Ralph Fiennes reacts to Pope Leo XIV watching ‘Conclave': Is it ‘rubbish'?
Ralph Fiennes has many questions for Pope Leo XIV.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Oscar nominee, 62, was asked about Leo, 69, watching his 2024 film 'Conclave' before he was elected the head of the Catholic Church last month.
'My thoughts are questions,' Fiennes told the outlet. 'Did he enjoy it? Did he just shrug his shoulders and say halfway through, 'This is rubbish'? Or did he get something from it?'
Advertisement
9 Ralph Fiennes in 'Conclave.'
í©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection
9 Pope Leo attends Pope Francis' funeral in Vatican City on April 26.
Getty Images
'I'd like to know what he thought,' the '28 Years Later' star continued. 'I'm sure there are many people in the church and many cardinals who've looked at it and thought it was nothing like reality.'
Advertisement
While the Edward Berger-directed film was fictional, Fiennes said he thinks they were accurate enough in portraying the process of electing the next pope.
9 Director Edward Berger and Ralph Fiennes on the set of 'Conclave.'
AP
'I think we did get the rituals right,' he stated. 'I'm sure the power politics was amped up for entertainment purposes, but I hope that he saw something of value in it. I just don't know.'
9 The Seventh Novemdiale mass at St Peter's Basilica after Pope Francis' funeral on May 2.
AFP via Getty Images
Advertisement
'I guess if the next pope watched 'Conclave,' of course, at a simplistic level, I'm delighted,' Fiennes added. 'But I mean, I want him to like it. If he didn't like it, what can I do? I've done it!'
In 'Conclave,' which is based on a 2016 Robert Harris novel, Fiennes plays a cardinal tasked with selecting a new pope and finds himself investigating secrets and scandals about the major candidates, which include Stanley Tucci's progressive Cardinal Bellini and Sergio Castellitto's conservative Cardinal Tedesco.
9 Pope Leo XIV seen for the first time after he was elected on May 8.
Getty Images
9 Ralph Fiennes in 'Conclave.'
AP
Advertisement
9 Ralph Fiennes at the '28 Years Later' premiere in London on June 18.
Getty Images
In May, Leo's brother, John Prevost, confirmed that the Catholic leader watched 'Conclave' before the election.
'I said, 'Are you ready for this? Did you watch the movie 'Conclave' so you know how to behave?' He had just finished watching the movie 'Conclave,' so he knew how to behave,' Prevost told NBC News.
9 Pope Leo XIV overlooking St. Peter's Square after being named the new pope.
Getty Images
'So it's that kind of stuff, because I wanted to take his mind off of it,' he added. 'You know, laugh about something, because this is now an awesome responsibility.'
Leo was selected as the new pope on May 8 after Pope Francis died in April at age 88.
9 Pope Leo on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica in The Vatican on May 8.
AFP via Getty Images
Born Robert Francis Prevost, the Chicago-born missionary is the first US pope.
Advertisement
'Peace be with you all,' were Leo's first words as he greeted crowds in the packed St. Peter's Square from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on his election day.
Leo also repeated the word 'peace' nine times, and vowed, 'God loves us, all of us. Evil will not prevail.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'Harry Potter' Star Offers a Piece of Advice to the Next Actor Playing His Iconic Character
'Harry Potter' Star Offers a Piece of Advice to the Next Actor Playing His Iconic Character originally appeared on Parade. Harry Potter star is passing on some words of wisdom to the next actor to step into the role of Lord Voldemort. Ahead of the new Harry Potter TV series currently in the works at HBO, Fiennes, 62, was asked to give some pointers to the next actor who will be playing Voldemort, a role that still has yet to be cast. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 And after starring as the iconic villain in the hit fantasy film series for several years, Fiennes said the next actor to play the Dark Lord should know what they're getting into, specifically when it comes to costuming. "Make sure you can handle the long, flowing robes, and don't trip over them," Fiennes told Entertainment Tonight. "Practice your long, flowing robe walk." The Conclave actor definitely knows what it takes to play He Who Shall Not Be Named, after portraying the evil character in four of the seven Harry Potter films. He made his debut in 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, before going on to appear in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in 2007, as well as both parts of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 2010 and 2011. The role of Voldemort still has yet to be filled for the new TV series, though a number of other major roles have already been cast, including the titular character (Dominic McLaughlin) and his two palsRon Weasley (Alastair Stout) and Hermione Granger (Arabella Stanton). has also signed on to play Professor Dumbledore, along with Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, and Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, along with a number of other notable names.'Harry Potter' Star Offers a Piece of Advice to the Next Actor Playing His Iconic Character first appeared on Parade on Jun 19, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
San Francisco Chronicle
32 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trump is silent about Juneteenth on a day he previously honored as president
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump honored Juneteenth in each of his first four years as president, even before it became a federal holiday. He even claimed once to have made it 'famous.' But on this year's Juneteenth holiday on Thursday, the usually talkative president kept silent about a day important to Black Americans for marking the end of slavery in the country he leads again. No words about it from his lips, on paper or through his social media site. Asked whether Trump would commemorate Juneteenth in any way, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: 'I'm not tracking his signature on a proclamation today. I know this is a federal holiday. I want to thank all of you for showing up to work. We are certainly here. We're working 24/7 right now.' Asked in a follow-up question whether Trump might recognize the occasion another way or on another day, Leavitt said, 'I just answered that question for you.' Trump's silence was a sharp contrast from his prior acknowledgement of the holiday. Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States by commemorating June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas. Their freedom came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln liberated slaves in the Confederacy by signing the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War. Trump's quiet on the issue also deviated from White House guidance that Trump planned to sign a Juneteenth proclamation. Leavitt didn't explain the change. Trump held no public events Thursday, but he shared statements about Iran, the TikTok app and Fed chairman Jerome Powell on his social media site. In 2017, Trump invoked the 'soulful festivities and emotional rejoicing' that swept through the Galveston crowd when a major general delivered the news that all enslaved people were free. He told the Galveston story in each of the next three years. 'Together, we honor the unbreakable spirit and countless contributions of generations of African Americans to the story of American greatness,' he added in his 2018 statement. In 2019: 'Across our country, the contributions of African Americans continue to enrich every facet of American life.' In 2020: 'June reminds us of both the unimaginable injustice of slavery and the incomparable joy that must have attended emancipation. It is both a remembrance of a blight on our history and a celebration of our Nation's unsurpassed ability to triumph over darkness.' In 2020, after suspending his campaign rallies because of the coronavirus pandemic, Trump chose Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the place to resume his public gatherings and scheduled a rally for June 19. But the decision met with such fierce criticism that Trump postponed the event by a day. Black leaders had said it was offensive for Trump to choose June 19 and Tulsa for a campaign event, given the significance of Juneteenth and Tulsa being the place where, in 1921, a white mob looted and burned that city's Greenwood district, an economically thriving area referred to as Black Wall Street. As many as 300 Black Tulsans were killed, and thousands were temporarily held in internment camps overseen by the National Guard. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal days before the rally, Trump tried to put a positive spin on the situation by claiming that he had made Juneteenth 'famous.' He said he changed the rally date out of respect for two African American friends and supporters. 'I did something good. I made it famous. I made Juneteenth very famous,' Trump said. 'It's actually an important event, it's an important time. But nobody had heard of it. Very few people have heard of it.' Generations of Black Americans celebrated Juneteenth long before it became a federal holiday in 2021 with the stroke of President Joe Biden's pen. Later in 2020, Trump sought to woo Black voters with a series of campaign promises, including establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. He lost the election, and that made it possible for Biden to sign the legislation establishing Juneteenth as the newest federal holiday. Last year, Biden spoke briefly at a holiday concert on the South Lawn that featured performances by Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle. Vice President Kamala Harris danced onstage with gospel singer Kirk Franklin. —-
Newsweek
37 minutes ago
- Newsweek
WWE Officials Pushing For Career-Changing LA Knight Decision
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new report suggests that a major brand switch could be on the horizon for LA Knight. There is reportedly a significant backstage push to move the popular superstar from SmackDown to Monday Night Raw. This comes after a period of booking that has left some fans disappointed. A move to Raw could signal a fresh start for "The Megastar." Backstage Push And Netflix Influence On LA Knight According to a report from WrestleVotes, multiple individuals within WWE are advocating for LA Knight to be moved to the Raw brand. The move is seen as a way to present a refreshing change for the character. The report also suggested that WWE's streaming partner, Netflix, has direct input on programming. It is believed that the platform hopes a star with Knight's massive popularity can "move the needle" for Raw's global audience. Testing The Waters On Raw For LA Knight WWE may already be "testing the waters" for this brand switch. Knight has appeared on the last two episodes of Raw despite officially being a SmackDown superstar. US pro-wrestler and actor Shaun Edward Ricker aka LA Knight attends Netflix's "WWE Monday Night RAW" premiere at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on January 6, 2025. US pro-wrestler and actor Shaun Edward Ricker aka LA Knight attends Netflix's "WWE Monday Night RAW" premiere at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on January 6, 2025. Michael Tran / AFP) (Photo by MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images His appearances have seen him directly antagonize the new faction led by Seth Rollins. He helped Sami Zayn defeat Bron Breakker last week and assisted Jey Uso this week by taking out Bronson Reed during another King of the Ring match. More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation LA Knight Sends A Message To Seth Rollins Following his latest appearance on Raw, LA Knight has made his intentions clear on social media. He posted a video taunting the members of Rollins' group that he has already neutralized. "Well, I guess if I ain't going to the King of the Ring then neither are either of the Brons. We got Bron squared over there, but I tell you what we took down what, three last week? I got this one, I got that one and we got one left [shows middle finger] yeah!" The combination of the backstage report and his very visible new feud strongly indicates that a permanent move to Raw is imminent. This would also give Knight a new career look and a fresh coat of paint for him after spending his entire main roster career on SmackDown. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
