Who plays Benitez in Conclave​?

Conclave is a political thriller film directed by Edward Berger and written by Peter Straughan. It is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Robert Harris. The film had a world premiere at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2024, and was released in the United States on 25 October 2024. The cast of the film includes Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Sergio Castellitto, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini.

The film revolves around Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, who organizes a conclave for the process of electing the new pope. In the process, he ended up uncovering hidden scandals and secrets about the leading candidates. The film received 8 Oscar nominations, 6 Golden Globe nominations, and 11 Critics' Choice Award nominations, among others. Among the cast, Cardinal Benitez is one of the important characters in the film. His character plays a crucial role in the unfolding events. Let’s take a closer look at Benitez’s character and the actor who plays him.

Who plays Benitez in Conclave?

Carlos Diehz plays the role of Cardinal Benitez in the film. He is a Mexican actor and architect, born in 1971 in Mexico City. In an interview with De Los in 2024, he talked about his acting and said, “I’ve always been inclined to the arts since I was a kid — drawing, clay modeling, all that — then, later on, when I realized the people I saw in the movies were performing, they were acting as the characters, I thought maybe I’d like to do that. But I was a very shy kid, a daydreamer. I decided to give acting a try in high school, but the kids in the theater were really, really flashy and outgoing, and it was just too much for me.”

Diehz worked as an architect for more than 30 years and moved to Vancouver, Canada, for work in 2009. He decided to pursue acting in 2020 and starred in two short films, The Vegan Vampire (2022) and It Gets Dark Too Early (2022). At the age of 53, he got his breakthrough role as Cardinal Benitez in the critically acclaimed film Conclave in 2024. In the interview with De Los, he talked about why he gave acting another chance in his life and said, “Probably four or five years ago, my wife and I became empty nesters, and I wanted to learn to do something new. I didn’t have the time or the money to go back to college, so it needed to be something I could learn on my own. I thought about acting again and decided to give it a go.”

Who is Benitez in Conclave?

Cardinal Benitez of Kabul is one of the important characters in the film. He was one of the leading candidates in the pope election. Benitez appeared at the Vatican at the last minute, just as the conclave was ready to vote for the next pope. He becomes friends with Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, but the rest of the conclave is more cautious around him. He is a reserved person and is secretive about his health. After his powerful speech, he became the top contender for the pope election.

He received the position of the pope after the final voting. Before he was announced as the next pope publicly, Cardinal Lawrence meets Benitez, who then confronts him and reveals his secret. Benitez reveals that he was an intersex individual, but he believed himself to be a male his entire life. He found out that he had a uterus after he met with an accident. He decided to resign, but the pope stopped him from leaving the priesthood. Benitez felt relieved after sharing his secret with Cardinal Lawrence.

In an interview with De Los, actor Carlos Diehz shared his experience of playing Cardinal Benítez and what he learned from the character. He said, “I think in life, we find ourselves in certain situations where you feel like you don’t belong. Maybe you face rejection, or harassment from other people. You might feel like something’s wrong with you, but you have to build up your character and find a way to love and accept yourself for who you are. Benítez has achieved that. That’s what gives him the confidence to stand beside these other cardinals and stay loyal to who he is, but also to confront everyone who is missing the point in this exercise of picking the next pope, everyone who’s forgotten the requirements of the robes they’re wearing. That’s the beauty of the character, is his assurance that when he’s on the right path, he won’t back down.”

Also read: Cast of Conclave