Entertainment News Roundup: Singer Lizzo denies creating hostile environment for dancers; 'Rust' film armorer waives hearing, shooting case may now go to trial and more

In a court filing, Gutierrez's lawyer Jason Bowles waived the hearing set for Aug. 9-16 at which a judge was to decide whether there were grounds for a trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering in connection with Hutchins' death. No agreement between striking Hollywood writers, studios on resuming talks, WGA says Writers Guild of America (WGA) negotiators met on Friday with representatives of the major studios for the first time in a three-month strike by Hollywood writers to discuss whether contract talks can resume, but the guild said no agreement was reached.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Soccer-Natalie Portman says "theatre" of soccer perfect venue to fight for gender equity

Natalie Portman said she never dreamed of owning a professional sports team, but that changed when the Oscar-winning actress noticed the way one of her sons viewed female soccer players with the same "admiration and fandom" as male players. Israeli-American Portman is the co-founder of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) team Angel City and is in Australia for the ongoing Women's World Cup along with many of the club's co-owners and staff.

Singer Lizzo denies creating hostile environment for dancers

Grammy-winning singer Lizzo on Thursday denied claims made in a lawsuit filed by three of her former dancers that she created a hostile work environment by engaging in denigrating behavior and body-shaming, calling the accusations "false" and "outrageous." Lizzo's response on the social media platform X comes two days after the dancers filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court. It alleges harassment based on sex, religion, race and disability.

'Rust' film armorer waives hearing, shooting case may now go to trial

“Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez on Friday waived her right to a preliminary hearing, allowing charges against her over the 2021 shooting death of the movie's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, to move toward a possible trial. In a court filing, Gutierrez's lawyer Jason Bowles waived the hearing set for Aug. 9-16 at which a judge was to decide whether there were grounds for a trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering in connection with Hutchins' death.

No agreement between striking Hollywood writers, studios on resuming talks, WGA says

Writers Guild of America (WGA) negotiators met on Friday with representatives of the major studios for the first time in a three-month strike by Hollywood writers to discuss whether contract talks can resume, but the guild said no agreement was reached. The WGA said in a statement to its members that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which negotiates on behalf of Walt Disney, Netflix, said it needed to consult with member studios before moving forward.

Vancouver movie workers get creative with side hustles amid Hollywood shutdown

Twin strikes by Hollywood actors and writers have put the damper on Vancouver's summer of movie magic, forcing the industry's creative minds to turn to sometimes surprising side hustles to ride out the tough times. Known as "Hollywood North," the city of Vancouver and its province of British Columbia comprise one of the largest film production centers in North America. Generating about C$3.6 billion in revenue ($2.7 billion) in 2022, it provides employment for a whole host of camera operators, logistics coordinators, animators, chefs and more.

New York park erupts in chaos as live streamer's giveaway goes awry

Thousands of people overran New York City's Union Square and the surrounding streets on Friday in a chaotic scene after a popular live streamer announced a "giveaway" event, with police struggling to contain fans throwing projectiles and injuring officers. The event was promoted by Kai Cenat, best known for his live streams on the gaming site Twitch and YouTube videos. He had earlier announced a "huge giveaway" on his Instagram account for 4 p.m. ET (2000 GMT) at the Manhattan park.

'Bohemian Rhapsody' piano, other Freddie Mercury belongings to be auctioned

Fans of Freddie Mercury might wonder if this is the real life, or just fantasy, when they walk into a near-replica of his London home, where thousands of items belonging to the late Queen frontman will be on exhibition starting Friday. Rare items including handwritten lyrics, art and collectibles from Mercury's London home, Garden Lodge, have been looked after by his close friend Mary Austin since his death from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991.

(With inputs from agencies.)