{"id":42971,"date":"2025-02-20T14:30:09","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T19:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=42971"},"modified":"2025-02-20T14:30:09","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T19:30:09","slug":"blasphemy-cynthia-erivos-casting-as-jesus-in-jesus-christ-superstar-sparks-outrage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2025\/02\/blasphemy-cynthia-erivos-casting-as-jesus-in-jesus-christ-superstar-sparks-outrage.html","title":{"rendered":"‘Blasphemy’: Cynthia Erivo’s Casting as Jesus in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ Sparks Outrage"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Tinseltown \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The announcement that Wicked<\/em> star Cynthia Erivo will portray Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar<\/em> at the Hollywood Bowl has ignited controversy among Christians, with many calling the decision “blasphemy” and a direct mockery of Christ.<\/p>\n

Erivo, a 38-year-old actress and singer who identifies as bisexual and queer, shared the news on her Instagram story<\/a>, expressing excitement for the role in the upcoming August production. The Hollywood Bowl also promoted her casting in a social media post.<\/p>\n

The backlash has been swift, with critics condemning the decision to cast a woman\u2014particularly one who has openly embraced progressive views on faith and sexuality\u2014as Jesus Christ. Commenters on social media have called the move “disrespectful” and “a new low” for Hollywood.<\/p>\n

“This is just plain mockery of Christ the King,” one critic wrote, while another pointed out, “Hollywood really is just a fishbowl of like-minded individuals. Good luck with this one.”<\/p>\n

Erivo is no stranger to Jesus Christ Superstar<\/em>, having previously played Mary Magdalene in an all-female production of the show in 2020. However, her casting as Jesus has sparked significantly more backlash, especially given the controversial nature of the musical itself.<\/p>\n

Since its Broadway debut in 1971, Jesus Christ Superstar<\/em>, written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, has been heavily criticized by many Christians for its unbiblical portrayal of Jesus. The rock opera presents Christ as a flawed man who wrestles with doubt, implies a romantic connection between Him and Mary Magdalene, and portrays Judas in a more sympathetic light than Scripture does.<\/p>\n

While the musical has long been a point of contention, Erivo’s casting adds another layer of controversy, as critics see it as yet another attempt by Hollywood to distort and diminish the Christian faith.<\/p>\n

The production is set for a short run at the Hollywood Bowl from August 1 to 3. Given the mounting criticism, it remains to be seen how audiences will respond to this latest reimagining of the Passion story.<\/p>\n

Would you watch this production, or do you believe it crosses a line?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The announcement that Wicked star Cynthia Erivo will portray Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl has ignited controversy among Christians, with many calling the decision “blasphemy” and a direct mockery of Christ. Erivo, a 38-year-old actress and singer who identifies as bisexual and queer, shared the news on her Instagram story, expressing…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":42974,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"\n'Blasphemy': Cynthia Erivo's Casting as Jesus in 'Jesus Christ Superstar' Sparks Outrage<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Cynthia Erivo's casting as Jesus in "Jesus Christ Superstar" sparks backlash, with critics calling it "blasphemy" and a mockery of Christ.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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