Entertainment News Roundup: Striking Hollywood writers, studios to return to bargaining table; Emmys pushed to January as Hollywood strikes press on and more

Robertson, who left his Toronto home at age 16 to pursue his rock'n'roll dreams, died Wednesday in Los Angeles after a long illness, Robertson's manager of 34 years, Jared Levine, said in a statement. Disney CEO reaches out to striking Hollywood creatives with 'deep respect' Walt Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger on Wednesday said he was committed to finding a solution to the Hollywood writer and actor strikes, citing his "deep respect" for creative professionals, as he signaled a turn from comments that inflamed tensions last month.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Striking Hollywood writers, studios to return to bargaining table

Negotiators for striking Hollywood writers and the major studios will return to the bargaining table on Friday, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) said as the strike marked more than 100 days. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the group representing Walt Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros Discovery and other studios, is expected to provide responses to proposals from the WGA, the union said in a statement on Thursday.

Emmys pushed to January as Hollywood strikes press on

The 75th Emmy Awards ceremony has been postponed to Jan. 15, the Television Academy and broadcast network Fox said on Thursday, as Hollywood writers and actors strike over labor disputes with major studios. The Emmys were originally slated to air on Fox on Sept. 18 and nominations for the highest honors in television were announced in July, just before the dual work stoppage was declared.

Kuwait bans 'Barbie' and 'Talk to Me' films - state news agency

Kuwait has banned "Barbie" and "Talk to Me" films to protect "public ethics and social traditions", the state news agency said early on Thursday. The Gulf country followed in the footsteps of Lebanon, which on Wednesday also moved to ban the film "Barbie" from being screened in the country.

Disney hikes streaming prices, focuses on costs as Iger moves to reassure investors

Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger acknowledged that the entertainment company faces a “challenging environment” in the near term on Wednesday, but he emphasized progress in cutting costs and focusing on creativity, even as quarterly results showed Disney's soft spots. Disney’s stock rose nearly 3% in after-hours trading, as Iger touted $1 billion in operating-income improvement at the company’s streaming business over the last three quarters, which is aiming for profitability in 2024.

'Searching for Sugar Man' singer Sixto Rodriguez dead at 81

Sixto Rodriguez, an American singer-songwriter whose outsized popularity in South Africa inspired the Oscar-winning documentary "Searching for Sugar Man," passed away on Tuesday at the age of 81, a website dedicated to him said on Wednesday. The Detroit-based Rodriguez did not know how popular he had become in South Africa, where his songs became anthems for the anti-apartheid struggle in the 1970s. Back in the United States, success had eluded him.

Canadian rapper sentenced to 10 years in prison in Megan Thee Stallion shooting

Canadian rapper Tory Lanez was sentenced on Tuesday to 10 years in prison, more than seven months after he was convicted of shooting fellow musical artist Megan Thee Stallion during an argument in 2020. Judge David Herriford handed down the sentence to the 30-year-old rapper, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, during a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court that had been pushed back by delays.

Robbie Robertson, songwriting force in rock group The Band, dies at 80

Robbie Robertson, the guitarist and main songwriter in The Band, the Canadian-American group known for songs including "The Weight" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," has died at the age of 80, his manager said on Wednesday. Robertson, who left his Toronto home at age 16 to pursue his rock'n'roll dreams, died Wednesday in Los Angeles after a long illness, Robertson's manager of 34 years, Jared Levine, said in a statement.

Disney CEO reaches out to striking Hollywood creatives with 'deep respect'

Walt Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger on Wednesday said he was committed to finding a solution to the Hollywood writer and actor strikes, citing his "deep respect" for creative professionals, as he signaled a turn from comments that inflamed tensions last month. Iger last month told striking actors that their demands were "not realistic."

Lebanon moves to ban 'Barbie' film for 'promoting homosexuality'

Lebanon's culture minister moved to ban the film "Barbie" from cinemas on Wednesday, saying it "promotes homosexuality" and contradicts religious values. Minister Mohammad Mortada is backed by powerful Shi'ite armed group Hezbollah, whose head Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has ramped up his rhetoric against the LGBT community, referring in a recent speech to Islamic texts that call for punishing offenders with death.