Jude Law Reacts to Those Viral 'Young Pope' Memes

Photo: HBO

This article originally appeared on Entertainment Weekly.

Yes, Jude Law has seen all those Young Pope memes — though he had to learn what a meme was first.

“Having spent the last week in New York and doing lots of press I’ve become very aware,” The Young Pope star said at the Television Critics Association’s press tour on Saturday. “But until this week I’ve been completely unaware of what a meme was.”

And he’s not too worried about people taking the HBO drama, whose on-the-nose title has inspired the mocking imagination of social media in recent weeks, less seriously because of its newfound internet presence.

“I hope [the memes] will prompt interest and intrigue,” the actor says. “I don’t know if meme trends are reflective of young people’s interest but if so I hope [young viewers see the show].”

Writer-director Paolo Sorrentino was also there to promote the drama, and he suggested that the show — where Law plays a rather sinister and ambitious newly elected head of the Catholic Church — is more possible than you might think. “It would be possible after Pope Francis, the next pope could be somebody like Jude Law’s [character],” said Sorrentino, whose research included speaking with Vatican experts who suggested a radical shakeup is likely during the next papal conclave.

“It would be possible after Pope Francis, the next pope could be somebody like Jude Law’s [character],” said Sorrentino, whose research included speaking with Vatican experts who suggested a radical shakeup is likely during the next papal conclave.

The duo were also asked whether Law’s character is basically like the pope version of Donald Trump or Damien from The Omen films.

“One thing that differentiates himself from all of the above is he’s not a liar,” Law replies. “He’s particularly contradictory but he doesn’t lie. He’s a man of conviction from his own standpoint, and he’s trying to understand his heart and his faith.”

The Young Pope premieres Sunday on HBO.