Entertainment News Roundup: Angelina Jolie advocates for U.S. domestic violence law; Berlinale opening film explores #Metoo questions of power and control and more

The 30-year-old label, owned and operated by rapper Dr. Dre and music executive Marion "Suge" Knight, recorded and released two of Snoop Dogg's albums before his exit in 1998. Jennifer Lopez has rom-com 'homecoming' with 'Marry Me' Jennifer Lopez plays a familiar role in new film "Marry Me", portraying a pop superstar whose love life is scrutinised by millions.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

NFL-Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg aim to cement hip-hop's place on Super Bowl stage

The hip-hop megastars set to perform at the Super Bowl on Sunday have promised to deliver a memorable show that will wow audiences and leave no doubt that rap music deserves a spot in the year's biggest musical showcase. The halftime show at SoFi Stadium outside Los Angeles will feature area natives Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg, plus rapper Eminem and R&B singer Mary J. Blige.

Angelina Jolie advocates for U.S. domestic violence law

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Wednesday agreed a deal to renew a long-lapsed law to strengthen domestic violence protections, just hours after Hollywood actor and humanitarian Angelina Jolie made a tearful speech of support. Jolie's voice broke as she acknowledged the women and children "for whom this legislation comes too late" in a speech in Washington D.C.

Berlinale opening film explores #Metoo questions of power and control

French director Francois Ozon's "Peter von Kant" -- a film about a director's possessive relationship with a young actor -- explores the power directors hold over actors: a question that resonates strongly in the #MeToo era, Ozon said. In the film, which premiered at Thursday's opening of this year's Berlin film festival, Ozon said he aimed to pose these questions to directors and the audience, four years after the #MeToo movement shook the film industry around the world.

Super Bowl ads are moving on from pandemic with humor and hope

A year ago, many Super Bowl advertisers tiptoed into the U.S. football championship trying to respectfully acknowledge a difficult year in the COVID-19 pandemic. This Sunday, brands will return to the big game using the time-tested tactics of going for big laughs, or trying to uplift audiences with messages of strength and triumph.

'Full House' actor Bob Saget died of head trauma, family says

Comedian and actor Bob Saget, who was found dead in an Orlando, Florida, hotel room last month at age 65, died from head trauma after accidentally hitting his head, his family said on Wednesday. Saget, best known as the jovial dad on the television sitcom "Full House," most likely hit the back of his head and "thought nothing of it and went to sleep," his family said in a statement to Reuters. No drugs or alcohol were involved.

Hitmaker Sting sells career music catalogue to Universal

British singer-songwriter Sting has sold his career music catalogue to Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), the company said on Thursday, in the latest such move by an artist to cash in on their work. The deal comprises the entirety of Sting's solo works as well as those when he was with rock band The Police - including classics "Every Breath You Take", "Roxanne", "Shape Of My Heart", "Message in a Bottle", "Fields Of Gold", "Desert Rose" and "Englishman in New York" among others.

YouTube floats ideas of verifying NFTs, watching games in metaverse

YouTube on Thursday elaborated on its blockchain and metaverse plans for 2022, saying it could harness the emerging technologies to cut fraud in the fast-growing digital art market and offer a more social viewing experience for gaming content. The world's largest streaming service, which is owned by Alphabet Inc's Google, over the past year has sought to hang onto users with better guidance about upcoming features amid increasing competition with ByteDance Inc's TikTok and Meta Platforms Inc's Instagram.

Disney closes gap with Netflix, streaming industry future still in question

The strong subscriber additions by Disney+ in the latest quarter helped Walt Disney Co's flagship streaming service close the gap with market leader Netflix Inc, but industry watchers focused on future prospects for streaming in a saturating market. Disney+ added 11.8 million https://reut.rs/3suczXC subscribers in the first quarter as viewers signed up to watch hits like "The Mandalorian" and "Black Widow".

Rapper Snoop Dogg acquires debut label Death Row Records

Private equity firm Blackstone, which controls MNRK Music Group, announced on Wednesday rapper Snoop Dogg has acquired Death Row Records, which released his debut album nearly three decades ago and launched his career, from the group. The 30-year-old label, owned and operated by rapper Dr. Dre and music executive Marion "Suge" Knight, recorded and released two of Snoop Dogg's albums before his exit in 1998.

Jennifer Lopez has rom-com 'homecoming' with 'Marry Me'

Jennifer Lopez plays a familiar role in new film "Marry Me", portraying a pop superstar whose love life is scrutinised by millions. Often snapped by photographers herself, in the movie Lopez plays Kat Valdez, half of a music superstar couple with her partner Bastian.

(With inputs from agencies.)