Entertainment News Roundup: S.Korea's Kakao makes $962 million tender offer for K-pop agency SM; Diverse talent in Hollywood takes reins to speed up change and more

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

S.Korea's Kakao makes $962 million tender offer for K-pop agency SM

South Korean tech group Kakao launched a 1.25 trillion won ($962 million) offer for K-pop agency SM Entertainment on Tuesday, escalating a takeover battle with BTS manager HYBE, whose proposal did not win enough support from SM investors. The offer sent SM shares up nearly 15% to 149,200 won on Tuesday, just shy of Kakao's tender price of 150,000 won to acquire up to 35% of the entertainment group behind popular K-pop groups such as Girls' Generation, NCT and Aespa.

Diverse talent in Hollywood takes reins to speed up change

For Angela Bassett, vying for an acting Oscar for the second time next Sunday in a 40-year career, every role she has taken has been an opportunity to break through perceptions of "us as Black women." “To show our humanity, to tell the diversity of our stories, and to share the complexity of what it means to be Black and woman,” Bassett said last week at the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) Awards. Nominated for her role in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”, the 64-year-old waited 29 years for her second Oscar nomination.

Tuxedos and jumpsuits: menswear dazzles on awards season red carpets

From classic tuxedos to shiny jumpsuits, menswear has dazzled on the red carpets this awards season, sometimes even attracting the most attention with eye-catching looks. Singer Harry Styles arrived at the Grammy Awards in a chest-baring sparkling harlequin jumpsuit, while Oscar nominee Barry Keoghan has chosen ensembles in pale blue and red as his style choices for the Golden Globes and British Academy of Film (BAFTA) Awards.

Women's stories stand out in Oscars race, but Hollywood lagging in gender parity

Michelle Yeoh battles her way through a multiverse, Angela Bassett leads a grieving nation at war, and Cate Blanchett deviously manipulates members of a world-class orchestra. Wide-ranging stories led by female actors fill the list of movies vying for Academy Awards on Sunday, reflecting gains in an industry that has long relegated women to secondary roles in the shadow of male heroes.

Former 'Boy Meets World' star Ben Savage to run for U.S. Congress

Ben Savage, who starred in the 1990s sitcom "Boy Meets World," is running for U.S. Congress in a Los Angeles-area district, aiming at a seat being vacated by Representative Adam Schiff, who is now running for Senate. "I'm running for Congress because it's time to restore faith in government by offering reasonable, innovative and compassionate solutions to our country's most pressing issues," Savage, 42, said in an Instagram post announcing his campaign.

Eurovision Song Contest final tickets sell out in 36 minutes

Tickets for the 2023 Eurovision song contest grand final in Liverpool, England, in May sold out in little over 30 minutes on Tuesday, organisers said. Britain is hosting the 67th contest on behalf of Ukraine, the winner of the 2022 competition that was ruled out from hosting because of the ongoing conflict there.

Horses on the catwalk: Stella McCartney pushes leather-free style

Stella McCartney drove home her leather-free fashion message by sending a team of horses to canter alongside models wearing styles crafted from new, eco-conscious materials. The designer said she sought to explore the relationship between humans and nature.

Louis Vuitton shows playful, French styles at Musee d'Orsay in Paris

Louis Vuitton took to the Musee d'Orsay for its fall-winter catwalk show on Monday, sending a modern lineup of playful, sculptural looks down a slick, black runway designed to evoke a Paris street. Exploring notions of French style, Nicolas Ghesquiere, artistic director of the label's womenswear collections, played with volumes of clothing and trompe l'oeil effects, including boots that looked like black high heel shoes worn with white socks and fuzzy coats resembling blazers.

(With inputs from agencies.)