AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 12:59 p.m. EDT

Brenda Fricker, the first Irish actress to win an Oscar for 'My Left Foot,' dies at 81

LONDON (AP) — Brenda Fricker, who won an academy award for her role as Bridget Fagan Brown in the 1989 film “My Left Foot,’’ has died. She was 81. Her agent, Phil Belfield, says the Irish character actor died Thursday night in Dublin after a period of ill health. Fricker became the first Irish woman to win an Academy Award in 1990 for best supporting actress for her portrayal of the determined mother of Christy Brown, who was born with cerebral palsy and could control only his left foot. Daniel Day-Lewis, who played Christy Brown, won the award for best actor.

Movie Review: In Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey,' an ancient epic is reborn

The authorship of Homer's epic poem, dated to the 7th or 8th century BC, is complex. But no one could question the maker of Christopher Nolan's “The Odyssey,” an earthy, existential epic that ravishingly melds the storytelling of antiquity with contemporary IMAX-sized bravado. “The Odyssey” is rarely not transfixing, and it’s a ripping adventure story, besides. At the least, it’s the definitive big-screen adaptation of one of the oldest tales of humankind. Nolan’s first film shot entirely with IMAX cameras doesn’t skimp on grandiosity, but it works surprisingly well as a simpler, human-sized tale.

Man charged with hate crimes after confrontation with 'Today' show's Melvin at NBC studio

NEW YORK (AP) — A 40-year-old New York man faces hate crime charges following a confrontation with “Today" show host Craig Melvin at NBC’s studio in Manhattan. Police say Friday that the man was arrested Thursday morning inside 30 Rockefeller Center in Midtown by an officer responding to reports of a disorderly individual inside the building. NBC News says an individual approached Melvin after entering an unauthorized area in a vestibule near Studio 1A. Melvin notified security, who held the man until police arrived. The network says no altercation occurred and no injuries were reported. NBC did not say how the man gained access to the area.

How a young Alabama man has become a leading — and booming — opera voice

MUNICH, Germany (AP) — Nicholas Brownlee has risen to the top of the opera world with his powerful bass-baritone voice. His journey began with a love for opera and a desire to tackle Wagner’s challenging music. Initially, his teacher advised him to wait until his voice matured. Now, at 37, Brownlee is celebrated for his performances as Wotan in Wagner’s operas. Critics praise his resonant voice and stage presence. Although his career is mostly in Germany, U.S. opera houses are taking notice. Brownlee balances his demanding roles with a variety of performances, ensuring his voice remains strong and versatile.

To air or not to air? Nation's TV networks struggle to find the right balance for Trump speech

To air or not to air? The nation’s TV networks and their news operations spent the hours leading up to President Donald Trump’s address Thursday night debating how to cover it. They were struggling to balance delivering the news with handing over their airwaves to potential falsehoods about the 2020 elections. The dilemma took place against a backdrop of deep tension between the media and a president working to exert control over it by whatever means he can. Even in his speech itself, Trump excoriated networks that chose not to carry it live. He said “NBC and ABC fake news” avoided it and threatened consequences, using the presidential pulpit to suggest they should be sanctioned for their editorial decisions.

Ava DuVernay announces '14th' documentary on birthright amendment contested by Trump

NEW YORK (AP) — Ava DuVernay has announced a documentary for Netflix on the 14th Amendment, which gave liberty and rights to formerly enslaved people following the Civil War, and which has come under legal attack from President Donald Trump. Netflix said Thursday that it will release “14th” later this year. The 14th Amendment has been a prominent target of Trump’s. On the first day of his second term, he signed an executive order that would have heavily restricted birthright citizenship as protected by the amendment. In June, the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s order by a 6-3 vote. DuVernay previously directed ‘13th,’ a documentary on the amendment abolishing slavery.

Danny Boyle’s Rupert Murdoch movie ‘Ink’ to open Venice Film Festival

Danny Boyle’s new film about Rupert Murdoch and Larry Lamb is set to open the Venice International Film Festival. The film, titled “Ink,” is an adaptation of James Graham’s play about Murdoch’s 1969 acquisition of “The Sun.” Guy Pearce plays Murdoch, and Jack O’Connell plays Lamb. Boyle highlights how these men transformed the paper into Britain’s most influential tabloid. The festival kicks off on Sept. 2, and “Ink” will be playing in competition. Boyle expressed his excitement, calling it a huge honor to be selected for the festival.

Patricia Lockwood wins $10,000 Gabe Hudson Prize for a dark, comic COVID-19 novel

NEW YORK (AP) — Patricia Lockwood wins this year's Gabe Hudson Prize for her novel “Will There Ever Be Another You.” The $10,000 award honors fiction that captures humor, pathos, and contemporary America. Lockwood's book impressed judges with its beauty and humor. It's a dark comedy about a woman’s breakdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. The prize was established by Hudson's mother after he died three years ago and is administered by McSweeney's, where he worked as an editor. Hudson was also known for his fiction and teaching. Lockwood is also known for her other books, “Priestdaddy” and “No One Is Talking About This.” She expressed a kinship with Hudson.

Netflix posts higher Q2 results but shares drop due to lukewarm forecast

Netflix said Thursday its second-quarter profit grew thanks to new membership signups and price increases. But the company’s shares declined sharply in after-hours trading as the video streaming company’s forecast for the current quarter fell below Wall Street’s expectations. Netflix earned $3.4 billion, or 80 cents per share, in the March-June period. That’s up 9% from $3.13 billion, or 72 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier.