Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs. Justice Thomas calls for reconsidering landmark U.S. defamation ruling

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on Tuesday urged the court to reconsider its landmark precedent that made it harder for public figures to sue for defamation even as he joined in a decision to end a defamation suit against comedian Bill Cosby. The 1964 high court ruling in the libel case known as New York Times v. Sullivan has served as a powerful protection for media reporting on public figures. But Thomas, one of the high court's most conservative justices, said it is not rooted in the U.S. Constitution. Sexism still an issue, says Parton, as '9 to 5 the Musical' opens

Nearly 40 years after playing a secretary who takes revenge on her sexist boss in "9 to 5", Dolly Parton again beat the drum for gender equality at the West End premiere of a musical version of her hit 1980 movie. The country superstar joined the cast of "9 to 5 The Musical" for the curtain call at the end of Sunday's official opening performance in London. Keira Knightley film calls for unity in divided times

Keira Knightley said her new film "The Aftermath", set in the bombed-out ruins of Hamburg just after the end of the Second World War, had important lessons on building bridges that were very relevant for today's divided societies. The romantic drama sees Knightley play Rachael Morgan, who moves to Germany to be with her husband, a British colonel who has a leading role in the reconstruction effort in Hamburg. They move in with a German widower and his troubled daughter. Women in Hollywood see some gains after Oscars equality plea

A year after best actress winner Frances McDormand used the Oscars stage to advocate for more women in front of and behind the camera, Hollywood is celebrating some progress - but remains far from reaching parity with men. McDormand urged powerful celebrities to insist on inclusion riders: contractual provisions that require producers to interview female candidates for jobs ranging from gaffer to director. Pink Floyd's Waters slams Venezuela border aid concert

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters slammed an upcoming "Live Aid"-style concert to raise funds for humanitarian aid for Venezuela, calling the event a U.S.-backed effort to tarnish the socialist government in a video circulating on Tuesday. Billionaire Richard Branson is backing the Friday show in the Colombian border city of Cucuta with a fundraising target of $100 million to provide food and medicine for Venezuelans suffering widespread shortages. Fashion's 'creative genius' Karl Lagerfeld dies at 85

Haute-couture designer Karl Lagerfeld, artistic director at Chanel and an icon of the fashion industry with his extravagant outfits and striking catwalks, has died aged 85. Instantly recognizable in his dark suits, pony-tailed white hair and sunglasses, Lagerfeld was best known for his association with Chanel but delivered collections for LVMH's Fendi and his own eponymous label. Queen to rock Oscars with live performance

British rock band Queen will perform live at Sunday's Oscars ceremony, organizers said on Monday, following the blockbuster success of best picture nominee "Bohemian Rhapsody." "Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? We welcome @QueenWillRock and @adamlambert to this year's Oscars!," the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on its official Twitter feed. Meghan Markle in New York for baby shower: report

Meghan Markle, who is expecting her first child with Britain's Prince Harry in the spring, was in New York City for a baby shower on Tuesday, according to Harper's Bazaar magazine, which cited unnamed sources. It was the first trip back to the United States by the American former actress since her marriage to Harry at a celebrity-filled ceremony at Windsor Castle last May. Want to win an Oscar? Spend millions on the film campaign trail

Making an unforgettable movie is not the only requirement to win the prestigious best picture Oscar. Add millions of dollars for TV and digital ads, plus actors' travel, hair and makeup for events to promote their work on the busy film campaign trail. If the race is close, as it is heading into Sunday's awards ceremony, studios must dig deeper to gain an edge with the roughly 8,000 voters in the Academy for Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Karl Lagerfeld: fashion's prolific commander-in-chief

Karl Lagerfeld enjoyed the stature of a god among mortals in the world of fashion, where he stayed on top for well over half of a century and up to his death, at an age almost nobody apart from himself knew with to-the-day precision. The German designer was best known for his association with France's Chanel, dating back to 1983. The brand, the legend now goes, risked becoming the preserve of monied grannies before he arrived, slashing hemlines and adding glitz to the prim tweed suits of what is now one of the world's most valuable couture houses.