New York and more

Kelly appeared in a New York City courtroom on Tuesday for a hearing, just days before his sex abuse trial is due to begin.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Reese Witherspoon's media firm to be sold to Blackstone-backed company

Academy award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon's media company, Hello Sunshine, is selling itself to a newly formed media firm backed by Blackstone Group Inc for an undisclosed sum. The sale will value the company at about $900 million, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

DaBaby loses more gigs despite new apology for anti-gay remarks

Rapper DaBaby was dropped from the line-up of two more music festivals on Tuesday despite a third apology for homophobic remarks he made last month The organizers of the iHeartRadio and Austin City Limits festivals said in statements that DaBaby would no longer be performing at their events. That comes after the American musician was dropped from the Lollapalooza lineup in Chicago last weekend and the upcoming Governor's Ball in New York and Day N Vegas event in Las Vegas.

Funeral service for rapper Biz Markie held in New York

A funeral for rapper Biz Markie was held on Monday after the hip-hop personality known for his 1989 hit "Just a Friend" died in July. Fans gathered outside the Patchogue Theatre on Long Island in New York during the service for the pioneering beatboxer whose birth name was Marcel Theo Hall. He was born in Harlem and raised in Patchogue.

U.S. comedian and non-smoker Kathy Griffin to undergo surgery for lung cancer

American comedian Kathy Griffin said on Monday that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer although she has never been a smoker. Griffin, 60, said in social media postings that she would undergo surgery to remove part of a lung, and that doctors were optimistic about the outcome.

Singer R. Kelly appears in NY court before sex abuse trial begins

Singer R. Kelly appeared in a New York City courtroom on Tuesday for a hearing, just days before his sex abuse trial is due to begin. The singer is accused of racketeering, sexual abuse and bribery charges. His trial is scheduled to begin on Monday in federal court in Brooklyn.

Italian brand sues Kendall Jenner over breach of modelling contract

U.S. top model Kendall Jenner is being sued by Italian fashion brand Liu Jo for allegedly breaching the terms of a modelling contract requiring her to appear for two photoshoots, according to a legal complaint filed by Liu Jo. The complaint, lodged late on Monday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, states that Jenner only took part in the first of two planned photoshoots but never turned up for the second one, which had originally been due to take place in March 2020 but was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Amazon's pricey 'Lord of the Rings' TV series to launch Sept 2022

Amazon's multi-million dollar TV version of "The Lord of the Rings" will launch in September 2022, Amazon Studios said on Monday. The streaming platform said filming on the first season has wrapped in New Zealand, and it released the first images of the show.

Meet a pint-size U.S. piano prodigy

Brigitte Xie reads music, can play Beethoven's Sonatina in F Major and has won a spot to perform at Carnegie Hall. She is 4 years old. Brigitte's feet dangle above the ground when the petite girl sits on the piano bench, her hands moving gracefully across the keyboard.

Blackstone and Hudson Pacific plan $1 billion film studios in UK

U.S. firms Blackstone and Hudson Pacific Properties said they planned to create a major film, TV and digital production complex in Broxbourne, north of London, in the first overseas expansion of their Sunset Studios platform. Funds managed by the two companies had acquired a 91-acre site, 17 miles from central London, for 120 million pounds, they said on Sunday, adding that the total investment would be more than 700 million pounds ($975 million).

(With inputs from agencies.)