AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 9:22 a.m. EST

Eurovision plans changes to voting, security after allegations of Israeli government 'interference'

GENEVA (AP) — Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest say they’re changing the voting system of the popular musical extravaganza to ensure fairness. The announcement on Friday came in the wake of allegations of “interference” by Israel’s government. The European Broadcasting Union is a union of public broadcasters that runs the event. It says the changes were “designed to strengthen trust, transparency and audience engagement.” Israel has competed in Eurovision for more than 50 years and won four times. But calls for Israel to be kicked out swelled over the conduct of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza.

Mexico's bullied pageant contestant gets payback by capturing Miss Universe crown

BANGKOK (AP) — Fátima Bosch Fernández of Mexico has been crowned Miss Universe 2025. Her victory comes after a dramatic pageant in Bangkok, marked by controversy and solidarity. Bosch faced public bullying from a host, leading to a walkout by some competitors and a tearful apology from the organizer who set it all off. She expressed a desire to change the Miss Universe prototype and praised the pageant as a platform for women's voices. The first runner-up was Praveenar Singh of Thailand, with Stephany Adriana Abasali Nasser of Venezuela placing third. Bosch's win follows a tumultuous event, including allegations of rigging and other controversies.

The Weeknd's 'After Hours 'Til Dawn' Tour grosses over $1 billion, Live Nation says

NEW YORK (AP) — The Weeknd’s After Hours ’Til Dawn Tour has officially crossed the $1 billion mark according to Live Nation. The lengthy tour launched in Philadelphia in July 2022 and runs through September of next year. Live Nation says it has officially grossed $1.004 billion with approximately 7.55 million tickets sold across 153 tour dates. The entertainment company's data is pulled from presales and ticket sales reports as well as VIP and platinum sales reports, collected from March 4, 2022 through Nov. 14, 2025. The tour ends on September 6, 2026 at Estádio do Restelo in Lisbon, Portugal. The tour spans North America, Europe, Latin America and Australia.

Lainey Wilson wins entertainer of the year at 2025 CMA Awards

NEW YORK (AP) — The 2025 Country Music Association Awards were all about Lainey Wilson. The ‘Whirlwind’ singer hosted and performed at the award show. She also dominated it, winning female vocalist, album and entertainer of the year. Ella Langley's collaboration with Riley Green, “You Look Like You Love Me,” took home single and song of the year. The legendary Vince Gill was presented with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award by George Strait. Zach Top was awarded new artist of the year. The 59th annual CMA Awards were broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. It will become available to stream Thursday on Hulu.

Nobel laureate Han Kang's first nonfiction book in English to be released next spring

NEW YORK (AP) — Nobel laureate Han Kang's first nonfiction book in English, “Light and Thread,” is set for release next spring. Penguin Random House will publish it on March 24 in the U.S., the U.K., and other English-speaking countries. The book, published in Korea this year, is translated by Maya West, e. yaewon, and Paige Aniyah Morris. It includes Han's 2024 Nobel lecture, along with other writings and photographs. The title refers to a poem she wrote at age 8. Han is best known for her novel “The Vegetarian,” which won the International Booker Prize in 2016.

'Rental Family' spotlights real-life Japanese businesses that offer fill-in relatives, friends

TOKYO (AP) — “Rental Family,” a moving drama from Searchlight Pictures starring Brendan Fraser, is sure to spark interest in Japan’s real-life industry. The film, which opens in theaters Friday, centers on Phillip, an American actor who is recruited by a Tokyo “rental family” agency. It isn’t long before Phillip starts to become emotionally invested in what were supposed to be superficial relationships. The film’s Japanese supporting cast also bring to life the intense highs and lows of assuming a role in a stranger’s life. In reality, these niche businesses highlight how deeply people in Japan experience loneliness and worries about saving face.

Movie Review: Brendan Fraser is a middling actor with a winning heart in sweet drama ‘Rental Family’

In "Rental Family," Brendan Fraser plays a mediocre American actor struggling to get work in Tokyo after once scoring it big with a toothpaste commercial. He falls into a job with a “rental family” company that supplies actors to fill roles in people's lives — standing in as lovers, parents, friends or anywhere that human connection is missing. The film, directed and co-written by Hikari, raises tricky moral questions, especially when Phillip poses as a young girl's father. But few actors convey humanity and vulnerability better than Fraser, writes Associated Press critic Jocelyn Noveck. And it's these qualities that save the movie from crossing the line between heartwarming and sappy. Opens in theaters Friday.

$54.7M sale of Frida Kahlo self-portrait breaks auction record for female artists

A 1940 self-portrait by Frida Kahlo has sold for $54.7 million and made auction history at Sotheby’s in New York. Titled “El sueño (La cama),” the painting sold Thursday, surpassing the record for a work by any female artist. The record was held previously by Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1” at $44.4 million. The painting shows Kahlo asleep in a bed with a skeleton above her. Sotheby’s describes it as a meditation on the boundary between sleep and death. The painting is part of a sale featuring over 100 surrealist works.