Over the years, Hollywood has approached the subject of religion in a myriad of ways. Some movies have taken a straightforward route; such was the case for The Two Popes, one of Netflix’s best original films. There are also movies that delved into the concept of religious figures (often, a priest) fighting against evil.
On the other hand, some films have taken a more comedic route. In fact, they feature several nun and priest characters that may behave silly and even deliver comical punch lines, often portrayed by some of the most beloved Hollywood actors.
10 Ginevra
Ginevra is a nun character portrayed by actress Kate Micucci in the raunchy 2017 comedy The Little Hours. Set in the Middle Ages, the film centers on a young servant (Dave Franco) who decides to flee from his master and take refuge in a convent full of unstable nuns.
In fact, his arrival triggers an awakening within them, making them behave crazily. In one scene, Ginevra confesses to having impure thoughts (aside from eating an entire turnip and forgetting to share it with the other sisters). Interestingly, Micucci also told Roger Ebert, “I’ve always wanted to be a nun.”
9 Father Thomas
In the beginning of Sister Act 2, Father Thomas (Brad Sullivan) was the grouchy Latin teacher that gave students a hard time, especially those who have signed up to join the school choir. Throughout the movie, Father Thomas would regularly support Father Maurice’s (Barnard Hughes) decisions, especially when they concern Deloris (Whoopi Goldberg) and her choir.
Eventually, however, the priests came around. And when Mr. Crisp (James Coburn) tried to stop their school choir from performing, the priests locked him inside the cabinet and Father Thomas amusingly led the group as they prayed for forgiveness for what they’ve done.
8 Father Brian Finn
Edward Norton’s Father Finn is a character in the 2000 romantic comedy Keeping the Faith. The film centers around two friends, a priest (Norton) and a rabbi (Ben Stiller) who end up competing for the affections of the same woman (Jenna Elfman).
In addition, Norton also did double duties, directing the film himself. Of his directing experience, he told Interview, “It takes a lot out of you; it takes a lot out of the rest of your life…” Unfortunately, critics were left unimpressed by Keeping the Faith overall.
7 Sister Mary Robert
Sister Mary Robert (Wendy Makkena) is the nun who easily befriends Deloris in the classic nun movie, Sister Act. She even ends up in a bar where she thought Deloris was “ministering to winos.” Aside from delivering some comedic moments, Sister Mary Robert is also best known for showing off her singing voice later on in the movie.
As it turns out, though, it was a combination of talent that was used for this scene. “So, the amazing Andrea Robinson sings the parts of Sister Mary Robert,” Makkena told Creative Pois-On. “But she is overlapped with my own voice.”
6 Father Gerald
Four Weddings and a Funeral is considered one of the best wedding movies from the 90s. One of the minor characters in the movie is Father Gerald who makes a memorable appearance despite his short screen time. This might have something to do with the fact that the man portraying the character is British comic Rowan Atkinson.
In the scene where he conducts the wedding ceremony, he memorably refers to the Holy Ghost as the “holy goat.” To this day, it remains one of Atkinson’s most praised roles.
5 Father Tommasso
Father Tommasso (John C. Reilly) is the priest that lives with the sexually awakened nuns in The Little Hours. In the movie, he often heard their confessions, and sometimes, he would even give them honest feedback. For instance, when Franco’s Massetto confessed to sleeping with another man’s wife, the priest confirmed that he committed adultery.
And when Massetto revealed they engaged in a specific sexual act, the priest claimed it to be an act of sodomy. Meanwhile, it must also be noted that it was Tommasso’s idea for Massetto to pretend he’s deaf so that the sisters wouldn’t touch him.
4 Sister Mary Patrick
Sister Mary Patrick (Kathy Najimy) is the cheerful nun who delivered some memorable, lighthearted moments in Sister Act. Among these was the time when she joined Deloris and Sister Mary Robert at the bar and decided she would do some dancing. She picked her favorite song and started dancing with one of the women at the bar.
Meanwhile, this nun is also known for keeping the mood positive regardless of the situation that she and other nuns are facing. Recently, Najimy revealed that she will be reprising her character in the upcoming Sister Act sequel for Disney+.
3 Father Williams
In the 2013 parody movie A Haunted House, Father Williams (Cedric the Entertainer) is the priest who gets called into a home after a husband (Marlon Wayans) realizes that his wife (Essence Atkins) has been possessed by a demon. When he goes to see her, Father Williams memorably declares, “I’m here to exorcise your b****, man.”
Despite all of the film’s funny moments, A Haunted House falls slightly short in being considered one of the most successful horror parodies in cinema today. Nonetheless, it does offer one some amusement.
2 Sister Deloris
Sister Deloris may not be a real nun, but she very much portrayed one throughout most of Sister Act. And because is Whoopi Goldberg who portrays her, Deloris became one of the most hilarious nuns we’ve seen on the big screen.
Interestingly, Goldberg wasn’t the first actress that production thought of when they were casting for Deloris. “But it was originally [conceived] for Bette Midler,” Goldberg revealed to Entertainment Weekly. “So, it was written for somebody who could sing.” In the end, though, Goldberg owned the character, which became one of her most iconic ones.
1 Reverend Frank
Over the years, the late comedian, Robin Williams, had taken on a number of different cinematic roles. In License to Wed, he was Reverend Frank, a local priest who agrees to wed a couple (Mandy Moore and John Krasinski) only after they pass a marriage preparation course.
Throughout the movie, he puts the couple through hell, to the point that they even questioned why they’re together. In the end, though, there’s a meaningful lesson, along with several comedic moments. Watching this movie is certainly a great way to remember the late actor.
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March 17, 2021 at 05:30AM
