Actress Leslie Mann shared a heartfelt memory of meeting Pope Leo XIV during a recent appearance on NBC’s Today Show, saying the encounter at the Vatican was “incredible” and left her briefly at a loss for words.
Mann, who is 54 years old, grew up in a traditional Catholic household and still identifies as Catholic though she keeps her personal religious beliefs mostly private.
A moment of hope
The actress recalled being invited to Rome with people from the film industry in November 2025 for a conversation with Pope Leo about cinema, hope, and the responsibility of artists. The Vatican audience brought together dozens of actors, directors, and producers, whom the pope encouraged to use film as a force for human connection, inclusion, and hope.
She said while chuckling, the Holy Father invited them to talk business and “I think, like, get us in line.”
When it came time to greet him personally, however, Mann said she had not prepared any remarks.
“I was so nervous,” she told the Today Show. “My mind went blank… And what I said wasn’t that good but it was sincere.”
Still, the actress said she offered a simple message:
“Hello, I’m Leslie, and I’m here to spread hope.”
Pope Leo replied, “Okay, we will do it together.”
‘A really special moment’
Mann was all smiles as she retold the brief exchange, describing it as “a really special moment.” Her husband, filmmaker Judd Apatow, also attended the Vatican gathering and said Pope Leo’s reflection on hope and cinema had been “beautiful and very inspiring.”
Cinema as a source of hope
Pope Leo’s meeting with entertainment figures highlighted his view of cinema as more than entertainment. In his address, he described film as an art form that can engage the human heart, give voice to those on the margins, and “set hope in motion.”
For Mann, that message became personal in a short, unscripted exchange: a nervous introduction, a promise to spread hope, and an invitation from the pope to do it together.