Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Motor racing-F1 drivers defend Netflix series after Verstappen snub

Leading Formula One driver defended the popular Netflix “Drive to Survive” fly-on-the-wall series on Thursday after Red Bull’s championship leader Max Verstappen said he was snubbing it because he felt some of the rivalries were “faked”. The docu-series, now filming its fourth season, has been credited as a big factor in fuelling the sport’s growth in the United States.

It’s not Kanye, it’s Ye, after judge approves name change

Rapper Kanye West has won legal approval to officially shorten his name to Ye. The 44-year-old musician, record producer and fashion entrepreneur has used Ye as his Twitter handle for years and had petitioned a court to make it his full name with no middle name or last name. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michelle Williams Court approved his request on Monday, according to court documents.

Canadian musician wins Chopin Piano Competition

Canadian musician Bruce Xiaoyu Liu won the top prize at the prestigious International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw on Thursday. The decision came after several hours of deliberations by a 17-person international jury. The winner receives a 40,000 euro ($46,620) prize and gold medal.

Cult U.S. TV show ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ returns in post-pandemic world

After production was delayed due to COVID-19, “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” the cult U.S. TV show starring comedian Larry David as a fictionalized version of himself, is back for the 11th season, set in a world where the pandemic is history. At the show’s Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday night, the Brooklyn-born, bespectacled comedian was tight-lipped about the plot of the new season.

New Netflix animated series allows Saldaña to embrace Latin culture, birth name

The new Netflix animated series “Maya and the Three” has allowed its top voice actor, Zoe Saldaña, to reconnect with her Latin roots as well as her birth name. The show, which begins streaming on Friday, gathers together mythologies from Latin American cultures to tell an epic story of four heroes who set out to defeat the gods of the underworld.

Protesters denounce Netflix over Chappelle transgender comments

About 100 people protested near Netflix Inc’s headquarters on Wednesday against the streaming pioneer’s decision to release comedian Dave Chappelle’s new special, which they say ridicules transgender people. Netflix staff members, transgender rights advocates and public officials gathered on a sidewalk outside a Netflix office block away from the company’s main 13-story Sunset Boulevard building in Los Angeles.

Alec Baldwin fires prop gun on movie set, killing cinematographer

Actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun on a movie set in New Mexico on Thursday, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza, authorities said. The incident occurred on the set of the independent feature film “Rust,” the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office said in a statement, at the Bonanza Creek Ranch, a production location south of Santa Fe.

Actress Selma Blair’s struggles with MS depicted in new documentary

In October 2018, Selma Blair announced to her fans that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an incurable debilitating neurological condition in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves. The new documentary “Introducing, Selma Blair” details the American actress’ journey with the condition and follows her as she undertakes stem cell treatment.

Duran Duran drop new album 40 years after debut

When British pop band Duran Duran made their debut, they did not know how long they would last. But 40 years on, the new wave group are still going strong, releasing their 15th studio album, “Future Past”, on Friday. “We would never have expected to be still making music together after all this time. We were just kids and we came together in punk rock,” bassist John Taylor told Reuters.

London music venue Koko to re-open next spring after $96 million revamp

Historic London music venue KOKO, where the likes of Madonna, Prince, Amy Winehouse, and Coldplay have performed, will re-open next spring following a $100 million revamp. Located in Camden, in northern London, the site, originally a 19th-century theatre where Charlie Chaplin once took to the stage before it was turned into a broadcasting center, has been under construction and restoration for three years.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)