Russell Crowe, Toni Collette, Whoopi Goldberg, Leonardo DiCaprio join Hollywood tribute to Pope Francis

Beloved Aussie actor and occasional resident of Rome, Toni Collette, paid tribute to Pope Francis after becoming “fascinated by a life devoted to faith” while filming a recent movie in the city.

Muriel’s Wedding star Toni Collette has mourned the death of Pope Francis with a touching post.

Collette, who has travelled back and forth to Rome ever since she fell in love with the ancient city while filming crime comedy Mafia Mamma there in 2022 and 2023, posted the pontiff’s death announcement to Instagram with the caption “he was a good one”.

The legendary Australian actor also shared a famous quote of Francis’: “Be the first to seek to bring good, do not grow accustomed to evil, but defeat it.”

Collette, who as of several days ago was still in Rome, revealed her exposure to the Catholic faith had moved her.

“I longed for a nun to acknowledge me. I know it’s weird. Just a small hello. A brief interaction. I am fascinated by a life devoted to faith,” Collette wrote on Instagram.

“Today my dream came true. The sun shone. The feeling was one of freedom. A group of sweet, young nuns with beautiful, fresh energy started chatting to my friend and me on the street.

Toni Collette in a scene from the movie Mafia Mamma.

“I snapped this picture as they walked away. I hope they don’t mind. We actually ran into them twice! The second time we had an even longer conversation. They shared a prayer and told us about their order before we all said goodbye. I found it so moving and special.”

Star of 2023 horror flick The Pope’s Exorcist, Australian actor Russell Crowe was one of the first to send his condolences with a touching post on X.

“A beautiful day in Rome, but, a sad day for the faithful. RIP Francis,” Crowe wrote on X.

Renowned director and practising Catholic Martin Scorsese also paid his respects to the Pope.

Scorsese’s faith is often represented on screen including in his recent hit Killers of the Flower Moon.

Martin Scorsese kissed the pontiff’s ring when they met last year. Picture: Getty Images

He told Variety Francis was “in every way, a remarkable human being.”

“He acknowledged his own failings. He radiated wisdom. He radiated goodness. He had an iron-clad commitment to the good. He knew in his soul that ignorance was a terrible plague on humanity. So he never stopped learning. And he never stopped enlightening. And, he embraced, preached and practised forgiveness. Universal and constant forgiveness.

“The loss for me runs deep — I was lucky enough to know him, and I will miss his presence and his warmth. The loss for the world is immense. But he left a light behind, and it can never be extinguished.”

Scorsese was joined in paying tribute by devoutly Catholic Antonio Banderas, who just last week participated in a Palm Sunday parade in his home country of Spain.

“Pope Francisco has died — a man who, at the head of the Catholic Church, showed kindness, love, and mercy to the neediest people,” Banderas wrote on his Instagram page.

Sister Act’s Whoopi Goldberg professed her Christian faith as she fondly remembered meeting the pontiff.

“He was the closest in a long time that seemed to remember that Christ’s love enveloped believer and none believer,” Goldberg wrote to Instagram.

“He felt more like Pope John the 23rd who made belief real. Sail on Pope Frances with your love of humanity & Laughter.”

Only Murders in the Building star Eva Longoria shared a touching photo of her chance encounter with the Catholic leader who grasped her hand in a crowd at the Vatican.

“Rest in Peace, Your Holiness Pope Francis. Thank you for being an ally to many of us and speaking up for the marginalised,” Longoria said.

“Your compassion, kindness and humility will always be remembered.”

Rocky star Sylvester Stallone revealed his entire family were fortunate to once meet with Pope Francis.

“A wonderful, wonderful man! Rest in peace holy father!” Stallone wrote.

Singer Gloria Estefan professed how the Pope touched her life.

“Rest in peace and power, Pope Francis, you opened hearts and minds were fearless in your guidance. Thank you for putting love first until your last moments on this earth,” she wrote on social media.

Fashion leader Donatella Versace took to Instagram to express her grief, captioning a photo of the pontiff on her Instagram story: “Rest in peace his holiness.”

Prince Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York said there was “no better example of total humility in kindness and compassion.”

“Thank you for leading us with not just your words, but with your unwavering service to humanity,” she wrote on her Instagram account.

Leonardo DiCaprio has paid tribute to Pope Francis, describing the religious leader as transformational for both the Catholic Church and for environmental reform and activism.

Leonardo DiCaprio has paid tribute to Pope Francis. Picture: Getty Images

“During the filming of my documentary Before the Flood in 2016, I had the honour of sitting down with Pope Francis for a conversation on the urgent need to address climate change. That experience was enlightening, deeply moving and thought provoking,” the actor wrote in a lengthy post on Instagram.

“Pope Francis was one of the most extraordinary spiritual leaders of our time. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of environmentalists around the world. May he rest in peace.”

Originally published as Russell Crowe, Toni Collette, Whoopi Goldberg, Leonardo DiCaprio join Hollywood tribute to Pope Francis