New Pope Watches Conclave Movie, Plays Games While Awaiting Conclave

If you've ever been curious about how a prospective Pope spends his free time, you might be surprised to learn that the recently elected Pope Leo XIV enjoys activities just like many of us. According to a close family member, he spends his downtime playing games and watching movies.

As we previously reported, Edward Berger's gripping papal thriller Conclave captivated audiences last year. Its portrayal of the papal election process was so accurate that it even influenced real-life religious leaders, including those involved in the recent conclave to elect Pope Leo XIV. Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, was among those who drew inspiration from the film.

Pope Leo XIV is a gamer, it turns out. Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.

In an interview with NBC, Pope Leo XIV's older brother, John Prevost, shared insights from their last conversation before the election. They discussed their daily routine of playing word games like Wordle and Words with Friends together. John also asked if his brother had watched Conclave for any tips on the upcoming conclave.

"He had just finished watching the movie Conclave," John revealed. "So he knew how to behave. So, it's that kind of stuff [that we talk about] — I just wanted to take his mind off of [the upcoming conclave]. Laugh about something."