About thirty Hollywood actors and directors, including Cate Blanchett, Chris Pine, Spike Lee, and George Miller, will participate in a special audience with Pope Leo at the Vatican this weekend. The event is organized as part of the Church's Holy Year. This is reported by UNN with reference to Reuters.
Details
As the Vatican announced, Pope Leo "expressed a desire to deepen dialogue with the world of cinema... exploring the opportunities that artistic creativity offers for the Church's mission and the promotion of human values."
Oscar-winning directors Gus Van Sant and George Miller will also join the meeting, and invited actors include Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Viggo Mortensen, Adam Scott, and Tony Kaye.
Ahead of the event, the Vatican released Pope Leo's four favorite films: "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946), "The Sound of Music" (1965), "Ordinary People" (1980), and "Life Is Beautiful" (1997).
Additionally
Papal events rarely gather movie stars, but this is not the first time the Vatican has organized a meeting with representatives of creative professions. In June 2024, the late Pope Francis hosted comedians at the Vatican, including Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, and Jimmy Fallon.
Recall
Pope Leo XIV spent almost three hours meeting with Belgian victims of sexual abuse by the clergy, listening to their testimonies of trauma. The Catholic Church in Belgium is facing a crisis due to hundreds of cases of abuse, and the Pope has pledged to combat violence and silence.