‘Playing Jesus wrecked my career’ says ‘Passion of the Christ’ star Jim Caviezel, Hollywood has shunned me
Actor Jim Caviezel has claimed his Hollywood career was wrecked by playing Jesus in Mel Gibson’s movie The Passion of the Christ.
Caviezel says he was “rejected in my own industry” after taking on the lead role as Jesus Christ in the 2004 and then offers dried up. He claims he was shunned by many within the industry.
The Passion of the Christ was a box office hit, earning more than $400 million worldwide, but was attacked by leftists and Hollywood elitists as being anti-Semitic.
Gibson, the film’s director, was later accused of making anti-Jewish remarks after being arrested for drink driving.
Caviezel said he was warned against taking the part by Gibson who warned him he would never work in Hollywood again.
“He said, ‘You’ll never work in this town again.’ I told him, ‘We all have to embrace our crosses,'” Caviezel recounted and then added, “Jesus is as controversial now as he has ever been. Not much has changed in 2,000 years.”
Caviezel, 42, has only appeared in a handful of films since Passion, but was considered one of Hollywood rising stars and appeared in The Count of Monte Cristo and Angel Eyes with Jennifer Lopez.
Caviezel, a devout Roman Catholic and said he wasn’t worried about the stalling of his career and asked others to pray for Gibson.
“Mel Gibson, he’s a horrible sinner, isn’t he?” Caviezel said. “Mel Gibson doesn’t need your judgment, he needs your prayers.”
