Actor and activist George Takei is taking on a new role as honorary chair of Banned Books Week.

Robert Redford, who died Tuesday at 89, transformed the film industry with the Sundance Institute and Film Festival.

The Netherlands has joined several countries urging the Eurovision Song Contest to exclude Israel due to its actions in Gaza.

Hundreds of prominent Hollywood figures have signed onto a pledge to boycott some Israeli film institutions.

The Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival is back for its 23rd year, celebrating Black filmmakers, actors and tastemakers.

Just days after an unexploded World War II bomb near Paris’ Gare du Nord briefly stole headlines, a different kind of spectacle unfolded across the street: Louis Vuitton’s fashion show extravaganza Monday evening.

While surveying a room packed with Hollywood’s most influential figures, “Emilia Pérez” star Selena Gomez took center stage at the Academy Women’s Luncheon to spotlight a critical issue: Prioritizing mental health and supporting underserved communities often left behind in the conversation.

A woman who pleaded guilty to the killing of entertainment consultant and social justice advocate Michael Latt last November has been sentenced to 35 years to life in prison.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization behind the Oscars, announced 17 people elected to its board of governors Monday.

This week’s new streaming entertainment releases include an album from Paul McCartney & Wings, Jake Gyllenhaal starring in his first TV role as a prosecutor accused of murder in “Presumed Innocent," and actor Andrew McCarthy sets out to reconnect with some of this fellow Brat Pack alum.

Former Manhattan prosecutor Linda Fairstein and Netflix have announced they’ve settled the defamation lawsuit she filed four years ago over her portrayal in the streaming service’s miniseries about the five Black and Latino teenagers known as the now-exonerated Central Park Five.

Welcome to the 96th Oscars.

The success of the African American Film Critics Association didn’t happen overnight.

Cue all the “did ‘Barbie’ direct itself” snark.

A woman charged with killing a high-profile entertainment marketing consultant in his Los Angeles home has pleaded not guilty.

Ava DuVernay’s “Origin” takes a heavyweight work of historical and sociological inquiry and transforms it into a deeply humanistic drama and globe-trotting detective story.

The hundreds of television series on U.S. broadcast, cable and streaming platforms are the subject of a new list — one that scores them for their diversity and inclusion.

Kris Bowers grew up in Los Angeles, just a few minutes away from The World Stage performance space, and immersed in jazz.

Prosecutors say a high-profile entertainment marketing consultant was targeted by a woman who had been stalking one of his friends, a film director, before she fatally shot him inside his Los Angeles home.

Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein drama “Maestro,” Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla Presley movie, Michael Mann’s “Ferrari,” David Fincher’s “The Killer” and Ava DuVernay’s “Origin” will be making their world debuts at the Venice International Film Festival this fall.

“Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda hopes to increase diversity on Broadway and in theaters across the country with a new initiative announced Thursday.

The night before the Oscars, many of Hollywood’s biggest stars were not early to bed before the show.

Books are an easy gift choice, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be fresh.

“A Wrinkle in Time,” the classic sci-fi coming-of-age tale, has been adapted into a film, a TV movie, opera, several plays and a graphic novel.

Actor Marlee Matlin, director Jason Reitman and producer Jason Blum are joining the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The world knows the city of Selma, Alabama, as a historic beacon in the struggle for voting rights.

As we all know, February is Black History Month, so it’s a great time to brush up on Black history and educate yourself.

Will Smith wouldn’t seem an obvious candidate for a mid-life crisis.

In this world, there’s a book for everybody.

This week’s new entertainment releases include new albums from Ed Sheeran and The War on Drugs as well as “Army of Thieves,” a prequel to Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead,” which invites viewers to join a Europe-trotting heist.

A major Hollywood strike could be on the horizon for some 60,000 behind-the-scenes workers in the entertainment industry.

It's premiere time for the film academy's long-awaited museum.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, Oprah Winfrey, Ava DuVernay, Riz Ahmed, Dua Lipa, Andra Day and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson all won honors Tuesday at the Webby Awards, which recognize the best internet content and creators.

Inspired by the racial justice protests of 2020, Jahm Najafi is ready to shed his normally low profile to make some headlines for his partnerships and philanthropy.

Director Haile Gerima appears at the 65th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Sept. 2, 2008, left, and Sophia Loren arrives at the Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Oct. 27, 2019. Loren and independent filmmaker Haile Gerima will be honored with special awards by the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. (Photos by Andrew Medichini/AP, left, and Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is assembling a star-studded cast for its opening gala in September. Italian screen legend Sophia Loren and independent filmmaker Haile Gerima will be honored with special awards, and Tom Hanks, Annette Bening and Bob Iger are being saluted for their efforts to raise $388 million for the long gestating museum, the organization said Monday. Designed by architect Renzo Piano, The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is located at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue in the historic Saban Building.

She’s only the second woman in the history of the Globes to win, and the first since Barbra Streisand won for “Yentl” in 1984. Its star, guerilla comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, also won best actor in a comedy. “The Queen's Gambit” won best limited series, and best actress in the category for Anya Taylor-Joy. “Schitt's Creek,” the Pop TV series that found a wider audience on Netflix, won best comedy series for its final season. Catherine O'Hara also took best actress in a comedy series.

As we all know, February is Black History Month, so it’s a great time to brush up on Black history and educate yourself.

Bruce Springsteen, left, appears with former President Barack Obama during their podcast of conversations recorded at Springsteen's home studio in New Jersey. The eight-episode series covers their upbringings, racism, fatherhood and even recall a White House singalong around a piano. (Rob DeMartin/Spotify via AP)NEW YORK – Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen are teaming up for an eight-episode Spotify podcast series, swapping stories about their upbringings and even a White House singalong around a piano. The seemingly offbeat relationship between the former president and rock star began when Springsteen performed benefits for Obama during his presidential campaigns. Springsteen uses a few of those guitars during the course of the podcast.

FILE - In this May 1, 2019, file photo, actress Carol Sutton arrives at the World Premiere of "Poms" in Los Angeles. Sutton, a fixture on stages in her native New Orleans who built a steady career on the big and small screens, including roles in the 1989 comedy Steel Magnolias and the TV series Queen Sugar, has died Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, from complications from COVID-19, according to New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Sutton was 76. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)(AP) – Actor Carol Sutton, a fixture on stages in her native New Orleans who built a steady career on the big and small screens, including roles in the 1989 comedy “Steel Magnolias” and the TV series “Queen Sugar,” has died from complications from COVID-19, according to New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Sutton was 76.

NEW YORK – Former President Barack Obama, already a million-selling author, is also a prize-winning author. During the ceremony, Obama and historian Ron Chernow, a former PEN board president, will discuss freedom of expression and the importance of truth in a world of misinformation. Obama’s previous books include “Dreams from My Father” and “The Audacity of Hope.”“As an organization of writers, we have always seen President Obama not just as a leader, but as one of us: an author. His probing and evocative narratives helped introduce the world to his unique background, and the power of his life experience as a prompt toward a more pluralistic and encompassing society,” PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said in a statement. PEN presented its first Voice of Influence Award in 2019 to filmmaker Ava DuVernay.

NEW YORK – One of the five teens wrongly imprisoned for the assault on a Central Park jogger has a memoir coming out in the spring. The five Black and Latino teens were coerced into confessing to a rape they didn’t commit in 1989. Ken Burns made a documentary about them and Ava DuVernay directed a Netflix series. “One of the most powerful lessons I learned while being wrongfully incarcerated was that instead of going through something, I was going to grow through something," Salaam said in a statement. “Punching the Air,” co-written by Ibi Zoboi, came out in September.

NEW YORK – Filmmaker Ava DuVernay will be honored next month by MacDowell, which is presenting its inaugural Marian MacDowell Arts Advocacy Award to her media company and arts collective ARRAY. The award is named for the co-founder of MacDowell, the century-old artist residency in Peterborough, New Hampshire, where James Baldwin, Leonard Bernstein and many others have been visiting fellows. DuVernay, known for such acclaimed movies as “Selma” and “13th," founded ARRAY in 2012 as a way of amplifying the work of women and people of color. “I am touched that our narrative change collective ARRAY, which is built upon a mission to articulate and amplify stories from the widest range of art makers, is being honored in Ms. MacDowell’s name,” DuVernay said in a statement Sunday. Actress and former chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, Jane Alexander, will present the award.

I want to commend them for trying and for putting together a criteria because we know criteria is a way to counter bias, said Smith. Five years ago, the film academy endeavored to significantly diversify its own membership. The best picture adjustment is just one of the effort. Others include implementing a set 10 best picture nominees starting at the 94th Oscars and mandatory unconscious bias training for academy members. The best picture standards were specifically designed to be flexible and give latitude to filmmakers.

This image released by BBC America shows Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in a scene from "Planet Earth: A Celebration." The special debuts at 8 p.m. EDT Monday, Aug. 31, on BBC America, AMC, SundanceTV and IFC. (BBC Studios/BBC America via AP)

Heres a collection curated by The Associated Press entertainment journalists of whats arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. Infused with a hip-hop energy and a solidly anarchic spirit, Get Duked! is the directorial debut of music video director Ninian Doff. Katy Perry says shes been on a real emotional, psychological and spiritual journey... to find my smile in the last three years since releasing her Witness album. AP Music Editor Mesfin FekaduTELEVISIONWhether the new season of CBS Love Island includes any version of love remains to be seen, but its definitely not on an island. Love Island, with host Arielle Vandenberg and narrator Matthew Hoffman, debuts 8 p.m. EDT Monday with a two-hour episode, followed by nightly episodes at 9 p.m. EDT.

And on Tuesday, Winfrey announced she had chosen Isabel Wilkerson's exploration of race and hierarchy in the U.S., Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, as her latest book club pick. Wilkerson's book, Winfrey said in a telephone interview, could change the way we see each other, how we see our humanity and the structure of our world." Caste continues Winfrey's book club partnership with Apple that began last fall and includes such previous picks as Ta-Nehisi Coates' novel The Water Dancer and the nonfiction Hidden Valley Road, by Robert Kolker. Winfrey said many details in Caste were revelatory for her, such as the Nazis' admiration for the Jim Crow system. She read Caste a few months ago, before bound, printed copies were available.

https://t.co/32oodfc238 Ava DuVernay (@ava) July 3, 2020This was the moment it all changed for me. Had been watching thinking, Oh this is very cool. Then, this moment with John, Lafayette + Hercules hits and I suddenly was watching @Lin_Manuel change everything. #Hamilfilm #HamiltonFilm https://t.co/2IR14JXOQV Ava DuVernay (@ava) July 3, 2020She later defended Miranda against critics who accused Hamilton of being a "feel-good" story and a "falsification of history." https://t.co/sBwBQYUi1s Ava DuVernay (@ava) July 3, 2020Meanwhile, Jimmy Fallon tweeted his excitement on Friday. Watch the video below for more:RELATED CONTENT:How to Watch 'Hamilton' on Disney Plus'Hamilton' Cast on Why the Musical Is Relevant Now More Than EverLin-Manuel Miranda Reveals Lyrics Cut From 'Hamilton' for Disney Plus

LOS ANGELES Colin Kaepernick is joining with Emmy-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay on a Netflix drama series about the teenage roots of the former NFL players activism. Colin in Black & White will examine Kaepernick's high school years to illuminate the experiences that shaped his advocacy, Netflix said Monday. Too often we see race and Black stories portrayed through a white lens, Kaepernick said in a statement. Writing by on the six-episode series was completed in May, the streaming service said. Kaepernick will appear as himself as the limited series' narrator, Netflix said.

Colin Kaepernick's adolescent life is getting the Netflix treatment. The former NFL star's years in high school are being turned into a new scripted limited series, Netflix announced on Tuesday. Colin in Black & White, from Kaepernick and Ava DuVernay, was conceived in 2019, and recently completed writing in May. Michael Starrbury will write and serve as executive producer, alongside DuVernay and Kaepernick, who will appear as himself as narrator of the series. "With his act of protest, Colin Kaepernick ignited a national conversation about race and justice with far-reaching consequences for football, culture and for him, personally," DuVernay said in a statement.

In this image released by NBC, Jason Beghe portrays Hank Voight, left, in a scene from the crime series "Chicago PD." The divide between crime fiction and real life dates back to the genre's origins, more than 200 years ago. Law enforcement violence and corruption were extreme in the mid-19th century and some police forces were rooted in the patrols that used to chase down runaway slaves. Meanwhile, The police in early crime fiction were depicted as good, courageous, and brilliant, says Otto Penzler, the crime fiction publisher and bookseller. Over the past 50 years, the image of law enforcement has sometimes mirrored debates between liberals and conservatives.

LOS ANGELES Filmmaker Ava DuVernay has been elected to the film academys Board of Governors for the first time. The academy has increased the number of women and people of color on the board. Incumbent governors reelected include Whoopi Goldberg, Dolemite Is My Name screenwriter Larry Karaszewski and Participant Media CEO David Linde among others. The organization that puts on the Oscars said that the number of women on the board has gone from 25 to 26 and people of color from 11 to 12. The Board of Governors represent each of the academys 17 branches and work to set the organizations strategy, finances and fulfillment of its mission.

Ava DuVernay has sifted through hours of horrific footage while making films which highlight racial inequality. In Mondays episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, DuVernay, who is behind such films as 13th, Selma and When They See Us, shared why Floyds death brought me to my knees and what shes now doing to further help fight racial injustice. So, it was really shocking to me why the George Floyd video just brought me to my knees." See more on DuVernay and other celebrities and filmmakers supporting the Black Lives Matter movement below. RELATED CONTENT:Jennifer Lopez, YG, Madonna & More Protest George Floyd's DeathJennifer Aniston Donates Nearly $1 Million to Racial Justice CharitiesBeyonc Hopes for 'Real Change' In Moving Commencement Speech

Netflix‘13th’Directed by Ava DuVernay (she’ll come up again in this list), the documentary shows you how America changed after the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, but also kickstarted the prison boom in America. ‘Moonlight’This Oscar-winning picture tells the story of a young black gay man living in Miami. chronicles the Central Park Five, a group of young black teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of a crime they didn’t commit. The documentary tells the story of the days of protests, unrest and riots that followed. It’s a great film that shows how two different groups of people can react to fatal police shootings.

Selma was nominated for Best Picture and won Best Original Song -- "Glory," by Common and John Legend -- at the 87th Academy Awards. It also received four Golden Globe Award nominations, including Best Motion Picture Drama, Best Director and Best Actor, and won for Best Original Song. The 2016 documentary film directed by Raoul Peck is based on James Baldwin's unfinished manuscript Remember This House. I Am Not Your Negro was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 89th Academy Awards and won the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary. Gran Olsson/Swedish TelevisionThe Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975How to Watch: The Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975 is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video and is available to rent on digital.