Entertainment News Roundup: Netflix boosts Asian leads, lags in Latino roles; Motor racing-Leclerc has a hit with a different kind of track and more

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Adjoa Andoh reimagines Richard III's 'otherness' in new version of play

When actor Adjoa Andoh read William Shakespeare's "Richard III" as a child, she was struck by how he was treated. "I'm sort of 9 or 10 ... I was outraged in the sort of way that children get outraged about the way that Shakespeare had unfairly represented this man and had people be vile to this man because of the way he looked," Andoh told Reuters.

Harry Belafonte, who mixed music, acting, and activism, dies at 96

Harry Belafonte, a singer, songwriter and groundbreaking actor who started his entertainment career belting "Day O" in his 1950s hit song "Banana Boat" before turning to political activism, has died at the age of 96. Belafonte died of congestive heart failure at his home in New York on Tuesday with his wife Pamela by his side, the firm of his longtime spokesperson Ken Sunshine said in a statement.

Netflix boosts Asian leads, lags in Latino roles - report

Netflix Inc has increased the number of Asian and women in lead roles, but still lags in representing Latinos, the disabled and women of color, a study by the streaming platform and the University of Southern California (USC) found. While Hollywood has made strides in diversity in recent years, some communities criticize the lack of progress, both on and off screen.

Triller to pay Sony Music $4.5 million in US music rights case

TikTok rival Triller Inc has agreed to pay Sony Music Entertainment more than $4.5 million to resolve claims that Triller breached an agreement covering its use of musicians' songs on the platform, according to a Wednesday filing in Manhattan federal court. Sony Music said Triller admitted to liability and would pay the amount it owed under their contract plus interest. The label asked the court for a final judgment on the claim immediately, citing concerns about Triller's ability to pay.

Motor racing-Leclerc has a hit with a different kind of track

Charles Leclerc is flying low in the Formula One standings but climbing high in the music charts with a different kind of track success. The Ferrari driver is a keen piano player and this week released a four minute composition entitled 'Aus23 (1:1)' on streaming platforms.

Fugees rapper convicted in US over lobbying campaigns with Malaysian financier

A jury on Wednesday convicted Grammy Award-winning rapper Prakazrel "Pras" Michel of The Fugees hip hop group on criminal charges that he conspired with a Malaysian financier to orchestrate a series of foreign lobbying campaigns aimed at influencing the U.S. government under two presidents. His conviction in federal court in Washington followed a trial that was filled with political intrigue and featured high-profile witnesses including Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Michel endured a blistering cross-examination by prosecutors while testifying in his own defense.

No dancing, judge tells jury at Ed Sheeran copyright trial

With Ed Sheeran on the witness stand in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday during a copyright trial, jurors were warned to keep their composure while watching a video of the British pop star performing a medley of his hit song "Thinking Out Loud" and the classic Marvin Gaye tune "Let's Get it On." "We don't allow dancing," U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton instructed the seven-member jury.

Jerry Springer, raucous talk show host, dead at 79

Television personality Jerry Springer, known for a long-running talk show that featured raucous audiences, controversial topics and fist-fighting guests and who briefly served as Cincinnati mayor, died at age 79 on Thursday, his family said. Springer died peacefully after a brief illness at his home in suburban Chicago, his family said in a statement. The cause of death was not specified.

Universal Music reiterates AI concerns as quarterly profit slumps

Universal Music Group, the label representing Drake and Taylor Swift, on Wednesday posted a slump in first-quarter core profit due to compensation expenses, and reiterated concerns over AI-made music. Core profit, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), slumped 43.4% in constant currency to 261 million euros ($288.04 million), due to non-cash, share-based compensation expenses, part of an equity compensation plan announced last year.

(With inputs from agencies.)