To celebrate the release of The Two Popes, which opened in UK cinemas this week ahead of its Netflix debut, we sat down with some of the filmmakers and cast to find out about this historic story and an acting masterclass.
Written by Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, Darkest Hour), The Two Popes tells the story of, strangely, two popes, Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) and Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins), and the story of their unique friendship through some tough and controversial times in modern history.
From Fernando Meirelles, the Academy Award-nominated director of “City of God,” and three-time Academy Award nominated screenwriter Anthony McCarten, comes an intimate story of one of the most dramatic transitions of power in the last 2,000 years. Frustrated with the direction of the church, Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) requests permission to retire in 2012 from Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins). Instead, facing scandal and self-doubt, the introspective Pope Benedict summons his harshest critic and future successor to Rome to reveal a secret that would shake the foundations of the Catholic Church. Behind Vatican walls, a struggle commences between both tradition and progress, guilt and forgiveness, as these two very different men confront elements from their pasts in order to find common ground and forge a future for a billion followers around the world.
You can watch the full interview below:
The Two Popes is in UK cinemas now and on Netflix from December 20th.
