Jonathan Pryce Discusses His Role in “The Two Popes”

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: So, “The Two Popes” is getting a huge amount of attention and critical review. Very good critical acclaim. I’ve watched it. It’s amazing. I just want to know, were you born to play this part? I mean, you look identical to Pope Francis.

JONATHAN PRYCE, ACTOR, “THE TWO POPES”: Well, yes. I mean, it’s not what I would see when I look in the mirror. I feel more Brad Pitt than — yes. The day he was declared pope was the internet was full of images of the two of us, either me or High Sparrow compared to the pope. And it seemed, as I’ve said, inevitability that I — you know, if there ever was to be a film about him that I would play him.

AMANPOUR: Did you have any inkling there might be? I mean, that this might actually happen? And it happened in this way because — I mean, the vehicle is so compelling. Essentially, tight shots of you and Anthony Hopkins playing two living popes and really mostly just a discussion between you, I mean, an important one but it’s not action and adventure and intrigue and, you know, Vatican high crimes and skullduggery.

PRYCE: Well, it is about all of those things, high crimes and skullduggery. It’s also about faith and about forgiveness and compassion. And when you read it on the — you know, you get the screenplay sent to you, and it seems a very dry read. It’s two men of the church, two old men of the church, having a debate and an argument and there are flashbacks to Bergoglio’s life in Buenos Aires. But, you know, when you know that it’s going to be directed by Fernando Meirelles who — as a wonderful film that is one of my favorite all-time films, all-time favorite films, “City of God,” there is going to be a different kind of energy to it. It wasn’t going to be a hagiography, it was going to have some life and vitality and have a political point of view, well as a religious point of view.