Netflix launches ‘Marco Polo’

    Netflix is setting sail with “Marco Polo” ahead of its December 12 premiere.

    About the explorer’s adventures in Kublai Khan’s* court in 13th century China, it will be available on December 12.

    The 10-episode drama, created by John Fusco, stars Italian newcomer Lorenzo Richelmy as Polo and Benedict Wong as Kublai Khan. Chinese-American Joan Chen plays Empress Chabi, Kublai Khan’s wife and adviser.

    Lawrence makes debut on Billboard

    “The Hanging Tree,” which Jennifer Lawrence sings in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1,” just debuted on the Billboard chart, coming in at No. 12. It landed at No. 14 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart.

    Composed by James Newton Howard, the haunting folk song’s lyrics are by “Hunger Games” author Suzanne Collins, while “Ho Hey” singers The Lumineers collaborated on the track. In the film, Lawrence’s character Katniss Everdeen performs the song and it quickly becomes an anthem* for the rebellion.

    Lady Gaga reveals rape as teenager

    Lady Gaga has revealed that she was raped as a teenager and said that it took her years of therapy to acknowledge and start to recover from the trauma*.

    Lady Gaga, 28, said that the rape took place when she was 19 and that she has gone through years of therapy. She did not go into detail but said that the aggressor* was 20 years older than her.

    Snowden film wins top award

    “Citizenfour,” filmmaker Laura Poitras’s documentary about U.S. National Security Agency whistleblower* Edward Snowden, was given the top award for best feature by the International Documentary Association on December 5.

    The IDA award for “CitizenFour” follows the film’s best documentary win at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards last week. It was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award last month and is among 15 films advancing in the Oscars best documentary race.(SD-Agencies)