Entertainment News Roundup: TikTok signs music distribution deal with UnitedMasters; Hollywood slow to restart in pandemic and more

Theaters will remain closed, however, in some of the biggest movie-going markets including Los Angeles and New York, where local officials say the coronavirus risk remains too high to let cinemas resume. Only a fraction of movie and TV productions have resumed filming in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the United States, where coronavirus cases are rising.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Expect less extravagant shows in post-coronavirus world, ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus says

Extravagant musical productions such as "Mamma Mia!" will need to be scaled down when they go again after the coronavirus lockdowns end, ABBA star and Swedish pop impresario Bjorn Ulvaeus says. The 75-year old, who co-penned hits like "Waterloo" and "Dancing Queen" for ABBA with fellow member Benny Andersson and the band's manager Stig Anderson, has spent a lot of his time watching movies and listening to books during the pandemic, which has shut theatres and cinemas across the world. He has also found a new love in kayaking.

TikTok signs music distribution deal with UnitedMasters

TikTok is partnering with U.S. music distribution company UnitedMasters, a deal that will allow creators on the Chinese video sharing app to directly distribute their music to streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. The move comes days after President Donald Trump ordered TikTok's parent ByteDance to divest the U.S. operations of the video app within 90 days, ramping up pressure on the Chinese company over concerns about the safety of the personal data it handles.

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. accused of 2013 rape in lawsuit filed by unnamed woman

Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. has been accused of raping a woman twice in a New York City hotel room in 2013, according to a civil lawsuit filed on Tuesday. The woman, identified in the lawsuit only as "Jane Doe," said she met Gooding in a Manhattan bar in August 2013 and was invited to join him for drinks at a nearby hotel.

Can Russell Crowe and cut-price popcorn bring people back to U.S. movies?

AMC Theatres and other cinema chains will fire up projectors in some major U.S. cities this week, offering lower-priced admission, discounted popcorn and new safety measures to tempt audiences back to the movies despite the pandemic. Theaters will remain closed, however, in some of the biggest movie-going markets including Los Angeles and New York, where local officials say the coronavirus risk remains too high to let cinemas resume.

Lights, camera, not much action: Hollywood slow to restart in a pandemic

As home-bound audiences eagerly await new programming during the coronavirus pandemic, Hollywood has been slow to get cameras rolling again, even with quarantined sets and innovations such as love scenes using mannequins. Only a fraction of movie and TV productions have resumed filming in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the United States, where coronavirus cases are rising. Actors and crew members are unsure when projects might resume, and some expect they will not return to work until 2021.

Second man pleads not guilty in 'brazen' killing of Jam Master Jay

A second man pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges of murdering Run-DMC rapper Jam Master Jay in New York in 2002 in what prosecutors said was a brazen act of violence over a disputed drug deal. Ronald Washington, 56, who is currently serving a prison sentence for robbery, was charged along with Karl Jordan Jr. on Monday for the shooting death of the musician, whose real name was Jason Mizell, in his New York recording studio.

Independent counsel faults Chicago prosecutor's dismissal of Jussie Smollett case

A court-appointed independent counsel on Monday found Chicago prosecutors abused their discretion and may have violated legal ethics by dropping charges that former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett falsely reported he was attacked. The allegations are the latest twist in a dizzying swirl of claims and counter-claims in the case that began in January 2019 when Smollett, who is black and openly gay, told police he was accosted on a darkened street in a hate crime by two masked strangers. Belarus sacked director for backing protests.

His actors promptly resigned

For theatre director Pavel Latushko, the sight of detainees emerging from prison with bruises and complaining of punishment beatings convinced him to join mass protests against the Belarus government he once represented. Soon after he was sacked for his defiance, his troupe of actors handed in their resignations in solidarity.

Three producers out at Ellen DeGeneres TV show amid backstage turmoil

Three top producers on the "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" have exited the popular television talk show, Warner. Bros said on Monday, after an internal investigation into complaints of bullying, racism and sexual misconduct against them. A spokesperson for Warner Bros. Television, which produces the show, on Monday said that three senior producers had "parted ways" with the show.

(With inputs from agencies.)