The cast of 'Conclave' sends well wishes to Pope Francis during the Screen Actors Guild Awards
For the cast of "Conclave," the dramatized events of their film could very well play out in real life soon: Pope Francis, who was hospitalized on Feb. 14, remains in critical condition. They made sure to send him well wishes at the Screen Actors Guild Awards Sunday night.
While presenting their film, Isabella Rossellini said, “First of all, we would like to wish Pope Francis a quick recovery.”
Later, after the cast took home Best Ensemble—the top honor of the evening—Rossellini and her co-star, Sergio Castellitto, spoke about Pope Francis in the press room.
“Pope Francis, I wish him well. In our film, we analyzed the election of a new pope, which is very secretive, taking place within the Vatican in the beautiful room that was painted by Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel, that we reproduced,” , said. “As Italians, we are familiar, more familiar than maybe foreigners, with the debate within the church that are very similar to the debate in every society: the role of the gays, conservative, progressive, the role of women. So Sergio and I were more familiar, maybe than all of you, but we don’t know exactly what happens during the Conclave. The film reveals the possible debates.”
Castellitto, who plays Cardinal Tedesco, said, “For us that live in Rome, to live at a few meters, few yards from the Pope is to have a much closer relationship. We see the helicopter leaving his place: ‘Oh, is the Pope flying off today and coming back!’ So, our relationship as Italians to the Pope is much closer. I repeat, I really wish him well.”
The Vatican said in a statement this morning that “the night went well, the Pope slept and is now resting,” but offered no further details on Pope Francis’s health.