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Yes, Isabella Rossellini’s decision to curtsy in Conclave was a deliberate creative choice she brought to the character of Sister Agnes, rather than a specific action dictated in the original script.
Here are the specific details regarding that choice:
In the film, Sister Agnes and the other nuns are depicted as the "invisible" labor force of the Vatican—cooking, cleaning, and moving through the background of the male-dominated election. Director Edward Berger has noted in interviews that the script focused on the nuns' silence and their presence as witnesses. However, Rossellini felt that Sister Agnes needed a moment to assert the nuns' power and their moral stance without breaking their vow of silence or their subservient role.
The specific gesture occurs toward the end of the film, during a pivotal moment when the Cardinals are filing through to vote or acknowledge the shift in power. As the "outsider" candidate (Cardinal Benitez) passes, Rossellini’s Sister Agnes performs a deep, formal, and profoundly respectful curtsy.
Rossellini proposed the gesture as a way to "vote" without a ballot. By performing such a deep, traditional sign of respect, she was signaling to the College of Cardinals—and the audience—which candidate the women of the Church supported.
Berger has stated that Rossellini’s intuition was to make the nuns' presence felt through high-stakes etiquette. The "improvised" nature of the act refers to the fact that Rossellini developed the physical language of Sister Agnes (including the way she stood, the way she lowered her eyes, and that specific curtsy) to convey a sense of quiet rebellion and authority that wasn't fully articulated on the page.
The curtsy became one of the most discussed moments of the film because it shifted the power dynamic. It demonstrated that while the nuns had no legal vote in the Conclave, they held the moral "eyes" of the institution. Rossellini’s choice to use a gesture of subservience (the curtsy) to actually exert influence was a subtle piece of character work she developed during production.
The summary fails to mention that Rossellini herself does not remember if the moment was scripted, presenting it instead as a definitive actor choice.
The summary misplaces the curtsy in a scene with Cardinal Benitez, whereas it actually occurs during the confrontation with Cardinal Tremblay.
Isabella Rossellini has stated she "doesn't remember" if the curtsy was scripted or not, while director Edward Berger has said "we thought" of it during production, implying it was a collaborative decision or directorial suggestion rather than a purely improvised actor choice. The curtsy occurs after Sister Agnes delivers a pivotal speech exposing Cardinal Tremblay's corruption to the College of Cardinals, serving as a "mic drop" moment where she asserts authority before returning to her vow of silence. It is not directed at Cardinal Benitez as a form of voting.