Let the conclave start. On Wednesday, the historic ritual to elect the subsequent chief of the Roman Catholic Church kicks off in Vatican City. And as we all know from the wildly in style movie Conclave, the whole lot about the papacy is cinematic: the thriller, the sacred vestments, and, above all, the dramatic manner a brand new pontiff’s choice is introduced through the launch of white smoke.
Plenty of nice movies have targeted on the course of of announcing a new pope. But much more motion pictures (and at a number of TV reveals, too) have targeted extra broadly on charismatic pontiffs performed by a range of actors at the prime of their sport. Jonathan Pryce was witty; Jeremy Irons was scheming; Peter O’Toole was corrupt, Liv Ullman was secretly a girl; and Jude Law made historical past as the first Holy Father to rock a Speedo. When the pope is relegated to a secondary or supporting position, although, he’s typically portrayed as an antagonist. Such is the case with Rex Harrison, who performs a stiff and boring Julius II in The Torment and the Ecstasy—a personality continuously berated by Charlton Heston’s Michelangelo.
As we watch for the white smoke to rise, let’s look again at the 10 finest actors who’ve performed the pope—beginning with Harrison.
10. Rex Harrison as Pope Julius II in The Torment and The Ecstasy (1965)
Harrison performs the austere and boring “Warrior Pope” in Carol Reed’s movie. His character duels with Heston’s impetuous Michelangelo, who’s engaged in the titanic process of portray a fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
9. Raf Vallone as Pope John Paul I in The Godfather Part III (1990)
Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) confesses his gravest sins to Cardinal Lamberto, a fictional character deeply troubled by the crimes he has heard. He will change into a fictional model of Pope John Paul I, somebody decided to confront the scandals and corruption rocking the Vatican, simply as his real-life namesake did—or at the least tried to.
8. Michel Piccoli as the Pope in Habemus Papam (2011)
