AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 9:09 a.m. EDT

Once punished for weaving, this Mexican artisan uses her loom for LGBTQ+ resistance

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Xaneri Merino, a transgender woman and artisan from southern Mexico, was once punished for weaving in her Indigenous community, where men are largely barred from weaving. Today, she uses the backstrap loom to explore identity and resilience while teaching others to turn weaving into a form of personal expression and LGBTQ+ resistance. Merino was expected to tend cattle or work in the fields. Yet her grandmother defied those rigid gender norms, passing on to her the ancestral practice of the backstrap loom — an ancient, portable device operated using a strap secured around the weaver’s waist.

Movie Review: In 'Michael,' the King of Pop is resurrected, sans complications

“Michael” slides a sequin glove over the pop star’s tarnished legacy, shrouding Michael Jackson’s complications with a conventional biopic that, if you cover your ears, sounds great, writes Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle in his review. Antoine Fuqua’s movie is sanctioned by Jackson’s estate and its producers include the estate's executors. So it is, by its nature, a narrow, authorized perspective on the King of Pop. “Michael” doesn’t even subtly nod to more difficult facts about Jackson's life. It moonwalks right past them. The result is a kind of fantasy film, one that relives the extraordinary highs of Michael Jackson while turning a blind eye to the lows.

Alan Osmond, the eldest member of the Osmonds, has died at 76

NEW YORK (AP) — Alan Osmond, the eldest member of the million-selling family act The Osmonds, has died after decades with multiple sclerosis. He died Monday at his Utah home at the age of 76. According to a family spokesperson, Alan’s wife and their eight sons were with him at the time of his death. The Osmond Brothers became regulars in the 1960s on “The Andy Williams Show,” where they made their name and forged their wholesome and peppy image. They peaked as a quintet in the early 1970s, as younger brother Donny Osmond became the breakout star. Alan Osmond helped write some of the Osmond Brothers' biggest hits, including “One Bad Apple.”

Virginia Evans and Susan Choi are among 6 finalists for the Women's Prize for Fiction

LONDON (AP) — Four debut novelists are among the six finalists for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction, announced Wednesday. The shortlist includes four American authors. Notable entries are Lily King’s “Heart the Lover” and Susan Choi’s “Flashlight.” Debut novels include Virginia Evans’ “The Correspondent” and Addie E. Citchens’ “Dominion.” British writers Marcia Hutchinson and Rozie Kelly also make the list. The finalists were chosen by a judging panel led by former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Gillard highlights the books’ exploration of power and life choices. Winners will be announced June 11 in London. Previous winners include Zadie Smith and Tayari Jones.

Zach Galifianakis brings humor to gardening in a Netflix series premiering on Earth Day

Zach Galifianakis has a new Netflix series on gardening and he's bringing a mix of sincerity and humor. "This Is a Gardening Show" premieres on Earth Day, April 22. There are six 15- to 20-minute episodes. Galifianakis has been a gardener for 25 years. On the show, he explores topics like tomatoes, root vegetables, foraging and compost with curiosity. Experts guide him and viewers through gardening techniques. There are also interactions with schoolkids that recall his satirical interviews with celebrities on the show “Between Two Ferns.” It's a blend of gardening knowledge and comedy.

Singer D4vd pleads not guilty to murder in death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Singer D4vd has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge in the death of a 14-year-old girl who authorities say was found dismembered in his Tesla last year. Los Angeles prosecutors said Monday that the 21-year-old singer whose legal name is David Burke was charged with first-degree murder and other charges in the killing of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. She was 13 when her family last saw her in 2024 and she was last known to be alive in April 2025. Her long-dead body was found in September. Burke's lawyers said after he was arrested Thursday that he did not kill Rivas Hernandez and they will defend his innocence.

South Korean police seek to arrest K-pop mogul behind BTS

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean police are seeking to arrest music mogul Bang Si-Hyuk, chairman of the agency behind K-pop supergroup BTS, as they expand an investment fraud investigation. Bang is under investigation over allegations that he misled investors in 2019 by telling them Hybe had no plans to go public, inducing them to sell their shares to a private equity fund before the company proceeded with an initial public offering. Police believe that the fund may have paid Bang around 200 billion won $136 million. Bang, a music executive and producer who founded Hybe as Big Hit Entertainment in 2005, is one of the most powerful figures in K-pop, overseeing some of the industry’s most popular acts, including Seventeen, Le Sserafim and Katseye.

A timeline leading up to D4vd's murder charge in the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alt-pop singer D4vd has been charged with sexually abusing, murdering, and mutilating a 14-year-old girl. Los Angeles County prosecutors say Celeste Rivas Hernandez's decomposed remains were found in his abandoned Tesla. The charges were filed Monday, but the allegations date back to 2023. That was just a year after the singer's first single made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart. D4vd's legal name is David Burke. His defense attorney pleaded not guilty on his behalf during an arraignment Monday. The timeline of events as described by prosecutors is interwoven with Burke's career. Rivas Hernandez was last heard from two days before Burke's debut album dropped.

Most fashion mannequins are about a size 2. The Met Gala exhibit is making room for diverse bodies

NEW YORK (AP) — The upcoming fashion exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art examines “the dressed body” in art over the centuries. But “Costume Art” also aims to include bodies that art has traditionally ignored. The museum has created 25 mannequins for display based on “real bodies.” Nine people modeled for the mannequins. Those include disability activist Sinéad Burke and body-positive lingerie designer Michaela Stark. Curator Andrew Bolton explains he's seeking to challenge centuries-old conceptions of beauty. The exhibit is launching with the May 4 Met Gala and opens to the public May 10. It runs until January 2027.