«NI am not a practitioner but I have maintained a curiosity about the faith». As Ralph Fiennes describes his spiritual life. In Conclavefilm by Edward Berger in cinemas from December 19ththe actor plays Dean Thomas Lawrence, «A man of integrity who asks himself many questions and wants to be right», he explains to Corriere della Sera. A character with which he is aiming for an Oscar.
Ralph Fiennes: «I had lost faith, now I’m curious»
Interviewed by Valeria Vignale, the actor tells his story his relationship with faith. He lived his childhood in a very Catholic family. Then, «At the age of 13 I rebelled, I no longer wanted to go to mass. In Ireland, where we lived at the time, there was a heavy and claustrophobic atmosphere, and I couldn’t stand the feeling of constriction.”
The mother’s faith
A scene from Conclave with Ralph Fiennes (Courtesy of Focus Features)
In particular, the actor remembers the mother’s great faith was put to the test, however, by certain attitudes of a parish priest which led her to lose faith in the Church. «It all started with a discussion with his parish priest, who still said mass in Latin every Friday. She, somewhat provocatively, asked him how he planned to bring young people closer to the faith. Instead of responding with humor or simply with humanity, he became offended and never spoke to her again. He pretended not to see her when he met her on the street, he didn’t say hello to my grandfather just because he wasn’t a practitioner” he says. «She was very shaken by it, but she did not lose her faith. When she was diagnosed with cancer, in 1987, she went as a pilgrim to Santiago de Compostela”.
And his mother’s story helped him prepare for the character of Conclave Why “His need for knowledge and research is very similar to Lawrence’s».
I have maintained a curiosity about faith
Although today he defines himself as a non-partisan, Fiennes reveals that he is still curious about faith. Not only that. «I think the Church has been a support for many communities, that there are good people within it. I spoke with priests capable of great depth.”
And about the character played he says: «Lawrence is certainly driven by spirituality and having made his way in a context like the Vatican puts him in conflict with his conscience. Because it is a global institution, which has a lot of power and political influence. Having said that, he proceeds with prudence and diplomacy, hoping there can be a gradual change.”
Spirituality, rules and rites of the Church
During the interview, the actor also talks about the relationship between spirituality and the rules and rites imposed by the Church. «Men need certainties, whether they concern daily life or spirituality. Faith reassures in a world dominated by chaos, faced with the unpredictability of life”, says the actor. However, pointing the finger at certain aspects of the Church: «I believe that rules and rigidity ultimately prevent a deeper understanding of humanity and the world we live in.”
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