SAG Awards 2025: Conclave Cast Sends Message to Pope Francis Amid Hospitalization

SAG Awards 2025: ‘Conclave’ Cast Sends Message to Pope Francis Amid Hospitalization

It has not gone unnoticed that, as Conclave has been racking up honors during award season, that the real pope has been hospitalized.

And so in presenting scenes from the film about the intrigue-filled process of choosing a new pope after the death of his predecessor at the 2025 SAG Awards, Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture nominees (and later winners) Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini, John Lithgow and Sergio Castellitto first paid tribute to the ailing pontiff.

“First of all, we would like to wish Pope Francis a quick recovery,” Rossellini began the segment. (Alas, her mic wasn’t on all the way, not the first sound issue of the night, so Fiennes encouraged her to start again.)

“Conclave is the secret meeting where the new pope is elected,” continued the Italian actress, “and this is what this film is about. It all happens behind the secret world of the Vatican.”

Added Fiennes, “A papal election turns into a battleground for competing agendas and egos, leaving no candidate safe from…” He paused, before quipping about whether he should pronounce “inquiry” with a long i sound or not.

Meanwhile, papal humor has been a hit this award season, from Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser’s “Pope-ular” parody to the joke cracked by SAG Awards host Kristen Bell.

Doing a Gossip Girl bit with Leighton Meester, she lamented that their scoop wasn’t very juicy, cracking, “The popes in Conclave were better at gossiping than us, I think we should pass the torch.”

“Amen,” Meester added.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

While it’s only other SAG nomination was performance by a male actor in a leading role for Fiennes, Conclave’s ensemble win kept the momentum going heading into Oscars night March 2.

So the eerily timed accolades for the film began long before Pope Francis, 88, was hospitalized Feb. 14 with a respiratory tract infection.

Franco Origlia/Getty Images

As of Feb. 23, he remains in critical condition while he receives treatment for double pneumonia and a mild renal insufficiency after suffering a respiratory crisis, according to the Vatican.

But thoughts have been with the pope as Conclave’s stock has risen over the past month. The film, which also stars Stanely Tucci, won Best Film at the BAFTAs and is nominated for eight Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actor for Fiennes, Best Supporting Actress for Rossellini, costume design, adapted screenplay, production design, original score and editing. 

See the full list of winners from the 2025 SAG Awards:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

A Complete Unknown

Anora

WINNER: Conclave

Emilia Pérez

Wicked

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Pamela Anderson—The Last Showgirl

Cynthia Erivo—Wicked

Karla Sofía Gascón—Emilia Pérez

Mikey Madison—Anora

WINNER: Demi Moore—The Substance

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Adrien Brody—The Brutalist

WINNER: Timothée Chalamet—A Complete Unknown

Daniel Craig—Queer

Colman Domingo—Sing Sing

Ralph Fiennes—Conclave

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Monica Barbaro—A Complete Unknown

Jamie Lee Curtis—The Last Showgirl

Danielle Deadwyler—The Piano Lesson

Ariana Grande—Wicked

WINNER: Zoe Saldaña— Emilia Pérez

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Jonathan Bailey—Wicked

Yura Borisov—Anora

WINNER: Kieran Culkin—A Real Pain

Edward Norton— A Complete Unknown

Jeremy Strong—The Apprentice

Outstanding Action Performance By a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

Deadpool & Wolverine

Dune: Part Two

WINNER: The Fall Guy

Gladiator II

Wicked

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Bridgerton

The Day of The Jackal

The Diplomat

WINNER: Shogun

Slow Horses

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

Kathy Bates—Matlock

Nicola Coughlan—Bridgerton

Allison Janney—The Diplomat

Keri Russell—The Diplomat

WINNER: Anna Sawai—Shogun

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

Tadanobu Asano—Shogun

Jeff Bridges—The Old Man

Gary Oldman—Slow Horses

Eddie Redmayne—The Day of The Jackal

WINNER: Hiroyuki Sanada—Shogun

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary

The Bear

Hacks

WINNER: Only Murders in The Building

Shrinking

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

Kristen Bell—Nobody Wants This

Quinta Brunson—Abbott Elementary

Liza Colón-Zayas—The Bear

Ayo Edebiri—The Bear

WINNER: Jean Smart—Hacks

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

Adam Brody—Nobody Wants This

Ted Danson —A Man on The Inside

Harrison Ford—Shrinking

WINNER: Martin Short—Only Murders in The Building

Jeremy Allen White—The Bear

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

Javier Bardem—Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

WINNER: Colin Farrell—The Penguin

Richard Gadd—Baby Reindeer

Kevin Kline—Disclaimer

Andrew Scott—Ripley

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

Kathy Bates—The Great Lillian Hall

Cate Blanchett—Disclaimer

Jodie Foster— True Detective: Night Country

Lily Gladstone—Under the Bridge

WINNER: Jessica Gunning—Baby Reindeer

Cristin Milioti—The Penguin

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series

The Boys

Fallout

House of the Dragon

The Penguin

WINNER: Shogun