Jonathan Pryce almost rejected ‘The Two Popes’: “I wasn’t going to please anybody”
There are many actors who are now permanent members of the British acting elite, with the likes of Dame Maggie Smith, Judi Dench and Anthony Hopkins being celebrated members of this esteemed performing arts world.
However, there is one actor from this esteemed club who has had one of the most varied and dynamic careers of them all, going from starring alongside dragons to acting on stage or alongside Robert de Niro. For Jonathan Pryce, the role of a lifetime could never come too late, with the actor describing how his most cherished project was initially one that he didn’t want to touch with a ten-foot pole.
In recent years, it seems as though the inner lives of popes and religious figures have become huge topics of interest for filmmakers, with Conclave causing ripples across the world after it accidentally coincided with the death of Pope Francis and offered a unique insight into the selection process. In addition, directors like Paul Schrader and Martin Scorsese have concerned themselves with similar subject matter, with First Reformed providing a very dark and nihilistic perspective on faith and the struggles that come with trying to keep up hope.
However, despite the fascination around these stories, there was one project that Jonathan Pryce initially found very easy to turn down, with the actor being offered a lead role in The Two Popes. Directed by Fernando Meirelles, the film follows Pope Francis and Pope Benedict as they face their differences in order to carve out a new future for the Catholic Church.
While the film was met with critical success and even nominated for several Academy Awards, Pryce explained how he was not overly positive after being offered the role due to the challenge of playing a real-life figure. Many actors have expressed their initial concerns with playing people who are still alive, presenting a myriad of obstacles because people can compare and judge performance against the real person.
It opens you up to a new wave of criticism and scrutiny, with everyone from Margot Robbie to Leonardo DiCaprio discussing this plight and how it can warp your process. This was precisely why Pryce was first so wary about taking on the role, with the actor saying, “I didn’t want to do The Two Popes. I thought playing Pope Francis was a hiding to nothing. A living Pope? I wasn’t going to please anybody. But it ended up being a joyous experience. One of my best jobs ever. We screened it in Rome for members of the Vatican, and they seemed to think I’d got him right.”
While he might have been sceptical about this, the decision not to walk away from a challenge and confront it head-on was what led Pryce to one of his most celebrated roles. The actor has been celebrated for taking many bold swings over the years, whether it be his work in Game of Thrones or Brazil, but perhaps he will be most fondly remembered for tackling the role of Pope Francis and doing so with grace and sensitivity.
