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Russell Crowe stars as Vatican’s ‘James Bond of exorcists’

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3 years ago

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Rev. Edward Siebert’s journey with “The Pope’s Exorcist,” a film about arguably the most famous exorcist in the Catholic Church, began with an adventuresome visit to Milan about six years ago.

The Jesuit priest recalls sitting at a restaurant sipping wine and mulling the costly airline ticket he had purchased a day earlier. He also worried about the deal he had just closed with the Society of St. Paul to purchase the rights to the life story of the Rev. Gabriele Amorth — the late Pauline priest known as “the James Bond of exorcists.”

Siebert, who teaches film at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and runs the college’s film production company, had no motion picture credits to his name and wondered at the time: “What have I gone and done?”

Today, he heaves a sigh of relief as a version of Amorth’s life unfurls on the big screen as “The Pope’s Exorcist,” starring Oscar-winner Russell Crowe in the titular role. It opens in U.S. theaters Friday.

Amorth was appointed chief exorcist of the Diocese of Rome in 1986 and remained there until 2016, when he died at age 91. In those three decades, Amorth claimed to have conducted over 60,000 exorcisms. The first of his books, “An Exorcist Tells His Story,” came out in 1990 and was an instant bestseller, translated into 30 languages. That same year, Amorth, who named “The Exorcist” as his favorite film, founded the International Association of Exorcists.

Siebert, one of the film’s executive producers, says he was an unlikely candidate to take on this project. But Michael Patrick Kaczmarek, a New Mexico-based filmmaker he had worked with previously, convinced him of the power of Amorth’s stories, he said.

Kaczmarek, one of the film’s producers, said he reached out to Amorth through his religious order’s publishing company in 2015 and was told by their executives that many had tried to secure film and television rights to the exorcist’s books, “but they were always denied.” But Kaczmarek’s persistence paid off.

“Through the use of translators, I sent Father Amorth detailed correspondence where I assured him of my religious devotion and sincere desire to respect his exorcism ministry,” Kaczmarek said, adding that his partnership with Siebert helped convince Amorth of his intent to preserve the story’s religious integrity.

https://apnews.com/b9c35f33baea47f0942a4f61c890606f

The real story behind ‘The Pope’s Exorcist’
Six years after Father Eddie Siebert bought the rights to the life story of the Diocese of Rome’s longtime chief exorcist, Russell Crowe is playing the titular role in “The Pope’s Exorcist.” (April 13)

Siebert said Amorth’s stories initially “frightened him,” but he was touched by the priest’s faith and determination to help people.

Amorth said 98% of the people who came to him needed a psychiatrist, not an exorcist, a detail Crowe’s Amorth clarifies in the film. When a cardinal asks him about the remaining 2%, he says: “Ah, the other 2% — this is something that has confounded all of science and all of medicine for a very long time.” He adds after a dramatic pause: “I call it evil.”

Like Siebert, Crowe has said during various media interviews that he is no horror movie fan, preferring “to sleep deeply at night.” But he said Amorth’s character fascinated him; he read the priest’s first two books and spoke with people who had watched him perform exorcisms. Crowe said two aspects of Amorth’s character hooked him — his “unshakable purity of faith and his wicked sense of humor.”

In the 2017 documentary “The Devil and Father Amorth,” the priest — before beginning an exorcism — can be seen thumbing his nose in the direction of the woman said to have been possessed. It was a gesture he made before each exorcism to let the demon know he wasn’t afraid.

In the “The Pope’s Exorcist,” set in 1987, Crowe’s Amorth heads to Spain with his apprentice, a younger priest, tasked with investigating a young boy’s possession. There he uncovers a “centuries-old conspiracy” that the Vatican has tried to cover up in a plot that appears to channel The Da Vinci Code, Indiana Jones and numerous buddy-cop movies.

Crowe and the film’s creators have taken liberal creative license with Amorth’s character and his stories. Crowe looks nothing like the priest, who was bald-headed, bespectacled and clean-shaven. On screen, Crowe knocks back double espressos and rides a Lambretta scooter through Rome, his cassock billowing in the breeze to the music of Faith No More. His scooter has a Ferrari sticker — a nod to Amorth’s hometown, Modena, where the luxury automaker is based.

Amorth’s convoluted road to the priesthood included fighting as a partisan in World War II, getting a law degree and working as a journalist. He didn’t become an exorcist until he was 61. He was no stranger to controversy, claiming Hitler and Stalin were possessed, that pedophile cults operated within the Vatican, and that yoga and Harry Potter were gateways to the demonic.

Amorth’s work as an exorcist has influenced and inspired many in the Catholic Church who came after him, said Monsignor Stephen J. Rossetti, a psychologist and exorcist in the Archdiocese of Washington who has over 76,000 followers on an Instagram account he started six months ago. Rossetti says there is an increasing and renewed appetite for information about demonic possession and exorcism.

“All of us owe a debt of gratitude to Father Amorth,” Rossetti said. “He kept this ministry alive when the church and society had pretty much ignored it.”

Though exorcism was a recurring part of Jesus Christ’s ministry, Catholic seminarians and priests are not being trained to do it, he said, adding that films like “The Exorcist” have raised awareness about the phenomenon of demonic possessions. Rossetti, like Amorth, maintains that “demonic influences” have increased amid declining faith, a surge in sinning and the practice of occult.

Exorcism when practiced correctly is “an act of healing and faith,” Rossetti said, adding that he has witnessed “darkness and evil” in 15 years as an exorcist.

“Demons do manifest in a session and the exorcist faces an incredibly evil visage that no human can mimic,” he said. “Things do fly across the room. Demons engage in antics like immature 12-year-olds trying to scare you.”

But with faith and God on his side, this has always been a “joyful ministry,” Rossetti said.

The International Association of Exorcists posted a statement on its website criticizing “The Pope’s Exorcist” based on the trailer. The association called it “a show aimed at arousing strong and unhealthy emotions, thanks to a gloomy scenography, with sound effects … to arouse only anxiety, restlessness and fear in the spectator.”

Joseph Laycock, associate professor of religious studies at Texas State University, said that despite protests from religious circles after the release of such films or television shows, “exorcists do benefit from media even when their portrayal is sensationalized.”

Laycock’s latest book, “The Exorcist Effect,” looks into the demand the 1973 film created for exorcism; he says the film had a role in shifting the Catholic Church’s attitude toward the practice. He describes Amorth as “the single most important priest in the revival of exorcism” after “The Exorcist” and predicts the rising interest in exorcism will continue.

“The kind of Christianity we had in America during the mid-20th century, emphasizing ethics over the supernatural, was an anomaly,” Laycock said. “Most of Christian history has emphasized the supernatural and spiritual warfare. This is Christianity returning to its supernatural roots.”

Siebert, who worked for nearly eight years to bring Amorth’s story to the big screen, says “The Pope’s Exorcist” has not changed his views about horror films or exorcism; both give him the chills. But it warms his heart to see a priest shown in a positive light after so many films and TV shows have vilified or belittled them.

“It’s good to see a priest talking about prayer, forgiveness, God’s love, and on top of all that, vanquishing demons,” he said. “It feels good to finally see a priest as a hero.”

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Tom Cruise Brings Hollywood Star Power to Daytona as ‘Days of Thunder’ Sequel Energizes NASCAR

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24 hours ago

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September 6, 2026

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Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise waves to fans during his appearance at Daytona International Speedway during the 2026 Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend. Cruise visited Daytona as excitement builds around his return as Cole Trickle in the upcoming Days of Thunder sequel. Source: Arthur Dell Morgan / Florida National News

Cruise’s Daytona appearance puts NASCAR in the global entertainment spotlight as Cole Trickle prepares to return to the track in 2028

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — Tom Cruise brought Hollywood star power to Daytona International Speedway, energizing the NASCAR garage and putting one of racing’s most recognizable movie characters back on the starting grid.

The global superstar’s appearance during the Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend was more than a celebrity visit. Cruise came to Daytona to reconnect with NASCAR, meet today’s drivers and team owners, and introduce the next chapter of Days of Thunder, with Cruise returning as Cole Trickle and Anne Hathaway joining the franchise.

Florida National News was at Daytona capturing Cruise’s interaction with drivers, teams and fans as Hollywood and NASCAR came together at the World Center of Racing.

Cruise Brings Hollywood Star Power to Daytona

Cruise’s presence immediately became one of the biggest stories surrounding the NASCAR weekend.

The actor attended the pre-race drivers meeting and spent time with competitors and team owners as he learned more about how NASCAR has changed since the original Days of Thunder was released in 1990.

Cruise told NASCAR competitors that he wants the new movie to capture more than racing. His interest extends to the teams, people and culture surrounding the sport — an approach that could give NASCAR significant exposure beyond its traditional fan base.

For NASCAR, that star power matters.

Cruise is one of the world’s most recognizable movie stars, and a major theatrical production built around stock-car racing could introduce NASCAR’s drivers, teams and tracks to audiences who may rarely, if ever, watch a Cup Series race.

Tom Cruise and Anne Hathaway pose alongside a “Cole Trickle” Days of Thunder race car in a promotional image for Days of Thunder 2.
Photo Credit: Courtesy Photo: Tom Cruise’s X social media

‘Days of Thunder’ Returns for a New NASCAR Generation

Cruise will reprise his role as Cole Trickle, the fearless young driver at the center of the original movie.

Hathaway will co-star as a race-team owner and engineer. Jonathan Levine is set to direct from a screenplay by Will Staples, while Cruise, Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper are producing.

Paramount Pictures has scheduled the movie for June 2, 2028.

The sequel arrives nearly four decades after the original Days of Thunder brought NASCAR racing to movie theaters around the world.

The 1990 film starred Cruise alongside Robert Duvall, Nicole Kidman, Michael Rooker, Randy Quaid and Cary Elwes. Real NASCAR personalities were also incorporated into the production, establishing a connection between Hollywood fiction and the actual racing community.

Now Cruise is returning to a NASCAR that is dramatically different from the sport Cole Trickle entered in 1990.

NASCAR Drivers Already Want In

Cruise’s Daytona appearance also created another storyline: Which NASCAR stars will make it into the movie?

Three-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano, along with Chase Briscoe and Kyle Larson, has expressed interest in appearing in the sequel. Production is expected to begin in early 2027, leaving casting and potential NASCAR cameos among the major developments still ahead.

Their enthusiasm illustrates the cultural reach of the original film within NASCAR itself.

Many of today’s drivers grew up in an era when Days of Thunder had already become part of racing’s popular culture. Appearing alongside Cruise could now give a new generation of NASCAR competitors the opportunity once held by drivers who appeared in the original movie.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Helps Connect Hollywood With Modern NASCAR

NASCAR’s involvement may extend well beyond cameos.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has said he has been communicating with people developing the story, including discussions about how the movie can authentically portray today’s NASCAR while respecting what made the original memorable.

That input could prove valuable.

NASCAR has changed dramatically since 1990 — from its race cars and safety technology to team operations, media coverage and the way fans experience the sport. Capturing modern NASCAR while preserving the personality of the original movie will be one of the sequel’s central challenges.

Rick Hendrick Sees a Major Opportunity for NASCAR

Few people have a stronger connection to both chapters than legendary NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick.

Hendrick Motorsports provided technical support for the original movie, beginning a relationship among Hendrick, Cruise and producer Jerry Bruckheimer that stretches back decades.

Hendrick believes the sequel could provide a significant boost for NASCAR, saying the movie could do the sport “a tremendous amount of good.”

That assessment gets to the larger significance of Cruise’s Daytona appearance.

A Days of Thunder sequel isn’t simply another Hollywood production using racing as a backdrop. If NASCAR teams, drivers and tracks become part of the production, the movie could function as a global showcase for the sport.

From ‘Top Gun’ to ‘Days of Thunder’

Cruise has already demonstrated the potential of revisiting a signature movie decades later.

Top Gun: Maverick introduced the Top Gun franchise to a new generation while bringing longtime fans back to theaters. There is no guarantee Days of Thunder will duplicate that success, but NASCAR offers many of the elements associated with Cruise’s biggest action films — speed, technology, competition, danger and spectacle.

The difference this time is that NASCAR itself could share the spotlight.

Cruise isn’t simply returning to the fictional world of Cole Trickle. He is immersing himself in the real NASCAR garage before cameras begin rolling.

Daytona Becomes the Starting Line

That makes Daytona an important part of the sequel’s developing story.

Daytona International Speedway represents generations of NASCAR history. Cruise’s decision to bring Days of Thunder back into that environment connected the original film, today’s NASCAR and Hollywood’s upcoming sequel in one place.

For longtime NASCAR fans, Cruise’s return revives memories of Cole Trickle.

For younger audiences, the new film could provide their first introduction to the character — and potentially their first meaningful exposure to NASCAR.

For the sport itself, the possibilities are considerably larger.

Cruise and Hathaway give the production international star power. NASCAR provides the speed, personalities, rivalries and authenticity. Daytona provided the stage where those worlds came together.

And NASCAR drivers are already lining up to become part of it.

What’s Next for ‘Days of Thunder’

Attention now turns toward production, which is expected to begin in early 2027. Additional casting, filming locations, participating NASCAR organizations and driver cameos remain among the biggest unanswered questions.

The finished movie is scheduled to arrive in theaters June 2, 2028.

Between now and then, NASCAR has an unusual opportunity: allow one of Hollywood’s biggest stars to take audiences behind the wheel and into the culture of American stock-car racing.

At Daytona, Cruise provided the first taste of what that combination could generate.

The thunder is coming back — and NASCAR could be one of its biggest stars.

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Miss Utah’s Teen Elle Anderson Crowned Miss America’s Teen 2027

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1 day ago

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September 6, 2026

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Miss Utah’s Teen Elle Anderson celebrates onstage after being crowned Miss America’s Teen 2027 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Anderson made history as the first Miss Utah’s Teen to capture the national title, emerging from a field of 52 delegates. Source: Miss America

Anderson makes history as Utah’s first Miss America’s Teen winner, earning the national crown after preliminary wins in talent and evening wear

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (FNN) — Miss Utah’s Teen Elle Anderson was crowned Miss America’s Teen 2027 on Saturday, becoming the first representative from Utah to win the national title and the 21st young woman to wear the Miss America’s Teen crown.

Anderson emerged from a field of 52 state delegates representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico during the national competition in West Palm Beach.

Her victory follows preliminary awards in talent and evening wear. Anderson earned the talent recognition for her violin performance of “Czardas” by Vittorio Monti.

Elle Anderson Makes History for Utah

Anderson’s victory marks a milestone for the Miss Utah organization as its first Miss America’s Teen national title.

Beyond competition, Anderson has focused her platform on youth leadership, service and emergency preparedness.

Her Community Service Initiative, Every Beat Matters, was created in honor of her late brother and promotes teen-focused CPR training and emergency readiness.

The initiative centers on three principles — Confidence, Preparation and Rescue — with the goal of giving young people practical skills that could help save lives.

More Than $40,000 in Scholarships

Anderson has earned more than $40,000 in scholarships through the Miss America Opportunity.

She is enrolled at Brigham Young University, where she plans to study journalism and business. Anderson also plans to pursue law school.

Her combination of academic goals, community service and performing arts experience helped distinguish her throughout the national competition.

Anderson: ‘You Don’t Need a Crown to Be a Leader’

As Miss America’s Teen 2027, Anderson will serve as a national ambassador for the program, traveling and encouraging young women to pursue leadership and community service.

“I want every young person I meet this year to walk away knowing that their voice matters, their choices matter, and most importantly, they matter,” Anderson said in a statement.

“You don’t need a crown to be a leader. You don’t need a title to serve. You don’t need to wait for someone to tell you that you’re ready. You are ready,” she added.

Anderson said she wants to spend her year as Miss America’s Teen reinforcing that message to young women across the country.

Miss America’s Teen 2027 Top Five

Anderson secured the crown after advancing through multiple rounds of competition and reaching the Top 5.

Madalyn Sullivan of Mississippi was named first runner-up, followed by Zoe Zogleman of Texas as second runner-up, Natalia Yurecko of Minnesota as third runner-up and Logan Wells of South Carolina as fourth runner-up.

Semifinalists included Melony Tidmore of Georgia, Aria Christensen of Oregon, Tianna Lei Wailehua of Hawaii, Camdyn Lee of North Carolina, Lucille Esler of New York and Kendall Laroche of New Hampshire.

A New National Role Begins

With the crown, Anderson begins a yearlong national role representing Miss America’s Teen and promoting her Every Beat Matters initiative.

Her historic victory combines several elements of the Miss America Opportunity — scholarship, talent, service, education and leadership — while giving Utah its first Miss America’s Teen national title.

For Anderson, the crown also provides a national platform for a deeply personal mission: helping young people develop the confidence and preparation to respond when someone’s life may depend on them.

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Miss Texas, Miss Utah and Miss New Jersey Win 2026 Miss America Preliminary Talent Awards

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2 days ago

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September 5, 2026

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Photo: Miss America

Miss Texas, Miss Utah and Miss New Jersey earn Miss America talent honors as national competition heads into championship weekend

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (FNN) — The Miss America Organization announced the 2026 Miss America and Miss America’s Teen Kawai Pianos Preliminary Talent Award winners following the Miss America’s Got Talent competition at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach.

The Sept. 3 competition showcased the talents of delegates competing for the Miss America and Miss America’s Teen titles, with performances spanning a range of artistic disciplines.

Miss America preliminary talent winners Miss Texas Regan Hutsell, Miss Utah Erika Dalton and Miss New Jersey Kylie Gene Wright celebrate after receiving Kawai Pianos Preliminary Talent Awards during the Miss America’s Got Talent competition in West Palm Beach, Florida. Source Miss America

 

Miss America Preliminary Talent Award Winners

Three Miss America delegates received Kawai Pianos Preliminary Talent Awards, with each winner earning a $3,000 scholarship:

  • Miss Texas Regan Hutsell
  • Miss Utah Erika Dalton
  • Miss New Jersey Kylie Gene Wright

The awards recognize artistry, creativity, discipline and dedication demonstrated during the preliminary talent competition.

Miss America’s Teen preliminary talent winners Miss Utah’s Teen Elle Anderson, Miss Oregon’s Teen Aria Christensen and Miss New Hampshire’s Teen Kendall Laroche celebrate with their Kawai Pianos Preliminary Talent Awards during the national competition in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Miss America’s Teen Preliminary Talent Award Winners

Three Miss America’s Teen delegates also earned preliminary talent honors. Each receives a $1,500 scholarship:

  • Miss Utah’s Teen Elle Anderson
  • Miss Oregon’s Teen Aria Christensen
  • Miss New Hampshire’s Teen Kendall Laroche

The six preliminary awards provide a combined $13,500 in scholarships.

Seven Judges Evaluate Miss America Talent Competition

The preliminary talent performances were evaluated by a seven-member judging panel representing entertainment and the performing arts.

Judges included Alida Michal, Brooklyn Mack, Jill Twiss, J. Harrison Ghee, Lora Drasner, Shelly Bramhall and Marisha Wallace.

The talent competition remains a central component of the Miss America program, giving delegates an opportunity to demonstrate performance ability while competing for scholarship awards.

Miss America Championship Weekend Continues in West Palm Beach

The national competition continues Saturday, Sept. 5, with the Miss America’s Teen Final at 7 p.m.

The Miss America Final follows Sunday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m., when the organization is scheduled to crown the 99th Miss America.

Both events are being held at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach as The Palm Beaches hosts the national competition.

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