Al Pacino 1st Actor to Meet Pope Leo XIV at Vatican

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Al Pacino became the first film actor to have an official meeting with Pope Leo XIV, visiting the Vatican on Monday for a historic audience with the first American pontiff.

Andrea Iervolino, the producer of the film "Maserati: The Brothers," confirmed the meeting in a statement to Variety

"We are honored to announce that this morning His Holiness Pope Leo XIV received in a private audience at the Holy See a delegation from the film 'Maserati: The Brothers,' including Oscar winner actor Al Pacino and the film's producer Andrea Iervolino," the statement read.

"The meeting was a moment of profound spiritual and cultural inspiration, centered around shared values that lie at the heart of both the Catholic Church and the film: family unity, love, compassion and the importance of contributing to the common good."

Iervolino added that Leo's values aligned with those of the film's messaging. 

"These values, which Pope Leo XIV has consistently emphasized in his recent messages to the world, resonate deeply with the story of the Maserati brothers: a family whose legacy was built not only on innovation and excellence but on profound mutual respect, solidarity and a shared vision," Iervolino said.

Leo is no stranger to celebrities. According to a New York Times feature by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, the American Pope's extended family tree includes famous figures like Pierre and Justin Trudeau, Angelina Jolie, Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber, Jack Kerouac, and Madonna. These connections trace back to a Canadian ancestor, Louis Boucher de Grandpre, from Trois-Rivières, Quebec.

Pacino arrived in Rome by private jet from New York on Sunday, according to local media.

In May, news broke that Pacino would be joining the cast of "Maserati: The Brothers," a film directed by Bobby Moresco. Pacino is set to portray Vincenzo Vaccaro, a businessman who backed the Maserati family and played a key role in the company's early development. Production is currently underway in Italy.

The cast of "Maserati," which had been revealed earlier and did not participate in the meeting with the Pope, includes Anthony Hopkins, Andy Garcia, Jessica Alba, Michele Morrone, and Salvatore Esposito.

Zoe Papadakis

Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.

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