But speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Fiennes said that although the film does point out some controversies, it is by no means a “cynical takedown of the Catholic Church”.

Speaking about playing the lead role of Cardinal Lawrence, he said: “A lot of these Cardinals are in positions of authority. And to keep hold of those vows, particularly ones of poverty, I think they have to be quite… very disciplined. I think that the temptations to have a nice car or have a nice food, and obviously other temptations too.

“But I think it made me think about what it was to commit to that life, and then to be holding true to those principles, where you are in positions of some kind of power or control. Because the Vatican is, as you know, it’s a huge structure, it’s this bureaucracy, it’s a civil service, it’s a foreign office, it’s got its own Exchequer, you know.

“So you’re having to deal with structures that have to interact with the world, and so how you hold on to the simplest principles of your vows is probably a challenge.”

He added: “But what drew me to it was not just the great writing of the screenplay, but I think the spirit of Robert Harris’s book is it’s not a cynical takedown of the Catholic Church. It’s actually asking quite important questions about who is worthy of this position.

“The position exists. The Catholic Church has huge influence over the world. So who is the right candidate to sit? And I think it asks that those questions very intelligently.”

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Later he expanded that “it’s not an attack on the Catholic Church,” even though “if you wanted to make that for them, you probably could”.

And he continued: “But I think it asks questions about faith. And there is this very interesting speech that Robert Harris gives my character, about doubt, the importance of doubt, which shocks a lot of the Cardinals.

“Other Cardinals see the wisdom of Lawrence’s provocation. Without doubt, there is no mystery. Without mystery, there’s no faith. So the sense of mystery, the unknowable, this is the theme.”

Conclave is released in UK cinemas on Friday 29th November 2024.

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