Entertainment News Roundup: Rosie Perez takes stand in Weinstein case; Chinese movie to premiere online and more

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Actress Rosie Perez takes stand in Weinstein rape case

Actress Rosie Perez took the stand in the rape trial of Harvey Weinstein on Friday after the judge presiding over the case ruled that she could testify for the prosecution. Perez is expected to tell jurors that her friend and fellow actress Annabella Sciorra, who testified against Weinstein on Thursday, told her she was violently raped by the former Hollywood producer in the early 1990s.

Chinese movie to premiere online as virus closes cinemas

Chinese movie fans can catch the premiere of much-anticipated new comedy this holiday weekend under a 630 million yuan ($91.25 million) deal to issue the film over the internet, as fears of a deadly new virus keep audiences away from cinemas. The Hong Kong-listed Huanxi Media Group announced on Friday an agreement with Beijing Bytedance Network to show its new movie "Lost in Russia" on Bytedance's online platforms.

Spike Lee to introduce 2021 Cadillac Escalade with short film

Oscar-award-winning director Spike Lee has been hired to introduce the 2021 Cadillac Escalade with his short film "Anthem" on Feb. 4 in Hollywood, General Motors Co's luxury division, Cadillac, said on Thursday. The Escalade, with global sales of about 900,000 including ESV and previous EXT and Hybrid models, is a highly profitable piece of GM's new large truck and sport utility vehicle lineup that it has launched over the past two years.

Taylor Swift, Olivia Colman lead diverse Sundance 2020 lineup

Women directors and stars will be at the forefront of this year's Sundance Film Festival starting on Thursday, at a time when a lack of diversity among nominees has been the focus of the Hollywood awards season. Women directed 44% of the 118 feature-length films to be previewed at the 10-day festival in the ski resort town of Park City, Utah. Minorities have directed 34%, and directors identifying as LGBTQ 15%.

Stars flaunt Gaultier creations for designer's 'funeral' finale in Paris

Jean Paul Gaultier bade farewell to the catwalk on Wednesday in typically riotous style, as models performed jigs at his show, an actress sauntered down the runway smoking a cigarette and singer Boy George took part in a mock funeral sequence. The affable French designer, who has long cultivated an image as the 'enfant terrible' of the fashion world, announced last week the runway display would be his last after 50 years in the business.

Young, gifted and unique, top Grammy contenders march to their own tune

Move over pop and rap. From Billie Eilish to Bon Iver and Rosalia, the top contenders at Sunday's Grammy Awards are turning traditional music genres on their heads with a striking fusion of styles. Teen sensation Eilish, body-positive singer Lizzo and gay, black country rapper Lil Nas X lead nominations for the highest awards in the music industry in a list that favors women and newcomers over established stars like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Bruce Springsteen.

Grammy organizers deny claims award nominations are rigged

The organizers of the Grammy Awards on Thursday denied allegations that nominations for the highest prizes in the music industry are rigged, calling the claims "categorically false and misleading." Allegations that the Grammy nominations process is tainted by conflicts of interest were made in a complaint filed earlier this week by the former chief executive of the Recording Academy, Deborah Dugan after she was placed on administrative leave.

(With inputs from agencies.)