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By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES, Dec 18 (Reuters) – Content creators across dance, music, sports, fashion, entertainment and education gathered in Hollywood on Thursday for the first U.S. TikTok Awards, featuring Labubu dolls launched from a T-shirt cannon, a giant selfie challenge, skits, and viral moment reenactments. The livestreamed ceremony on TikTok and Tubi, hosted by lifestyle influencer La La Anthony, crowned Keith Lee as “creator of the year” and honored Bretman Rock for “video of the year.” "TikTok provided me a platform to be able to show small businesses around the country," Lee, who creates family and small business content, said on stage while accepting his award. "It's hard to do something for myself, because I always put other people in front of me, but this is for me," he added. Other winners included DJ Paris Hilton, who took home the "muse of the year" award for inspiring others, and Jeremiah Brown, a former "Love Island USA" contestant, who took home the "rising star of the year" award. "A muse doesn't follow trends, we help create them," Hilton said during her acceptance speech on stage. The honor highlighting activism included the “For Good” award, given to Zach, a creator with Down syndrome who shares his life to promote inclusion, and his brother Pat Valentine, who educates audiences about the condition. Near the end of the night, Grammy-winning pop singer Ciara performed a compilation of her most popular songs, including "Goodies," "1,2 Step" and "Level Up." The ceremony marks a significant feat for social media app TikTok, as its Chinese parent company ByteDance, led by CEO Shou Zi Chew, reported on Thursday that a binding agreement has been made with three major investors to sell just over 80% of the company's U.S. assets to American and global investors to avoid a U.S. government ban. “I've been really involved with the opportunities to save TikTok from the very beginning," Alexandra Doten, who makes educational videos for TikTok, told Reuters on the carpet before the show began. "I was in DC talking about it, so I'm just so excited. This platform does so much to spark creativity and to make people smarter and more inspired," she added. The deal is a major step toward resolving years of uncertainty about the short video app's future in the United States since August 2020, when then President Donald Trump first tried unsuccessfully to ban the app that is now used regularly by more than 170 million Americans. The app faced a potential ban in the U.S due to risk of China's government exploiting the platform to spy on Americans and carry out covert influence operations. (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Alexandra Sarabia; Editing by Stephen Coates)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES, Dec 18 (Reuters) – Content creators across dance, music, sports, fashion, entertainment and education gathered in Hollywood on Thursday for the first U.S. TikTok Awards, featuring Labubu dolls launched from a T-shirt cannon, a giant selfie challenge, skits, and viral moment reenactments. The livestreamed ceremony on TikTok and Tubi, hosted by lifestyle influencer La La Anthony, crowned Keith Lee as “creator of the year” and honored Bretman Rock for “video of the year.” "TikTok provided me a platform to be able to show small businesses around the country," Lee, who creates family and small business content, said on stage while accepting his award. "It's hard to do something for myself, because I always put other people in front of me, but this is for me," he added. Other winners included DJ Paris Hilton, who took home the "muse of the year" award for inspiring others, and Jeremiah Brown, a former "Love Island USA" contestant, who took home the "rising star of the year" award. "A muse doesn't follow trends, we help create them," Hilton said during her acceptance speech on stage. The honor highlighting activism included the “For Good” award, given to Zach, a creator with Down syndrome who shares his life to promote inclusion, and his brother Pat Valentine, who educates audiences about the condition. Near the end of the night, Grammy-winning pop singer Ciara performed a compilation of her most popular songs, including "Goodies," "1,2 Step" and "Level Up." The ceremony marks a significant feat for social media app TikTok, as its Chinese parent company ByteDance, led by CEO Shou Zi Chew, reported on Thursday that a binding agreement has been made with three major investors to sell just over 80% of the company's U.S. assets to American and global investors to avoid a U.S. government ban. “I've been really involved with the opportunities to save TikTok from the very beginning," Alexandra Doten, who makes educational videos for TikTok, told Reuters on the carpet before the show began. "I was in DC talking about it, so I'm just so excited. This platform does so much to spark creativity and to make people smarter and more inspired," she added. The deal is a major step toward resolving years of uncertainty about the short video app's future in the United States since August 2020, when then President Donald Trump first tried unsuccessfully to ban the app that is now used regularly by more than 170 million Americans. The app faced a potential ban in the U.S due to risk of China's government exploiting the platform to spy on Americans and carry out covert influence operations. (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Alexandra Sarabia; Editing by Stephen Coates)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – Disney unit Lucasfilm on Thursday won its bid to throw out a London lawsuit over the use of the likeness of a long-dead actor in a Star Wars spinoff movie. Peter Cushing, who died in 1994, was "resurrected" as Death Star commander Grand Moff Tarkin for the 2016 film "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" using visual effects and another actor. He had appeared in the original 1977 "Star Wars" film, created by George Lucas, which became one of the most successful film franchises of all time. The movies have collected more than $5 billion in global ticket sales since the release of the first installment in 1977, and spinoffs are still being produced. Cushing had signed a deal with British company Tyburn Film Productions in 1993 to appear in a television film, an agreement Tyburn's lawyers said gave it "the right to be the first to 'resurrect' Mr Cushing by way of visual effects". Tyburn claimed it had lost around 250,000 pounds ($333,725) and sued Lucasfilm and fellow Disney subsidiary Lunak Heavy Industries at London's High Court for alleged unjust enrichment at its expense. Lucasfilm and Lunak, however, said the case was hopeless and unsuccessfully tried to have the case thrown out twice. But the Court of Appeal ruled in their favour on Thursday. Judge Sue Carr said that "it is impossible to identify anything at all that belonged to Tyburn which can be said to have been transferred" to Lucasfilm or Lunak, meaning the case could not continue. Lucasfilm did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ($1 = 0.7491 pounds) (Reporting by Sam Tobin, Editing by Louise Heavens)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Sam Tabahriti LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – British film and television performers have voted overwhelmingly to refuse digital body scans unless they are given stronger protections against artificial intelligence, the actors' union Equity said on Thursday. Digital body scans are increasingly used in film and TV for crowd scenes, stunt work, de-aging and virtual performances. They capture detailed facial and body features to create lifelike so-called digital doubles. Equity said 99.6% of members backed the move in an indicative ballot, with a turnout of 75% among more than 7,700 actors, stunt performers and dancers covered by agreements with trade body PACT, which represents most UK production companies. While the vote is not legally binding, the union warned it could call a statutory strike ballot if talks fail when they resume in January, threatening disruption to productions that account for about 90% of UK film and TV work. PACT, which negotiates with industry unions regarding pay and working conditions, said it had offered Equity AI terms consistent with those in other countries and said it would keep dialogue open as technology evolves. The vote underscores growing global concern over the use of AI to replicate performers' likenesses without consent or extra pay. U.S. actors' union SAG-AFTRA staged a four-month strike in 2023 over similar issues, which was estimated to have cost California more than $6 billion in lost output and forced studios to agree limits on AI use. "We need adequate AI protections which build on, not merely replicate, those agreed after the SAG-AFTRA strike in the USA over two years ago," Paul Fleming, the union's general secretary, said in a statement. Equity said it wants protections including explicit consent, transparency and fair remuneration. "With fresh AI proposals, significant movement on royalties, and a package of modern terms and conditions, PACT and allied producers can turn this around," Fleming added. The British Film Commission, the government agency responsible for supporting international film and TV production, said it would work with both sides to reach a solution. (Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; editing by William James)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Sam Tabahriti LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – British film and television performers have voted overwhelmingly to refuse digital body scans unless they are given stronger protections against artificial intelligence, the actors' union Equity said on Thursday. Digital body scans are increasingly used in film and TV for crowd scenes, stunt work, de-aging and virtual performances. They capture detailed facial and body features to create lifelike so-called digital doubles. Equity said 99.6% of members backed the move in an indicative ballot, with a turnout of 75% among more than 7,700 actors, stunt performers and dancers covered by agreements with trade body PACT, which represents most UK production companies. While the vote is not legally binding, the union warned it could call a statutory strike ballot if talks fail when they resume in January, threatening disruption to productions that account for about 90% of UK film and TV work. The vote underscores growing global concern over the use of AI to replicate performers' likenesses without consent or extra pay. U.S. actors' union SAG-AFTRA staged a four-month strike in 2023 over similar issues, which was estimated to have cost California more than $6 billion in lost output and forced studios to agree limits on AI use. "We need adequate AI protections which build on, not merely replicate, those agreed after the SAG-AFTRA strike in the USA over two years ago," Paul Fleming, the union's general secretary, said in a statement. Equity said it wants protections including explicit consent, transparency and fair remuneration. "With fresh AI proposals, significant movement on royalties, and a package of modern terms and conditions, PACT and allied producers can turn this around," Fleming added. (Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; editing by William James)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Sam Tabahriti LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – British film and television performers have voted overwhelmingly to refuse digital body scans unless they are given stronger protections against artificial intelligence, the actors' union Equity said on Thursday. Digital body scans are increasingly used in film and TV for crowd scenes, stunt work, de-aging and virtual performances. They capture detailed facial and body features to create lifelike so-called digital doubles. Equity said 99.6% of members backed the move in an indicative ballot, with a turnout of 75% among more than 7,700 actors, stunt performers and dancers covered by agreements with trade body PACT, which represents most UK production companies. While the vote is not legally binding, the union warned it could call a statutory strike ballot if talks fail when they resume in January, threatening disruption to productions that account for about 90% of UK film and TV work. The vote underscores growing global concern over the use of AI to replicate performers' likenesses without consent or extra pay. U.S. actors' union SAG-AFTRA staged a four-month strike in 2023 over similar issues, which was estimated to have cost California more than $6 billion in lost output and forced studios to agree limits on AI use. "We need adequate AI protections which build on, not merely replicate, those agreed after the SAG-AFTRA strike in the USA over two years ago," Paul Fleming, the union's general secretary, said in a statement. Equity said it wants protections including explicit consent, transparency and fair remuneration. "With fresh AI proposals, significant movement on royalties, and a package of modern terms and conditions, PACT and allied producers can turn this around," Fleming added. (Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; editing by William James)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – Disney unit Lucasfilm on Thursday won its bid to throw out a London lawsuit over the use of the likeness of a long-dead actor in a Star Wars spinoff movie. Peter Cushing, who died in 1994, was "resurrected" as Death Star commander Grand Moff Tarkin for the 2016 film "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" using visual effects and another actor. He had appeared in the original 1977 "Star Wars" film, created by George Lucas, which became one of the most successful film franchises of all time. The movies have collected more than $5 billion in global ticket sales since the release of the first installment in 1977, and spinoffs are still being produced. Cushing had signed a deal with British company Tyburn Film Productions in 1993 to appear in a television film, an agreement Tyburn's lawyers said gave it "the right to be the first to 'resurrect' Mr Cushing by way of visual effects". Tyburn claimed it had lost around 250,000 pounds ($333,725) and sued Lucasfilm and fellow Disney subsidiary Lunak Heavy Industries at London's High Court for alleged unjust enrichment at its expense. Lucasfilm and Lunak, however, said the case was hopeless and unsuccessfully tried to have the case thrown out twice. But the Court of Appeal ruled in their favour on Thursday. Judge Sue Carr said that "it is impossible to identify anything at all that belonged to Tyburn which can be said to have been transferred" to Lucasfilm or Lunak, meaning the case could not continue. Lucasfilm did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ($1 = 0.7491 pounds) (Reporting by Sam Tobin, Editing by Louise Heavens)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – Disney unit Lucasfilm on Thursday won its bid to throw out a London lawsuit over the use of the likeness of a long-dead actor in a Star Wars spinoff movie. Peter Cushing, who died in 1994, was "resurrected" as Death Star commander Grand Moff Tarkin for the 2016 film "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" using visual effects and another actor. He had appeared in the original 1977 "Star Wars" film, created by George Lucas, which became one of the most successful film franchises of all time. The movies have collected more than $5 billion in global ticket sales since the release of the first installment in 1977, and spinoffs are still being produced. Cushing had signed a deal with British company Tyburn Film Productions in 1993 to appear in a television film, an agreement Tyburn's lawyers said gave it "the right to be the first to 'resurrect' Mr Cushing by way of visual effects". Tyburn claimed it had lost around 250,000 pounds ($333,725) and sued Lucasfilm and fellow Disney subsidiary Lunak Heavy Industries at London's High Court for alleged unjust enrichment at its expense. Lucasfilm and Lunak, however, said the case was hopeless and unsuccessfully tried to have the case thrown out twice. But the Court of Appeal ruled in their favour on Thursday. Judge Sue Carr said that "it is impossible to identify anything at all that belonged to Tyburn which can be said to have been transferred" to Lucasfilm or Lunak, meaning the case could not continue. Lucasfilm did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ($1 = 0.7491 pounds) (Reporting by Sam Tobin, Editing by Louise Heavens)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(This story has been refiled to correct the caption in the images) By Steve Gorman and Jane Ross LOS ANGELES, Dec 17 (Reuters) – The younger son of Hollywood filmmaker and political luminary Rob Reiner made his first court appearance on Wednesday, charged with double murder in the stabbing deaths of his parents, but the arraignment was postponed for three weeks, and he did not enter a plea. Nick Reiner, 32, was ordered to return to Los Angeles County Superior Court for a continuation of his arraignment on January 7. No explanation was given in court for the delay in the hearing, which was requested by the defense. Bearded, wearing eyeglasses and garbed in a blue protective vest, he appeared in court three days after his arrest and a day after he was charged with one of the most shocking celebrity homicide cases in the city's history. He is accused of fatally stabbing his parents, actor-director Rob Reiner, 78, and photographer-producer Michele Reiner, 70, in the early morning hours of Sunday in the couple's mansion in the affluent west LA neighborhood of Brentwood, then fleeing the scene. The couple's bodies were discovered Sunday afternoon, hours before a planned evening gathering with former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, according to the former first lady. Nick Reiner, who has publicly acknowledged a years-long struggle with drug addiction, was arrested that night near a downtown Los Angeles park close to the University of Southern California campus. 'DEVASTATING TRAGEDY' Seated slightly slouched behind a glass partition in the courtroom, the defendant spoke little during his few minutes in court, saying only, "Yes, your honor," in a calm, clear voice when asked by Judge Theresa McGonigle if he agreed to waive his right to a speedy arraignment. Speaking briefly to reporters outside the courthouse afterward, defense attorney Alan Jackson offered no additional insight, saying the proceedings were merely being paused. "Today we're going to rest on where we stand procedurally, which is, this was a continuance of arraignment. Nothing happened today, substantively," he said. "This is a devastating tragedy that has befallen the Reiner family," Jackson added. "There are very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case. Those need to be thoroughly, but very carefully dealt with and examined." Family members were not present for the hearing. But Nick Reiner's two siblings, brother Jake Reiner, 34, and sister Romy Reiner, 27, issued a joint statement afterward, their first public comment since the killings. "Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day," the two wrote. "The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren't just our parents; they were our best friends." According to a New York Times account, it was Romy Reiner who found her father's body, after a massage therapist arriving at the house for an appointment failed to get an answer at the front gate and called the daughter for assistance. The daughter was unaware that her mother was also dead until after paramedics arrived, the Times reported, citing someone close to the family.    Authorities said Nick Reiner was taken into custody without incident on Sunday night, and was booked on suspicion of murder into a downtown jail, where he remains held with bond. According to various news media reports, he had lived in a guest house on his parents' property. If convicted as charged on two counts of first-degree murder, he would face life in prison without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty. District Attorney Nathan Hochman has said prosecutors have yet to decide whether to seek the death sentence.  Capital punishment remains on the books in California, but nobody has been put to death in the state since 2006, and Governor Gavin Newsom imposed an indefinite moratorium on executions in 2019. According to prosecutors, a knife was used in the Reiner killings, but few other details were given about the circumstances of the slayings. Authorities have made no mention of a possible motive or whether drug use was a factor. Various news media outlets have reported that Nick Reiner quarreled with his parents on Saturday night at a holiday party hosted by comedian Conan O'Brien.      Asked whether investigators had recovered the murder weapon, Hochman said on Tuesday that would be revealed in court. Autopsies, once completed, will determine the precise cause, manner and times of death, officials said. 'BEING CHARLIE' Nick Reiner has spoken of being in and out of drug rehab facilities since he was 15 and periods of homelessness that occurred when he refused to seek treatment for his addictions. Those experiences inspired the movie "Being Charlie," co-written by Reiner and his father. As an actor, Rob Reiner was best remembered for his role on the TV comedy "All in the Family" as Mike "Meathead" Stivic, the son-in-law and liberal foil of the lead character, working-class bigot Archie Bunker, played by Carroll O'Connor. Reiner went on to a prolific Hollywood career as a filmmaker, directing such popular movies as "This Is Spinal Tap," "The Princess Bride," "When Harry Met Sally…," "Stand by Me," "A Few Good Men," "Misery" and "The American President."   His final film, a sequel to the mockumentary "This Is Spinal Tap" was released this year, 41 years after the original. His wife, Michele, was at one time a photographer who captured the image of Donald Trump that appears on the cover of his book "Trump: The Art of the Deal." She and Rob Reiner met while he was directing "When Harry Met Sally" and wed in 1989. Rob Reiner, a native of New York City and son of the late comedy writer and actor Carl Reiner, also was well known for his political activism and as a supporter of the Democratic Party. He was first married to Penny Marshall, who starred in the TV sitcom "Laverne & Shirley," and was also a producer and director. He was the adoptive father to Marshall's daughter. (Reporting by Steve Gorman and Jane Ross in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Lisa Richwine, Rich McKay, Andrew Hay and Brad Brooks; Editing by David Gregorio)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(This story has been refiled to correct the caption in the images) By Steve Gorman and Jane Ross LOS ANGELES, Dec 17 (Reuters) – The younger son of Hollywood filmmaker and political luminary Rob Reiner made his first court appearance on Wednesday, charged with double murder in the stabbing deaths of his parents, but the arraignment was postponed for three weeks, and he did not enter a plea. Nick Reiner, 32, was ordered to return to Los Angeles County Superior Court for a continuation of his arraignment on January 7. No explanation was given in court for the delay in the hearing, which was requested by the defense. Bearded, wearing eyeglasses and garbed in a blue protective vest, he appeared in court three days after his arrest and a day after he was charged with one of the most shocking celebrity homicide cases in the city's history. He is accused of fatally stabbing his parents, actor-director Rob Reiner, 78, and photographer-producer Michele Reiner, 70, in the early morning hours of Sunday in the couple's mansion in the affluent west LA neighborhood of Brentwood, then fleeing the scene. The couple's bodies were discovered Sunday afternoon, hours before a planned evening gathering with former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, according to the former first lady. Nick Reiner, who has publicly acknowledged a years-long struggle with drug addiction, was arrested that night near a downtown Los Angeles park close to the University of Southern California campus. 'DEVASTATING TRAGEDY' Seated slightly slouched behind a glass partition in the courtroom, the defendant spoke little during his few minutes in court, saying only, "Yes, your honor," in a calm, clear voice when asked by Judge Theresa McGonigle if he agreed to waive his right to a speedy arraignment. Speaking briefly to reporters outside the courthouse afterward, defense attorney Alan Jackson offered no additional insight, saying the proceedings were merely being paused. "Today we're going to rest on where we stand procedurally, which is, this was a continuance of arraignment. Nothing happened today, substantively," he said. "This is a devastating tragedy that has befallen the Reiner family," Jackson added. "There are very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case. Those need to be thoroughly, but very carefully dealt with and examined." Family members were not present for the hearing. But Nick Reiner's two siblings, brother Jake Reiner, 34, and sister Romy Reiner, 27, issued a joint statement afterward, their first public comment since the killings. "Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day," the two wrote. "The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren't just our parents; they were our best friends." According to a New York Times account, it was Romy Reiner who found her father's body, after a massage therapist arriving at the house for an appointment failed to get an answer at the front gate and called the daughter for assistance. The daughter was unaware that her mother was also dead until after paramedics arrived, the Times reported, citing someone close to the family.    Authorities said Nick Reiner was taken into custody without incident on Sunday night, and was booked on suspicion of murder into a downtown jail, where he remains held with bond. According to various news media reports, he had lived in a guest house on his parents' property. If convicted as charged on two counts of first-degree murder, he would face life in prison without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty. District Attorney Nathan Hochman has said prosecutors have yet to decide whether to seek the death sentence.  Capital punishment remains on the books in California, but nobody has been put to death in the state since 2006, and Governor Gavin Newsom imposed an indefinite moratorium on executions in 2019. According to prosecutors, a knife was used in the Reiner killings, but few other details were given about the circumstances of the slayings. Authorities have made no mention of a possible motive or whether drug use was a factor. Various news media outlets have reported that Nick Reiner quarreled with his parents on Saturday night at a holiday party hosted by comedian Conan O'Brien.      Asked whether investigators had recovered the murder weapon, Hochman said on Tuesday that would be revealed in court. Autopsies, once completed, will determine the precise cause, manner and times of death, officials said. 'BEING CHARLIE' Nick Reiner has spoken of being in and out of drug rehab facilities since he was 15 and periods of homelessness that occurred when he refused to seek treatment for his addictions. Those experiences inspired the movie "Being Charlie," co-written by Reiner and his father. As an actor, Rob Reiner was best remembered for his role on the TV comedy "All in the Family" as Mike "Meathead" Stivic, the son-in-law and liberal foil of the lead character, working-class bigot Archie Bunker, played by Carroll O'Connor. Reiner went on to a prolific Hollywood career as a filmmaker, directing such popular movies as "This Is Spinal Tap," "The Princess Bride," "When Harry Met Sally…," "Stand by Me," "A Few Good Men," "Misery" and "The American President."   His final film, a sequel to the mockumentary "This Is Spinal Tap" was released this year, 41 years after the original. His wife, Michele, was at one time a photographer who captured the image of Donald Trump that appears on the cover of his book "Trump: The Art of the Deal." She and Rob Reiner met while he was directing "When Harry Met Sally" and wed in 1989. Rob Reiner, a native of New York City and son of the late comedy writer and actor Carl Reiner, also was well known for his political activism and as a supporter of the Democratic Party. He was first married to Penny Marshall, who starred in the TV sitcom "Laverne & Shirley," and was also a producer and director. He was the adoptive father to Marshall's daughter. (Reporting by Steve Gorman and Jane Ross in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Lisa Richwine, Rich McKay, Andrew Hay and Brad Brooks; Editing by David Gregorio)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)