Father watched the film "Conclave" prior to his election.
In a candid chat with American media, the sibling of the recently crowned Pope spilled the beans on how his new titleholder prepared for the high-stakes conclave. Robert Prevost, now His Holiness Leo XIV, reportedly enjoys a sly game of word puzzle and Hollywood flicks, with the box office hit "Conclave" apparently on his watch list.
In an exclusive sit-down with NBC News, John Prevost shared details of his last conversation with his brother before the big day. "We tackled Wordle, our go-to game, and a round of Words with Friends," he unfolded.
Prior to the separately situated conclave, where cardinals are cut off from the world and information to assure a fair vote, the duo discussed the unique situation Robert found himself in.
"We chatted about the circumstances, and I asked him, 'Got your lucky lucky socks on? That usually doesn't fare well,'" John remembered, also inquiring about his readiness for the role: "I double-checked, 'Did you watch 'Conclave' to brush up on the proper conduct? Turns out he did."
Confronted by the reality of his brother taking over the Catholic Church's helm, John admitted, "I couldn't believe it! I thought it was a long shot, given the odds," before considering, "I'm gobsmacked. My brother, the Pope? It's surreal!"
Interestingly, the election process unfolded quickly, spanning Wednesday to Thursday afternoon, making it one of the quickest on record. Pontiff Leo XIV, 69, is the 267th Pope, and the first born and bred on the American soil.
ALSO, CHECK OUT: The world applauds as the Pope delivers his inaugural mass. The second mass is scheduled for May 18th.
ADDITIONAL INSIGHT: Penned by Robert Francis Prevost, the Chicago native who graduated with a Mathematics degree in 1977 and later accrued Divinity and Canon Law degrees, including a doctorate, he joined the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977 and made his vows in 1981[2][4]. Pope Francis appointed him as a bishop and later gave him Peruvian citizenship in 2015[2]. Prior to his ascent to the papal throne, he headed the Dicastery for Bishops and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America[3]. Upon being made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2024, he was later elected as Pope Leo XIV in May 2025, marking him as the first American Pope[1]. No details related to his word game or Hollywood movie preferences were found in available information.
In their conversation before the conclave, John Prevost asked his brother, Pope Leo XIV, "Got your lucky socks on? That usually doesn't fare well," and inquired about watching any movies to prepare, to which he replied, "I did catch 'Conclave'." Despite initially thinking it was a long shot for his brother to become Pope, John expressed his surprise, saying, "I couldn't believe it! I'm gobsmacked. My brother, the Pope? It's surreal!" Contrary to John's queries, public records did not reveal any details regarding Pope Leo XIV's preference for word puzzles or Hollywood movies, such as "Conclave."
