Latest news with #RobertHarris
BreakingNews.ie
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Ralph Fiennes felt ‘flattered' when he learned Pope Leo XIV had watched Conclave
Conclave actor Ralph Fiennes said he felt 'flattered' when he learned the new Pope had watched the Oscar-winning film that sees his character arrange a papal gathering to elect the next head of the Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIV made history as the Church's first American pontiff when he was elected leader in early May, following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday. Advertisement The Pope's older brother, John Prevost, told NBC News that the former cardinal watched the movie before voting in the conclave began – so he would know 'how to behave'. Pope Leo XIV waves at the end of a Mass for the Jubilee of Families in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican (Andrew Medichini/AP) In an appearance on The One Show, Fiennes was asked about the film and whether he felt surprised at the news Pope Leo XIV had watched the movie. 'Didn't his brother suggest he watch it, so he could learn how a Conclave went or something? And I was of course flattered,' he told the show. Asked what he said to his brother before the conclave, Mr Prevost told NBC News in May: 'I said: 'Are you ready for this? Did you watch the movie Conclave, so you know how to behave?'' Advertisement 'And he had just finished watching the movie Conclave, so he knew how to behave,' he said with a laugh. Fiennes, 62, played Cardinal Lawrence in the film, also starring Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow, that was adapted from Robert Harris's novel of the same name. He was nominated for leading actor gongs at the Oscars and Baftas earlier in the year, but missed out both times to Adrien Brody – who won for his role playing Laszlo Toth in historical epic The Brutalist. Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini, Stanley Tucci and Edward Berger attends the BFI London Film Festival gala screening of Conclave (Ian West/PA) Overall, however, the film performed well during awards season and won the adapted screenplay Oscar and four Baftas for best film, adapted screenplay, editing and outstanding British film. Advertisement Fiennes, also known for playing Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series, appeared on the show to discuss Theatre Royal Bath's new staging of William Shakespeare play As You Like It, which he is directing. He said: 'I've done a lot of serious Shakespeare tragedies and histories with a lot of blood and gore and angst, and I just felt compelled by As You Like It. 'It's a wonderful play of spontaneous young love. And I've not been in it, so I have no baggage about having been in it. 'I've seen it before, and it's something about young love, young people transformed by love, by desire, in the context of a forest where, like in A Midsummer Night's Dream, their personalities, who they are, their sense of themselves, is changed by love and by nature.' Advertisement
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Robert Harris: Why Conclave should have elected an older pope
The author of Conclave has joked that he wishes cardinals had chosen an older pope to increase his chances of seeing another round of revived popularity in his book. Robert Harris said Pope Francis's death had elevated him from a journalist into an unlikely papal commentator who was regularly called in to offer expert insight. His novel Conclave, first published in 2016, also rode a wave of popularity on the back of its recent film adaptation. The 68-year-old told the Hay Festival: 'From my point of view it would have been better if the Conclave had gone on for one or two more days and if they had elected an older pope because I feel as though I have written a Christmas number one which will keep coming back. 'We will have to wait until the next Conclave which may be after my time.' He added: 'I feel like I have suddenly become a most unlikely expert on the papacy, not a role I really ever expected to play. 'But now we can all move on.' The author praised Peter Straughan, whose screenwriting credits include Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, for a 'brilliant adaptation' released to critical acclaim in 2024. 'He kept a lot of the dialogue, characters and story, but he boiled it down and kept what was best – he did a terrific job,' Mr Harris said, adding that director Edward Berger was 'wonderful'. Mr Harris said Robert De Niro and Javier Bardem had been pegged for the role of Cardinal Lawrence before Ralph Fiennes was chosen. 'That speech that he delivers – 'there will be no need for faith' – is just so brilliantly done,' the author said of Mr Fiennes, revealing that the actor and director had asked to change the character's nationality from Spanish to English. 'I looked across the table and I thought do I really want to lose Ralph Fiennes? No, make him English it won't make any difference. And of course it doesn't make any difference at all,' the author said. Looking back at the revival of interest in his book, he said: 'I found myself peculiarly having written a sort of primer. 'So much so that the new pope watched the Conclave movie on the eve of the Conclave so that he knew what was coming.' Pope Leo XIV watched the film to 'know how to behave', according to his brother. John Prevost, 71, who lives in Chicago, told news reporters that he had asked his brother as a joke whether he had watched the film, and the future pope confirmed he had. 'His brother is one of those great brothers who clearly just blurts out anything,' Mr Harris said, adding: 'He could be a source of great amusement in the years to come.'
Business Mayor
18-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
M&S shoppers urged to follow 'simple rule' after cyber incident
M&S shoppers have been urged to be vigilant after it was revealed that customer details were stolen in a recent cyber attack on the retail chain. The cyber incident affected services for over a week, with shoppers unable to make orders online while in-store purchases were also affected. An update on the incident posted on the M&S website explained that 'some personal customer data has been taken', including personal details such as names and email addresses, and even some 'masked' payment card details used for online purchases. M&S advised customers to use strong and unique passwords for their email and other accounts, and to do any software updates on phones and devices to ensure you have the latest security updates in place. Robert Harris, senior director of Product Marketing at financial crime prevention group Feedzai, shared some tips for staying safe online in the event that criminals have managed to get some of your details. He said: 'Scammers often use bits of your real data—like your name or address—to make their story sound convincing. But here's a simple rule: never share personal information with someone who contacted you out of the blue. 'If the call, email, or message is legitimate, the organization should already have your details and won't ask you to confirm sensitive information. 'If in doubt, don't engage. Hang up and contact the company directly through an official phone number or website—not the one provided by the caller. It's always better to take an extra minute than to fall for a well-crafted scam.' If your suspicions are raised by a message you receive, Mr Harris says it's always good to double check if it's real, by looking up independent reviews or searching for the website on scam-reporting platforms such as He shared another telltale sign to look out for that a product offer is bogus, saying: 'If you're negotiating and the seller agrees to a price too easily, that's a red flag. 'Also, consider how you're paying—use a credit card whenever possible, as it offers more protection. And never feel pressured to make a decision on the spot. Pause, review, and only proceed if you're confident it's legitimate.' Fraser Mitchell, chief product officer at digital compliance group SmartSearch, also shared a warning about indications a message may be fake. He said: 'Always be wary of any unsolicited email or SMS. If sent a link check the email address of the sender for slight inconsistencies or spelling errors. 'By placing the cursor of your mouse over any link you will be able to see the address of the Web page you will be sent to. Again, check this for consistency and spelling errors and never click anything you are unsure of.' He said it's a good practice to ensure your password is 'complex and random', but to never include personal data such as your date or year of birth, or your name. Research from wealth firm Saltus found that one in three high net worth people have fallen victim to a cyber scam in the past six months, with 30% of victims targeted through social media and a fifth targeted by email. Mike Stimpson, partner at Saltus, said: 'Incidents like the M&S data breach give scammers a new opportunity to strike. We could well see a rise in phishing attempts, impersonation scams and fraudulent messages claiming to be from trusted brands in the short term. 'It is essential that individuals are aware of the methods scammers use and are vigilant against any emails, calls or other contact with people or brands they don't know. 'The default position should be that someone contacting them out of the blue is a scammer, and until steps are taken to verify the identity of the contact a cautious approach is critical, particularly in the coming weeks as the true impact of recent high profile data breaches at M&S and others becomes clear.' READ SOURCE
Times
12-05-2025
- General
- Times
Before Robert Harris's Conclave, there was this 1960s blockbuster
The opening tolls like a Vatican bell: 'The Pope was dead. The camerlengo had announced it. The master of ceremonies, the notaries, the doctors had consigned him under signature into eternity. His ring was defaced and his seals were broken.' The death of Pope Francis sent me back 60 years to Morris West's orotund, unlikely global bestseller and its evocation of pontifical sendoff: the triple coffin, nine-day mourning and awed emptiness of 'sede vacante' as cardinals flock to the Sistine Chapel. Robert Harris's Conclave has lately given us all a vivid glimpse of it, with remarkable insight into the top layer of Catholicism, but it is fascinating to return to stronger meat, The Shoes of the Fisherman. Its author, West, an Australian novelist, was
CNN
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Conclave Watch: The Book That 'Pope Pilled' The Internet - CNN One Thing - Podcast on CNN Audio
Conclave Watch: The Book That 'Pope Pilled' The Internet CNN One Thing 18 mins Interest in the 2024 Oscar-winning film 'Conclave' skyrocketed as Cardinals gathered in Rome this week and elected Pope Leo XIV. We talk with the author of the book that inspired the movie, who shares why he thinks the story has resonated with Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Guest: 'Conclave' author Robert Harris
