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“Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo doesn’t see an issue with playing the role of Jesus Christ in an upcoming performance of “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
In a recent interview with Billboard, the actress laughed off outrage that she would be playing Jesus in an upcoming rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical.
“Why not?” she asked Billboard when asked about people saying she shouldn’t perform the role. “You can’t please everyone.”
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Erivo is set to perform in the rock opera at the upcoming Hollywood Bowl production of the musical that runs from August 1 to August 3 this year. News that the actress would be Jesus caused controversy for Christians and conservatives on social media last February.
At the time, Christian pastor, John K. Amanchukwu Sr., complained about the casting on social media, stating, “With all due respect, and humbly submitted, Cynthia Erivo is too BALD, BROWN, and BI to play Jesus. Casting a woman as Jesus Christ is an intentional form of blasphemy that Hollywood would be fuming over if done to certain other religions.”
Conservative Christian influencer Alexandra Lains posted her complaints about the casting decision, stating, “Christianity seems to be the only religion that’s never off limits for Hollywood to disrespect. Cynthia Erivo, a black woman, as Jesus Christ? Please stop with the lunacy.”
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The Billboard interview, published on Monday, noted that Erivo “can’t help but laugh” at the outrage. She justified taking the role and said people will get over it once they see it.
“It is legitimately a three-day performance at the Hollywood Bowl where I get to sing my face off. So, hopefully they will come and realize, ‘Oh, it’s a musical, the gayest place on Earth,'” she said.
Erivo was nominated for Best Actress for her performance in the hit musical “Wicked” as Elphaba.
Elsewhere during the interview, the entertainer weighed in on President Donald Trump’s overhaul of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., in February.
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Trump fired several Kennedy Center board members, including the president and chairman, and replaced them with pro-Trump figures, who then named the president as chairman.
The outlet said that Erivo expressed “dread” over the recent Kennedy Center changes. She told Billboard, “I don’t know who gains what from that. I hope that it comes back,” she says. “It’s really sad to have to watch this happen to it. The Kennedy Center is supposed to be a space of creativity and art and music for everyone.”
