TV News: The Young Pope Debuts January 15 on HBO

In a press release:

LIMITED DRAMA SERIES THE YOUNG POPE,

STARRING JUDE LAW AND DIANE KEATON AND

DIRECTED BY PAOLO SORRENTINO, DEBUTS JAN. 15 ON HBO

Jude Law. Photo: Gianni Fiorito/HBO

Young and charming, Lenny Belardo, aka Pius XIII, is the first American Pope in history. His election seems to be the result of a simple yet effective media strategy on the part of the College of Cardinals. But appearances can be deceiving – above all, in the Vatican, where the leaders of the Church have chosen the great mystery of God as the compass guiding their existence. And Pius XIII proves to be the most mysterious and contradictory of them all.

Diane Keaton. Photo: Gianni Fiorito/HBO

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino (the Oscar^® and Golden Globe winner “The Great Beauty”), THE YOUNG POPE stars Jude Law (Oscar^® nominee for “Cold Mountain” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley”) in the title role and Diane Keaton (Oscar^® winner for “Annie Hall”; Oscar^® nominee for “Reds,” “Marvin’s Room” and “Something’s Gotta Give”) as Sister Mary, a nun from the U.S. now living in Vatican City.

The first part of the ten-episode limited drama series debuts SUNDAY, JAN. 15 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), and the second part the next night, MONDAY, JAN. 16 (9:00-10:00 p.m.), followed by other episodes subsequent Sundays and Mondays at the same time, exclusively on HBO.

James Cromwell. Photo: Gianni Fiorito/HBO

The cast also includes Silvio Orlando (“The Caiman”) as Cardinal Angelo Voiello, the Vatican’s Secretary of State; Scott Shepherd (“Jason Bourne”) as Cardinal Andrew Dussolier, Lenny’s best friend and a fellow orphan-turned-cardinal; Cécile de France (“Hereafter”) as Sofia Dubois, the Vatican’s director of marketing and communications; Javier Cámara (“Talk to Her”) as Monsignor Bernardo Alonso Gutierrez, the Spanish-born master of ceremonies of the Vatican; Ludivine Sagnier (“Swimming Pool”) as Ester Aubry, a chaste and immaculate beauty with an unshakable faith in God, who is married to a Vatican Swiss Guard; Toni Bertorelli as Cardinal Caltanissetta, who is an expression of the strongest powers and secrets of the Vatican; and James Cromwell (Oscar^® nominee for “Babe,” Emmy^® winner for “American Horror Story: Asylum”) as Cardinal Michael Spencer, Lenny’s mentor and one of the most influential cardinals in the Vatican.

Jude Law, Silvio Orlando. Photo: Gianni Fiorito/HBO

Shrewd and naïve, ironic and pedantic, primeval and cutting-edge, doubting and resolute, melancholy and ruthless, Pius XIII tries to cross the endless river of human solitude to find a God he can give to mankind. And to himself.

Director Paolo Sorrentino describes THE YOUNG POPE as “a film about solitude, which is the crucial point of the human condition.” Calling the Vatican “a city unlike any other,” he describes it as a place where “solitude is a perceptible fact, something you can practically touch with your hand.” Sorrentino adds that if that solitude is “riddled through with doubt,” it “increases exponentially, becoming truly intolerable.”

Upcoming episodes:

Episode #1: “First Episode”

Debut date: SUNDAY, JAN. 15 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Other HBO playdates: Jan. 15 (10:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m.), 16 (8:00 p.m.), 18 (10:35 p.m.), 19 (6:30 p.m.), 20 (11:00 p.m.) and 21 (4:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Jan. 17 (8:00 p.m.) and 28 (3:00 p.m.)

Newly elected Pope Pius XIII (Jude Law), a.k.a. Lenny Belardo, defies expectations as he settles in at the Vatican to begin his reign. The youngest and first American pope in history, Lenny’s ascension was orchestrated by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Voiello (Silvio Orlando), who mistakenly believed the young pope would follow his lead on policy and protocol. Instead, Lenny shuns Voiello and tasks his confessor, Don Tommaso (Marcello Romolo), to share details on the private thoughts and motives of those in his inner circle.

Meanwhile, as Cardinal Spencer (James Cromwell), Lenny’s onetime mentor, stews about being passed over as pontiff, the new pope flies in Sister Mary (Diane Keaton), who raised him since he was delivered to an orphanage at seven, to serve as his chief advisor. While Sister Mary urges Lenny to put aside dark memories and focus on leading his billion followers, the young pope shows no inclination towards making himself available, either to the College of Cardinals or to the masses.

Written by Paolo Sorrentino; directed by Paolo Sorrentino.

Episode #2: “Second Episode”

Debut date: MONDAY, JAN. 16 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates: Jan. 15 (11:50 p.m., 2:40 a.m.), 17 (midnight), 18 (11:35 p.m.), 20 (1:00 a.m.) and 21 (5:00 p.m., 9:45 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Jan. 16 (1:00 a.m.), 18 (8:00 p.m.), 22 (8:00 p.m.) and 28 (4:00 p.m.)

Sofia (Cécile De France), the Vatican’s marketing director, receives a surprise directive as Lenny (Jude Law) prepares for his first public appearance. While the cardinals await an audience with their new pope, Sister Mary (Diane Keaton) catches up with Lenny’s childhood friend Andrew Dussolier (Scott Shepherd), another orphan-turned-cardinal. Lenny reaches out to Cardinal Spencer (James Cromwell) to take over a high Vatican post, but the meeting doesn’t go as he hoped. Ester (Ludivine Sagnier), wife of a Swiss Guardsman, eagerly joins the throng of followers in St. Peter’s Square on the night of Lenny’s first public homily as Pope Pius XIII.

Written by Paolo Sorrentino; directed by Paolo Sorrentino.

Episode #3: “Third Episode”

Debut date: SUNDAY, JAN. 22 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates: Jan. 22 (10:00 p.m., 12:45 a.m.), 23 (8:00 p.m.), 25 (10:10 p.m.) and 26 (6:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Jan. 24 (8:00 p.m.) and 28 (5:00 p.m.)

Baffled by the pope’s intentions and desperate to retain control in the Vatican, Voiello (Silvio Orlando) considers his options in the face of public reaction to Lenny’s (Jude Law) speech. In a press conference, Sister Mary (Diane Keaton) outlines the pope’s policy towards questions and concerns from the media. Elder Cardinal Caltanissetta (Toni Bertorelli) enjoins Spencer (James Cromwell) to put his resentment aside and accept Lenny’s offer. Moved by Lenny’s message, Ester (Ludivine Sagnier) is summoned by Valente (Ignazio Oliva), the pope’s aide, to meet her pontiff. Gutierrez (Javier Cámara) finds that his shared confidences with Lenny are jeopardized by a secret.

Written by Paolo Sorrentino with Stefano Rulli; directed by Paolo Sorrentino.

Episode #4: “Fourth Episode”

Debut date: MONDAY, JAN. 23 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates: Jan. 23 (2:40 a.m.), 24 (11:00 p.m.), 25 (11:10 p.m.), 27 (11:00 p.m.) and 28 (10:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Jan. 23 (11:10 p.m.), 25 (8:00 p.m.), 28 (6:00 p.m.) and 29 (8:00 p.m.)

Tonino (Franco Pinelli), a rural shepherd, appeals to the Vatican to recognize his miracle-working stigmata. Lenny (Jude Law) councils a nun whose sister is gravely ill in Sri Lanka. Ester (Ludivine Sagnier) is torn by a threat from Voiello (Silvio Orlando) and her devotion to the pope. Lenny makes a bold decision regarding a sex-abuse case in New York, deciding to send an unlikely envoy. A visit from the prime minister of Greenland (Carolina Carlsson) stirs Lenny’s musical sensibilities.

Written by Paolo Sorrentino with Stefano Rulli; directed by Paolo Sorrentino.

Episode #5: “Fifth Episode”

Debut date: SUNDAY, JAN. 29 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates: Jan. 29 (10:00 p.m., 12:45 a.m.) and 30 (8:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdate: Jan. 31 (8:00 p.m.)

Voiello (Silvio Orlando) orchestrates a scandalous scenario designed to cripple the pope. Lenny (Jude Law) decamps with old friend Andrew Dussolier (Scott Shepherd), both in the present and the past. As his ornate papal tiara arrives, Pius XIII decides the time has come to address the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel.

Written by Paolo Sorrentino; directed by Paolo Sorrentino.

Episode #6: “Sixth Episode”

Debut date: MONDAY, JAN. 30 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates: Jan. 30 (1:30 a.m.) and 31 (11:40 p.m.)

HBO2 playdate: Jan. 30 (11:05 p.m.)

Nine months after being elected, Lenny (Jude Law) has a testy first meeting with the Italian prime minister (Stefano Accorsi), a progressive at odds with Pius XIII’s uncompromising vision of the church. Newly minted Cardinal Gutierrez (Javier Cámara) reluctantly moves out of the Vatican for his new assignment abroad. After a brief reunion with the faithful in Honduras, Dussolier (Scott Shepherd) assumes his new duties as Prefect of the Congregation of the Clergy, but is thrown by Lenny’s strict guidelines towards prospective priests. Voiello (Silvio Orlando) is questioned about the disappearance of Tonino (Franco Pinelli), who is looking to break from the church. Ester’s (Ludivine Sagnier) miracle comes true.

Written by Paolo Sorrentino; directed by Paolo Sorrentino.

The series will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

THE YOUNG POPE is a joint Sky, HBO, CANAL+ production; produced by Wildside; co-produced by Haut et Court TV and MEDIAPRO. Executive producers for Wildside are Lorenzo Mieli and Mario Gianani together with John Lyons.

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I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.