Character page for The Young Pope and The New Pope.
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Popes
Lenny / Pius XIII
Lenny Belardo / Pope Pius XIII
Portrayed By: Jude Law
A young American cardinal who becomes pope when the machinations of the leading contenders to gain the position themselves fail abysmally. He brings some radical changes that aim at shaking up the Church and Catholic Christianity as a whole, for the best and for the worst.
- The Chessmaster: Lenny manipulates the cardinals around him.
- Meaningful Name: Two fold
- He chose the moniker Pius because several Popes named Pius were among the most rigorist regarding faith.
- In addition, Pius is a very fitting name for the first American pope, as Pope Pius VI oversaw the development of the Catholic Church in the newborn US, erecting the first American Episcopal See in the Diocese of Baltimore.
- Lovable Alpha Bitch: Starts out as a passive-aggressive, mean guy who enjoys bossing around his staff and Cardinals, but over the course of the show becomes a much more sympathetic figure.
- Trademark Favorite Food: His breakfasts consist of drinking Cherry Coke Zero.
John Brannox / John Paul III
Sir John Brannox / Pope John Paul III
Portrayed By: John Malkovich
John Paul III takes over the Church after Pius XIII falls into a coma.
- Becoming the Mask: Tries to all lessen his parents' suffering by playing a role of his brother afer his death. Goes as far as to steal his brother's work and claim it as his own.
- The Charmer: Has a magnetic personality which helps him to effortlessly win Gutierrez's and Sofia's friendship.
- The Dandy: He is very much an embodiment of the trope.
- The Eeyore: A decadent, depressed man with Dark and Troubled Past who lives in isolation.
- Failure Hero: Fails to save his brother and overcome his addiction. Later, his inaction leads to the corruption in the church.
- Gentleman and a Scholar: A suave, elegant and well-read English aristocrat and former punk musician.
- Meaningful Name: As with Papal traditions, his moniker is meant to indicate the ways of his pontificate, and it couldn't be any more different than the one Lenny chose.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Pretends not to see corruption growing in the Church.
- The Reveal: He's a drug addict who stole his brother's work and couldn't save his life.
- The Un-Favorite: His parents favored his twin brother, Adam.
The Curia
Cardinal Voiello
Cardinal Angelo Voiello
Portrayed By: Silvio Orlando
The Camerlengo (Treasure Secretary) and Secretary of State of the Vatican.
- Affably Evil: Does some very questionable things over the course of both seasons, but does them with style and a commitment to restoring order and peace to the Church.
- Angry Eyebrows: Has an impressive pair of brows which he regularly uses to cast withering looks (usually over something Pius XIII has done).
- Pet the Dog: Cares for a disabled boy, Girolamo, in his spare time - a moment that acts as the audience's first sign that he's not as villainous as he seems.
- The Man Behind the Man: The Curia used to rule through him before Lenny became Pope so things would run smoothly in the Church. Then Lenny was elected and took matters in his own hands... He is still responsible for a majority of the show's twists and turns due to his behind-the-scenes manipulations and political machinations.
Cardinal Mario Assente
Cardinal Mario Assente
Portrayed By: Maurizio Lombardi
- Ascended Extra: Goes from having a handful of minor appearances in The Young Pope to being a full member of The New Pope's supporting cast.
- Gayngst: One of the many side plots in The New Pope involves Assente's unrequited yearning for his fellow Cardinal, Gutierrez.
Luigi Cavallo
Monsignor Luigi Cavallo
Portrayed By: Antonio Petrocelli
- Annoying Laugh: Introduced by his signature girlish giggle.
