Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Actor Walter Koenig, 'Star Trek's' plucky Chekov, ​dies at 90

Walter Koenig, who brought humor and grit to ​the role of starship navigator Pavel Chekov on ‌the ​classic 1960s sci-fi TV series "Star Trek" and seven subsequent feature films, has died at the age of 90. "My heart is heavy. Walter Koenig, our Ensign Pavel Chekov, passed away early today," George Takei, who starred ‌alongside Koenig in the show and was a long-time friend, wrote on Facebook on Monday. Koenig died at his home in Los Angeles, the AP reported, citing his talent agent.

Universal Music Group discussed going private with buyout firms, Bloomberg News reports

Universal Music Group held preliminary discussions with private equity ‌firms earlier this year about going private, Bloomberg News reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. The music label's management ‌held preliminary talks with private equity firms including Apollo Global Management, TPG and Blackstone, according to the report

Skydance offers buyouts to some employees to cut costs after Warner Bros merger

Skydance is offering some employees a one-time voluntary buyout, according to a memo seen by Reuters on Monday, as the media company looks to cut costs after scooping ⁠up bigger ​rival Warner Bros Discovery and assuming its ⁠massive debt. The company, whose shares have fallen by about a third this year, is also moving to a five-day-a-week in-office policy, the memo showed.

US singer Chris Brown spared immediate ⁠jail sentence for UK affray charge

US singer Chris Brown was spared an immediate prison sentence in Britain on Monday for attacking a producer with a tequila bottle ​in a London nightclub in 2023. Brown, 37, was given an eight-month suspended sentence at London's Southwark Crown Court having pleaded guilty ⁠to a charge of affray over the attack on Abraham Diaw at the Tape nightclub in February 2023.

Macklemore vows to fight until 'last breath' at opening of 'Free Palestine' tour

American ⁠rapper ​Macklemore vowed to continue to speak out loudly against Israel's war in Gaza at the opening of his "Free Palestine" concert tour organised after he was dropped as the opening act for Ed Sheeran over pro-Palestinian remarks. The Grammy-winning rapper received a deafening ovation in Dublin, where fans in ⁠the overwhelmingly pro-Palestinian country came draped in Palestinian flags, black, red and green football jerseys and keffiyeh scarves being sold by vendors outside.

NFL-Jay-Z ⁠to headline next year's Super Bowl ⁠halftime show

Jay-Z will headline the 2027 Super Bowl halftime show in February, the National Football League announced on Monday. The show at the NFL championship game is the most-coveted showcase in the world of music. ‌US television ratings for ‌the halftime performance often top 100 million viewers and rank higher than the ​audience for the game itself.