# How would you cast 'Jesus Christ Superstar' **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139 "2003-04-16T18:51:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/1 "2003-04-16T18:51:31Z")
Hallo! As Easter is nigh, my mum has moaned again that ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ has got a depressing ending, should end with the Resurrection etc. Never minding what you might think of Mr Andrew Lloyd-Webber and co (my favourite story is still how Mr Ray Davies, on hearing an ALW song on the radio, had to pull off the road at once to vomit out his car window), but I wonder, who would make a nice new cast… Never mind singing abilities – for you see, whilst listening to mum’s records, it suddenly struck me that Mr Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks would make a splendid Caiaphas…so what if he can’t sing – in my version, he wouldn’t even have to open his mouth, just glare…and Mr Laurence Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen as Herod… Any other suggestions would be lovely…on a side note, any suggestions to help shift any of these songs out of my head would also be appreciated… cheers, Carey ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/2 "2003-04-16T20:53:58Z")
Eddie Vedder: Jesus Seal: Judas Iscariot Alanis Morissette: Mary Magdalene ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/3 "2003-04-16T21:41:59Z")
How would I cast it? Into the ocean, wrapped in lead weights. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/4 "2003-04-16T23:02:48Z")
Judas: The same actor who played it in its U.S. premiere – Mark Volinski\* \*The first US production of JCS was in my high school in June of 1971; the Broadwas production didn’t start until October. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/5 "2003-04-17T00:45:41Z")
There was a remake on PBS 2 or 3 years back, with lots of cool updates(visual references to **The Matrix** and **Star Wars** as well as the Intifada). Rik Mayall ( **Drop Dead Fred, The Young Ones** ) stole the show as Pilate. I picture Lenny Kravitz as Jesus, and Coolio as Judas. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/6 "2003-04-17T02:33:30Z")
Gosh, Mr Mayall! Cracking choice, I should think…do you know if that PBS version is on video? Had a sudden 'orrible thought of Lenny HENRY as Jesus… I do appreciate the replies! cheers ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/7 "2003-04-17T02:54:14Z")
Bono as Jesus Marilyn Manson as Judas Ozzy as Pilate. Sheryl Crow as Mary Magdalene. Madonna as the Madonna. ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/8 "2003-04-17T02:58:27Z")
I would love to hear Corey Glover sing the Judas part. Alison Krause as Mary Magdalene. David Lee Roth as Herod Trey Anastasio as Pilate And Prince as Jesus ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/9 "2003-04-17T07:30:16Z")
The PBS version can be seen at [http://us.imdb.com/Title?0275434](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0275434) Mayall was actually Herod, not Pilate. He did the big “You are the Christ, yes the great Jesus Christ” song as a 20s Charlston number with flappers. Yes, it’s available on video and DVD. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/10 "2003-04-17T12:11:37Z")
Yeah, but wouldn’t it be funny if, after two thousand years, the other shoe dropped and Jesus _himself_ finally made an encore presentation and acted the role? See, I think he’d be great. But only because he wouldn’t have to ask, “So, what’s my motivation?” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/11 "2003-04-17T12:46:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\* > Madonna as the Madonna. \*\* Slight hijack: The original version of Evita, written in 1974, actually contains the line “She can do what she wants; it doesn’t matter much/She’s the new-world Madonna with the golden touch.” They changed it for the movie, when Madonna actually played Evita. I really can’t answer the original question, as I know too much about theatre performers and not enough about popular ones. Though Ozzie would make a good Herod. ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/12 "2003-04-17T15:33:05Z")
I always thought **Don Cheadle** would make a great Judas. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/13 "2003-04-17T16:49:35Z")
Hallo, and thanks everyone for the suggestions! Also thank you, Krokodil for the imdb ref and info! I will tell my mum. I don’t know if he can sing, but I think Richard E Grant might make an interesting Pilate… SkipMagic – JC himself is inspired…but I wonder, if he might not be one of these ‘difficult’ thespians, you know, ‘Uh, excuse me? Mr Director? Hold on – sorry everyone – I think we need a script revision here…what? YOU don’t think so? HelLO, who was up on the cross, you or me?’ But the aftershow would probably be a lot of fun… cheers PS You have me curious, Annie-Xmas, as I’ve never experienced the Madonna version of ‘Evita’ (only seen Patti LuPone on stage); may I ask what the revised line was? ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/14 "2003-04-17T18:21:27Z")
Sting as Pontius Pilate (which was the original casting for the film LAST TEMPTATION) I like Alanis or Sheryl Crow as MM, years ago-I’d have gone for Kate Bush, but now…OH! TORI!!! Judas & Jesus… THAT is the tough one! But definitely definitely Ozzy as Herod! ---
**Author:** ![rmbnxs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9e5f3/32.png) [@rmbnxs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rmbnxs)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/15 "2003-04-17T19:05:29Z")
Herod: Larry David Mary Magdalene: Roseanne Judas Iscariot: John Lithgow John the Baptist: Robin Williams Pontius Pilate: Chris Rock Jesus Christ: Bruce Willis ---
**Author:** ![Rib\_Eye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@Rib\_Eye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rib_Eye)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/16 "2003-04-17T21:30:31Z")
Jesus: Matt Barlow of Iced Earth Caiaphas: Peter Steele of Type O Negative Mary Magadelene: Skin of Skunk Anansie Judas: Chris Cornell of Audioslave Herod: Ozzy Osbourne Pilate: Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden Annas: Rob Halford Simon Zealotes: Ray Alder of Fates Warning Peter: Ronnie James Dio ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/17 "2003-04-18T00:36:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ms Boods \* > \*\*PS You have me curious, Annie-Xmas, as I’ve never experienced the Madonna version of ‘Evita’ (only seen Patti LuPone on stage); may I ask what the revised line was? \*\* I believe it was “She’s the Lady of the New World with a golden touch…” ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-cast-jesus-christ-superstar/169139/18 "2003-04-18T01:36:16Z")
Katisha – thanks! Now…must refrain from the inevitable ‘Madonna’ and ‘lady’ in same breath comments…