Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Film 'One in a Million' follows young Syrian refugee's journey over 10 years

Israa was 11 years old and selling ​cigarettes with her father on a street corner in Turkey when filmmakers Jack MacInnes and Itab Azzam met ​the Syrian refugee in 2015. They were charmed by the bubbly young girl ‌and ​wanted to tell her story as her family, who had fled war-ravaged Aleppo, journeyed across eight countries to settle in Germany.

Brand conviction shines light on entertainment industry's culture of silence

Russell Brand's conviction for sex crimes has renewed scrutiny of how Britain's entertainment industry has treated high-profile performers accused of abusing their power, with some women saying they feared speaking out ‌could damage their careers. The British comedian and actor was convicted on Thursday of one count of rape and three sexual assaults near the height of his fame in the mid-2000s, when he worked for Channel 4 and the BBC. Three of the four victims had worked in the media industry.

Brand conviction shines light on entertainment industry's culture of silence

Russell Brand's conviction for sex crimes has renewed scrutiny of how Britain's entertainment industry has treated high-profile performers accused of abusing their power, with some women saying they ‌feared speaking out could damage their careers. The British comedian and actor was convicted on Thursday of one count of rape and three sexual assaults near the height of his fame in the mid-2000s, when he worked for Channel 4 ‌and the BBC. Three of the four victims had worked in the media industry.

Jordan Firstman brings a softer side to screen in directorial debut 'Club Kid'

Actor and filmmaker Jordan Firstman wanted his directorial debut, "Club Kid", to reveal a side of himself audiences had not seen before. "In my real life, I'm very sensitive. I'm very emotional," he told Reuters. "I wanted to wear my heart on my sleeve and make a movie that reflected that."

'The Cat in the Hat' movie combines children's classic with new characters

Quinta Brunson wants to set the record straight about the animated Warner Bros. film "The Cat in ⁠the Hat": kids ​still read the classic Dr. Seuss story in schools. Brunson, creator of "Abbott ⁠Elementary," which follows the lives of schoolteachers and their students, said "The Cat in the Hat" is already familiar to many children by the time they reach preschool or kindergarten, making the film less of an introduction to the character than a new take on a beloved classic.

New York ⁠Times Company in advanced talks to acquire Letterboxd for roughly $330 million, NYT reports

The New York Times Company is in exclusive talks to acquire film-focused social platform Letterboxd in a deal valued at about $330 million, the New York Times reported on Thursday, citing two people familiar with ​the discussions. A deal would extend the media organization's push beyond its core news business, following acquisitions including sports site The Athletic, product-review service Wirecutter and the Wordle game. The company added 420,000 digital-only subscribers in the ⁠third quarter, bringing total paid subscribers to 13.8 million.

Macklemore says US venues rejected his Free Palestine tour

American rapper Macklemore, an outspoken critic of Israel's war in Gaza, said on Friday that major US concert venues including New York's Madison Square Garden refused to book his Free Palestine tour that just concluded ⁠three ​dates in Europe. The "Thrift Shop" performer launched the effort after he was removed as the opening act on musician Ed Sheeran's concert tour in August. Macklemore said at the time that stadium owners had objected to him saying "Free Palestine" on stage.

Russell Brand, convicted of rape, now likely to face more allegations, says UK police chief

Russell Brand, once a high profile British comedian and star of several Hollywood movies, is likely to face further allegations as more victims come forward in ⁠the wake of his rape conviction, the country's top policeman said on Friday. Brand, the former husband of US pop singer Katy Perry, is facing a lengthy jail term after being convicted in a London court on Thursday of ⁠raping a woman and sexually assaulting three more.

Factbox-Details of Russell ⁠Brand's convictions

British comedian Russell Brand was found guilty on Thursday of rape and three sexual assaults. Here are details of his convictions.

The rise and fall of Russell Brand

Russell Brand was once considered so culturally important that the opposition leader hoping to be Britain's next prime minister went on his online show, while former US Vice President Al Gore was happy ‌to be interviewed by him. A comedian ‌and presenter turned Hollywood actor and then unlikely political activist, Brand was one of the most recognisable and sought-after figures in the ​British entertainment world from the late 2000s until the mid-2010s.