Susan Sarandon fears Pope Francis will be murdered because of his progressive views, she tells Confidenti@l.
“I think they’re going to assassinate him,” she said of the pontiff, who arrives in New York on Thursday. “I think he’s done some major, major cleansing of the whole system.”
The Catholic University alum’s shocking remark about the pontiff isn’t the first time she’s commented on the papacy.
Back in 2011, while being interviewed at the Hamptons International Film Festival, the “Dead Man Walking” Oscar-winner revealed she’d sent Pope St. John Paul II a copy of the book that the film was based on. As for sending one to his successor, Benedict XVI: she said: “Not this Nazi one we have now.” Catholic and Jewish groups criticized the comment.
“I love this Pope,” Sarandon says. “He’s humble . . . he doesn’t live in the palatial whatever. I think he’s a Pope of the people.”
The political activist also told us her thoughts on Donald Trump’s popularity: “I think people are really starved for something authentic and even though he has no idea specifically what he’s talking about. He speaks to the guy who wishes he could say, ‘Everything’s a mess, we’re tired of the machine, we’re tired of politics as usual.’ . ... I think it’s great that the Republicans have to figure out how to deal with him, it’s interesting.”
Sarandon revealed she’s a huge supporter of Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders and hates when people dismiss him as someone unable to secure the nomination.
“Everybody said that about Obama,” she notes. “It’s like, the laziest way to do politics as usual. To just say, ‘Oh, well, he can’t get elected. I think at least he’ll make some very unexpected dialogue in the debates.”
The 68-year-old actress was in town for the sixth anniversary of SPiN, the downtown pingpong social club that she co-owns. Not there for the festivities was her onetime boyfriend Jonathan Bricklin, who is also a co-owner. Sarandon says she’s dating someone, but declined to dish on any details.
It’s been a busy summer for the actress filming a cameo in the “Zoolander” sequel, a new TV show with Nick Nolte and spending time with her 1-year-old granddaughter Marlowe. “She’s just the cutest little thing,” Sarandon gushes. “She’s walking now, she’s talking, she’s putting her purse on her arm. It’s not so easy to spoil her (now), but I intend to do my best.”
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