Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood John Legend stars as Jesus in NBC's Easter 2018 live production of the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar." Jesus has been portrayed by a variety of actors throughout the years. Hide Caption 1 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood Jencarlos Canela portrayed Jesus in the musical "The Passion," which aired live on FOX on Palm Sunday in 2016. Hide Caption 2 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood Adam Bond from CNN's "Finding Jesus," Haaz Sleima from National Geographic's "Killing Jesus" and Juan Pablo Di Pace from NBC's "A.D." Hide Caption 3 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood From "Son of God," pictured, to "God's Not Dead" to "Heaven Is for Real," the box office has been a one-stop shop for Christian-themed films. Hide Caption 4 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood In 1923, Cecil B. DeMille became a believer in the power the Bible held with moviegoing audiences. After finding success with his Old Testament epic "The Ten Commandments," DeMille enlisted H.B. Warner to help him tell "The Greatest Story Ever Told." The result was 1927's "The King of Kings," a film for which Warner was virtuous both on and off the set. According to Turner Classic Movies , he signed an agreement not to be involved in any sort of scandal -- even divorce -- for a year following the movie's release. Hide Caption 5 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood When in need of a man to play Jesus in 1959's Oscar-winning "Ben-Hur," the production team turned to opera singer Claude Heater. Although his portrayal of Christ is one of the best known in cinema, he still goes uncredited for the part. The movie was based on the 1880 novel, "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ," which had previously been turned into a silent film in 1925. Hide Caption 6 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood Not to be confused with 1927's "The King of Kings," MGM's 1961 New Testament saga "King of Kings" told the story of Jesus from birth to death in grand, technicolor fashion. Jeffrey Hunter portrayed Jesus in this classic, which has become a go-to movie about the Gospels. Hide Caption 7 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood One of the most iconic portrayals of Jesus came from Max von Sydow in 1965's "The Greatest Story Ever Told." With a script adapted from a '40s radio series and Fulton Oursler's account by the same name, "The Greatest Story Ever Told" put the "big" in "big screen production," costing $20 million and boasting actors like Sidney Poitier, Charlton Heston and John Wayne. Hide Caption 8 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood In 1973, actor Ted Neeley had a breakout role as Jesus in the film version of the rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar," and he couldn't be more grateful for it. "(T)his experience ... has formed my life," Neeley said in August 2013 , marking the release's 40th anniversary. "It has changed everything for me, continually and in a positive manner. I will be forever thankful for that." Hide Caption 9 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood The same year that Neeley was becoming well known as "Jesus Christ Superstar," there was another actor portraying the Big Guy in another religious musical. Victor Garber, now known for his TV work on shows like "Alias" and "Web Therapy," was building what would become a renowned stage career as Jesus Christ in "Godspell." Garber first starred in the production on the stage before it was released as a movie in 1973. Hide Caption 10 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood Alongside screen legends like Laurence Olivier, Anne Bancroft and Ernest Borgnine was Robert Powell, who played Jesus Christ in the 1977 British miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth." In 2013, Powell again helped bring the Biblical story to the small screen as a narrator for the UK release of "The Bible" miniseries. Hide Caption 11 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood This 1979 movie starring Brian Deacon was straightforward about its subject with the simple title "Jesus." It's also known as "The Jesus Movie," and was based on the Gospel of St. Luke. Hide Caption 12 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood The 1980 TV movie "The Day Christ Died" starred a pre-"Princess Bride" Chris Sarandon as Jesus. While many biblically based films like to explore Jesus' entire life or a large chunk of his adulthood, "The Day Christ Died" only required Sarandon to portray him during the crucial moments of his arrest and crucifixion. Hide Caption 13 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood In 1988, Willem Dafoe portrayed Jesus in what's become one of the most controversial movies about the famous Nazarene, Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ." In a story based on the 1953 novel of the same name, Dafoe's Jesus is one who battles lust, doubt and a reluctance to fulfill his fate. Hide Caption 14 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood In the late '90s, Jeremy Sisto went from "Clueless" and "The Wild Thornberrys" to "Jesus." The actor starred as Christ in the 1999 TV movie that focused on Jesus' work and life. Hide Caption 15 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood In 1999, Christian Bale portrayed Jesus of Nazareth in a TV movie that told Christ's story from the point of view of his mother, Mary. We do wonder how the actor, known for totally immersing himself in his roles, prepared for this one. Hide Caption 16 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood Molly Shannon's 1999 comedy "Superstar" isn't about religion or Jesus Christ, but Will Ferrell's portrayal of him in a dream sequence is infamous. When Ferrell's hippie, long-haired Jesus appears to Shannon's Mary Katherine Gallagher, they bond over her CD player. Hide Caption 17 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood In 2000, a very different look at the life of Jesus arrived in the form of a stop-motion film called "The Miracle Maker." Ralph Fiennes was the voice of Jesus, and everything about the story of Jesus' adult life, from the beginning of his ministry to his resurrection, was told through this unique animation. Hide Caption 18 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone aren't afraid to blend religious icons with their edgy humor. The creators of the hit Broadway musical "The Book of Mormon" have included a Jesus character on their animated Comedy Central show for years. Their version has his own cable access show, "Jesus and Pals," and often teams up to fight evil with his "Super Best Friends," a group that includes other religious figures like Krishna and Moses. Hide Caption 19 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood Before he became Desmond on "Lost," Henry Ian Cusick was Jesus. The actor portrayed the savior in 2003's "The Visual Bible: The Gospel of John." As the title suggests, this was Jesus' life story from the perspective of John the Baptist. Fun fact: Christopher Plummer is the movie's narrator. Hide Caption 20 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood Since Mel Gibson's 2004 blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ," when many people envision Jesus they probably think about this guy, Jim Caviezel. A little-known actor at the time, Caviezel was catapulted into the spotlight as the controversial movie brought in $370 million domestically. As Caviezel's gone to other roles, including on CBS's "Person of Interest," he's still best known as the actor who withstood Gibson's brutal depiction of Christ's crucifixion. Hide Caption 21 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood We couldn't tell you what the connection is between Christ and musicals, but the religious figure is obviously a popular character in the genre. In 2004's "Reefer Madness," a movie musical sendup of the 1936 anti-weed propaganda film, Bob Torti played the "hardest working man in the afterlife" who warned against marijuana with a jazzy song. Hide Caption 22 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood Jean-Claude La Marre is better known for his work as a filmmaker, but he's also undertaken a massive role on screen. In 2006, he portrayed Jesus Christ as a black man in "Color of the Cross," a movie that imagined the carpenter's crucifixion as racially motivated Hide Caption 23 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood Seth MacFarlane's better known as the voice behind "Family Guy's" diabolical tot Stewie Griffin and "Ted's" profane teddy bear, but he's also been the voice of "Family Guy's" low-key and affable Jesus. At one point, the Fox comedy imagined that Jesus was really in hiding at a record store. Hide Caption 24 of 26
Photos: When Jesus came to Hollywood Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado will probably go down in history as "hot Jesus" thanks to the noticeably attractive spin he's given the character. Morgado's played Christ twice, in the History Channel's 2013 miniseries "The Bible" and the 2014 theatrical release it spawned, "Son of God." Hide Caption 25 of 26
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A conceptual and artistic triumph, NBC’s live telecast of “Jesus Christ Superstar” on Easter Sunday may have finally justified the recent live musical fad on network TV. Some technical flubs and one mixed-bag lead performance aside, the production was genuinely thrilling, taking chances with the staging of a classic but controversial Broadway show, much more daring than previous live musical broadcasts like “The Sound of Music” or “Peter Pan.”
With the R&B hitmaker John Legend playing Jesus Christ, Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene and Brandon Victor Dixon as Judas Iscariot, NBC’s “Superstar” didn’t lack for talent or star power, drawn as it was from the worlds of pop and theater. The real masterstroke, though, was the decision to perform live before a large audience at the Marcy Avenue Armory in Brooklyn. The energy of the crowd clearly goosed the cast, counteracting the over-prepared stodginess that hampers so many of these specials. And the crowd’s passionate whooping underscored one of the musical’s central themes: the dangers of uncritical celebrity worship.
Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, “Jesus Christ Superstar” has long held something of a surprise place in the modern theatrical canon. Debuting in 1970 as a rock opera album, it made the leap to Broadway in 1971 and was nominated for five Tonys — winning none. The 1973 movie adaptation by the director Norman Jewison was a box-office hit, but it is rarely touted as one of its era’s great films.
Told largely from Judas’s point-of-view, the story closely follows biblical accounts of Christ’s arrest and crucifixion in Jerusalem, while adding substantial criticism of Jesus’s followers; his communion with disreputable people; and his open, dangerous antagonism of both the Jewish and the Roman authorities. The musical then pushes back against its own skepticism, depicting the powers-that-be as corrupt, cynical and manipulative, exploiting the anxieties of Judas and the other apostles.
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In the years immediately after its premiere, the musical raised eyebrows and ire with its decidedly nontraditional spin on Christ’s last days. By considering Jesus more as a cultural phenomenon than as a divine figure, and by exhibiting as much sympathy for Judas as for the man he betrayed, Mr. Webber and Mr. Rice delivered an interpretation of the Passion Play as radical in its way as director Martin Scorsese’s much-protested film “The Last Temptation of Christ” did in 1988.
Redeeming itself from an overblown first half and having its energy continually sapped by frequent commercial breaks, NBC’s “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” was saved Sunday night by its emotional climax, as Brandon Victor Dixon (as Judas Iscariot) delivered an unforgettably raucous take on the show’s title number and John Legend (as Jesus) floated away on a cross into an impressively ethereal light display.
The beauty of that finale probably won’t stop religious hardheads from complaining — as they have for 47 years — that Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” technically lacks a resurrection scene. (On Easter, no less!) Though I wouldn’t have put it past NBC to tack on a rolling-away-of-the-stone in these often cowardly times we live in, they wisely did not, because when “Jesus Christ Superstar” is done right, it stirs the audience in such a way that they themselves feel risen. It’s a sort of resurrection of the inner spirit.
Getting there was the difficult part. At some point, NBC retitled the project by taking away an exclamation point after “Live” and terming it “Live in Concert,” perhaps as a signal to viewers that this “Jesus Christ Superstar” would indeed be more of a rock concert, with a noisy audience of bouncing superfans cheering loudly for every entrance and high note.
God help the viewer who had never seen the show before and had to somehow discern from its initial chaos of camera angles, choreography, scaffolding and “Mad Max”-style punk apocalyptic costuming that we are in Jerusalem during the final days of Jesus’ life. Amid this mess, Dixon, as Judas, belted out a key song (“Heaven on Their Minds”) that lyrically offered the only hint of the show’s tone, point of view and central conflict. It was lost. What’s the buzz? Lifelong fans certainly knew, but we’ve had decades to play the album version to death.
[ Even the superstar composer of “Superstar” hated it at first ]
After the first commercial break, we saw Caiaphas (Norm Lewis) and his high priests scheming to quell the Messiah mania by killing Jesus, but from the way they were dressed, they may as well have been trying to stave off the destruction of Krypton.
“Superstar” is tricky in a number of ways, from costumes to staging to intent — lean too far in one direction and it can seem heretical. Lean too far another way and it gives off the slightest whiff of the anti-Semitic. Lean another way and it’s a flat-out depressing show, featuring a Jesus who only screams at his friends and followers, a Messiah who is overwhelmed by lepers and angry at God, with a Judas who is driven to betrayal and suicidal apoplexy over his friend’s obstinate path.
That’s probably why so many of us, Christian or not, remain intellectually fond of “Jesus Christ Superstar” — something about it seems determinedly relevant and human. Over the years, as it has been staged infinite times around the planet, “Superstar” has lost some of its necessary grittiness and hippie aesthetic, replaced by a snazzier, shinier and ultimately hackneyed displays (I recall seeing a stage rendition in the MTV ’80s that featured a wall of television screens and a Jesus with Bon Jovi’s hairdo). Simpler is always better, and so much of the show’s success hinges on who plays Jesus, and how.
Brandon Victor Dixon (Virginia Sherwood/NBC)
Legend proved vocally up to the task — which is considerable, given that the entire show is sung. His “Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say),” which is Jesus’ big number, was a worthy companion to all the Jesuses who have sung it before, including the great Ted Neeley, who starred in director Norman Jewison’s underappreciated 1973 film version.
What Legend demonstrated with vocal power, however, did not come packaged with the acting presence needed to convincingly get “Jesus Christ Superstar” off the ground. Luckily, the stage professionals surrounding Legend picked up nearly all the slack. Along with Dixon, Sara Bareilles brought a new sharpness to the role of Mary Magdalene, especially in her performance of “Superstar’s” popular ballad, “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”; Ben Daniels was an equally compelling Pontius Pilate.
As for Alice Cooper, who as King Herod had one song (some fans think it’s the show’s best song, an attempt at comic relief that hams it up between Jesus’ arrest and Judas’s suicide), I guess the only question Cooper had to answer with his performance was “Why did they get Alice Cooper to do this?” The 70-year-old rock legend stuck to his seemingly ageless brand, clad in a David S. Pumpkins-like orange suit. As stunt-casting goes, it could have been worse.
Throughout, I kept wishing for a better balance of energy. “Superstar” came on way too strong at the outset and took nearly all of its 2-1/2 hours (including all those commercials) to find its holy groove. But when it did find it, it verged briefly on miraculous.
Photo: NBC/Patrick Randak/NBC
To celebrate the resurrection of Christ, NBC continued its annual TV-musical tradition with Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert, a spirited staging that involved lots of guitar shreds, geometric coats, and glitter. Sinning is shiny! Read on for all the highs, lows, and deep Vs.
HIGH: Brandon Victor Dixon. Judas was always the real star of the show, and Dixon’s glowering, raging, Aaron Burr style made it all the clearer, right up through the messy, sweaty, furious suicide. Bonus points for all the times he had to seethe with anger while resting amidst the scaffolding. Super extra bonus points for absolutely killing “Superstar” in his sparkly pants and tank, the best performance (and look) of the night.
LOW: John Legend’s withering stare. You gotta give it to him, John Legend tries very hard to look serious as Jesus Christ … it’s not his fault if he’s physically incapable of it!
LOW: John Legend’s extremely deep tank top. Only literally a low. Otherwise it was a high, and all the better to get sweaty with.
HIGH: John Legend’s performance of “Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say).” Okay, so it was hard to adjust to thinking of Legend as Jesus, but you have to give it up for his knockout performance of this song.
HIGH: The priests’ geometric black coats. Just look at this gorgeous thing, designed by Paul Tazewell (Hamilton) — an homage to Issey Miyake’s Bao Bao bag!
Photo: NBC/Paul Lee/NBC
HIGH: Norm Lewis as Caiaphas. With a voice deep enough to make it seem like the set was shaking — and a glare harsh enough to make us take his dyed cornrows seriously (see above).
… together with Jin Ha as Annas. Where Lewis goes low, Ha goes high. Listen to them gorgeously layer “he is dangerous” on top of one other around the one-minute mark. Mmm.
LOW: The audio mix. The performers kept getting drowned out by the music, the audience, and pretty much everything. It’s always fun to hear a vocal-dependent musical that sounds like it was recorded from inside Jesus’s wine bottle.
HIGH: The stripped-down staging. As the “In Concert” nomenclature implied, JCS was not as elaborately staged and filmed as other live-TV musicals. That, and the visible audience, gave this production more of a live-theater vibe than previous NBC musicals, even if it was a little too reminiscent of Rent.
LOW: The commercials. Jesus died for our sins … and also so we could watch advertisements for the Apple X while watching a musical about him.
… yes, including John Legend’s Google commercial. Jesus loves our corporate overlords?
HIGH: The brevity. Granted, NBC elongated this musical with all the commercial breaks. But even so: clocking in at two hours and 20 minutes made the production crisper and more powerful than other TV musicals that drag on for three or more hours.
