Awards season is wrapping up with the 2025 Oscars on Sunday, March 2. From social media scandals to unexpected wins at the SAG and BAFTA awards, it's had plenty of surprises. But for all of the excitement and unpredictability in the lead up to the Academy Awards, the biggest surprise of all isn't a win or a loss: It's rising star Carlos Diehz.
It’s forgivable if you aren’t familiar yet with Diehz. He plays a significant role as the humble Cardinal Benitez in papal thriller Conclave, a major Oscars contender. In the movie, Benitez is a latecomer to the conclave to elect the pope. Without spoiling anything, let’s just say he poses a complication to the proceedings. For me, both Conclave and Carlos Diehz himself are the most interesting stories of this awards season.
Conclave itself has been something of a surprise. It’s nominated for eight Oscars including Best Picture, and it’s won big over frontrunner Anora as the Best Film at BAFTA, Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes and Best Ensemble at the SAG Awards. For being a religious movie, Conclave is remarkably politically driven and tense: “My main inspiration was political conspiracy thrillers from the '70s,” director Edward Berger said.
Conclave has a big final twist courtesy of Diehz’s character, Cardinal Benitez. But beyond the gasp-inducing ending, why is Diehz the biggest surprise of the Oscars season?
It’s simple but shocking: Carlos Diehz had never professionally acted before Conclave. That’s the reason you’ve probably never heard of him. Diehz is 54 years old, and a father with a successful career as an architect. Growing up, he was interested in acting but too shy to try it.
"Acting is a thing I wanted to do since I was in high school. But in high school I was too shy to get into the drama club,” Diehz told Vancouver Sun. “So, I postponed, and now 30 years later and now an empty-nester, I decided I wanted to learn to do something new.”
During the pandemic, he started taking online acting classes and discovered a love for it. He had roles in two small student-led short films before responding to the third round of casting calls for Conclave.
To make your acting debut in your 50s is amazing. But for that movie to then go on to win so many awards, including a nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars, is unbelievable.
Director Edward Berger intentionally wanted to cast an unknown actor in the role of Cardinal Benitez. In Conclave, Benitez was made a cardinal in pectore, meaning the Pope made him a cardinal in secret. The first time Benitez’s existence is known is when he shows up to the conclave to help elect a new pope. Just like Benitez is an outsider to the Vatican, director Berger wanted to fill the role with a Hollywood outsider to contrast the star-studded cast.
“We spent a long time finding Benitez because I didn’t want someone who you knew from any other movie,” Berger told Vanity Fair. “He needed to come from a sense of unknown. Carlos [Diehz] was really the only person in the world who we found where I looked into him and said, ‘Oh my God, I believe it.’”
The cast of Conclave is an intimidating lineup for any actor to join, much less an industry newcomer. To prepare himself, Diehz turned to research via binge-watching (relatable!).
“In order to avoid being starstruck in front of Ralph Fiennes on set, I studied interviews, lectures, films, everything I could find on the internet and streaming services. I put him on the screen and I pulled my chair [close] to get used to his expressions,” Diehz said in an interview. “I did the same with John [Lithgow], Stanley [Tucci], and Isabella [Rossellini] to get over the excitement of being in front of these giants of acting.”
His approach worked: With his sensitive performance and soulful eyes, I can’t imagine a better casting for the role. Director Edward Berger certainly uncovered a treasure in casting Diehz, and we can’t wait to see what else he’ll do with his newfound career. A few nods at the Oscars can certainly only help.
Will Conclave win Best Picture? I’ll be watching!
Sarah Vincent (she/her) covers the latest and greatest in books and all things pets for Good Housekeeping. She double majored in Creative Writing and Criminal Justice at Loyola University Chicago, where she sat in the front row for every basketball game. In her spare time, she loves cooking, crafting, studying Japanese, and, of course, reading.
