Steven Spielberg on his faith in alien life, the future of the movies and the power of empathy
NEW YORK (AP) — Steven Spielberg's “Disclosure Day” returns Hollywood’s preeminent big-screen craftsman to one of his most abiding questions: Are we alone? Coming nearly half a century after “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Disclosure Day” is a grand bookend for one of the most cosmically-minded moviemakers of our time, whose dreams of extraterrestrial life have shaped all of ours. But while Spielberg grants his 1977 film was “speculative,” “Disclosure Day,” he insists, is the real deal. In an interview, Spielberg tells The Associated Press that his belief in alien life has turned into a conviction. “Disclosure Day,” he says, is too real to be called science fiction.
Shia LaBeouf pleads guilty to simple battery for punching bargoers during Mardi Gras
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Actor Shia LaBeouf has pleaded guilty to three counts of simple battery for punching people outside a New Orleans bar in February during Mardi Gras. Sentencing details were not immediately available Wednesday in online court records. . An attorney and a manager for LaBeouf did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Video of the Feb. 17 encounter shows a shirtless LaBeouf shoving one person to the ground and hitting another person in the face, according to a New Orleans police report.
Scott Pelley fired from '60 Minutes,' deepening turmoil at CBS News
CBS News has fired longtime “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley. It came a day after he reportedly said Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss was “murdering the show” and accused its new producer of having “slender qualifications” for the job. The move deepened the turmoil at the nation’s most influential TV news program and the news unit that oversees it. Pelley had criticized the program’s leadership during an introductory meeting Monday between the show’s staff and Nick Bilton, the new executive producer named by Weiss last week. That was reported first on the Status website. In a termination notice obtained by The Associated Press, Bilton accused Pelley of carrying out an “ambush” against him.
Dutch court allows rapper Ye concerts in the Netherlands
AMSTERDAM (AP) — A judge in Amsterdam has rejected an appeal by a Jewish organization to block two performances by rapper Ye, finding the concerts are not a threat to public order. Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has drawn widespread controversy in recent years for a series of antisemitic remarks and Dutch authorities have been under mounting pressure to cancel the gigs. According to the Amsterdam District Court, there were no grounds to bar Ye from performing.
Peabo Bryson, known for duets from Disney's 'Aladdin' and 'Beauty and the Beast,' has died at 75
NEW YORK (AP) — Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Peabo Bryson has died at 75. He was known for his Disney duets "Beauty and the Beast" and "A Whole New World." He died Tuesday after having a stroke. His family shared the news in a statement, expressing comfort in the love and impact he left behind. Bryson was born in South Carolina. He began his career in the 1970s with Moses Dillard and the Tex-Town Display before going solo. He had a stroke in May. In 2019, he had recovered from a heart attack.
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BTS, Cardi B, Lainey Wilson, Muse, Snoop Dogg and others will perform at iHeartRadio Music Festival
NEW YORK (AP) — K-Pop band BTS, Benson Boone, Cardi B, Lainey Wilson, Major Lazer, Muse, Snoop Dogg and Zara Larsson are among the performers this fall at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas. It will be broadcast live. The event will take place Sept. 18-19 at the T-Mobile Arena. The lineup also includes Weezer, Goo Goo Dolls and Kenny Chesney. Ryan Seacrest will host. Fans can hear it all on iHeartMedia radio stations or watch it streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. The general public can buy tickets on AXS.com starting at 2 p.m. EDT on June 12. Capital One cardholders will be able to access a presale beginning at 1 p.m. EDT on June 10.
Movie Review: ‘Masters of the Universe’ does not have the power
Nicholas Galitzine plays the '80s action hero He-Man in “Masters of the Universe.” The film from director Travis Knight tells an origin story about Prince Adam, the kingdom of Eternia and the villain Skeletor, who is played by Jared Leto. Camila Mendes, Idris Elba and Alison Brie also star. In her review for The Associated Press, film writer Lindsey Bahr writes that the movie might not know who its audience is, and seems embarrassed about its inherent silliness, always undercutting the Saturday morning cartoon aspects with a snarky joke. Rated PG-13, “Masters of the Universe” is in theaters Friday.
Nas and Nicholas Britell help tell the story of the NBA Finals with spot debuting Wednesday
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The NBA brought in Grammy-winning rapper Nas and three-time Emmy-winning composer Nicholas Britell to help tell the tale of this season’s NBA Finals. The league debuted a new spot promoting the finals early Wednesday, hours before the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks begin this year’s title series. Britell envisioned a piece that, the league said, “draws inspiration from the emotional progression of basketball, from anticipation and momentum shifts to the defining moments that shape outcomes.” Nas provides the voice, with nods to the 80-year history of the league and what it takes to get to the NBA Finals.
Wim Wenders pulls 1975 film over nude scene with then-13-year-old Nastassja Kinski
The filmmaker Wim Wenders has pulled his 1975 movie “The Wrong Move” due to a nude scene featuring a then-13-year-old Nastassja Kinski. Now 65, Kinski has urged Wenders to reedit the film. Last month, she told the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung that Wenders “didn't protect me.” The German filmmaker of “Paris, Texas” and “Wings of Desire” on Wednesday issued a statement apologizing to Kinski. Wenders said he was “withdrawing it from all current forms of distribution and exhibition,” including streaming services and broadcast television. Representatives for Kinski did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Jill Biden says she's sorry she didn't talk more about son Hunter's drug addiction
NEW YORK (AP) — Jill Biden says she's sorry she didn't talk more about son Hunter's drug addiction during her time in the White House. At her first big event promoting her new memoir, the former first lady said she now realizes that talking about his substance abuse and his recovery can offer hope to others. In a wide-ranging interview with “The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg, Jill Biden says former President Joe Biden's cancer diagnosis has put life in perspective for her. She says she isn't angry anymore about the way the Democratic Party pressured her husband out of politics. Her memoir, “View from the East Wing,” was published Tuesday.
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