Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pontiff, is set to welcome a glittering lineup of Hollywood stars and filmmakers to the Vatican this weekend for a special audience celebrating the Catholic Church’s ongoing Holy Year.
The Vatican announced that the meeting, to be held on Nov. 15 morning at the Apostolic Palace, will be attended by prominent figures including Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, Chris Pine, Alison Brie, Dave Franco and Monica Bellucci. Oscar-winning directors Spike Lee, George Miller, Giuseppe Tornatore and Gus Van Sant are also expected to join the gathering, organized by the Vatican’s culture office.
According to a Vatican statement, Pope Leo “has expressed his desire to deepen dialogue with the world of cinema, exploring the possibilities that artistic creativity offers to the mission of the Church and the promotion of human values.”
In a video released ahead of the event, the pope shared his four favorite films: Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), Robert Wise’s “The Sound of Music” (1965), Robert Redford’s “Ordinary People” (1980) and Roberto Benigni’s “Life Is Beautiful” (1997).
There is little precedent for such an encounter between the Vatican and Hollywood. However, Pope Francis held a similar event in June 2024 for comedians, which drew the likes of Conan O’Brien, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon.
The announcement follows Pope Leo’s recent meeting with actor Robert De Niro and his children, Julian and Drena De Niro, at the Vatican. De Niro was in Rome to receive the city’s highest honor, the Lupa Capitolina, and to attend the inauguration of his Nobu Hotel Roma on the Via Veneto.
