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.
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.
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
