Isabella Rossellini's FIRST Oscar Nomination? 'Conclave' Review + Behind-the-Scenes Secrets!

Conclave: A Shocking Twist and a Deep Dive into the Papal Election!

Isabella Rossellini on Conclave: A Masterclass in Subtlety and a Career Retrospective

Isabella Rossellini, that legendary actress, graces our screens once more in Edward Berger's new film, Conclave! This movie, an adaptation of Robert Harris's bestselling novel, isn't your typical Oscar-bait drama, though it does certainly have that appeal for several key reasons, the foremost is its acting. It has clever twists, stunning performances (Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence is already creating major buzz) and seriously explores that whole Vatican drama thing – specifically surrounding the highly sensitive issues surrounding this secret papal election – in seriously captivating ways. Rossellini, in a recent Variety Awards Circuit Podcast interview (at the Middleburg Film Festival), spoke on her career – discussing her unique role (Sister Agnes) in this particular film, reflecting on this film, how complex things truly are.

Rossellini perfectly encapsulates the tension that exists: the importance of silence and quiet authority that powerful women must navigate; that extremely delicate balancing act between seeming subservient yet possessing immense influence – something explored frequently within patriarchal institutions and this is emphasized throughout her interview as a frequent motif. She perfectly demonstrates why her role is so uniquely effective in portraying these conflicts; especially during her discussion in which she humorously describes landing the role of Lisle von Rhuman in Death Becomes Her; she describes how her prior professional experience created issues: those very connections and elements regarding beauty standards that were so closely associated with her profession had to be reassessed to perfectly fit this particular role and was extremely significant for its casting decision and final cinematic effect.

Conclave's Masterful Ensemble Cast: A Blend of Veterans and Fresh Faces

Spoiler alert! Let's talk about 'Conclave' and the movie's shocking ending Image

Conclave's cast is stacked! We’ve got those A-list heavyweights, and a surprisingly crucial actor –Carlos Diehz– playing Cardinal Benitez (this is his big break!), showcasing that perfectly masterful blend of old hands and surprising new talent. It's a blend that enhances both veteran and newer actors and this combination creates several unexpectedly surprising yet compelling plot elements which is the reason this article even focuses on these elements. The film's narrative and plot twists rely on an element of surprise – introducing and focusing on lesser-known characters such as this newly emerging talented individual, helps drive and shape these twists, adding unexpected but entirely fitting developments which greatly increase the suspense of that key plot point.

The casting choices were important, for several key reasons! Berger’s focus, that surprisingly detailed decision-making in recasting Cardinal Lawrence as British helped secure Ralph Fiennes. It added a quiet, contemplative element – which totally worked! The selection of Stanley Tucci as the liberal Cardinal Bellini, perfectly contrasting Fiennes’ more measured character helped drive those political elements found across the film and adds that necessary layer of complex personalities. John Lithgow (Cardinal Tremblay), and Rossellini (Sister Agnes) perfectly add other layers which enhance those tense relationships within this storyline.

It was important however to select lesser-known talent too – Diehz's performance is something audiences would remember – showcasing that perfect and entirely necessary selection that enhances the tension – those surprising reveals, especially concerning the ending. And these moments would not have occurred without those specific casting decisions; demonstrating that the casting directors, were completely well-aware that using unknown talent as opposed to larger named actors was completely strategic and vital for maximizing the potential of a key storyline, such as Benitez’s shocking identity.

The Shocking Twist Ending and its Clever Foreshadowing

Isabella Rossellini on ‘Conclave’ and How She Almost Didn’t Get ‘Death Becomes Her’ Role Because the Studio ‘Wanted Someone More Famous, More Established’ Image

And then comes the insane twist ending: Cardinal Benitez—that surprise candidate from Kabul—wins. The shocking element is revealed –he’s intersex; a character detail revealed at the very ending after that whole intense, gripping story involving multiple backstabbing events across a few characters, including a political showdown between rivaling viewpoints. The audience is not blindsided— the screenplay makes several attempts, some more obvious than others, at foreshadowing his ambiguous gender. These attempts add layers that greatly enhance the storytelling, showing just how important that hidden identity truly is.

This film’s overall narrative structure adds weight and demonstrates just how important the film’s creative development is – creating this tension in multiple storylines that would all reach this same, perfectly climactic moment, further emphasizing how significant every smaller decision might truly be! And the movie completely manages to avoid that annoying and often cheesy "deus ex machina" feel that some movies fail to completely eliminate; instead relying on previous details, such as a simple overlooked detail like an unused razorblade in Benitez’s room and cleverly using it for emphasizing that same key element – completely preventing those lazy plotting which are often complained about by fans everywhere.

A Year's Worth of Work: Independent Filmmaking Triumphs

'Conclave' director welcomes disagreements about the movie's take on Catholicism: 'If there were controversy, I never think it's bad' Image

That independent production approach made Conclave happen, as emphasized in The Hollywood Reporter’s feature article (read this if you need more background details). This particular approach creates additional issues involving acquiring those major named actors; requiring plenty of efforts which needed a skilled team capable of assembling, convincing those top actors, such as Fiennes. Those incredibly intricate steps required creative compromise from many involved, resulting in an intense collaboration and intense production that lasted around 40 days; and it was certainly an intensely detailed production that resulted in creating amazing cinematic quality and those unexpected flourishes which further highlight why its creative production team deserves immense credit.

That incredible work in re-creating the Vatican (including that Sistine Chapel set at Cinecittà Studios!), also involved securing financial investment – that massive effort in securing major financing (from FilmNation, Indian Paintbrush, and Black Bear) required another key strategy, showcasing the clever strategies and those surprisingly innovative methods that made a successful completion possible. The low-budget relative to the project’s star-studded actors demonstrated why the choices made for various key moments like re-casting some pivotal plot points and adjusting the script very carefully; all involved made an extremely clever final product!

Conclusion: Conclave – A Must-See Political Thriller with Religious Undertones

How Do You Make a Movie About the Vatican? With Divine Intervention Image

Conclave is more than a simple religious political thriller; a sophisticated piece focusing on themes and suspense while perfectly conveying human interaction which shows a mastery of complex elements; showing that creative approaches, like careful script adaptations and smart use of lesser-known acting talent along with skilled directorial talent like Berger’s all create a high-quality film that’s already causing quite a buzz and has plenty of reasons for getting awards buzz.