Entertainment News Roundup: South Korea's 'Parasite' beats Hollywood; Joaquin Phoenix wins the best actor and more

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

South Korea's 'Parasite' beats Hollywood greats to make Oscar history

"Parasite," a dark social satire from South Korea, won the Oscar for best picture on Sunday, making history as the first film in a language other than English to claim the movie industry's highest honor. "Parasite," about the gap between rich and poor in modern Seoul, won a total of four Oscars, including best director and original screenplay for Bong Joon Ho and best international feature film. No film had ever won both international feature film and best picture at the Oscars.

Upstart Neon wins top Oscars prize, Netflix falls short again

Three-year-old independent film distributor Neon upstaged the traditional Hollywood studios and streaming giant Netflix Inc on Sunday to grab the coveted best picture Oscar for South Korean have-and-have-nots tale "Parasite." The movie topped World War One drama "1917" from Comcast Corp's Universal Pictures, gangster epic "The Irishman" from Netflix, and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" from Sony Corp among others at the televised Academy Awards.

Weinstein rape trial shows #MeToo accusers should prepare for courtroom grilling

In the #MeToo era, women who make sexual misconduct allegations against powerful men can count on public support, but the rape trial in New York of former movie producer Harvey Weinstein has shown that accusers should brace for far less friendly treatment in a court of law. Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to raping Jessica Mann and to sexually assaulting another woman, Mimi Haleyi.

Oscars TV audience hits record low in 'driverless' ceremony

The U.S. television audience for the 2020 Oscars fell to an all- time low for a ceremony that brought big wins for South Korean satire "Parasite" but was criticized by reviewers as long and haphazard. Viewership for Sunday's show, broadcast on Walt Disney Co-owned ABC, dropped 20% from a year ago to an average audience of 23.6 million, according to Nielsen data released on Monday.

Joaquin Phoenix wins best actor Oscar for 'Joker'

Joaquin Phoenix won his first Oscar on Sunday for his terrifying performance as an isolated loner who becomes one of the world's best known comic book villains in "Joker," and invoked his late brother River Phoenix in one of the most emotional acceptance speeches of the night. Phoenix, 45, won the best actor Oscar after three previous nominations, crowning an awards season that has seen him sweep every major prize for his role in the standalone origin story of Batman's archenemy.

Demand for streaming TV services remains strong, the Nielsen survey suggests

Consumers love streamed TV and film and want content providers to keep it coming, a new survey from U.S. data and measurement firm Nielsen suggests. In a survey it conducted for its latest Total Audience Report, Nielsen found that, even as the number of streaming services rises, 93% of respondents would keep paying for the ones they have or subscribe to others.

'Parasite' reflects the deepening social divide in South Korea

The black comedy "Parasite" is a tale of two South Korean families - the wealthy Parks and the poor Kims - mirroring the deepening inequality in Asia's fourth-largest economy. The film made history as the first non-English language movie to win the Oscar for best picture on Sunday, prompting South Korean social media to erupt in celebration.

Renee Zellweger wins best actress Oscar for 'Judy'

Renee Zellweger was crowned best actress at the Oscars on Sunday for her portrait of Hollywood legend Judy Garland in "Judy," a biographical drama exploring the singer's personal and professional turmoil at the end of her life. It marked the second Oscar victory in four nominations for Zellweger, 50, a Texas-born performer whose immersion in the role of Garland also earned Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and BAFTA awards.

Weinstein rape trial defense seeks to undermine accusers through their ex-friends

A former friend of Jessica Mann, one of two women who accuse former movie producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, testified on Monday that Mann did not seem in distress on the day of the alleged attack and described Weinstein as a "soulmate." Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to charges in New York of raping Mann and to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi.

Weinstein accuser's agent expected to testify in the New York rape trial

Lawyers for Harvey Weinstein are expected to call the former agent of accuser Jessica Mann to testify on Tuesday in the ex-producer's rape case as the weeks-long trial nears a close. Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to raping Mann and to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi.

(With inputs from agencies.)