AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 5:37 p.m. EST

France grants citizenship to George and Amal Clooney and their twins Ella and Alexander

PARIS (AP) — George and Amal Clooney, along with their twins, have been awarded French citizenship. France's government announced the naturalizations last weekend in the Journal Officiel. Amal Clooney, a human rights lawyer, was naturalized under her maiden name, Amal Alamuddin. The couple purchased an estate in France in 2021. In an October interview with Esquire, Clooney described their French farm as their primary residence. He expressed concerns about raising their kids in Hollywood's culture, preferring a quieter life in France. Representatives for Clooney did not respond to requests for comment on Monday.

Chevy Chase is under the spotlight in a new documentary, warts and all — and he's OK with it

NEW YORK (AP) — Chevy Chase's new documentary, “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not,” explores his complex personality and career. Directed by Marina Zenovich, it airs on CNN on New Year’s Day. The film covers Chase's journey from his troubled childhood to his time on “Saturday Night Live” and Hollywood success, ending with his stint on “Community.” Zenovich includes insights from Dan Aykroyd, Beverly D’Angelo and others. Chase's humor is seen as a coping mechanism for past trauma. Despite his reputation for being difficult, Chase approves of the film, calling it both painful and lovely, like a massage.

Brigitte Bardot's funeral will be held next week in French Riviera resort of Saint-Tropez

PARIS (AP) — Local authorities in France say Brigitte Bardot’s funeral is set for next week in the French Riviera resort of Saint-Tropez which she helped make famous. The cinema star and animal rights activist died Sunday at 91 in southern France. Saint-Tropez town hall said Monday that a ceremony is scheduled on Jan. 7 and will be broadcast on large screens at the port and central square. The burial will be private at the local cemetery overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. A public homage will follow. Bardot retired from cinema in 1973 and lived in Saint-Tropez for more than a half-century.

Nézet-Séguin’s path to the Vienna New Year’s concert began when he replaced banned conductor in 2022

Yannick Nézet-Séguin's journey to conducting the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year’s Day concert began when he stepped in for a banned Russian conductor at Carnegie Hall in 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine led to the replacement of Valery Gergiev and pianist Denis Matsuev, both supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nézet-Séguin took over on short notice, earning him the prestigious New Year’s concert. This event is televised to millions of viewers. Nézet-Séguin, who holds multiple directorships, had not worked with the Vienna Philharmonic for five years before 2022.

Movie Review: 'The Plague' dives into a sink-or-swim water polo camp

The undercurrents of adolescent cruelty churn queasily in Charlie Polinger’s stylish first feature, “The Plague.” The title of Polinger’s film might bring to mind Stephen King or recent global history, but “The Plague” is set entirely around the clear, chlorinated pools and shadowy hallways of a water polo camp, circa 2003. Polinger’s talent for crafting ominous, murky atmospheres and perceptive adolescent dynamics make “The Plague” an auspicious debut feature, writes Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle. “The Plague” expands wide in theaters Friday.

Movie Review: Daisy Ridley holds onto hope in the zombie thriller ‘We Bury the Dead’

Daisy Ridley plays a woman searching for her probably dead husband in the new zombie thriller “We Bury the Dead.” The film imagines a world in which the U.S. accidentally detonates a weapon which leaves 500,000 people in and around Tasmania dead. But some are coming back to life. In her review for The Associated Press, film writer Lindsey Bahr writes that it is ultimately a movie about grief that seems to be unsure of how much it wants to go full zombie. “We Bury the Dead,” a Vertical release, is rated R and in theaters Friday.

Kennedy Center renaming prompts a new round of cancellations

The Kennedy Center is ending the year with a new round of artists saying they are canceling scheduled performances after President Donald Trump’s name was added to the facility. The institution’s president is accusing the performers of making their decisions because of politics. The Cookers, a jazz supergroup, announced their withdrawal from “A Jazz New Year’s Eve” on their website. Doug Varone and Dancers, a dance group based in New York, said they would pull out of a performance slated for April, saying they “can no longer permit ourselves nor ask our audiences to step inside this once great institution.” Musician Chuck Redd canceled a Christmas Eve performance last week.

Tyler Perry's accuser sent messages of gratitude and friendship years after alleged assault

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Text message screenshots obtained by The Associated Press show that Tyler Perry and “Boo! A Madea Halloween” actor Mario Rodriguez remained in contact years after Rodriguez claims Perry assaulted him. Rodriguez filed a lawsuit last week alleging assaults between 2014 and 2019. The text message screenshots show Rodriguez reaching out to Perry as recently as Thanksgiving 2024 and August 2025, expressing gratitude and discussing financial distress. Rodriguez said in a statement Monday that asking for help doesn’t mean abuse didn’t happen. Perry’s attorney called the lawsuit a "$77 million money grab scam.” Perry has denied the allegations.

AP Exclusive: China threatens detention in Xinjiang over banned Uyghur songs

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Authorities in China's Xinjiang region are threatening to detain residents over downloading, listening to and sharing Uyghur-language songs they consider sensitive. That's according to a recording of a public meeting obtained by The Associated Press. The tunes, ranging from traditional folk ballads to rap songs, are being targeted for allegedly threatening social stability, damaging the Chinese Communist Party’s reputation and bringing down the public’s morale, among other reasons. The renewed crackdown on cultural expression in Xinjiang suggests a continuation of the repressive policies over the past decade that have culminated in the extrajudicial detention, between 2017 and 2019, of at least 1 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz and Huis.