NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

‘Other Woman’ curbs ‘Captain’ with $24.7M

LOS ANGELES

A femme-fueled comedy beat a superhero blockbuster at the box office this weekend.

After holding the top position for three weeks, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” has been topped by “The Other Woman” for the No. 1 spot.

Fox’s revenge comedy, starring Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann and Kate Upton, debuted with $24.7 million, while Disney-Marvel’s “Captain America,” led by Chris Evans, grossed $16 million in its fourth weekend, bringing its domestic total to $225 million.

Sony’s faith-based “Heaven Is for Real,” starring Greg Kinnear, held the third-place position with $13.8 million after opening in the same slot last weekend behind leaders “Captain America” and Fox’s animated “Rio 2,” which drifted down to fourth place with $13.7 million. Relativity Media’s action crime drama “Brick Mansions,” starring the late Paul Walker, was No. 5 with $9.6 million. The film was one of the last Walker completed before he died in a car accident in November.

Paroled ‘Sopranos’ actor talks addiction

NEW YORK

After spending eight years in prison, former “Sopranos” actor Lillo Brancato Jr. says he’s trying to help young people avoid making similar, drug-fueled mistakes.

“Here I am, I get the opportunity, I get the shot and then squander it, and do what I did, and get addicted to drugs and just make horrible decisions,” the 37-year-old Brancato said in an interview broadcast Sunday on WNYM-AM.

He was paroled in December after serving time for his role in a 2005 Bronx break-in that left an off-duty police officer dead.

Brancato was acquitted of murder in the officer’s death but convicted of attempted burglary. An accomplice was convicted of firing the fatal bullet.

Brancato, who got his break in the 1993 film “A Bronx Tale” with Robert De Niro, said he’s reaching out to young people to discuss the addiction he was unable to control. His last drug high was in prison in 2006, he said.

Footwork music star DJ Rashad dies

CHICAGO

Rashad Harden, a house music and footwork pioneer who performed as DJ Rashad, was found dead this weekend of an apparent drug overdose, authorities said Sunday. He was 34.

Chicago Police spokeswoman Janel Sedevic said a friend found Harden’s body Saturday afternoon in an apartment on the city’s West Side. There was no sign of injury but narcotics and drug paraphernalia were found near his body, she said.

An autopsy was conducted Sunday but the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said it is waiting for the results of toxicology tests to determine a cause of death.

Harden’s death comes just days before his EP was scheduled for release and less than a month after fellow house music star Frankie Knuckles also died.

Harden, a resident of Calumet City, was poised for a breakout year, said the Chicago Sun-Times.

Associated Press