AP Entertainment NewsBrief at 3:57 a.m. EST

(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oscar animators ready to be taken seriouslyBEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) _ In the animated feature film category at this year's Oscars, there's a film set in medieval Scotland, another that features old-school video game characters, one that relies heavily on dry British humor, while the other two take inspiration from the supernatural. It's not exactly kid stuff _ and that's how the directors like it.

Winfrey, `Beasts' actress honored at Essence lunchBEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) _ Nine-year-old Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis toted a plush, dog-shaped purse with jeweled handles as she rubbed shoulders with Oprah Winfrey and Alfre Woodard. The star of best-picture contender "Beasts of the Southern Wild" was among the honorees Thursday at Essence magazine's sixth annual Black Women in Hollywood awards luncheon.

Large coats a mainstay for next winter from MilanMILAN (AP) _ Many of the fashions displayed on the Milan runway Thursday had a yesteryear appeal _ but with a contemporary edge. Coats are a mainstay for next winter, many of them oversized with accentuated cuffs _ part of a trend toward architectural references in clothing. Fur coats and jackets make the biggest comeback in many a season, perhaps appealing to new markets in cold weather climates, and certainly fitting for the snowy Milan weather.

Nielsen to begin counting broadband viewing homesNEW YORK (AP) _ The company that measures television viewership said Thursday it will soon begin counting people who watch programming through broadband in addition to the traditional broadcast or cable hook-up. Nielsen's move is a significant step toward recognizing a world where the definition of TV viewing is swiftly changing and toward satisfying clients concerned that the company isn't keeping up with those changes. Separately, Nielsen is developing ways to track content on tablets and mobile phones.

Schenkkan, O'Brien win award honoring Sen. KennedyNEW YORK (AP) _ Dan O'Brien's "The Body of an American" and Robert Schenkkan's "All the Way" have been named the inaugural winners of a theater award honoring the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy. Columbia University on Friday said the playwrights will share the award and $100,000, one of the largest prizes given for dramatic writing.

David Gregory re-ups as 'Meet the Press' hostNEW YORK (AP) _ David Gregory has re-upped as host of "Meet the Press." NBC News shared no details, but described the new deal as "a long-term commitment." Blues guitarist Magic Slim dies in Pa. at age 75Magic Slim, a younger contemporary of blues greats Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf who helped shape the sound of Chicago's electric blues, died Thursday. He was 75. He died shortly after midnight Thursday at a Philadelphia hospital, said his manager, Marty Salzman. The musician had health problems that worsened while he was on tour several weeks ago in Pennsylvania, Salzman said.

Diane Lane, Josh Brolin divorcing after 8 yearsNEW YORK (AP) _ Diane Lane and Josh Brolin are divorcing after eight years of marriage. A representative for the couple confirmed the split Thursday. Brolin and Lane were married in 2004 in the second marriage for both.

Review: 'Snitch a well-made yarn about drug worldLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Although it sometimes accompanies fine films such as "Zero Dark Thirty" and "Argo," the phrase "inspired by a true story" tacked onto the front of a movie too often warns you that you're about to see something "inspiring" in the most hackneyed, triumph-of-the-human-spirit sort of way. What's surprising about "Snitch" is that, rather than taking the reductive path of offering innocuous emotional uplift or one-man-army action, it generates a feeling of real desperation and fear as it shows a man getting in way over his head when he takes on some very bad guys. In other words, this is a pretty good film starring an actor named Dwayne Johnson, not a commodity with The Rock as a hood ornament.

Cirque gives clues to Vegas Michael Jackson showLAS VEGAS (AP) _ Las Vegas is combining its love of mega pop-stars and over-the-top theatrics for a new Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil show opening this summer. Cirque du Soleil CEO Daniel Lamarre announced Thursday that the company's newest show will be called "Michael Jackson ONE." The show at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the Strip will start preview performances May 23. It will officially premiere June 29.

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