Ralph Fiennes has expressed his admiration for Pope Leo, stating he "love[s] that Pope Leo is standing up to US President Donald Trump." The acclaimed actor made the comments during an appearance on Andrew Marr's show on LBC Radio, where he discussed the ongoing Iran conflict and criticised what he termed "the obscene approach of Mr Trump's regime to waging war."
Fiennes on Pope Leo's Courage
Fiennes, who recently starred in the Oscar-winning 2024 film Conclave as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence – a character tasked with organising the election of the next pope – was asked by Marr for his thoughts on Leo in light of his role. "I think he's great," Fiennes responded. "I love his standing up to Trump, or implicitly to Trump by what he said."
The actor elaborated on his anti-war stance, asserting: "I think war is an obscenity. I think a central – as I understand it – a central theme of Christ's teaching is war is wrong. You do not wage war, certainly not by choice." He continued, "And the – in my view – not that you're interested, but the obscene approach of Trump's regime to waging war in this way, whatever."
Clarifying His Position
Fiennes clarified his position, adding, "I make no apologies for the Iranian regime, but the point about the Pope is he spoke about an ethical principle, about violence, about non-violence…"
Pope Leo has consistently advocated for peace and dialogue, and has publicly condemned the use of religious justifications for conflict. In contrast, Mr Trump has previously accused Leo of being lenient on crime and too aligned with the left, even suggesting that the first American pontiff owed his election to him.
Fiennes further praised Leo's approach: "He's not looking for a fight, he's looking to make a point of principle. And he's in obviously an extraordinary position. He can say it, and I thought he positioned it and said it with great courage. And I'm a fan of Pope Leo. I'm a fan."
Fiennes' appearance on LBC on Thursday evening was primarily to promote his role in the West End play Grace Pervades. He is scheduled to reprise his portrayal of Henry Irving at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from Friday, following its earlier run at the Theatre Royal Bath last summer.
