By Belinda Goldsmith CANNES (Reuters) - The relationship between the flamboyant pianist Liberace and his young lover dazzled at the Cannes film festival on Tuesday and threw the spotlight on gay rights at the movie industry's largest annual gathering. Director Steven Soderbergh said he struggled five years ago to secure funding for "Behind the Candelabra" because some financiers thought the film would only appeal to a gay audience and, at a cost of $25 million, would be a financial risk. ...

Catherine Zeta-Jones is expected to be released from her ongoing treatment for Bipolar II disorder.

Will Smith didn't just get to act opposite his son, Jaden Smith, in "After Earth" (which he also produced), the dad watched his teenage son go through a big growth spurt as the cameras rolled.

By Jeff Sneider LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - "Teen Wolf" star Dylan O'Brien must be howling with excitement, as he's in negotiations for the lead role in DreamWorks' found-footage film "Glimmer," TheWrap has learned. While there's no deal in place yet, DreamWorks clearly likes its chances, as the studio just pushed back the start of production on to January in order to accommodate his busy schedule. O'Brien has a bright future on the big screen. ...

By Jeff Sneider LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Relativity is back in business with its "Paranoia" star Liam Hemsworth, who has signed on to lead the upcoming action film "Aurora Rising." Written by Christian Gudegast, the story follows a surfer (Hemsworth) turned military fighter pilot who, after acing a complicated and messy first combat mission, gets recruited to be part of an elite team to test the next generation of aircrafts just as an international conflict begins to escalate. ...

By Steve Pond LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The Academy has relaxed the rules for winning an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, allowing more individuals to take home statuettes. In rule changes approved by the AMPAS Board of Governors, the filmmaker with producer credit will now receive an Oscar in the category, along with the film's credited director. In cases where a two-person team has shared director credit, a third statuette can be awarded. In the past, the Animated Feature Oscar went to the single individual with the most creative input into the film, typically the director. ...

By Brent Lang NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Seth MacFarlane will not return to host the 2014 Oscars, the filmmaker and hit TV writer/producer announced on Monday. MacFarlane said that his schedule did not permit him to return. "Traumatized critics exhale: I'm unable to do the Oscars again. Tried to make it work schedule-wise, but I need sleep," MacFarlane tweeted. MacFarlane's turn as emcee of the 2013 Oscars divided the community. Some found him funny and eager to experiment while many found him crass and unoriginal, citing a long gag about breasts. ...

By Jeff Sneider LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Kate Hudson is set to play the female lead opposite Zach Braff in the director's Kickstarter-approved indie movie "Wish I Was Here." Braff stars as Aidan Bloom, a struggling actor, father and husband who is still trying to find his identity and purpose at age 35. Hudson will play Braff's wife and the mother of his two children. She joins a cast that includes Mandy Patinkinand Josh Gad as Braff's father and brother, respectively, as well as Anna Kendrick, Jim Parsons and Braff's "Scrubs" co-star Donald Faison. ...

By Brent Lang LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Zachary Levi, star of the late, lamented NBC action comedy "Chuck," will make his Broadway debut in the musical comedy "First Date," the show's producers said Monday. Levi anchored the cult TV series for five seasons, starring as a computer-whiz who becomes an improbable spy. He also did voice work for 2011's "Tangled" and is set to appear in "Thor: The Dark World." In "First Date," Levi plays a high-strung man who gets set up with a serial-dater. ...

By Lucas Shaw NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Jon Vitti, an Emmy-winning writer and producer of hit animated shows such as "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill," will write the screenplay for the upcoming "Angry Birds" movie, multiple individuals with knowledge of the project told TheWrap. Rovio Entertainment, which developed and made the popular gaming franchise, is financing and producing the film. Sony will release it worldwide in July 2016. In Vitti, Rovio has hired a screenwriter with experience turning popular existing franchises into hit movies. ...

By Brent Lang LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Chinese actress Li Bingbing has joined the cast of "Transformers 4," Paramount Pictures said Monday. She will co-star in the sequel along with Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer and Jack Reynor. Michael Bay will once again direct and orchestrate the fireballs and global mayhem. Li has previously appeared in "Resident Evil: Retribution" and "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. ...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Star Trek: Into Darkness" didn't warp past its predecessor.

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Antonio Banderas will play the charismatic miner known as "Super Mario," who in 2010 became the public face of 33 Chilean miners trapped deep underground for 69 days.

By Steve Pond LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - "Downloaded," Alex Winter's documentary about the rise and fall of the transformative but controversial company Napster, will receive theatrical and VOD runs from VH1 beginning in late June, the music network announced on Monday. Directed and produced by Alex Winter, the film will open in New York City on June 21 and Los Angeles on June 28, and will then expand to Albuquerque, Austin, Chicago, Columbus, Grand Rapids, Martha's Vineyard, San Francisco and Seattle, among other cities. ...

By Brent Lang LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Martin Scorsese and Mel Brooks are rarely mentioned in the same sentence. Although both men are film legends, their styles and subject matter are worlds apart-- one is associated with gritty depictions of criminality while the other is best known for his pioneering fart jokes. The two men will share the same stage, however, on June 6, when Scorsese will present Brooks with the American Film Institute's 41st Life Achievement Award. ...

By Mike Davidson CANNES (Reuters) - He's played a science-fiction hero, policeman and even Hamlet. But now actor Keanu Reeves is taking on a new role - as director of a contemporary martial arts movie aimed at both Chinese and Western audiences. Reeves has stepped behind the camera to make his directorial debut with "Man of Tai Chi", a trilingual film loosely based on the life of a stuntman, Tiger Chen, whom he befriended while working on the sci-fi "The Matrix" trilogy. ...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Seth MacFarlane is too busy to host the Oscars in 2014.

Plus, which actress had a wardrobe malfunction in Cannes? And, two stars show up to the Billboard Music Awards with the same hair! Your Daily Dispatch of Celebrity Shenanigans!

"Star Wars: Episode VII" possibly has its first actor.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Disney said on Monday it will produce a new "Star Wars" animated series to air on television in the fall 2014, giving fans of the science-fiction franchise fresh stories before the next live-action film hits theaters in 2015. "Star Wars Rebels," based on George Lucas' multibillion dollar film franchise, will be set in the two decades between the events of the third and fourth films, where the Empire becomes a dominant force in the galaxy, Disney said. ...