Entertainment News Roundup: Amazon plans ad tier for Prime Video streaming service - WSJ; Analysis-Kim Kardashian seeks secret of private equity success as rising rates bite and more

Huge statues of the film's characters, Autobot leader Optimus Prime and Maximal leader Optimus Primal, towered over the red carpet where cast members Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback and Tobe Nwigwe premiered "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts". Tupac Shakur honored with posthumous star on Hollywood Walk of Fame Award-winning rapper, activist and actor Tupac Shakur received a posthumous star on Wednesday on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where his sister and fellow rappers spoke of the musician's legacy around the world.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Amazon plans ad tier for Prime Video streaming service - WSJ

Amazon.com is planning to launch an advertising-supported tier of its Prime Video streaming service, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Discussions around the ad tier have been going on for several weeks, according to the report, and follow the launch of similar plans by rivals Netflix and Walt Disney.

Analysis-Kim Kardashian seeks secret of private equity success as rising rates bite

Reality star Kim Kardashian's arrival at a gathering of the globe's top deal brokers in Berlin failed to dispel their dark mood as the rising cost of money puts the brakes on the private equity industry. Flanked by bodyguards, Kardashian drew a crowd of hundreds of executives at the SuperReturn industry event, saying she wanted to learn the secrets of investing having set up her own fund last year.

Hollywood actors, studios agree to media blackout for labor talks

The SAG-AFTRA actors union and the group representing major Hollywood studios agreed not to talk to the media during contract talks that started on Wednesday. The actors' union is seeking pay increases and protections around the use of artificial intelligence in negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents Walt Disney Co, Netflix Inc, Comcast Corp and other companies.

Cuba Gooding Jr settles civil sex abuse case moments before trial

Cuba Gooding Jr. reached a settlement on Tuesday with a woman who sued him for $6 million on an accusation that he raped her a decade ago, with the agreement coming minutes before jury selection was set to being in Manhattan federal court. The eleventh-hour deal means the Oscar winning “Jerry Maguire” star will avoid having details of the alleged assault aired in court, while his accuser will not be forced to reveal her identity after U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty ruled that week that she could not go to trial anonymously.

'Transformers': Rise of the Beasts' brings new characters to franchise

Autobots took over London's Leicester Square on Wednesday as the latest instalment in the “Transformers” film franchise held its European premiere. Huge statues of the film's characters, Autobot leader Optimus Prime and Maximal leader Optimus Primal, towered over the red carpet where cast members Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback and Tobe Nwigwe premiered "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts".

Tupac Shakur honored with posthumous star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Award-winning rapper, activist and actor Tupac Shakur received a posthumous star on Wednesday on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where his sister and fellow rappers spoke of the musician's legacy around the world. “Tupac knew deep down that he was always meant for something great,” Sekyiwa Shakur said amid the crowd of around 100 people. “As his little sister, I had the privilege to watch that greatness unfold.”

Boy George says he still wants to startle people 'a little bit'

More than 40 years after bursting onto the music scene and making headlines, Culture Club frontman Boy George says he still wants to startle people "a little bit". The singer and songwriter shot to meteoric fame in the early 1980s with his distinctive voice and androgynous look as the band topped charts with songs like "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" and "Karma Chameleon".