In Hollywood, actors have taken roles that have completely transformed the genre. But when Ralph Fiennes brought the Vatican to the big screen, everyone was left in complete awe. While doing this was not an easy task, yet Conclave managed to pull this off without even filming inside its historic halls. This, in itself, is strictly forbidden, but with the movie, the actor managed to transport the viewers into one of the most mysterious events of the world—the election of a new pope.
With the Vatican off-limits, the entire production crew, alongside director Edward Berger, had to find a creative way to make the setting feel as authentic as possible. And it’s safe to say that the movie pulled this off with ease.
How did Conclave manage to create the Vatican without even stepping inside its halls?
Conclave took the industry by storm when it was released in 2024. It presented the Vatican’s closed-door traditions, and while it was a huge challenge for the makers, they managed to pull this off in a very creative and elegant way. The movie, based on Robert Harris’ popular novel of the same name, presents a high-stakes drama of electing a new pope.
Actor Ralph Fiennes takes center stage in the movie as Cardinal Lawrence, and given that he was nominated for Best Actor in this year’s Oscars, it is a testament to the phenomenal acting he has done in the movie. While Adrien Brody took home the Oscar for his role in The Brutalist, Fiennes was also a tough contender in this regard.
On the subject of Conclave, it was pretty obvious that the Vatican would be off-limits for filming, but Edward Berger had to bring in an element of creativity to make that happen. So the entire production turned to other locations across Italy, with their main focus on selecting only those areas that truly captured the grandeur of the real thing.
The actor himself was left amazed by the level of authenticity on set and added via IndieWire:
By the time you’ve got everyone in their robes and rehearsed thoroughly into the ritual, we felt we were in the real place. We had a number of locations around Rome, classical structures that reflect the pomp and the grandiosity of the Vatican.
The movie’s attention to detail was not just limited to this, but the director also placed special emphasis on how Cardinal Lawrence’s story would unfold. He structured the storyline in such a way that showcased his inner crisis and moral dilemmas. Berger also wanted the viewers to see the election through his eyes.
While he may have lost the Oscar to Brody, it’s safe to say that no award can truly capture the genius that is Ralph Fiennes.
The reason why Ralph Fiennes felt lost while filming Maid in Manhattan
Throughout his career spanning several decades, Ralph Fiennes has taken a number of different roles across genres. But in the midst of all this, one role that left him feeling uncertain was that of a politician in Maid in Manhattan. The movie was released in 2002, and he played the role of Christopher Marshall, a smart and polished politician.
Here, he falls in love with pop icon Jennifer Lopez, who played the role of maid Marisa Ventura. This was a complete shift from the roles the actor was accustomed to doing, and the lighthearted nature of the movie made things a bit difficult for him. He added in an interview via People:
It was rom-com writing. It was light. [But] I think I felt a little bit at sea sometimes. [I wondered] ‘Now, who is this Republican senator?’ My antennae for things American — I think — got better since. But then I think I was kind sometimes a little bit lost.
Despite his reservations, his acting and chemistry with Lopez were a hit among viewers, and the movie became a box office success, earning more than $154 million worldwide on a budget of $55 million, via Box Office Mojo.
While the movie may not have been his most comfortable role, it surely showcased just how well he can act across different genres.
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