The 65-year-old actress has been described as a "despicable person" after she made the remark about Pope Benedict XVI during an interview with fellow actor and filmmaker Bob Balaban on Saturday when she was discussing her 1995 film 'Dead Man Walking', Newsday reports.

During her conversation with Bob, she said: "The last [pope]," speaking about Pope John Paul II. "Not this Nazi one we have now."

Following the comment, Bill Donohue, the president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, has described the 'Lovely Bones' actress as being "ignorant and full of hatred to the Catholic Church".

He told E!: "She's a despicable person to make these kinds of despicable remarks.

"He deserted the Hitler Youth at the first moment. [Sarandon] doesn't know what she's talking about...To blame him for something that he was never responsible for; he was forced to join as every boy his age was.

Unlike the others, he deserted."