Weinstein Reactions; Harvey’s Heart Problem; Univision Sold; Bloomberg Ad Blitz; 'Invisible Man' Review

What's news: Harvey Weinstein is heading to Rikers Island, Univision has been sold, Bloomberg's California ad blitz, coronavirus concerns spread, Berlin deals begin to take shape, Netflix adds a top 10 list, a memorial is held for Kobe and Gianna Bryant. Plus: ABC casting for a seniors-only Bachelor, and an obituary for Baby Peggy. --Alex Weprin [The Hollywood Reporter]( [The Hollywood Reporter]( Today In Entertainment FEBRUARY 25, 2020 What's news: Harvey Weinstein is heading to Rikers Island, Univision has been sold, Bloomberg's California ad blitz, coronavirus concerns spread, Berlin deals begin to take shape, Netflix adds a top 10 list, a memorial is held for Kobe and Gianna Bryant. Plus: ABC casting for a seniors-only Bachelor, and an obituary for Baby Peggy. --Alex Weprin What's news: Harvey Weinstein is heading to Rikers Island, Univision has been sold, Bloomberg's California ad blitz, coronavirus concerns spread, Berlin deals begin to take shape, Netflix adds a top 10 list, a memorial is held for Kobe and Gianna Bryant. Plus: ABC casting for a seniors-only Bachelor, and an obituary for Baby Peggy. --Alex Weprin [GUILTY] GUILTY +The Harvey Weinstein verdict: A jury of 12 men and women found former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty on two of the five potential criminal charges he faced in his New York County trial. Weinstein was convicted of criminal sexual assault in the first degree, based on the testimony of former Project Runway production assistant Miriam Haley, and rape in the third degree, based on the testimony of one-time aspiring actress Jessica Mann. [The story](. --Weinstein was immediately taken into custody to be sent to jail on Rikers Island, however, the ambulance he was riding in [was diverted]( to Bellevue Hospital after he suffered heart palpitations and high blood pressure. +The prosecution and the defense respond: [Speaking with reporters]( outside the courthouse, Weinstein attorney Arthur Aidala added that his client was "shocked but stoic at the same time" while listening to the verdict. "All he kept saying over and over again was, 'I'm innocent. I'm innocent. How could this happen in America? I'm innocent. I'm innocent,'" he said. --"This is the new landscape for survivors of sexual assault in America, and this is a new day," Manhattan D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr. said at a press conference after the verdict was announced. "Eight women who have changed the course of history in the fight against sexual violence. These are eight women who pulled our justice system into the 21st century by declaring: Rape is rape, and sexual assault is sexual assault, no matter what." +Weinstein's victims and accusers respond: Rose McGowan, Mira Sorvino and Rosanna Arquette were among those [who weighed in]( on the verdict... Ambra Gutierrez, who taped Weinstein in 2015 and provided evidence of his misconduct, [told THR's Jeremy Barr]( "I wanted to have a positive feeling about this situation," she said. "And I'm super happy, because it's like getting back all these years that I lost in the process of trying to get him to justice." --Annabella Sciorra, who testified on Jan. 23 that Weinstein raped her in the winter of 1993, [said in a statement](that her testimony was "painful but necessary." "I spoke for myself and with the strength of the 80-plus victims of Harvey Weinstein in my heart," she said on Monday. "While we hope for continued righteous outcomes that bring absolute justice, we can never regret breaking the silence. For in speaking truth to power we pave the way for a more just culture, free of the scourge of violence against women." +More reactions: Groups including Time's Up, Silence Breakers, RAINN, SAG-AFTRA and others [weighed in on the verdict](. "We owe a debt of gratitude to Mimi Haley, Jessica Mann, Annabella Sciorra, Dawn Dunning, Tarale Wulff and Lauren Young and all the Silence Breakers for their bravery and resolve as they faced this man in court," said Time's Up president and CEO Tina Tchen. "We continue to believe them — all of them — and continue to be in solidarity with them." +Here's Jeremy Barr with the scene from the courtroom: "At 11:28 AM on Monday morning, after 22 hours of deliberations, a buzzer sounded in the courtroom that notified the judge that the jurors had a message to send. Within about 15 minutes, the jury filed into the courtroom and the Weinstein verdict was read. Despite a prohibition on posting stories from inside the courtroom, several reporters tweeted the verdict, and everyone was off to the races. "After the verdict was read, several court officers surrounded Weinstein, but he didn’t budge. Appearing stunned, he slowly rose and was escorted out of the room by two cops. The next few hours were a blur of competing press conferences and speeches. Out on the street about an hour later, several of us walked alongside the jury foreman asking about him about the deliberation process, but none of the jurors wanted to talk." +From the world of politics: Speaking at the Berlin Film Festival, Hillary Clinton [told reporters]( of the verdict "I think the jury's decision speaks for itself... It was time for an accounting, and the jury clearly found that."... President Trump, addressing the matter at a press conference in India, told reporters "I was never a fan of Harvey Weinstein... I was just not a fan of his. I knew him a little bit. The people that liked him were the Democrats." +What's next? Weinstein's attorneys are appealing the verdict. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11, and faces at least five years in prison. ►Just in this morning: Univision has finally found a buyer. An investor group led by former Viacom CFO Wade Davis has agreed to acquire a 64 percent majority stake in Spanish-language media giant Univision Communications for an undisclosed sum. The group includes private equity firm Searchlight Capital and ForgeLight, with Davis set to run the company as CEO. Mexican TV giant Televisa has elected to retain its stake of about 36 percent. --Univision has been privately owned for more than a decade. Its investors, including Saban Capital Group, Madison Dearborn Partners and Providence Equity Partners, have been seeking at least a partial exit for a while and previously considered an initial public offering before market conditions made them change their mind. [The story](. ^Review: The Invisible Man. Todd McCarthy reviews the thriller remake of the horror classic "serves as a good start to the studio’s approach to re-mining its archives for franchise material." Quote: "[E]nterprising writer-director Leigh Whannell has imaginatively gone in a different direction by meeting the requirements of the title both literally and figuratively. At the same time, the movie stakes a claim for new mystery-horror territory worthy of a talent like Elisabeth Moss, who amplifies the qualities of the script with a top-shelf woman-in-severe-jeopardy performance." [The review](. Elsewhere in film... --Chris Evans[is in negotiations]( to play a key character in Little Shop of Horrors, the big-screen take of the cult movie-turned-Broadway musical being directed by Greg Berlanti. --The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood [took home the top prizes]( at the 2020 Movieguide Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry. --Bong Joon Ho's Parasite is [to get an April 8 launch]( on Hulu after its historic Oscar best picture victory. GUILTY +The Harvey Weinstein verdict: A jury of 12 men and women found former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty on two of the five potential criminal charges he faced in his New York County trial. Weinstein was convicted of criminal sexual assault in the first degree, based on the testimony of former Project Runway production assistant Miriam Haley, and rape in the third degree, based on the testimony of one-time aspiring actress Jessica Mann. [The story](. --Weinstein was immediately taken into custody to be sent to jail on Rikers Island, however, the ambulance he was riding in [was diverted]( to Bellevue Hospital after he suffered heart palpitations and high blood pressure. +The prosecution and the defense respond: [Speaking with reporters]( outside the courthouse, Weinstein attorney Arthur Aidala added that his client was "shocked but stoic at the same time" while listening to the verdict. "All he kept saying over and over again was, 'I'm innocent. I'm innocent. How could this happen in America? I'm innocent. I'm innocent,'" he said. --"This is the new landscape for survivors of sexual assault in America, and this is a new day," Manhattan D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr. said at a press conference after the verdict was announced. "Eight women who have changed the course of history in the fight against sexual violence. These are eight women who pulled our justice system into the 21st century by declaring: Rape is rape, and sexual assault is sexual assault, no matter what." +Weinstein's victims and accusers respond: Rose McGowan, Mira Sorvino and Rosanna Arquette were among those [who weighed in]( on the verdict... Ambra Gutierrez, who taped Weinstein in 2015 and provided evidence of his misconduct, [told THR's Jeremy Barr]( "I wanted to have a positive feeling about this situation," she said. "And I'm super happy, because it's like getting back all these years that I lost in the process of trying to get him to justice." --Annabella Sciorra, who testified on Jan. 23 that Weinstein raped her in the winter of 1993, [said in a statement](that her testimony was "painful but necessary." "I spoke for myself and with the strength of the 80-plus victims of Harvey Weinstein in my heart," she said on Monday. "While we hope for continued righteous outcomes that bring absolute justice, we can never regret breaking the silence. For in speaking truth to power we pave the way for a more just culture, free of the scourge of violence against women." +More reactions: Groups including Time's Up, Silence Breakers, RAINN, SAG-AFTRA and others [weighed in on the verdict](. "We owe a debt of gratitude to Mimi Haley, Jessica Mann, Annabella Sciorra, Dawn Dunning, Tarale Wulff and Lauren Young and all the Silence Breakers for their bravery and resolve as they faced this man in court," said Time's Up president and CEO Tina Tchen. "We continue to believe them — all of them — and continue to be in solidarity with them." +Here's Jeremy Barr with the scene from the courtroom: "At 11:28 AM on Monday morning, after 22 hours of deliberations, a buzzer sounded in the courtroom that notified the judge that the jurors had a message to send. Within about 15 minutes, the jury filed into the courtroom and the Weinstein verdict was read. Despite a prohibition on posting stories from inside the courtroom, several reporters tweeted the verdict, and everyone was off to the races. "After the verdict was read, several court officers surrounded Weinstein, but he didn’t budge. Appearing stunned, he slowly rose and was escorted out of the room by two cops. The next few hours were a blur of competing press conferences and speeches. Out on the street about an hour later, several of us walked alongside the jury foreman asking about him about the deliberation process, but none of the jurors wanted to talk." +From the world of politics: Speaking at the Berlin Film Festival, Hillary Clinton [told reporters]( of the verdict "I think the jury's decision speaks for itself... It was time for an accounting, and the jury clearly found that."... President Trump, addressing the matter at a press conference in India, told reporters "I was never a fan of Harvey Weinstein... I was just not a fan of his. I knew him a little bit. The people that liked him were the Democrats." +What's next? Weinstein's attorneys are appealing the verdict. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11, and faces at least five years in prison. ►Just in this morning: Univision has finally found a buyer. An investor group led by former Viacom CFO Wade Davis has agreed to acquire a 64 percent majority stake in Spanish-language media giant Univision Communications for an undisclosed sum. The group includes private equity firm Searchlight Capital and ForgeLight, with Davis set to run the company as CEO. Mexican TV giant Televisa has elected to retain its stake of about 36 percent. --Univision has been privately owned for more than a decade. Its investors, including Saban Capital Group, Madison Dearborn Partners and Providence Equity Partners, have been seeking at least a partial exit for a while and previously considered an initial public offering before market conditions made them change their mind. [The story](. ^Review: The Invisible Man. Todd McCarthy reviews the thriller remake of the horror classic "serves as a good start to the studio’s approach to re-mining its archives for franchise material." Quote: "[E]nterprising writer-director Leigh Whannell has imaginatively gone in a different direction by meeting the requirements of the title both literally and figuratively. At the same time, the movie stakes a claim for new mystery-horror territory worthy of a talent like Elisabeth Moss, who amplifies the qualities of the script with a top-shelf woman-in-severe-jeopardy performance." [The review](. Elsewhere in film... --Chris Evans[is in negotiations]( to play a key character in Little Shop of Horrors, the big-screen take of the cult movie-turned-Broadway musical being directed by Greg Berlanti. --The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood [took home the top prizes]( at the 2020 Movieguide Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry. --Bong Joon Ho's Parasite is [to get an April 8 launch]( on Hulu after its historic Oscar best picture victory. [Bloomberg's California Ad Blitz] Bloomberg's California Ad Blitz ►Bloomberg's TV ad blitz buries Democrats in California. Ahead of the 14 states that vote in the March 3 Super Tuesday primaries, the billionaire candidate has dramatically outspent the rest of the Democratic in campaign advertisements, Erik Hayden writes. In California, the single biggest delegate prize with 416, Bloomberg has already spent $63.2 million in TV ads across cable, broadcast and satellite as of Feb. 24, per Advertising Analytics, which tracks candidate spending. --To compare, the only candidate who's in the same ballpark is fellow billionaire candidate Tom Steyer, who has spent $27.2 million on television ads in California, or less than half of what Bloomberg is spending, the research firm finds. Meanwhile, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has spent just $6.3 million in TV ads in the state so far. [The story](. The spread of the coronavirus is beginning to impact the entertainment business in a serious way... ►Mission: Impossible VII halts filming due to coronavirus outbreak. The upcoming Mission: Impossible film has stopped production in Venice, Italy due to an outbreak in the country. Italy has more than 150 confirmed cases, with the government closing Venice's carnival celebrations. Paramount says it made the call "out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our cast and crew." [The story](. +Paramount delays Sonic the Hedgehog China release amid coronavirus outbreak. The studiohas postponed the Feb. 28 release of the film in China as the nation's movie theaters shutter amid the outbreak. [More](. +Entertainment stocks tumble as coronavirus crisis spreads. Shares in Walt Disney fell by $5.96, or nearly 4.3 percent, to $133.01 after its Hong Kong and Shanghai theme parks remain closed to curb the spread of coronavirus and the studio's live-action remake of Mulan, set for release in China on March 27, faces a costly delay if cinemas in that market don't open soon. [The full story](. +Half of Italian cinemas closed due to coronavirus. As Italy’s highest box office sales are geographically concentrated in the Lazio region and upwards, the effects of the shutdown on the entertainment industry have already been devastating. Box office sales were down 44 percent over the past weekend compared to the previous frame and down 30 percent compared to the same weekend last year. [More](. ►Netflix to introduce Top 10 lists of most popular titles. The list, which will reflect viewing in each country, will update daily and popularity will be calculated every 24 hours, viewable on the Netflix home screen. In addition to the overall list, there also will be lists for the top 10 films and top 10 TV shows. Both original and licensed programming will be featured in the lists. [More](. ►The Love, Simon TV series is on the move. Officially titled Love, Victor, the series that was developed and produced for Disney+ will follow High Fidelity and make the jump to Hulu. Additionally, a writers room has already been opened for season two of the series in a move that shows Disney's faith after seeing cuts of all 10 completed episodes of its upcoming debut. [The story.]( Elsewhere in TV... --Is a senior Bachelor in the works? During a commercial break on Monday's episode of The Bachelor, the network [flashed a casting call](for "seniors looking for love." There's no title for the project, but the ABC casting page offered a few more details: "Are you entering your golden years and looking for romance? The Producers of The Bachelor are looking for active and outgoing single men and women in their golden for a new exciting dating show." --Daniel Fienberg reviews the [FX/Hulu series Devs](. --Piers Wenger, controller of BBC Drama, [told reporters](in London on Monday that the British public broadcaster is the "primary incubator of storytelling talent in the U.K." and has a key role to play in the streaming age. --THR In Studio: Stassi Schroeder on Vanderpump Rules new cast members, and how she sees the series evolving. [Watch](. --Ratings: Two of AMC's biggest shows [returned Sunday]( to fairly healthy ratings: The Walking Dead and Better Call Saul each topped their most recent outings in total viewers and the cabler's key demographics. Bloomberg's California Ad Blitz ►Bloomberg's TV ad blitz buries Democrats in California. Ahead of the 14 states that vote in the March 3 Super Tuesday primaries, the billionaire candidate has dramatically outspent the rest of the Democratic in campaign advertisements, Erik Hayden writes. In California, the single biggest delegate prize with 416, Bloomberg has already spent $63.2 million in TV ads across cable, broadcast and satellite as of Feb. 24, per Advertising Analytics, which tracks candidate spending. --To compare, the only candidate who's in the same ballpark is fellow billionaire candidate Tom Steyer, who has spent $27.2 million on television ads in California, or less than half of what Bloomberg is spending, the research firm finds. Meanwhile, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has spent just $6.3 million in TV ads in the state so far. [The story](. The spread of the coronavirus is beginning to impact the entertainment business in a serious way... ►Mission: Impossible VII halts filming due to coronavirus outbreak. The upcoming Mission: Impossible film has stopped production in Venice, Italy due to an outbreak in the country. Italy has more than 150 confirmed cases, with the government closing Venice's carnival celebrations. Paramount says it made the call "out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our cast and crew." [The story](. +Paramount delays Sonic the Hedgehog China release amid coronavirus outbreak. The studiohas postponed the Feb. 28 release of the film in China as the nation's movie theaters shutter amid the outbreak. [More](. +Entertainment stocks tumble as coronavirus crisis spreads. Shares in Walt Disney fell by $5.96, or nearly 4.3 percent, to $133.01 after its Hong Kong and Shanghai theme parks remain closed to curb the spread of coronavirus and the studio's live-action remake of Mulan, set for release in China on March 27, faces a costly delay if cinemas in that market don't open soon. [The full story](. +Half of Italian cinemas closed due to coronavirus. As Italy’s highest box office sales are geographically concentrated in the Lazio region and upwards, the effects of the shutdown on the entertainment industry have already been devastating. Box office sales were down 44 percent over the past weekend compared to the previous frame and down 30 percent compared to the same weekend last year. [More](. ►Netflix to introduce Top 10 lists of most popular titles. The list, which will reflect viewing in each country, will update daily and popularity will be calculated every 24 hours, viewable on the Netflix home screen. In addition to the overall list, there also will be lists for the top 10 films and top 10 TV shows. Both original and licensed programming will be featured in the lists. [More](. ►The Love, Simon TV series is on the move. Officially titled Love, Victor, the series that was developed and produced for Disney+ will follow High Fidelity and make the jump to Hulu. Additionally, a writers room has already been opened for season two of the series in a move that shows Disney's faith after seeing cuts of all 10 completed episodes of its upcoming debut. [The story.]( Elsewhere in TV... --Is a senior Bachelor in the works? During a commercial break on Monday's episode of The Bachelor, the network [flashed a casting call](for "seniors looking for love." There's no title for the project, but the ABC casting page offered a few more details: "Are you entering your golden years and looking for romance? The Producers of The Bachelor are looking for active and outgoing single men and women in their golden for a new exciting dating show." --Daniel Fienberg reviews the [FX/Hulu series Devs](. --Piers Wenger, controller of BBC Drama, [told reporters](in London on Monday that the British public broadcaster is the "primary incubator of storytelling talent in the U.K." and has a key role to play in the streaming age. --THR In Studio: Stassi Schroeder on Vanderpump Rules new cast members, and how she sees the series evolving. [Watch](. --Ratings: Two of AMC's biggest shows [returned Sunday]( to fairly healthy ratings: The Walking Dead and Better Call Saul each topped their most recent outings in total viewers and the cabler's key demographics. [Kobe Bryant Memorial] Kobe Bryant Memorial ►A memorial for Kobe and Gianna Bryant was held at the Staples Center Monday. More than 20,000 people were in attendance to remember the NBA legend and his teenage daughter. Jimmy Kimmel, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal were among the speakers. [More](. +Vanessa Bryant delivered a 21 minute eulogy for her husband and daughter. "Babe, you take care of our Gigi. And I got Nati, Bibi and Coco," she said. "We're still the best team. May you both rest in peace and have fun in heaven until we meet again on day. We love you both and miss you. Forever and always, mommy." [The eulogy](. +Beyoncé opened the "Celebration of Life" with a performance of her 2013 hit "XO," accompanied by a choir and orchestra. "I'm here because I love Kobe and this was one of his favorite songs," the superstar told the crowd, before encouraging them to sing along. The Grammy winner then sang her 2008 ballad "Halo." [More](. After a slow start, the European Film Market is picking up pace as it enters the final stretch, with a series of big deals suggesting the upward trend seen at AFM and Sundance is continuing in Berlin... ►STXfilms closed one of the market's biggest pre-buys, taking rights in North American, Latin American and China for a reported 8-figure sum for the star-studded action thriller Gunpowder Milkshake, inking a deal with Studiocanal and UTA Independent Film Group. [The story](. ►IFC takes James D'Arcy's Made in Italy for U.S. Liam Neeson plays a rare non-action role in the comedy, which IFC will bow theatrically in the U.S. this summer. [More](. ►Netflix snaps up Cate Blanchett's refugee drama Stateless for worldwide. The news was announced from Berlin ahead of the show's premiere in the Berlinale Series. From Dirty Films and NBCUniversal International Studios' Matchbox Pictures, Stateless is set to launch on ABC in Australia on March 1 and premiere on Netflix across the rest of the world later this year. [The story](. +Reviews: [Siberia](... [Black Milk (Schwarze Milch)](... [Delete History (Effacer l'historique)](... [Kill It and Leave This Town (Zabij to i wyjedz z tego miasta)](... [Dispatches From Elsewhere](... In other legal news... ►Comcast faces trial for monopolizing local ad sales. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals revives an antitrust case against the cable TV giant while rejecting a test proposed by the Justice Department about when it's improper for companies to refuse to sell to rivals. [The story](. ►Vanessa Bryant sues helicopter operator for wrongful death in crash that killed Kobe. The NBA star's widow, who also lost her teenage daughter in the crash, says Island Express Helicopters and its pilot are responsible for the deadly Jan. 26 crash. [The story](. +Jussie Smollett pleads not guilty to restored charges. The former Empire star has repeatedly denied police allegations that he staged the attack to get attention and further his career. [More](. Revolving door: Long-time ABC marketing executive Rebecca Daugherty is [stepping down](after more than 30 years at the network... Dee Dee Myers will [exit her post]( at Warner Bros as as executive vp of worldwide corporate communications and public affairs... Models Amelia Gray and Delilah Belle Hamlin [have signed]( with UTA and its influencer management company Digital Brand Architects... Tribeca Film Festival owner Tribeca Enterprises [has tapped]( National Geographic veteran Tammy Bordeaux as senior vp partnerships... Enderby Entertainment [has hired]( Cam Cannon as its vp of production and development... ^How California's NDA restrictions cause more harm than good for survivors. In a guest column for THR, attorneys Jill Basinger and Michael L. Smith argue that a law designed to protect sexual assault and harassment victims from forced silence is instead removing their ability to opt for privacy — the exact opposite of its intention. [The column](. ►Revisiting Lindbergh and Winchell ahead of The Plot Against America. In a guest column for THR, Brandeis University professor Thomas Doherty, author of an upcoming book about the Lindbergh kidnapping, weighs in ahead of the premiere of HBO's limited series adaptation of Philip Roth's novel. [The column](. MGM/UA Television [has signed]( Oscar-winning actor Sam Rockwell and producing partner Mark Berger's Play Hooky Productions to a first-look pact... Lake Bell has[signed a pod deal]( with the Disney Television Studios unit 20th TV, which produces her ABC series Bless This Mess. Under the deal, her Lake Bell Prod. will develop series projects for the studio... ►What exactly is Xbox's new "smart delivery"? Microsoft explains. The new offering, which will allow gamers to "buy a game once" and play it across both the current-generation console Xbox one and the upcoming next-gen Xbox Series X, was met with excitement (and questions) from fans. The tech company answers a few from THR's Patrick Shanley. [More](. Obituaries: Diana Serra Cary, the silent film sensation known as Baby Peggy whose career in Hollywood came to a crashing halt when she was the ripe old age of six, has died. She was 101. Cary, who from 1921 through 1924 appeared in as many as 150 short films and a handful of popular features, died Monday in Gustine, California, according to Rena Kiehn of the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum. [The obituary](. +And: NASA says Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who worked on NASA’s early space missions and was portrayed by Taraji P. Henson in the film Hidden Figures, about pioneering black female aerospace workers, has died. In a Monday morning tweet, the space agency said it celebrates her 101 years of life and her legacy of excellence and breaking down racial and social barriers. [The obituary](. Casting roundup: CBS has found two of the title characters in its comedy pilot The Three of Us. Oliver Hudson and Malin Akerman [will star](in the multi-camera comedy as brother and sister... Ana Gasteyer [has joined]( NBC's comedy pilot American Auto from Superstore creator Jusitn Spitzer... Seann William Scott [has signed on]( for a series-regular role in the Fox comedy pilot This Country... What else we're reading... --"Why Hank Azaria won't play Apu on The Simpsons anymore" [[NY Times](] --"Toy industry looks to YouTube talent for next generation of merchandise" [[WSJ](] --"Baby Shark and Chicken Girl enter Ryan’s World as Nickelodeon bids for social media lift" [[Forbes](] --"Phil is doing his best to give Bernie his due": After a Sanders surge and a Matthews gaffe, MSNBC prepares to pivot" [[Vanity Fair](] Today's birthdays: Ric Flair, 71, Chelsea Handler, 45, Jameela Jamil, 34, Julio Iglesias Jr., 47, Sean Astin, 49. Kobe Bryant Memorial ►A memorial for Kobe and Gianna Bryant was held at the Staples Center Monday. More than 20,000 people were in attendance to remember the NBA legend and his teenage daughter. Jimmy Kimmel, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal were among the speakers. [More](. +Vanessa Bryant delivered a 21 minute eulogy for her husband and daughter. "Babe, you take care of our Gigi. And I got Nati, Bibi and Coco," she said. "We're still the best team. May you both rest in peace and have fun in heaven until we meet again on day. We love you both and miss you. Forever and always, mommy." [The eulogy](. +Beyoncé opened the "Celebration of Life" with a performance of her 2013 hit "XO," accompanied by a choir and orchestra. "I'm here because I love Kobe and this was one of his favorite songs," the superstar told the crowd, before encouraging them to sing along. The Grammy winner then sang her 2008 ballad "Halo." [More](. After a slow start, the European Film Market is picking up pace as it enters the final stretch, with a series of big deals suggesting the upward trend seen at AFM and Sundance is continuing in Berlin... ►STXfilms closed one of the market's biggest pre-buys, taking rights in North American, Latin American and China for a reported 8-figure sum for the star-studded action thriller Gunpowder Milkshake, inking a deal with Studiocanal and UTA Independent Film Group. [The story](. ►IFC takes James D'Arcy's Made in Italy for U.S. Liam Neeson plays a rare non-action role in the comedy, which IFC will bow theatrically in the U.S. this summer. [More](. ►Netflix snaps up Cate Blanchett's refugee drama Stateless for worldwide. The news was announced from Berlin ahead of the show's premiere in the Berlinale Series. From Dirty Films and NBCUniversal International Studios' Matchbox Pictures, Stateless is set to launch on ABC in Australia on March 1 and premiere on Netflix across the rest of the world later this year. [The story](. +Reviews: [Siberia](... [Black Milk (Schwarze Milch)](... [Delete History (Effacer l'historique)](... [Kill It and Leave This Town (Zabij to i wyjedz z tego miasta)](... [Dispatches From Elsewhere](... In other legal news... ►Comcast faces trial for monopolizing local ad sales. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals revives an antitrust case against the cable TV giant while rejecting a test proposed by the Justice Department about when it's improper for companies to refuse to sell to rivals. [The story](. ►Vanessa Bryant sues helicopter operator for wrongful death in crash that killed Kobe. The NBA star's widow, who also lost her teenage daughter in the crash, says Island Express Helicopters and its pilot are responsible for the deadly Jan. 26 crash. [The story](. +Jussie Smollett pleads not guilty to restored charges. The former Empire star has repeatedly denied police allegations that he staged the attack to get attention and further his career. [More](. Revolving door: Long-time ABC marketing executive Rebecca Daugherty is [stepping down](after more than 30 years at the network... Dee Dee Myers will [exit her post]( at Warner Bros as as executive vp of worldwide corporate communications and public affairs... Models Amelia Gray and Delilah Belle Hamlin [have signed]( with UTA and its influencer management company Digital Brand Architects... Tribeca Film Festival owner Tribeca Enterprises [has tapped]( National Geographic veteran Tammy Bordeaux as senior vp partnerships... Enderby Entertainment [has hired]( Cam Cannon as its vp of production and development... ^How California's NDA restrictions cause more harm than good for survivors. In a guest column for THR, attorneys Jill Basinger and Michael L. Smith argue that a law designed to protect sexual assault and harassment victims from forced silence is instead removing their ability to opt for privacy — the exact opposite of its intention. [The column](. ►Revisiting Lindbergh and Winchell ahead of The Plot Against America. In a guest column for THR, Brandeis University professor Thomas Doherty, author of an upcoming book about the Lindbergh kidnapping, weighs in ahead of the premiere of HBO's limited series adaptation of Philip Roth's novel. [The column](. MGM/UA Television [has signed]( Oscar-winning actor Sam Rockwell and producing partner Mark Berger's Play Hooky Productions to a first-look pact... Lake Bell has[signed a pod deal]( with the Disney Television Studios unit 20th TV, which produces her ABC series Bless This Mess. Under the deal, her Lake Bell Prod. will develop series projects for the studio... ►What exactly is Xbox's new "smart delivery"? Microsoft explains. The new offering, which will allow gamers to "buy a game once" and play it across both the current-generation console Xbox one and the upcoming next-gen Xbox Series X, was met with excitement (and questions) from fans. The tech company answers a few from THR's Patrick Shanley. [More](. Obituaries: Diana Serra Cary, the silent film sensation known as Baby Peggy whose career in Hollywood came to a crashing halt when she was the ripe old age of six, has died. She was 101. Cary, who from 1921 through 1924 appeared in as many as 150 short films and a handful of popular features, died Monday in Gustine, California, according to Rena Kiehn of the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum. [The obituary](. +And: NASA says Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who worked on NASA’s early space missions and was portrayed by Taraji P. Henson in the film Hidden Figures, about pioneering black female aerospace workers, has died. In a Monday morning tweet, the space agency said it celebrates her 101 years of life and her legacy of excellence and breaking down racial and social barriers. [The obituary](. Casting roundup: CBS has found two of the title characters in its comedy pilot The Three of Us. Oliver Hudson and Malin Akerman [will star](in the multi-camera comedy as brother and sister... Ana Gasteyer [has joined]( NBC's comedy pilot American Auto from Superstore creator Jusitn Spitzer... Seann William Scott [has signed on]( for a series-regular role in the Fox comedy pilot This Country... What else we're reading... --"Why Hank Azaria won't play Apu on The Simpsons anymore" [[NY Times](] --"Toy industry looks to YouTube talent for next generation of merchandise" [[WSJ](] --"Baby Shark and Chicken Girl enter Ryan’s World as Nickelodeon bids for social media lift" [[Forbes](] --"Phil is doing his best to give Bernie his due": After a Sanders surge and a Matthews gaffe, MSNBC prepares to pivot" [[Vanity Fair](] Today's birthdays: Ric Flair, 71, Chelsea Handler, 45, Jameela Jamil, 34, Julio Iglesias Jr., 47, Sean Astin, 49. [Image] [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( Is this e-mail not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( ©2020 The Hollywood Reporter. 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 All rights reserved. FEBRUARY 25, 2020 [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [MANAGE PREFERENCES]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [TERMS OF USE](