Cannes Unveils Provocative Dramas Amid Controversies in Hollywood

Cannes Film Festival showcases significant entries including 'Anora' which aims to destigmatize sex work. Other highlights include Gerard Depardieu's alleged assault, 'Veteran' sequel, and Gary Oldman's role in 'Parthenope'. Meanwhile, Hollywood faces controversies over AI and celebrity disputes. Taylor Swift's latest album boosts Target's sales.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Cannes entry 'Anora' aims to destigmatize sex work, says director

Part of director Sean Baker's aim in making "Anora," a darkly funny and touching drama about a young exotic dancer who becomes involved with a Russian oligarch's son, was to remove the stigma surrounding sex work, he said on Wednesday. "It's important to explore what sex work is in the modern age," Baker told journalists at the Cannes Film Festival, where the competition film premiered on Tuesday. "It's a career and job that should be respected."

Paparazzi photographer accuses French actor Depardieu of Rome assault

A veteran Italian paparazzi photographer has accused Gerard Depardieu of assaulting him in central Rome after he took photos of the French actor and his partner at a famed restaurant. Rino Barillari, 79, told Italian media he went to Harry's Bar on Via Veneto when he heard that Depardieu was having lunch there on Tuesday with friends.

Korea's Ryoo promises fresh action, relatable problems in 'Veteran' sequel

Nine years after his box office hit "Veteran," South Korean filmmaker Ryoo Seung-wan is bringing the Violent Crime Investigation Division back to the big screen with "Veteran 2". The action-thriller, which also goes by the title "I, the Executioner" and stars Hwang Jung-min and Jung Hae-in, had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it is showing out of competition, shortly after midnight on Tuesday.

Gary Oldman says he jumped at chance to be in Cannes drama 'Parthenope'

Gary Oldman jumped at the chance to be in Italian director Paolo Sorrentino's new coming-of-age drama, "Parthenope," even if it was just a small role, the Oscar-winning actor told Reuters. "I was in anyway. I didn't care what it would have been either," said Oldman on Wednesday at the Cannes Film Festival, where the competition film celebrated its premiere.

Company drops plan to auction Graceland after judge blocks sale amid fraud claims

The company that had intended to auction off Graceland, singer Elvis Presley's iconic mansion in Memphis, abandoned its plan on Wednesday after a Tennessee judge blocked the sale following allegations of fraud. A representative for the company, Naussany Investments & Private Lending, told Reuters in response to a request for comment that it would withdraw all of its claims over Graceland. The statement arrived shortly after a court hearing in Memphis where Shelby County Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins issued an injunction halting the foreclosure sale scheduled for Thursday.

'The Garfield Movie' gave Chris Pratt a reminder of his lazy side

Voicing the iconic lazy, orange cat in "The Garfield Movie" reminded Chris Pratt of himself when he was in his late 20s and early 30s. "I ate so much all the time, and I was very lazy," he told Reuters.

LA police probe how 'Friends' star Matthew Perry obtained lethal ketamine dose

Los Angeles homicide detectives and federal agents are investigating how "Friends" star Matthew Perry obtained the high dose of the powerful prescription drug ketamine that was found in his body and determined to have caused his death, police said. The disclosure on Tuesday of an ongoing criminal probe by police and two federal agencies came five months after the Los Angeles County medical examiner concluded Perry succumbed to an accidental drug overdose and drowning, with no foul play suspected.

Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets Department' proves on-Target for retailer

Music superstar Taylor Swift's latest album, "The Tortured Poets Department," was released just two weeks before the end of Target's quarter - and yet sales were enough to buoy the retailer's entertainment business. Target said the category grew high-single-digits in the latest quarter, benefiting from exclusive offers for Swift's latest release.

Warner Bros Discovery's TNT signs deal with ESPN for College Football Playoff

Warner Bros Discovery's TNT network has signed a five-year deal with Walt Disney-owned ESPN to broadcast select College Football Playoff games, starting from the upcoming college football season. Walt Disney said on Wednesday TNT will present two-round games for two years and include two quarter-final through 2028 season.

Scarlett Johansson's OpenAI feud rekindles Hollywood fear of artificial intelligence

OpenAI's apparent homage to the movie "Her" featuring the voice likeness of Scarlett Johansson is fueling a backlash against artificial intelligence across Hollywood, executives told Reuters. Johansson's accusation that the ChatGPT-maker copied her performance in the Spike Jonze-directed feature film, after failing to strike an agreement, rekindled the creative class's anxiety about the existential threat posed by AI, even as Hollywood studios test new tools and mull alliances with OpenAI.

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