Entertainment News Roundup: Fired 'Mandalorian' actor sues Disney with funding from Elon Musk; Taylor Swift makes Grammys history as women rule music's top honors and more

Swift also announced from the Grammys stage that she would release a new album in April. Crew member dies in fall on set of Marvel TV's 'Wonder Man' A crew member died in a fall on the set of Marvel Studios television series "Wonder Man" on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Walt Disney-owned studio said.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Fired 'Mandalorian' actor sues Disney with funding from Elon Musk

Actor Gina Carano sued Walt Disney for wrongful termination from Star Wars series "The Mandalorian" in a lawsuit filed on Tuesday and backed by billionaire Elon Musk. Carano argued in the suit that she was fired in 2021 for voicing conservative opinions on social media platforms including Twitter, which is now owned by Musk and known as X.

'American Fiction' stars hope film's success is 'a lesson for Hollywood'

"American Fiction" actors Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown and director Cord Jefferson hope the film's five Oscar nominations and its enthusiastic reception will help shift attitudes in Hollywood. Written by Jefferson, the comedy drama is based on Percival Everett's 2001 book "Erasure". It centres on Thelonious "Monk" Ellison, a professor and writer who is having no luck in publishing a new literary novel. But then he jokingly writes an outrageously stereotypical "Black" book out of spite - and it becomes an instant success.

Grammy viewership jumps on night Taylor Swift sets record

Taylor Swift's record-setting night at the Grammys drew the largest audience for music's highest honors since a pre-pandemic show in 2020, broadcaster CBS said on Monday. Television viewership averaged roughly 16.9 million people for the three-hour-plus ceremony shown live from Los Angeles, according to Nielsen data released by CBS. That was a 34% jump from last year.

US country singer Toby Keith dies aged 62

U.S. country music star Toby Keith died on Monday aged 62, according to his X social media account, some 18 months after it was announced that he had stomach cancer. Keith "passed peacefully ... surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage," a post on his X account said on Tuesday.

Former UK pop star Gary Glitter, jailed for child sex crimes, denied parole

Former British pop singer Gary Glitter, who shot to fame in the 1970s as a "glam-rock" star but was later convicted of child sex crimes, lost a bid to be released from prison on parole, officials said on Wednesday. Glitter, 79, whose real name is Paul Gadd, rose to prominence with the hit song "Rock and Roll", and became renowned for his figure-hugging shiny silver jump suits and platform shoes.

Taylor Swift makes Grammys history as women rule music's top honors

Pop superstar Taylor Swift set another record on Sunday, winning the Grammy award for album of the year for an unprecedented fourth time as women dominated the music industry's top honors. Swift also announced from the Grammys stage that she would release a new album in April.

Crew member dies in fall on set of Marvel TV's 'Wonder Man'

A crew member died in a fall on the set of Marvel Studios television series "Wonder Man" on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Walt Disney-owned studio said. The man, a rigger, fell from a catwalk onto a stage at Radford Studio Center just outside of Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Riggers set up scaffolding to hold lights, cameras and other equipment at different angles.

'The great contraction' hits Hollywood

When stars returned to the red carpet in early January after two bruising strikes to celebrate the success of "Oppenheimer" and "Succession," one existential threat above all was on everyone's mind: Hollywood is shrinking. The era of "peak TV," is over, said 17 entertainment business executives, agents and bankers who spoke with Reuters. From fewer original series and movies to greater scrutiny of budgets and a further squeeze on movie theater profits, people who call the shots said the television and film industries are adjusting to sober economic realities.

A Minute With: Emin and Engelbert Humperdinck on Elvis, duets and sideburns

Azerbaijani singer Emin reimagines 12 Elvis Presley songs for his new album "Now or Never", which includes a duet with veteran British performer Engelbert Humperdinck. The two singers met in Baku in 2012 when Humperdinck, 87, represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest.