AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 12:00 p.m. EDT

Emmys arrive with 'The Studio,' 'Severance,' 'Adolescence' and 'The Penguin' vying for top honors

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Emmys are here. The 77th edition of the awards honoring TV's best airs on CBS at 8 p.m. Eastern, hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze. “The Studio” is a heavy favorite to go big in categories including best comedy series and best actor in a comedy for co-creator Seth Rogen. “Severance” brought in the biggest number of nominations this year and is competing in the top drama categories. Noah Wyle could become a first-time Emmy winner for “The Pitt.” And 77-year-old Kathy Bates could become the oldest woman ever and the first woman from a network in a decade to win best actress in a drama.

Brazilian musician Hermeto Pascoal, known as ‘The Mad Genius,’ dies at 89

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Hermeto Pascoal, the eccentric Brazilian multi-instrumentalist known as “The Sorcerer of Sounds” and “The Mad Genius,” has died. He was 89. His family announced his death on Instagram, without specifying the cause or location. Pascoal was famous for his wild mane of white hair and his music that defied labels, blending jazz, samba and more. He used unconventional objects like beer pints and live pigs to create sounds. Born in Brazil's Alagoas state, he taught himself music and later worked with Miles Davis. Tributes have poured in, with many praising his influence on Brazilian music and culture.

Bobby Hart, co-wrote 'Last Train to Clarksville' and other hits for the Monkees, dead at 86

NEW YORK (AP) — Bobby Hart, who co-wrote some of the Monkees' biggest hits, has died. He was 86. Along with Tommy Bryce, he was a key part of the Monkees' multimedia empire. Boyce and Hart wrote hundreds of songs and were a top team in the mid-1960s, especially for the Monkees, the made-for-television group. They wrote the Monkees' theme song and the hits "Last Train to Clarksville" and "I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone." The Monkees' debut album included six songs from Boyce and Hart. Hart also helped write tunes such as “Hurt So Bad,” for Little Anthony and the Imperials.

Belgian festival's decision to cancel a concert led by an Israeli conductor draws criticism

BERLIN (AP) — Belgium’s prime minister has traveled to neighboring Germany for a concert led by an Israeli conductor whose appearance was canceled by a Belgian festival. His gesture added to strong criticism of the decision. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz thanked Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in a social media post Sunday for his “strong signal of solidarity” after he attended the weekend concert given in Essen by the Munich Philharmonic and conducted by Lahav Shani. De Wever said he strongly condemns the cancellation of a concert in Ghent “solely on the basis of the origin of conductor Lahav Shani.”

Sean Astin, who starred in 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Rudy,' is elected as SAG-AFTRA's new president

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The union that represents tens of thousands of actors and other entertainer and media professionals has elected Sean Astin as its new president. On Friday, SAG-AFTRA elected Astin — who starred in “Rudy” and “The Lord of the Rings,” among other roles — to succeed Fran Drescher as its president. Astin is the son of the late Academy Award-winning actress Patty Duke. He defeated Chuck Slavin in a 79% to 21% vote. Michelle Hurd was elected secretary-treasurer. SAG-AFTRA brings together Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, program hosts and others.

Where to stream some of this year's top Emmy-nominated shows and how long it will take to watch them

The 77th Primetime Emmy nominations have been announced, leaving roughly two months to get caught up on series before the trophies are handed out. Leading nominees include “Severance” on Apple TV+ with 27 nods, and HBO Max’s “The White Lotus.” HBO Max is the leading streaming service for Emmy nominees this year, with Netflix and Apple TV+ rounding out the top three. If you're feeling pressed for time, several series like “The Studio” and “Adolescence” can be streamed in five hours or less. Others like “The White Lotus,” “Andor” and “Matlock” are longer commitments.

With ‘The Grand Finale,’ ‘Downton Abbey’ is really coming to an end

Julian Fellowes has been saying goodbye to “Downton Abbey” for nearly as long as it has existed. The creators are really saying a final farewell with “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,” which opens in theaters nationwide Friday. Fellowes said in a recent interview with The Associated Press that it is sad and that it has been a huge chunk of his life. “Downton Abbey” was conceived by producer Gareth Neame as a kind of spinoff to “Gosford Park.” It was in many ways an improbable hit. The first two features grossed more than $287 million at the worldwide box office.

Rare portraits of enslaved Mississippians displayed together at Mississippi Museum of Art

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi Museum of Art now owns the only two known portraits of enslaved Mississippians that were painted before the Civil War. “Portrait of Frederick" joins “Portrait of Delia,” both hanging in the same museum together for the first time in history. Before coming to the museum, both portraits were owned by the descendants of the subjects' enslavers for more than 100 years. The portraits evoke questions about who Frederick and Delia were and what went through their minds as their faces were captured stroke by stroke. Museum Director Betsy Bradley said she hopes displaying the portraits will help humanize the story of slavery and inspire people to learn more about the past.

Christian Siriano transports New York Fashion Week attendees to the silver screen

NEW YORK (AP) — Designer Christian Siriano transformed a Macy's department store into a New York Fashion Week runway show for his latest collection. The designer was recently named creative director for I.N.C., a Macy's ready-to-wear brand, in celebration of the brand's 40th anniversary. Siriano pulled inspiration for his latest collection from actor Marlene Dietrich and old Hollywood. Like the evolution of cinema, Siriano said he wanted to play with the color palette of his collection from black and white to Technicolor. Like Dietrich, Siriano designs embraced both the masculine and feminine. Celebrities from Oprah to singer Lizzo sat front row at the Friday show.