Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Democratic senators call early US review of Disney station licenses 'abuse ​of power'

A group of 10 U.S. Democratic senators on Thursday demanded that ​Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr explain why he ordered ‌an ​early review of licences for Walt Disney's eight ABC stations. The senators -- including Ed Markey, Chuck Schumer and Maria Cantwell -- called the action "the latest and most extreme step in your use of the FCC’s licensing authority as a cudgel against broadcasters ‌whose editorial choices displease the president." Carr's action came just a day after President Donald Trump publicly demanded ABC late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel be fired for a joke he cracked.

Trump agency's order against ABC's 'The View' talk show is invalid, network says

Disney-owned ABC said on Friday the Trump administration's efforts to declare its daytime talk show "The View" subject ‌to federal equal time rules for political candidates are invalid and threaten the network's free speech rights. In February, the Federal Communications Commission said it was investigating whether "The View" ‌violated equal time rules for interviews with political candidates, after an appearance by Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico. The FCC said daytime and late-night TV talk shows are no longer considered "bona fide" news programs exempt from the rule.

Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni dispute over 'It Ends With Us' has not ended, as she seeks fees

Blake Lively, who recently settled her lawsuit against Justin Baldoni's production company, is still seeking ⁠damages from the ​actor and director tied to their 2024 ⁠movie "It Ends With Us," Lively's lawyers said on Thursday. According to a filing in Manhattan federal court, Lively wants Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios to cover her legal fees and pay damages for filing a "retaliatory" defamation ⁠lawsuit, which the judge overseeing their legal disputes dismissed last June.

White House calls Mark Hamill 'sick' after actor posts Trump gravesite image

The White House called "Star Wars" star Mark Hamill "one sick individual" on Thursday ​after an AI-generated image of U.S. President Donald Trump in a shallow grave was posted on one of the actor's social media accounts. "If Only" was ⁠inscribed on the image of Trump lying with his eyes closed adjacent to a gravestone, surrounded by daisies, with the inscription "Donald J. Trump 1946-2024." The image was posted on Hamill's verified Bluesky account.

Ted Turner, outspoken founder ⁠of ​CNN, dies at 87

Ted Turner, the brash sportsman and entrepreneur whose ambition and instincts led to a media empire that included groundbreaking news network CNN, has died, CNN reported on Wednesday citing a press release from Turner Enterprises. He was 87. No cause of death was given.

Soccer-Shakira unveils official World Cup song 'Dai Dai'

Colombian singer Shakira ⁠unveiled the official song for the 2026 World Cup, "Dai Dai", on Thursday. The 49-year-old posted a video on Instagram on Thursday from Brazil's Maracana stadium to tease the track, ⁠which features Nigerian singer Burna Boy. The song ⁠will be released on 14 May.

Singer Bonnie Tyler recuperating after emergency surgery in Portugal

Welsh pop singer Bonnie Tyler is recuperating after undergoing emergency surgery in Faro, southern Portugal, where she has a home, according to a statement on her official website. The intestinal ‌surgery for the 74-year-old singer, famed ‌for 1980s power ballads such as "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Holding Out for a ​Hero", had gone well, the statement said.