Celebrities who met Pope Francis share their memories of the late pontiff

CNA Staff, Apr 24, 2025 / 12:30 pm (CNA).

Celebrities who had the opportunity to meet Pope Francis during his papacy are remembering the late pontiff, sharing their experiences with the pope and reflecting on his warmth and legacy. 

Actor Antonio Banderas, known for his role in the “Zorro” movie series among other films, paid tribute to Pope Francis in an Instagram post.

“Pope Francisco has died — a man who, at the head of the Catholic Church, showed kindness, love, and mercy to the neediest people,” he wrote.

The Catholic actor was recently seen participating in a Palm Sunday procession with the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Tears and Favors, in which he is a steward, in his hometown of Málaga, Spain. 

Comedian Jimmy Fallon shared a photo of himself with the late pope taken last year during a gathering of comics hosted at the Vatican that included Stephen Colbert, Conan O’Brien, Jim Gaffigan, Chris Rock, and others.

“It was an honor meeting Pope Francis last summer. I’m glad I made you laugh. Thank you for your encouraging words. Rest in peace,” Fallon wrote on Instagram. 

Whoopi Goldberg, who met the pope on two occasions including at last year’s event with comedians at the Vatican, wrote on Instagram that Francis “seemed to remember that Christ’s love enveloped believer and [nonbeliever].”

The comedian compared Francis to St. John XXIII and remembered him for his “love of humanity and laughter.”

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio recalled his “deeply moving” meeting with the Holy Father in 2016.

“Pope Francis was a transformational leader — not only for the Catholic Church but also for environmental reform and activism,” DiCaprio wrote.

DiCaprio, a lifelong environmentalist, said the pope “demonstrated a deep and unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship, most notably through his groundbreaking 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’.”

He called the environmental encyclical a “powerful document” that “served as a clarion call for a fundamental shift in how we relate to the planet.”

During his 2016 meeting with the pope, the two discussed climate change. DiCaprio called the experience “enlightening, deeply moving, and thought-provoking.”

“Pope Francis was one of the most extraordinary spiritual leaders of our time. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of environmentalists around the world. May he rest in peace,” he concluded.

Catholic filmmaker Martin Scorcese called the Holy Father “a remarkable human being” in a statement shared with ABC News. 

“He acknowledged his own failings. He radiated wisdom. He radiated goodness. He had an ironclad commitment to the good. He knew in his soul that ignorance was a terrible plague on humanity. So he never stopped learning,” Scorsese said.

He added: “The loss for me runs deep — I was lucky enough to know him, and I will miss his presence and his warmth. The loss for the world is immense. But he left a light behind, and it can never be extinguished.”

Catholic actor Jonathan Roumie, known for his role as Jesus Christ in the series “The Chosen,” met Pope Francis in 2021 and 2022. 

In a post on Instagram, Roumie wrote: “As a Catholic, getting to meet the pope, the successor to St. Peter, is one of the grandest honors a person can receive. The fact that I had been given the grace to meet him twice is something for which I will ever be profoundly grateful.”

“His humility, his kindness and his gentleness were the marks of his pontificate for me; traits that I endeavor to embody in my own life, especially in my encounters with people,” he added.

Roumie recalled the Holy Father’s “model of Christ’s love towards humanity,” which “always felt like a direct invitation to ‘follow him’ along that path, that ‘narrow road’ however challenging it could sometimes be in this existence; always knowing that in the end, it is worth everything.”

“You will be missed Santo Padre,” he continued. “But now you dwell in that heavenly place, in the eternal presence of he who created you and formed you … you are, once again, his. And what a place it must be!” 

Another Catholic actor who recalled a special meeting with Pope Francis was David Henrie, best known for his role as Justin Russo in Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly Place.”

When Henrie and his wife, Maria, met the pope in 2018, the couple was seeking prayers after experiencing three miscarriages. Henrie asked the Holy Father to pray for him and his wife as they were trying to conceive. Pope Francis took their hands, gave them a special blessing, and told them not to worry — that a baby would be coming. Nine months after this meeting, the Henries welcomed their first baby into the world, Pia Philomena Francesca Henrie — Francesca, in honor of Pope Francis.

Henrie wrote in an Instagram post: “May his soul rest in peace. After three miscarriages we got to receive a special blessing from Pope Francis. Nine months later our little Pia Francesca was born. I’ll forever be grateful for that moment. Let’s pray for the next pope!”

Source: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263611/celebrities-who-met-pope-francis-share-their-memories-of-the-late-pontiff