Entertainment News Roundup: Pope playfully spars with 'Rocky' actor Stallone at Vatican; Transgender film looks to win hearts and minds in conservative Poland and more

On the last full day of the competition on Friday, Oscar winner Jessica Chastain told reporters she was "incredibly nervous" to come to Venice to promote her independent movie "Memory", even though she had a waiver from unions to attend. Ghibli's Miyazaki has ideas for next project after 'The Boy and the Heron' Studio Ghibli's legendary director, Hayao Miyazaki, 82, still has not put his pencil down, an executive at the Japanese animation studio said on Friday after its long awaited feature, "The Boy and the Heron," opened the Toronto International Film Festival.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Pope playfully spars with 'Rocky' actor Stallone at Vatican

Pope Francis playfully pretended to box with Sylvester Stallone during a meeting with the "Rocky" star at the Vatican on Friday. Introduced to Stallone and his family, the Pope said how much he enjoyed the actor's films, prompting a smiling Stallone to clench his fists as if ready to spar, saying, "Ready, we box."

Transgender film looks to win hearts and minds in conservative Poland

The makers of "Woman Of", which follows a man transitioning to a woman in socially conservative Poland, hope their film will help ease deep-rooted prejudices in the Roman Catholic nation. "Woman Of", co-directed by Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert, had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Friday, just a month ahead of parliamentary elections that might hand Poland's ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party an unprecedented third term in power.

Japan broadcasters issue rare apologies for past silence over J-pop agency sex abuse

After Japan's top talent agency Johnny & Associates apologised on Thursday for decades of sexual abuses committed by its late founder, local broadcasters issued rare mea culpas of their own for failing to report on the allegations for years. The abuses by Johnny Kitagawa, the man behind some of the most popular Japanese boy bands such as SMAP and Arashi, had been reported by local tabloid Shukan Bunshun as far back as 1999. Kitagawa sued the magazine, but major media outlets steered clear of covering the lawsuit or chasing the story.

Toronto film festival kicks off with Miyazaki's 'The Boy and the Heron', few stars

The Toronto International Film Festival opened on Thursday with "The Boy and the Heron" by famed Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki, the first time an animated feature has taken the coveted spot. Although there was a dearth of star power on the red carpet due to the Hollywood actors strike, festival goers can look forward to some 50 films over 11 days, including Craig Gillespie's "Dumb Money," "Lee" which stars Kate Winslet and Taika Waititi's "Next Goal Wins".

Actors' strike stalks Venice film festival from start to end

A strike by Hollywood actors kept most stars away from this year's Venice Film Festival, and even the few A-listers who did venture into town seemed guilty about being on the red carpet rather than the picket line. On the last full day of the competition on Friday, Oscar winner Jessica Chastain told reporters she was "incredibly nervous" to come to Venice to promote her independent movie "Memory", even though she had a waiver from unions to attend.

Ghibli's Miyazaki has ideas for next project after 'The Boy and the Heron'

Studio Ghibli's legendary director, Hayao Miyazaki, 82, still has not put his pencil down, an executive at the Japanese animation studio said on Friday after its long awaited feature, "The Boy and the Heron," opened the Toronto International Film Festival. Miyazaki, who was not present at the film festival, is the internationally renowned director behind hand-drawn animated favorites like "Spirited Away," "My Neighbor Totoro," "Howl's Moving Castle," and many other beloved films created under the Studio Ghibli, which he co-founded.

Jazz quintet Ezra Collective wins Mercury Prize

Ezra Collective on Thursday won the Mercury Prize for "Where I'm Meant to Be", the first jazz album to ever take home the British music award. The London quintet, made up of drummer Femi Koleoso, bassist TJ Koleoso, keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones, saxophonist James Mollison and trumpeter Ife Ogunjobi, beat contenders including rock band Arctic Monkeys, rapper Loyle Carner and singer Raye for the trophy and a cash prize of 25,000 British pounds ($31,177).

'Dicks: The Musical' brings laughs to Toronto film festival

During a Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) expected to lack star power, Bowen Yang brought excitement to the burgeoning crowd at the "Dicks: The Musical" world premiere.

Yang, best known for his role on "Saturday Night Live," said he felt really lucky to be on the carpet amid the Hollywood strikes over pay and the use of artificial intelligence.

Olympics-Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh up for Olympic membership-IOC

Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian actress to win an Oscar, is set to become a member of the International Olympic Committee after being included on a list of eight new proposed members on Friday. Yeoh won the Oscar for best lead actress earlier this year for her role in the movie "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and her proposed IOC membership will be ratified at its session in Mumbai next month.

Mural of Joy Division's Ian Curtis returns to Manchester

The northern English city of Manchester welcomed back a mural of its late music icon Ian Curtis on Friday, newly restored after it had been painted over last year to outcry from local residents. The black-and-white portrait of Curtis, who took his own life in 1980, covers all three storeys of the Star and Garter pub and was completed this week by local artist Akse P19, following permission granted by local authorities on Monday.

(With inputs from agencies.)