Entertainment News Roundup: Oscar-nominated 'Past Lives' was inspired by immigrant experience, director says; Taylor Swift mania hits Philippine classrooms and more

As the performer visits Asia this week, more than 300 students signed up for the elective course at the University of the Philippines, filling limited slots within minutes and prompting the administration to launch an extra class. Netflix taps 'Sherlock Holmes' producer Dan Lin as film division boss Netflix said on Wednesday Dan Lin, one of the producers of hit mystery thriller "Sherlock Holmes" and the Lego movies, will succeed Scott Stuber as its film division boss.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

US rapper Ja Rule 'devastated' at being denied entry to UK for tour

American rapper Ja Rule said he was "devastated" that he had been denied entry to Britain days before he was due to begin the opening leg of his international tour due to his criminal record. All the British performances of "The Sunrise Tour", including in London, Nottingham and Liverpool, were showing as cancelled on the Ticketmaster website. It was due to begin on March 1.

Oscar-nominated 'Past Lives' was inspired by immigrant experience, director says

Korean-Canadian director Celine Song said her life as an immigrant inspired the Oscar-nominated film "Past Lives", speaking ahead of its release in South Korean cinemas on Wednesday. Specifically, she drew on a conversation between her friend visiting from South Korea and her husband at a bar in New York, Song told a press conference in the capital, Seoul.

Richard Lewis, comic and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' regular, dies at 76

Comedian Richard Lewis, who rose to fame with his neurotic, self-deprecating wit and later appeared for more than two decades alongside Larry David on the hit HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm," has died at 76, his publicist said on Wednesday. The comic, who disclosed last year that he was battling Parkinson's disease, died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening after suffering a heart attack, publicist Jeff Abraham said.

A Minute With: the 'Dune: Part Two' cast on costumes, politics and veils

The sci-fi epic "Dune" saga, based on Frank Herbert's 1965 novel and starring Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, returns for its second installment this week in Denis Villeneuve's critically acclaimed film adaption. The Canadian director takes audiences back to the desert planet Arrakis for his follow-up to 2021's "Dune," with Chalamet's Paul Atreides joining forces with Zendaya's Chani and the Arrakis locals, known as the Fremen, to seek revenge against those who killed his father.

Off-White shows faux fur and beaded fringes at Paris Fashion Week

Off-White sent a playful, culture-blending lineup of fall/winter fashion down the catwalk on Thursday, showing styles decorated with colourful faux fur lining, beaded fringes and utility straps. Models marched down the runway in cinched coats with furry, lime-green collars, rugby shirts embedded with crystals and slender dresses that resembled basketball jerseys.

'Rust' assistant director praises armorer, takes blame for shooting

"Rust" first assistant director Dave Halls on Thursday testified that the movie's armorer was diligent in her work and he was ultimately to blame for the 2021 fatal shooting of the film's cinematographer as he did not do a final check on a gun. Halls was the first "Rust" crew member to praise armorer Hannah Gutierrez during her two-week involuntary manslaughter trial in which former colleagues have said she was less professional than other weapons handlers they had worked with.

Taylor Swift mania hits Philippine classrooms

The Taylor Swift craze has arrived in classrooms in the Philippine capital, with a premier university rolling out a celebrity studies course examining the singer and her impact on global pop culture. As the performer visits Asia this week, more than 300 students signed up for the elective course at the University of the Philippines, filling limited slots within minutes and prompting the administration to launch an extra class.

Netflix taps 'Sherlock Holmes' producer Dan Lin as film division boss

Netflix said on Wednesday Dan Lin, one of the producers of hit mystery thriller "Sherlock Holmes" and the Lego movies, will succeed Scott Stuber as its film division boss. The film industry veteran will begin on April 1 as chairman of Netflix Film and report to Bela Bajaria, Netflix's chief content officer.