Cast of Conclave (2024 Film): Complete List and Roles

There’s something about a papal election that grabs even the most secular among us – a centuries-old ritual wrapped in secrecy and high stakes. Conclave, the 2024 drama thriller directed by Edward Berger, taps into that fascination with a stellar cast led by Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and Isabella Rossellini.

Director: Edward Berger ·
Main Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Isabella Rossellini ·
Release Year: 2024

Key production details and release information are summarised below.

Who is the female lead in Conclave?

The female lead in Conclave is Isabella Rossellini, who plays Sister Agnes. Rossellini, known for Blue Velvet and Death Becomes Her, brings a quiet authority to a character who navigates the male-dominated Vatican hierarchy. Her role is not a cardinal but a nun involved in the conclave’s logistics, offering a rare on-screen perspective of women inside the Holy See.

What is Isabella Rossellini’s role in Conclave?

According to TV Guide, Rossellini plays Sister Agnes, a trusted attendant who assists the cardinals during the election. The film expands her role beyond the novel, giving her a more active part in the drama. One pattern: the cast includes only one major female character, which mirrors the real all-male cardinal electorate but still opens questions about the church’s gender representation.

Supporting cast highlights: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow

The film’s engine is the trio of cardinals vying for power. Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence, the dean who presides over the conclave. Stanley Tucci plays Cardinal Bellini, a liberal reformer, and John Lithgow portrays Cardinal Tremblay, a conservative traditionalist. Their performances create the central conflict.

• Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Bellini (TV Guide)
• John Lithgow as Cardinal Tremblay (YouTube promo)
• Sergio Castellitto as Cardinal Tedesco (TV Guide)
• Lucian Msamati as Cardinal Adeyemi (TV Guide)
• Brían F. O’Byrne as Cardinal O’Malley (TV Guide)
• Carlos Diehz as Cardinal Benitez (TV Guide)

The implication: casting three heavyweights like Fiennes, Tucci, and Lithgow ensures the ideological battle feels both personal and cosmic.

Was the film Conclave based on a true story?

No, Conclave is not a true story. It is a fictional thriller adapted from Robert Harris’s 2016 novel of the same name. While the novel and film draw on real Vatican procedures, the characters and specific plot events are invented.

Is Conclave based on a real papal conclave?

The film does not depict any specific historical conclave. Instead, it constructs a fictional election to explore themes of power, faith, and scandal. As the Benedictine College Media analysis notes, the setting is “artfully deceptive” – accurate in atmosphere but fictional in events.

What is the novel that inspired the film?

Robert Harris, known for historical thrillers like Fatherland and The Ghost, wrote Conclave in 2016. The novel became a bestseller for its inside look at the papal election process. The film adaptation stays close to the book’s plot while tightening the focus on the cardinals’ personal conflicts. (Wikipedia)

The pattern: Harris researched conclave rules extensively, so even fictional plot twists rest on real procedural frameworks.

How accurate is ‘Conclave’ the movie? Film vs. real process

Accuracy is a mixed bag. The film faithfully recreates the ritual of the conclave – the secrecy, the locked doors, the black and white smoke. But it takes dramatic liberties with the voting dynamics and introduces conspiracies rarely seen in real elections.

What are the key differences between the film and the real conclave?

• Voting secrecy: In reality, cardinals are forbidden from revealing how they voted. The film shows open vote‑sharing that would violate the strictest Vatican rules.
• Outside influence: Pop culture often suggests cardinals can be swayed by threats or blackmail; real conclaves are insulated from external pressure.
• Duration: Real conclaves can last days or even weeks. The film compresses the election into a tense few days.

According to the Benedictine College Media analysis, the film’s accuracy in setting is undermined by a plot that invents secret political maneuvering. The same source emphasises that “no one can tell cardinals whom to vote for or disclose their ballots” – a rule the film breaks for dramatic effect.

How does the film depict the secret ballot and voting rituals?

The film shows the cardinals writing their votes on paper, placing them in a chalice, and burning them with chemicals to produce smoke. This part is accurate. The real process uses a stove in the Sistine Chapel, adding chemicals to turn the smoke black (no decision) or white (pope elected).

Why this matters: viewers who watch Conclave as a political thriller will be entertained; those expecting a documentary on Vatican protocol may be disappointed.

Where was Conclave actually filmed?

Filming took place primarily at Cinecittà Studios in Rome, the legendary film studio where classics like La Dolce Vita and Ben-Hur were made. Exterior shots of Vatican‑adjacent buildings were captured on location in Rome.

What specific locations were used for the Vatican interiors?

Rather than filming inside the real Sistine Chapel (which is restricted), the production built elaborate sets at Cinecittà that replicate the Chapel’s layout and frescoes. According to Wikipedia, the set designers worked from photographs and official descriptions to achieve authenticity.

Did the cast film on location in Rome?

Yes. Some exterior footage – such as the cardinals arriving at the Vatican – was shot in Rome. Director Edward Berger insisted on real Italian light and architecture to ground the film in the eternal city.

The catch: even the most detailed sets can’t replace the actual atmosphere of the Apostolic Palace, but the film’s visual fidelity to Italian baroque interiors is praised by architecture critics.

What does the Catholic Church think about the movie Conclave?

As of early 2025, the Vatican has not issued an official statement about Conclave. However, Catholic media and commentators have weighed in.

Has the Vatican officially commented on the film?

No. A search of Vatican News and press releases shows no endorsement or condemnation. The film has been discussed in lay Catholic forums and editorials.

How have Catholic critics reacted?

Reactions are mixed. The Benedictine College Media analysis commends the film’s respectful tone toward faith but criticizes its “artfully deceptive” portrayal of how cardinals interact. Some Catholic bloggers praise the film for taking the church seriously, while others worry it reinforces stereotypes of Vatican intrigue.

The upshot: For practicing Catholics, the film offers a respectful but fictionalized drama – not a doctrinal statement.

“Conclave is a compelling drama that respects the solemnity of the conclave while delivering a gripping political thriller.”

— Benedictine College Media analysis of the film’s setting

“The film stars Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini in a story of power and faith.”

— Official Conclave promo on YouTube (Focus Features)

“The real conclave operates under strict secrecy; no cardinal may reveal his vote under pain of excommunication.”

— Vatican expert commentary, referenced in Benedictine College Media

For audiences who love political drama, Conclave offers an immersive Vatican power struggle anchored by a stellar cast. But for anyone seeking a documentary‑accurate portrayal of Catholic elections, the film’s thriller liberties will feel like fiction – because they are. The trade-off is clear: viewers must decide whether they watch for entertainment or for education. For most pop‑culture consumers, the cast alone makes it worth the ticket.