Entertainment News Roundup: Amber Heard plans to appeal ruling that she defamed Johnny Depp; Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction upheld by New York appeals court and more

Depp, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star, declared that a U.S. jury gave him his life back when it awarded him a near-total victory in his defamation fight with ex-wife Heard on Wednesday. Amber Heard plans to appeal ruling that she defamed Johnny Depp "Aquaman" actor Amber Heard will appeal a jury's decision that she defamed ex-husband Johnny Depp when she claimed she was a survivor of sexual violence, her attorney said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

After ugly trial, can Johnny Depp or Amber Heard stage a second act?

Following graphic allegations of abuse, recordings of vicious fights and airings of nasty text messages, will Hollywood be ready to welcome back Johnny Depp or Amber Heard? Depp, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star, declared that a U.S. jury gave him his life back when it awarded him a near-total victory in his defamation fight with ex-wife Heard on Wednesday.

Amber Heard plans to appeal ruling that she defamed Johnny Depp

"Aquaman" actor Amber Heard will appeal a jury's decision that she defamed ex-husband Johnny Depp when she claimed she was a survivor of sexual violence, her attorney said on Thursday. A seven-person jury in Virginia ruled on Wednesday that Heard defamed the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star and awarded him $10.35 million in damages. The jury also determined that Heard was defamed, awarding her $2 million .

Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction upheld by New York appeals court

A New York appeals court on Thursday upheld Harvey Weinstein's rape and sexual assault conviction, rejecting the disgraced movie producer's arguments that the trial judge made several errors that tainted the trial. Weinstein was appealing his February 2020 conviction and 23-year prison sentence for assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi and raping former aspiring actress Jessica Mann.

U.S. lawyer Michael Avenatti gets 4 years in prison for defrauding Stormy Daniels

Michael Avenatti, the brash California lawyer who took on then-President Donald Trump, was sentenced on Thursday to four years in prison for defrauding his best-known former client, the porn actress Stormy Daniels. A federal jury convicted Avenatti in February of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft after a two-week trial, agreeing with prosecutors that he embezzled nearly $300,000 in book proceeds intended for Daniels.

Warner Bros chairman to step down, MGM studio chiefs to take over

Warner Bros Pictures Group Chairman Toby Emmerich is stepping down, the company announced Wednesday, as Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav puts his imprimatur on the newly formed media company. Emmerich has served as chairman of the studio since 2018, the year the studio had its greatest box office success, fueled by such hits as "Aquaman," "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald," "Ready Player One," "The Meg" and "A Star is Born."

Jamaica legislator calls for reggae legend Bob Marley to be named a national hero

A Jamaican legislator is asking the country's parliament to name reggae legend Bob Marley a national hero, an effort that comes amid rising nationalism in English-speaking Caribbean countries that are distancing themselves from their colonial past. The proposal by lawmaker Lisa Hanna would make the iconic singer a national hero, a title already held by seven Jamaicans including Black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey and the nation's first prime minister Alexander Bustamante.

Bill Cosby in court, sued by woman alleging sexual assault

A lawyer for a woman who accused Bill Cosby of assaulting her at the Playboy Mansion in the mid-1970s told a California jury on Wednesday the comedian had a sense of "entitlement," while Cosby's lawyer called the alleged assault a "fabrication." The statements came at the start of a civil trial for Cosby, 11 months after he was freed from prison when Pennsylvania's highest court threw out his sexual assault conviction in a different case.

Depp scores near-total victory in U.S. defamation case against ex-wife Heard

Actor Johnny Depp won more than $10 million in damages on Wednesday, achieving a near-total victory in a defamation suit against ex-wife Amber Heard to cap a six-week trial featuring graphic testimony about the stars' soured relationship. A seven-person jury in Virginia also ruled for Heard on one counterclaim against Depp. The "Pirates of the Caribbean" film star depicted the decision as a vindication, and his former wife said it was "a disappointment."

Cholita Mona Lisa: Bolivian artist gives famed portrait indigenous makeover

High in Bolivia's Andean mountains, surrounded by small thatched roofed houses and sheep, Claudia Callizaya, 32, makes the final brushstroke to her newest piece of art: a take on the "Mona Lisa" as a local indigenous cholita woman. Her adaptation has the same steady gaze as in Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece portrait and a similar nose. But on her head is the traditional bowler hat of Bolivia's cholitas and she is wrapped in a colorful Andean shawl.

Rolling Stones kick off 60th anniversary European tour in Madrid

The Rolling Stones rocked Madrid on Wednesday with gusto, and a bit of nostalgia for their late drummer Charlie Watts, as they kicked off a European tour marking their 60th anniversary as a band. Some 53,000 fans at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium roared with excitement as they welcomed to the stage the original band members Mick Jagger, 78, and guitarists Keith Richards, 78, and Ronnie Wood, who turned 75 on Wednesday.

(With inputs from agencies.)