A Catholic pastor has received backlash online for claiming that Cynthia Erivo is “too bald, too brown and too bisexual” to play Jesus.
The Wicked star has been cast in the lead role in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar, at the Hollywood Bowl this summer.
John K. Amanchukwu Sr. is a pastor from North Carolina.
Taking to X, he wrote: “With all due respect and humbly submitted, Cynthia Erivo is too bald, brown and bisexual 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.”
In response, some have pointed out that classic depictions of Jesus are misaligned with a historically accurate picture of a Nazarene.
One X user wrote: “[Men] getting upset that Jesus is being portrayed by a bald headed African, but had no problem portraying him as a white man with flowing long hair …”
Others pointed out that the musical plot of Jesus Christ Superstar is blasphemous in itself. The play is told from the perspective of Judas, and refers to Jesus as “just a man”. Since its Broadway debut in 1971, its biggest controversy has been depicting Jesus as having a romantic relationship with prostitute Mary Magdalene.
Erivo will not be the first black actor to play the role; singer John Legend starred in NBC’s 2018 production of the musical.