Entertainment News Roundup: No trans characters in major Hollywood movies; China to let most cinemas re-open from Monday as pandemic ebbs and more

The Studio Responsibility Index from LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD showed that of the 118 films released by the major Hollywood studios in 2019, twenty-two (18.6%) had LGBTQ characters, including films such as "Bombshell," Rocketman," "Judy" and "Booksmart." China to let most cinemas re-open from Monday as pandemic ebbs China will allow most cinemas to re-open from July 20, the film administration said on Thursday, six months after they were forced to close as part of draconian measures to contain the novel coronavirus.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

No trans characters in major Hollywood movies for 3rd year, report finds

Hollywood increased the numbers of gay and bisexual characters in movies in 2019, but most of them had only fleeting screen time and there were no transgender characters at all, according to a survey released on Thursday. The Studio Responsibility Index from LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD showed that of the 118 films released by the major Hollywood studios in 2019, twenty-two (18.6%) had LGBTQ characters, including films such as "Bombshell," Rocketman," "Judy" and "Booksmart."

China to let most cinemas re-open from Monday as pandemic ebbs

China will allow most cinemas to re-open from July 20, the film administration said on Thursday, six months after they were forced to close as part of draconian measures to contain the novel coronavirus. The relaxation has been long-awaited in the world's second-largest film market, where lockdowns have eased gradually as infections have dropped sharply since March, with many restaurants and malls open for months.

Paper made up quotes to defame Depp, actress tells UK libel trial

Actress and #MeToo campaigner Katherine Kendall said on Friday Britain's Sun newspaper had deliberately misused her quotes in an article which labeled Hollywood star Johnny Depp a "wife beater". Depp, 57, is suing the publisher of that newspaper for libel over the article, saying he had never struck his ex-wife Amber Heard, and it was Heard that hit him during their volatile relationship.

Some K-Pop stars' accounts on TikTok's sister app in China, Douyin, blocked from view

Some K-pop stars' accounts have been blocked from view on TikTok's China equivalent Douyin, Reuters' checks showed on Friday, days after South Korea's media regulator slapped fines on the short-video app for data privacy non-compliance. The reasons for the blocks were unknown, but the move also comes after remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the United States is "certainly looking at" banning Chinese social media apps, including TikTok.

ViacomCBS fires Nick Cannon, citing 'hateful speech' in podcast

U.S. TV host and actor Nick Cannon has been fired by ViacomCBS for promoting what the media company said on Wednesday was hateful speech and spreading anti-Semitic conspiracy theories on a recent podcast. Cannon responded shortly thereafter that he had tried to contact Shari Redstone, the chair of ViacomCBS, to reconcile and "actually apologize if I said anything that pained or hurt her or her community."

Child YouTube star Ryan Kaji adds lockdown fun, virus education to repertoire

Young YouTube sensation Ryan Kaji's star has kept rising during the coronavirus lockdowns. The eight-year-old, who first began his channel "Ryan's World" on YouTube to review toys for family members and other youngsters, raked in $26 million as 2019's highest-paid content creator and now boasts 25.7 million subscribers.