PARIS — Actor George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney were granted French citizenship because “they contribute, through their distinguished actions, to France’s international influence and cultural outreach,” the French government said Wednesday, defending their naturalization that was questioned by a junior French minister. The naturalizations of the Kentucky-born star of the “Ocean’s” series of…
NEW YORK — The NBA saw its best Christmas Day viewership numbers in 15 years, the league announced Wednesday. More than 47 million people in the U.S. watched at least some of the five-game slate on ABC and ESPN, which represents a 45% increase over last year. And there was an average of 5.5 million…
Two iconic celebrations to ring in the New Year — the Rose Parade in Southern California and the midnight ball drop in New York City — are in for some rough weather. Marching bands, floats and throngs of spectators are bracing for a rare dose of New Year’s Day rain and even thunder at the…
NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — English actors Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton have welcomed their second child. Hiddleston confirmed the news to GQ in a feature published Monday. He described birth as the “most beautiful, profound, earth-shattering, life-altering” experience. He did not share his child’s birthday, but according to the feature, the interview…
Isiah Whitlock Jr., an actor who made frequent memorable appearances on the HBO series “The Wire” and “Veep” and in five films with director Spike Lee, died Tuesday. He was 71. Whitlock’s manager Brian Liebman told The Associated Press in an email that the actor died in New York after a short illness. Whitlock played…
For the first time in 20 years, rain is expected to intrude on the Rose Parade in Southern California, a venerable New Year’s Day event that attracts thousands of spectators and is watched by millions more on TV. Storms caused Christmas week flooding, mudslides and other miseries across the region. Now comes a 100% chance…
PARIS — The funeral for Brigitte Bardot will be held next week in Saint-Tropez, the glamorous French Riviera resort she helped make famous and where she lived for more than a half-century, local authorities said. The cinema star and animal rights activist died Sunday at the age of 91 at her home in southern France….
PARIS — Call them Monsieur and Madame Clooney. France’s government says that George Clooney, his wife Amal and their twins Ella and Alexander have been awarded French citizenship. The naturalizations of the Kentucky-born star of the “Ocean’s” series of heist movies and his family were announced last weekend in the Journal Officiel, where French government…
LOS ANGELES — Text messages show that Tyler Perry and “Boo! A Madea Halloween” actor Mario Rodriguez, who recently filed a lawsuit accusing the filmmaker of sexual assault, remained in contact years after Rodriguez alleges their interactions ended. Rodriguez alleged in the lawsuit filed last week in California that Perry assaulted him during encounters that…
LONDON — Britons ranging from Hollywood stars Idris Elba and Cynthia Erivo to a 102-year-old judo instructor have been named in King Charles III’s New Year’s honors list, an annual tradition that recognizes people for their contributions to U.K. public life. Elba, who starred as a drug dealer in “The Wire” and the president of…
