Pope Leo XIV celebrates cinema with Hollywood stars and urges inclusion of marginal voices

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV welcomed Spike Lee, Cate Blanchett, Greta Gerwig and dozens of other Hollywood luminaries to a special Vatican audience Saturday celebrating cinema and its ability to inspire and unite.

Leo encouraged the filmmakers and celebrities gathered in a frescoed Vatican audience hall to use their art to include marginal voices, calling film “a popular art in the noblest sense, intended for and accessible to all.”

“When cinema is authentic, it does not merely console, but challenges,” he told the stars. “It articulates the questions that dwell within us, and sometimes, even provokes tears that we didn't know we needed to shed.”

The encounter, organized by the Vatican’s culture ministry, followed similar audiences Pope Francis had in recent years with famous artists and comedians. It's part of the Vatican’s efforts to reach out beyond the Catholic Church to engage with the secular world.

But the gathering also seemed to have particular meaning for history’s first American pope, who grew up in the heyday of Hollywood. The 70-year-old, Chicago-born Leo just this week identified his four favorite films: “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “The Sound of Music,” “Ordinary People,” and “Life Is Beautiful.”

In a sign of how seemingly star-struck he was, Leo spent nearly an hour after the audience greeting and chatting amiably with each of the participants, something he rarely does for large audiences.

Drawing applause from the celebrities, Leo acknowledged that the film industry and cinemas around the world were experiencing a decline, with theaters that had once been important social and cultural meeting points disappearing from neighborhoods.

“I urge institutions not to give up, but to cooperate in affirming the social and cultural value” of movie theaters, he said.

Many celebrities said they found Leo’s words inspiring, and expressed awe as they walked through the halls of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, where a light luncheon reception awaited them after the audience.

“It was a surprise to me that I even got invited,” Spike Lee told reporters along the red carpet gauntlet in the palace.

During the audience, Lee had presented Leo with a jersey from his beloved Knicks basketball team, featuring the number 14 and Leo’s name on the back. Leo is a known Chicago Bulls fan, but Lee said he told the pope that the Knicks now boast three players from the pope's alma mater, Villanova University.

Blanchett, for her part, said the pope’s comments were inspiring because he understood the crucial role cinema can play in transcending borders and exploring sometimes difficult subjects in ways that aren’t divisive.

“Filmmaking is about entertainment, but it’s about including voices that are often marginalized and not shy away from the pain and complexity that we’re all living through right now,” she said.

She said Leo, in his comments about the experience of watching a film in a dark theatre, clearly understood the culturally important role cinemas can play.

“Sitting in the dark with strangers is a way in which we can reconnect to what unites us rather than what divides us,” she said.

The gathering drew a diverse group of filmmakers and actors, including many from Italy, like Monica Bellucci and Alba Rohrwacher. American actors included Chris O’Donnell, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, his wife.

Director Sally Potter said she was impressed that Leo took the time to speak with each one of them. And she said she loved his comments about the value of silence and slowness in film.

“It was a good model of how to be and how to think about cinema,” she said, noting especially Leo's defense of “slow cinema” and to not see the moving image just in terms of algorithms.

Director Gus Van Sant said he liked Leo's vibe.

“He was very laid back, you know, he had a fantastic message of beauty in cinema,” he said.

Archbishop Paul Tighe, the No. 2 in the Vatican culture ministry, said the guest list was pulled together just in the last three months, with the help of the handful of contacts Vatican officials had in Hollywood, including Martin Scorsese.

The biggest hurdle, Tighe said, was convincing Hollywood agents that the invitation to come meet Leo wasn't a hoax. In the end, as word spread, some figures approached the Vatican and asked to be invited.

“It’s an industry where people have their commitments months in advance and years in advance, so obviously it was a little hit and miss, but we’re very pleased and very proud” by the turnout, he said.

The aim of the encounter, he said, was to encourage an ongoing conversation with the world of culture, of which film is a fundamental part.

“It’s a very democratic art form," Tighe said. Saturday's audience, he said, was "the celebration of an art form that I think is touching the lives of so many people and therefore recognizing it and giving it its true importance.”

Visual journalists Trisha Thomas and Isaia Montelione contributed.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Actress Stefania Sandrelli leaves at the end of an audience of Pope Leo XIV with actors and directors from the cinema, at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Film Director Spike Lee and his wife Tonya Lewis Lee leave after an audience of Pope Leo XIV with actors and directors from the cinema at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Film Director Emir Kusturica leaves at the end of an audience of Pope Leo XIV with actors and directors from the cinema at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Film Director Spike Lee gestures as he leaves at the end of an audience of Pope Leo XIV with actors and directors from the cinema at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Cate Blanchett is interviewed by journalists as she leaves at the end of an audience of Pope Leo XIV with actors and directors from the cinema at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Actress Greta Gerwig leaves at the end of an audience of Pope Leo XIV with actors and directors from the cinema, at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Actress Cate Blanchett leaves at the end of an audience of Pope Leo XIV with actors and directors from the cinema, at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Film Director Spike Lee and his wife Tonya Lewis Lee leave at the end of an audience of Pope Leo XIV with actors and directors from the cinema, at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

In a matter of hours Sunday, what had appeared to be a year no teams with losing records would be needed to fill out the bowl schedule suddenly changed when Notre Dame, Iowa State and Kansas State announced they would decline bids despite being eligible.

There are 41 bowls this year, and 82 teams won the necessary six games to be eligible. But Iowa State and Kansas State teams going through coaching changes almost simultaneously said they were hanging up their cleats for the season. Notre Dame, the first team left out of the College Football Playoff, followed a few hours later.

Mississippi State and Rice, both 5-7, swooped in to accept bids because they were among the first in line based on their Academic Progress Rate. The Bulldogs will play Wake Forest in the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Owls will face Texas State in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Birmingham Bowl was still searching Sunday evening for an opponent to play Georgia Southern, according to On3.

Iowa State, Kansas State and Notre Dame weren't going to play in any of those lower-level bowls, but their decisions altered the order of selections and presumably allowed three lesser teams to move up and bowls at the bottom to scramble.

Notre Dame's decision to shut down for the year came after it was announced as the first team left out of the playoff.

“As a team, we've decided to withdraw our name from consideration for a bowl game following the 2025 season,” the Fighting Irish said in a statement on social media. “We appreciate all the support from our families and fans, and we're hoping to bring the 12th national title to South Bend in 2026.”

Notre Dame won its last 10 games following a three-point loss to Miami and a one-point loss to Texas A&M. The Fighting Irish, which lost to Ohio State in the national championship game last season, finished 10-2 and ranked No. 9 on Sunday in The Associated Press poll and No. 11 in the CFP rankings.

Miami got into the playoff as an at-large selection after moving from No. 12 to No. 10 in the final rankings. Notre Dame dropped a spot and will now stay home for the postseason for the first time since 2016.

The Big 12 Conference said it will fine Iowa State and Kansas State $500,000 each for opting out of bowl participation. Both schools are going through coaching transitions with Matt Campbell leaving Iowa State for Penn State and Chris Klieman announcing his retirement.

“While the conference acknowledges the difficult timing around coaching changes, the Big 12 is responsible for fulfilling its contractual obligations to its bowl partners,” the Big 12 said in a statement.

Iowa State announced its players voted to not play in a bowl because the team doesn't have healthy players to safety practice and play. ISU did not mention the coaching change from Campbell to Jimmy Rogers in its statement.

The Cyclones sustained numerous injuries this season while going 8-4, and members of the athletics administration and the previous coaching staff met Sunday with the players to gauge their interest in a bowl.

“The administrative staff and coaches respect and support the players decision,” athletic director Jamie Pollard said. “Our student-athletes have had an incredible season and we are grateful for their leadership as we worked through this process with them today.”

K-State athletic director Gene Taylor said he had conversations with players and Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark before deciding to decline a bowl bid. The Wildcats were 6-6 after beating Colorado at home in their final home game.

“This decision was not taken lightly, but with our coaching staff transition and several uncertainties regarding player availability, I felt it was not in our best interest to try to field a team that was not representative of Kansas State University," Taylor said. "We applaud this group for fighting back from a 2-4 record to lead us to bowl eligibility yet again, and we are happy that our seniors were able to go out on top with a victory inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium.”

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht (3) looks to pass against the Oklahoma State during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Stillwater, Okla. (AP Photo/Gerald Leong)