section_path: Impact and real-life parallels/Real-life parallels
section_name: Real-life parallels
paragraph_text: Real-life parallels
  
  On 14 February 2025, Pope Francis, who was 88 years old at the time, became very ill and was hospitalized, suffering from multiple chronic respiratory conditions. Philiana Ng of TheWrap observed that the cast of Conclave celebrated their ensemble win at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, but acknowledged the real-life parallels of the film – chronicling the aftermath of death of a fictitious pope – amid Pope Francis's then-current health crisis. Ng quoted Isabella Rossellini: "We are very, very worried for our pope,... e love this pope – Papa Francesco, Pope Francis. We wish him well. We wish him to recover."
  
  The death of Pope Francis on 21 April 2025, resulted in an actual two-day papal conclave being called from 7 May 2025. According to Luminate, his death resulted in a near three-fold increase in home viewership of the film via streaming platforms on 21 April. According to Politico Europe, some cardinals watched the film to understand the process for the papal election. According to his brother John, Cardinal Robert Prevost, who would be subsequently elected as Pope Leo XIV, watched the movie before the conclave.
  
  On 14 February 2025, Pope Francis, who was 88 years old at the time, became very ill and was hospitalized, suffering from multiple chronic respiratory conditions. Philiana Ng of TheWrap observed that the cast of Conclave celebrated their ensemble win at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, but acknowledged the real-life parallels of the film – chronicling the aftermath of death of a fictitious pope – amid Pope Francis's then-current health crisis. Ng quoted Isabella Rossellini: "We are very, very worried for our pope,... e love this pope – Papa Francesco, Pope Francis. We wish him well. We wish him to recover."
  
  The death of Pope Francis on 21 April 2025, resulted in an actual two-day papal conclave being called from 7 May 2025. According to Luminate, his death resulted in a near three-fold increase in home viewership of the film via streaming platforms on 21 April. According to Politico Europe, some cardinals watched the film to understand the process for the papal election. According to his brother John, Cardinal Robert Prevost, who would be subsequently elected as Pope Leo XIV, watched the movie before the conclave.