Successes, scandals and send-offs: 2018's top showbiz stories

FILE PHOTO: Cast members (L-R) Diane Lane, Constance Zimmer, Robin Wright, Patricia Clarkson and Nini Le Huynh pose at a premiere for the television series "House of Cards" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., October 22, 2018. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

LONDON (Reuters) - A royal wedding with a Hollywood ending, a rapping Pulitzer first and a send-off fit for a musical soul queen. The world of entertainment saw a spate of headline-grabbing stories this year with plenty of award-winning highs and some stumbling lows.

Award season kicked off 2018, with pop singer Bruno Mars triumphing at the Grammys while actress Frances McDormand briefly lost her newly-won Oscar at the Academy Awards.

Accolades came for Kendrick Lamar, the first rapper to win a Pulitzer prize, People's magazine's "sexiest man alive" Idris Elba and George Clooney, named the world's highest-paid actor, mainly thanks to the sale of his tequila company.

FILE PHOTO: Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci is interviewed as he arrives for a gala screening of his film "The Last Emperor" in 3D at the AFI Fest 2013 in Hollywood, California, November 10, 2013. REUTERS/Fred Prouser

Bill Cosby was the first celebrity convicted of sexual abuse since the #MeToo movement began. Film producer Harvey Weinstein surrendered to New York police, and is facing charges involving alleged assaults of women, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Netflix drama "House of Cards" returned without Kevin Spacey after the actor was accused of sexual misconduct. Roseanne Barr's revived "Roseanne" show was quickly canceled after the actress sparked outrage by comparing a black former Obama administration official to an ape on Twitter. She apologized but said she had been misunderstood.

Rapper Kanye West made some startling comments, notably describing slavery as a choice and gave a rambling speech at the White House.

FILE PHOTO: Actress Roseanne Barr waves on her arrival to the 75th Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 7, 2018. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

In film, mainstream racially diverse movies "Black Panther" and "Crazy Rich Asians" won over audiences and critics, while the trailer for Disney's upcoming "Lion King" revival, saw a massive 224.6 million global views in its first day.

Pop singer Lady Gaga cemented her move to Hollywood in "A Star Is Born", garnering Oscar speculation, while in other music news, the Spice Girls reunited - minus Victoria Beckham - and Elton John kicked off his farewell tour.

In front of global audience, Britain's Prince Harry married American actress Meghan Markle. Pop singer Justin Bieber wed model Hailey Baldwin in a quiet ceremony.

FILE PHOTO: Film producer Harvey Weinstein arrives at New York Supreme Court in Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S., October 11, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Segar

Actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie exchanged accusations in their drawn-out divorce. Singer Ariana Grande and comedian Pete Davidson got engaged but split a few months later. Grande's ex-boyfriend Mac Miller died of an accidental overdose.

The world said goodbye to a number of stars, including Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, physicist Stephen Hawking, actor Burt Reynolds, comicbook superhero creator Stan Lee, singer Charles Aznavour, chef Anthony Bourdain, DJ Avicii, fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy and film director Bernardo Bertolucci.

FILE PHOTO: Marvel Comics co-creator Stan Lee places his handprints in cement during a ceremony in the forecourt of the TCL Chinese theatre in Los Angeles, California, U.S., July 18, 2017. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

(Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Peter Graff)

FILE PHOTO: Director Idris Elba attends the film premiere of 'Yardie' at the BFI Southbank, London, Britain August 21 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

FILE PHOTO: Armenian-French singer Charles Aznavour speaks during a news conference, some hours after he was presented The Raoul Wallenberg Award by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, in Tel Aviv, Israel October 26, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

FILE PHOTO: Producer Brad Pitt poses at the premiere of the movie "The Lost City of Z" in Los Angeles, California U.S., April 5, 2017. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

FILE PHOTO: Cast member Chadwick Boseman poses at the premiere of "Black Panther" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 29, 2018. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

FILE PHOTO: Hollywood actor Burt Reynolds poses for a portrait during an interview with Reuters at a hotel in central London, Britain December 3, 2015. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

FILE PHOTO: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle after their wedding. Saturday May 19, 2018. Neil Hall/Pool via REUTERS

FILE PHOTO: 90th Academy Awards - Oscars Backstage - Hollywood, California, U.S., 04/03/2018 - Frances McDormand poses backstage with her Best Actress Oscar for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." REUTERS/Mike Blake

FILE PHOTO: Amal Clooney and George Clooney arrive at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Saturday May 19, 2018. Gareth Fuller/Pool via REUTERS

FILE PHOTO: Cast members Henry Golding and Constance Wu pose at the premiere for "Crazy Rich Asians" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., August 7, 2018. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

FILE PHOTO: Angelina Jolie arrives at the British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Britain, February 18, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

FILE PHOTO: 2018 MTV Video Music Awards - Arrivals - Radio City Music Hall, New York, U.S., August 20, 2018. - Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

FILE PHOTO: BET honoree singer Aretha Franklin performs onstage at BET Honors 2014 at Warner Theatre in Washington on February 8, 2014. REUTERS/Jose Luis Magana

FILE PHOTO: 60th Annual Grammy Awards – Photo Room – New York, U.S., 28/01/2018 – Bruno Mars holds six of seven Grammys which includes Album and Record of the Year for “24K Magic” and Song of the Year for “That’s What I Like;” Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for “That’s What I Like.” “24K Magic” was also awarded Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical). REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

FILE PHOTO: DJ Avicii performs during a concert at Brooklyn's Barclay's Center in New York June 28, 2014. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

FILE PHOTO: Rapper Kanye West shows President Donald Trump his mobile phone during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 11, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

FILE PHOTO: 60th Annual Grammy Awards – Show – New York, U.S., 28/01/2018 – Kendrick Lamar performs a medley. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

FILE PHOTO: Physicist Stephen Hawking sits on stage during an announcement of the Breakthrough Starshot initiative with investor Yuri Milner in New York April 12, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

FILE PHOTO: Chef Anthony Bourdain poses at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California September 12, 2015. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

FILE PHOTO: Actor and comedian Bill Cosby leaves the Montgomery County Courthouse after his first day of sentencing hearings in his sexual assault trial in Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S., September 24, 2018. REUTERS/Jessica Kourkounis

FILE PHOTO: Cast member Lady Gaga attends the UK premiere of "A Star is Born" in London, Britain September 27, 2018. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

FILE PHOTO: Justin Bieber performs at Z100's Jingle Ball in Manhattan, New York, U.S., December 9, 2016. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly