Reuters People News Summary

Following is a summary of current people news briefs. Actor Smollett's character cut from 'Empire' episodes after arrest

Actor Jussie Smollett's character is being removed from the final two episodes of the hip-hop drama "Empire" after he was arrested and charged with staging a hoax hate crime attack on himself, show officials said on Friday. "We are also aware of the effects of this process on the cast and crew members who work on our show and to avoid further disruption on set, we have decided to remove the role of 'Jamal' from the final two episodes of the season," 20th Century Fox Television said in a statement. Director Stanley Donen, famed for landmark film 'Singin' in the Rain,' dies at 94

Stanley Donen, the former dancer who directed some of Hollywood's greatest musicals including Gene Kelly's landmark "Singin' in the Rain," "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and "On the Town," has died at age 94, according to media reports. Donen, who was given an honorary lifetime achievement Oscar in 1998 and wowed the crowd with an impromptu song-and-dance routine, died of a heart attack on Thursday in New York City, the Chicago Tribune said, citing one of his sons, Mark Donen. Jackson estate says HBO film violates non-disparagement contract: lawsuit

The estate of Michael Jackson filed a lawsuit on Thursday against HBO saying that its documentary about allegations of child sex abuse by the late singer breached a previous agreement by the cable channel not to disparage him. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, said HBO could owe more than $100 million in damages for what the estate called the network's "reprehensible disparagement" of the "Thriller" singer in the documentary.