Actor Ralph Fiennes has expressed his admiration for Pope Leo's willingness to stand up to US President Donald Trump, particularly regarding the ongoing Iran conflict. During an appearance on Andrew Marr's LBC Radio show, Fiennes described what he termed "the obscene approach of Mr Trump's regime to waging war."
Fiennes on Pope Leo and War
Fiennes, who portrayed Cardinal Thomas Lawrence in the 2024 Oscar-winning film Conclave—a story about the election of a new pope—shared his thoughts when asked about the current pontiff. "I think he's great," Fiennes said. "I love his standing up to Trump, or implicitly to Trump by what he said. I think war is an obscenity."
The actor elaborated on his views, stating: "I think a central theme of Christ's teaching is that war is wrong. You do not wage war, certainly not by choice. And the obscene approach of Trump's regime to waging war in this way... 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 called for peace and dialogue, denouncing the use of religious justification for war. In response, President Trump has accused Leo of being soft on crime and too cozy with the left, even claiming that the first American pontiff owed his election to him.
Fiennes continued: "He's not looking for a fight; he's looking to make a point of principle. And he's in an extraordinary position. He can say it, and I thought he positioned it and said it with great courage. I'm a fan of Pope Leo. I'm a fan."
Fiennes' West End Role
Fiennes appeared on LBC on Thursday evening to discuss his role in the West End play Grace Pervades. He is set to reprise the role of Henry Irving at the Theatre Royal Haymarket starting Friday, following a previous run at the Theatre Royal Bath last summer.
