Jim Caviezel has said Jesus visited him before he accepted the Passion of the Christ role.  The Hollywood actor made the claim on Sean Hannity’s podcast, Hang Out with Sean Hannity, Fox News reports.

Caviezel said that at about 5am, awake but with his eyes closed, he sensed a presence at the foot of his bed and knew it was Jesus, sitting cross-legged. He said the figure told him that playing the part was not a requirement of him as a Catholic. Caviezel said he replied that he would refuse and that they should find someone else.

He said the figure’s expression changed, and that he was told: “I don’t have anybody else.”

Caviezel said he asked why he had been chosen and was told others would not ask that question. He said he then accepted the role as part of "the plan".

Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, which was released in 2004, grossed over £335m ($612m) worldwide on a budget of £22.6m ($30m), drawing an estimated tens of millions of viewers globally.

Caviezel said during the initial filming he injured his shoulder, suffered hypothermia and was struck by lightning during filming, and that hypothermia nearly killed him.

The 58-year-old has said he will not appear in the sequel because Jesus has a smaller role in the new script and that he wanted to focus on other leading film projects instead.

The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One will be released globally on 6th May next year (Ascension Day). Caviezel stars in the thriller Ghost Soldier and is also due to play King Herod in Zero A.D.: The Birth of Christ.