AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 12:09 p.m. EST

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. However, the text message screenshots show Rodriguez reaching out to Perry as recently as Thanksgiving 2024 and August 2025, expressing gratitude and discussing financial distress. Perry’s attorney, Alex Spiro, called the lawsuit a "$77 million money grab scam.” Perry has denied the allegations. The lawsuit follows a separate case by actor Derek Dixon, who also accused Perry of misconduct. Perry also has denied those claims.

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.

'Avatar' and 'Marty Supreme' propel strong ticket sales to wrap a turbulent 2025 for Hollywood

NEW YORK (AP) — Hollywood has wrapped up a turbulent 2025 with big ticket sales for “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and “Marty Supreme." As expected, James Cameron’s latest trip to Pandora dominated ticket sales over a busy holiday weekend in theaters. It collected an estimated $88 million over the four-day Christmas-to-Sunday period. But much of the heat in theaters over the holiday weekend belonged to “Marty Supreme." Josh Safdie’s 1950s-set table tennis drama collected $27.1 million over the four-day weekend. It's a smash success for the indie studio. Hollywood is ending a rough year with its best Christmas Day box office since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

What music and television to stream: A New Year's Eve tradition

The end of the year brings fewer new streaming options, but it's a great time to catch up on 2025's best movies, TV, music, and games. The Associated Press offers comprehensive guides on its Year in Review page. One standout this week is a music and television option perfect for New Year's Eve. On Dec. 31, you can enjoy all-star performances. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” is available to stream on ABC.com. Performers include Chappell Roan, 50 Cent, Diana Ross, Chance the Rapper, and many more.

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Jan. 4-10 includes Coco Jones and Bradley Cooper

Celebrities having birthdays during the week of Jan. 4-10 include singer-actor Coco Jones, actor Bradley Cooper and dancer and talk show host Carrie Ann Inaba. “Mad Men” actor January Jones turns 48, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” actor Eddie Redmayne reaches 44 and “Saturday Night Live” comedian Kate McKinnon hits 42. Other celebrities with big days include singer-rapper Aloe Blacc, actor Jeremy Renner and country singer John Rich of Big and Rich. Actor David Caruso turns 70, TV anchor Katie Couric reaches 69 and actor-singer Cynthia Erivo hits 39. Other musicians celebrating include singer Rod Stewart, singer-keyboardist Donald Fagen of Steely Dan and singer Pat Benatar.

Hounded by photographers for years, Bardot identified with the animals she later set out to save

PARIS (AP) — Brigitte Bardot, who has died at 91, often said that the hounding she received from the world's press in her years as a sex symbol of the 1960s made her identify with hunted and abused animals. So it was that the sultry star of “And God Created Woman” and many other films reinvented herself as a militant animal rights activist, devoting herself to protecting animals across the globe. But while she was initially lauded and honored for her work, she was later repeatedly convicted of inciting racial hatred and several towns removed statues of Marianne — the bare-breasted symbol of the French republic — that were modeled on Bardot.

A muse for musicians: 11 songs inspired by Brigitte Bardot

NEW YORK (AP) — The 1960s French sex symbol, actor, singer and animal welfare activist Brigitte Bardot has died. She was 91. With the alliterative cadence of her name and synonymity with a kind of classic beauty, Bardot was also a muse to many, particularly musicians. In songs, Bardot is often not Bardot the woman, but a symbol for desire. She appears in songs across language and genre. A small selection includes Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Caetano Veloso, Elton John, The Pretenders, Kali Uchis and Jorja Smith, Liz Phair, Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and even her own song with Serge Gainsbourg.

Brigitte Bardot, 1960s French sex symbol turned militant animal rights activist, dies at 91

PARIS (AP) — French 1960s sex symbol Brigitte Bardot has died at age 91. Bardot became one of the greatest screen sirens of the 20th century and later a militant animal rights activist. She died on Sunday at her home in southern France. Bardot rocketed to international stardom in the 1956 movie “And God Created Woman.” The film was directed by then husband Roger Vadim. It triggered a scandal with scenes of the long-legged beauty dancing on tables naked. Bardot earned her compatriots’ respect as an animal rights activist. She was awarded the nation’s highest honor. But Bardot later fell from public grace as her animal protection diatribes took on a decidedly extremist tone and her far-right political views sounded racist.

'The past gives comfort': Finding refuge on analog islands amid deepening digital seas

As technology distracts, polarizes and automates, people are still finding refuge on analog islands in the digital sea. The holdouts span the generation gaps, uniting elderly and middle-aged enclaves born in the pre-internet times with the digital natives raised in the era of online ubiquity. They are setting down devices to paint, color, knit and play board games. Others carve out time to mail birthday cards and salutations written in their own hand. Some drive cars with manual transmissions while surrounded by automobiles increasingly able to drive themselves. And a widening audience is turning to vinyl albums, resuscitating an analog format that was on its deathbed 20 years ago.