Entertainment News Roundup: Cuban ballet star Carlos Acosta stars in own biopic; Musical 'A Star is Born' leads film contenders for SAG awards

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Janet Jackson gets Rock Hall of Fame place on Brit-heavy list

Janet Jackson finally won her place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Thursday when the pop singer was named as one of seven music acts to be getting a place in music history. Jackson, 52, the younger sister of the late Michael Jackson, will join Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks and five British bands - Def Leppard, Roxy Music, Radiohead, The Cure and The Zombies - as the latest inductees, the Rock Hall announced.

Cuban ballet star Carlos Acosta stars in own biopic

For Carlos Acosta, the son of a black truck driver in Communist-run Cuba, overcoming poverty, prejudice and politics to become a global ballet legend, write a best-selling memoir and create his own dance company was not enough. The 45-year-old, who won fame as a teen for his athleticism and virtuosity, this week presented a movie about his rags-to-riches life at Havana's annual film fest that moved audiences to laugh, weep and thunderously applaud.

Rolling Stones' Keith Richards (almost) quits drinking

Keith Richards, the hard-partying lead guitarist of the Rolling Stones, has quit drinking - almost - saying he "just got fed up with it." "It's been about a year now," Richards told Rolling Stone magazine in an interview. "I pulled the plug on it. I got fed up with it."

Movie-mad India could overtake U.S. as top user-base - IMDb

Movie-mad Indians and the cheap data packs on their smartphones could make India the biggest user-base market for IMDb over the next five years, the Amazon-owned movie rating website said on Wednesday. India is currently the site's second-highest user base worldwide, but that is likely to change, IMDb founder and Chief Executive Col Needham told Reuters.

Cosby's lawyers cite grounds for appealing sexual assault conviction

Attorneys for Bill Cosby outlined their grounds on Tuesday for appealing his sexual assault conviction, citing what they called errors in legal procedure that may have biased the jury and warrant a new trial for the once-beloved comedian. The 81-year-old performer, best known for his role as the lovable family man and physician on the hit television sitcom "The Cosby Show," was found guilty by a Pennsylvania jury in April of drugging and sexually assaulting a onetime friend in 2004.

'Mary Poppins' return brings world some magic, cast say

The return of Mary Poppins to the big screen brings some much needed magic to the world in uncertain times, the cast of the new film about the beloved nanny said on Wednesday as they premiered the highly anticipated movie in London. More than 50 years since Julie Andrews won over children - and adults - around the world with her portrayal of the strict but kind nanny, Disney's "Mary Poppins Returns" sees her doing just that, visiting the now-grown up Michael and Jane Banks in their time of need.

Musical 'A Star is Born' leads film contenders for SAG awards

Musical drama remake "A Star is Born" led a wide range of contenders for the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Wednesday, landing four nominations, including best movie ensemble. The film will compete for SAG's top movie prize in a diverse group that includes superhero movie "Black Panther," romantic comedy "Crazy Rich Asians," rock biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody" and director Spike Lee's historical drama "BlacKkKlansman."

(With inputs from Reuters)