Esteemed actor Al Pacino has made history as the first film actor to officially meet Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope. This momentous occasion occurred at the Vatican on Monday.
Andrea Iervolino, the producer of “Maserati: The Brothers”, confirmed the meeting in a statement to Variety. The statement indicated that Pope Leo XIV received a delegation from the film, including Oscar winner Al Pacino and producer Andrea Iervolino, in a private audience at the Holy See.
The meeting was a deeply spiritual and cultural event, centered on shared values that define both the Catholic Church and the film: family unity, love, compassion, and the importance of contributing to the common good. Iervolino stated that the pope’s values resonated with the film’s message, emphasizing a story of mutual respect, solidarity, and a shared vision.
Pope Leo XIV is no stranger to celebrities. In a New York Times feature, Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates highlighted the pope’s familial connections to notable figures such as Pierre and Justin Trudeau, Angelina Jolie, Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber, Jack Kerouac, and Madonna. These ties trace back to a Canadian ancestor, Louis Boucher de Grandpre, from Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
This development follows earlier reports that Al Pacino would be joining the cast of “Maserati: The Brothers,” a film directed by Bobby Moresco. Pacino is set to play Vincenzo Vaccaro, a businessman who backed the Maserati family in their formative years. The film’s production is currently underway in Italy. Other cast members, including Anthony Hopkins, Andy Garcia, Jessica Alba, Michele Morrone, and Salvatore Esposito, were not present for the meeting with the pope.
In summary, Al Pacino’s unprecedented meeting with Pope Leo XIV serves as a noteworthy moment in both the film industry and the papacy. As the first film actor to secure an official audience with Pope Leo XIV, Pacino sets a unique precedent.
