New Pope Watches Conclave Movie, Plays Games While Awaiting Conclave

If you've ever been curious about what a prospective Pope does in his spare time, you're in for a surprise. According to a close family member, the recently elected Pope Leo XIV, formerly known as Robert Francis Prevost, enjoys activities that many of us can relate to, such as playing games and watching movies during his downtime.

As we reported earlier this week, Edward Berger's gripping papal thriller, Conclave, captivated audiences last year. Its depiction of the papal election process was so compelling and "remarkably accurate" that it caught the attention of real-life religious leaders, including those involved in the actual conclave to select a new Pope. This group included Prevost himself, who has now ascended to the papacy as Pope Leo XIV.

Pope Leo XIV enjoys gaming in his free time. Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.

In a recent interview with NBC, Pope Leo XIV's older brother, John Prevost, shed light on their last conversation before the conclave. It turns out that the Pope is an avid gamer, engaging in daily word games like Wordle and Words with Friends with his brother. During their chat, John asked if Robert had watched Conclave for any insights 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."