Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

U2's Bono and Pope discuss Irish sexual abuse crisis

Bono, frontman for Irish rock band U2, met Pope Francis on Wednesday and said afterwards he is an extraordinary man who is sincere in his pain over a sexual abuse crisis in Ireland. Bono and the pope spoke for more than 30 minutes at a meeting to team up the rock star's ONE organization, a global campaign and advocacy organization that aims to end extreme poverty, with a papal group named Scholas Occurrentes, which helps foster cooperation among schools worldwide.

TV actor Tom Selleck quits NRA board of directors

Actor Tom Selleck, star of such TV crime dramas as "Magnum, P.I." and "Blue Bloods" and an ardent gun collector, has resigned from the National Rifle Association's board of directors. "Tom Selleck has stepped down from the board of the NRA due to his work schedule," his publicist, Annett Wolf, said in a statement emailed to Reuters on Wednesday.

Lawyer says director Peter Jackson might testify against Weinstein in Judd's lawsuit

"The Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson has spoken with actor Ashley Judd's legal team and could furnish "powerful" testimony supporting her defamation and sexual harassment suit against film producer Harvey Weinstein, her attorney said on Tuesday. Judd's civil suit, filed in April, accused Weinstein of discouraging Jackson in 1998 from casting her in the blockbuster "Lord of the Rings" movie franchise in retaliation for her refusing Weinstein's sexual advances.

Han Solo's jacket could fetch $1.3 million at film auction

A jacket worn by Harrison Ford as Han Solo in the Star Wars film "The Empire Strikes Back" is expected to sell for up to 1 million pounds ($1.3 million) at an auction of movie memorabilia on Thursday. Collectors will have a chance to get their hands on items from films such as "Indiana Jones", "Forrest Gump" and "Back to the Future II" in an auction of film props and costumes in London.

Next James Bond film to be directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga

The next James Bond film will be directed by American Cary Joji Fukunaga, the man behind the first season of U.S. drama "True Detective" and the Netflix comedy "Maniac," the 007 producers said on Thursday. Fukunaga, 41, replaces British director Danny Boyle, who pulled out of the as yet untitled film last month due to "creative differences".

Maroon 5 reportedly tapped for 2019 Super Bowl halftime show

Pop band Maroon 5 will provide the halftime entertainment at the 2019 Super Bowl, Hollywood publication Variety reported on Wednesday. Variety said that two unidentified sources had confirmed that the band, led by Adam Levine, will headline the National Football League's (NFL) championship game on Feb. 3, 2019, in Atlanta, Georgia.

'Mrs. Maisel,' 'Game of Thrones' win on night of Emmy upsets

"Game of Thrones" and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" won the top prizes at the Emmy awards on Monday on a night of upsets for the highest honors in television and a triumph for streaming services. Dystopian female show "The Handmaid's Tale" and FX's surreal hip-hop comedy "Atlanta" were the biggest losers, taking none of the most prestigious awards and making a disappointing night for stars Elisabeth Moss and Donald Glover.

Judge allows Ashley Judd defamation lawsuit against Weinstein to proceed

A lawsuit by actress Ashley Judd in which she accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of defaming her in 1998 after she refused what she said were sexual advances from him can proceed in federal court in Los Angeles, a judge ruled on Wednesday. In the civil lawsuit filed in April accused Weinstein of smearing her reputation by discouraging director Peter Jackson from casting her in his blockbuster movie franchise "The Lord of the Rings."

Alberta Ferretti's soft-toned urban explorers open Milan Fashion Week

The curtain went up on Milan's fashion week on Wednesday with a soft-toned and feminine collection designed by Italy's Alberta Ferretti with urban safari-inspired looks. For the next six days the Italian capital of fashion will host more than 140 catwalks and presentations for the spring-summer 2019 collections, attracting buyers, designers, influencers and fashion addicts.

Cher turns back time with album of ABBA cover versions

Making a cameo in the "Mamma Mia!" movie sequel gave Cher a taste for the music of ABBA. Now the singer and actor is releasing an album that will feature cover versions of the Swedish pop group's hits, and going on tour to promote it.