12 Times Jesus Christ Graced Our TV Screens
From Jeremy Sisto to John Legend, so many different talents have stepped into the metaphorical sandals belonging to Jesus onscreen.
Scroll down for a closer look at some of the individuals who have taken on the epic role so far.
This is an excerpt from TV Guide Magazine’s The Chosen special issue, available on newsstands and for order online now at TheChosenMag.com
Jeremy Sisto in Jesus (2000)
Executive producer Judd Parkin told a TV Guide Magazine reporter that playing the title role in CBS’s 2000 miniseries Jesus “scared a lot of established stars.” That turned out to be a good thing, Parkin noted. Little-known 25-year-old Sisto was “a Jesus with no baggage.” The role was also a giant step for the actor, but he admitted he was “intimidated by the weight of it all.”
Onscreen, Sisto (now a staple on CBS’s FBI) was joined by Debra Messing (Mary Magdalene) and Gary Oldman (Pontius Pilate). Sisto played a Christ who was down-to-earth and, well, human in the four-hour show. Said Parkin: “We are not presenting the whipped-saint Jesus of Renaissance paintings.”—Ileane Rudolph
Juan Pablo Di Pace in A.D. The Bible Continues (2015)
This biblical follow-up to producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey’s 2013 History Channel drama The Bible and 2014 film Son of God had an Easter Sunday debut on NBC to 9.7 million viewers. But over 12 weeks, the ratings dropped and A.D. didn’t score an onscreen resurrection. Nevertheless, the evangelical show, which focused on the Apostles’ ministries after Jesus’ ascension, found a faithful Lamb of God in Di Pace.
The Mamma Mia! actor mostly appeared in the first two episodes, but he returned at the end as Jesus tries to convert Saul (Emmett J. Scanlan), who was persecuting the Apostles. Di Pace told TV Guide Magazine in 2015 that his Jesus would “have a little tougher edge than we’ve seen before—He’s essentially telling Saul off [in the finale].” He added: “I wanted to make Him incredibly realistic.” Di Pace later revisited his role in the 2021 movie sequel Resurrection. —Emily Aslanian
Robert Powell in Jesus of Nazareth (1977)
Directed by the famed Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, this epic British-Italian miniseries, which offered a comprehensive story of Jesus from birth through His ministry, Crucifixion and Resurrection, was a hit. Though Jesus of Nazareth’s star-laden cast included Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine, Laurence Olivier, Christopher Plummer, James Earl Jones, and more, it was British actor Robert Powell’s luminescent performance in the title role that many still remember decades later. Critics described his portrayal as “the defining performance of his acting career,” and his likeness to paintings of Christ as “almost eerie in its exactness.” Looking for both authenticity and relatability, Zeffirelli directed Powell not to blink so audiences could have constant eye contact with Jesus. —IR
Jeremy Davies in American Gods (2017–21)
A sensitive Son of God drops in for one episode — the first-season finale — of this trippy Starz series, based on Neil Gaiman’s fantasy novel, about the battle between ancient gods (like the Norse pantheon) and the new (technology, etc.). At pagan goddess Ostara’s (Kristin Chenoweth) Easter party, He (Davies, radiating empathy) is crushed to discover that she resents His Resurrection co-opting her feast day. —KH
Selva Rasalingam in The Gospel of John, The Gospel of Matthew, The Gospel of Mark & The Gospel of Luke (2014–18)
Born in North London in 1968, Rasalingam has enjoyed a varied career on the stage and screen, but it’s his roles in four films based on the Gospels that put this talented star in the spotlight. In 2014’s The Gospel of John, he played Jesus with passion, grace, and gravitas. The film was notable for many reasons, perhaps most of all because of its gorgeous, lush setting, having been filmed on location in Morocco, but also because it included powerful narration from Succession’s Brian Cox (based on the King James Version of the Bible). The faithful adaptation of the Gospel was so successful, it inspired three sequels based on the remaining Gospels, all starring Rasalingam as Jesus. The busy actor is also on board for an upcoming biblical epic from writer and director Terrence Malick, tentatively titled The Way of the Wind and rumored to be planned for release in 2024. While Hungarian actor Géza Röhrig (Son of Saul) plays Jesus in that film (the cast also includes Mark Rylance, Aidan Turner, Ben Kingsley, and more), Rasalingam plays Jeroboam, who ruled the Northern Kingdom of Israel some 900 years before the birth of Christ. —John Hogan
Max von Sydow in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
The stars were in alignment — Hollywood stars in particular — for director George Stevens’ three-hour-plus hagiography of Jesus, a traditional biographical portrait featuring a European actor (Sweden’s Max von Sydow in his first English-language film) in the lead role. Variety described von Sydow as “a tower of strength and sensitivity,” and indeed the actor maintained his dignity, radiating a forceful yet serene divinity, even when distracting movie-star cameos threatened to pull focus — most notably John Wayne as a Roman centurion. Other familiar faces along for Jesus’ journey included Charlton Heston (The Ten Commandments’ Moses) as John the Baptist and a young David McCallum as Judas. —Matt Roush
Ewan McGregor in Last Days in the Desert (2015)
After playing a young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels, Ewan McGregor slipped into the similar robes of a true spiritual force for this often surreal film from Rodrigo Garcia. McGregor stars as both Yeshua and “the Demon,” who collide during the Son of God’s 40 days of fasting and praying in the brutal Judean wilderness. The mostly imagined storyline (don’t expect a faithful biblical adaptation) allowed the Moulin Rouge! actor to dig into Jesus’ humanity and the heartache He endured while accepting the fateful sacrifices that await Him in the weeks to come. That approach turned out to be a real blessing for Garcia. As he told the Salt Lake Tribune ahead of the premiere, “One of the most satisfying reactions we’re having from Christian audiences is that they feel this is a real flesh-and-blood guy who is Jesus.” —Damian Holbrook
Joaquin Phoenix in Mary Magdalene (2018)
With his enigmatic energy and piercing green eyes, Phoenix made a fascinating Jesus. As grand as it is moving, the film — which spans His final three years on Earth — focuses on the misunderstood titular icon as she leaves her small village to follow Jesus. Despite initial resistance from Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Mary’s (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’s Rooney Mara) steadfast faith and refusal to forsake Jesus are shown to earn her both a place among the Apostles as an equal…as well as a divine role in announcing His resurrection. —DH
Michael Wilding Jr. in A.D. (1985)
In the final chapter of NBC’s biblical trilogy, Jesus only appears during the six-part miniseries’ first hour. The show, following the New Testament’s Gospel of Luke, centers on the fates of saints-to-be Peter and Paul of Tarsus, the founding of the Christian Church and it’s spread in the Roman Empire. Michael Wilding Jr. (the son of Elizabeth Taylor and British actor Michael Wilding) portrays the risen Jesus as compassionate and gentle, enduring His painful human end with great dignity. —IR
Victor Garber in Godspell (1973)
New York City in the 1970s provided the backdrop for the most unconventional Jesus of all: Victor Garber’s portrayal of the upbeat hippie leader of a ragtag troupe in the film version of Stephen Schwartz’s popular pop-rock musical. With a mop of curly hair, a heart painted on his forehead, and a Superman “S” on his long-sleeved T, this Jesus, who also wore suspenders, striped pants and clown shoes, sang like an angel. His musical highlight: a vaudevillian duet with Judas (David Haskell) in the patter song “All for the Best.” —MR
Ted Neeley in Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
This film about the last week of Jesus’ life is based on the 1970 rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. (Star Neeley still tours as Jesus in stage versions, and hits all the high notes!) Superstar focuses on the Savior’s personal relationships, and His journey from joy to resignation through song and dance is grounded by the historic locations in Israel. Some untraditional formal elements reflect the hippie era, like Judas’ (Carl Anderson) circa A.D. 30 inner demons represented by Israeli tanks. —KH
John Legend in Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (2018)
What becomes a Legend most? Appearing as the Savior, ascending to the rafters of Brooklyn’s Marcy Avenue Armory in a spectacular live-TV production. Producer and star John Legend was blessed with EGOT (Emmy-Grammy-Oscar-Tony) status after this special, which premiered on Easter. He was also nominated for his soulful performance, along with Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene and Brandon Victor Dixon as a show-stopping Judas. —MR
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