# Who played the best Jesus Christ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2002, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596 "2002-12-13T20:21:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![montag01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@montag01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/montag01)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/1 "2002-12-13T20:21:31Z")
Which actor do you think, regardless of your belief or religion, did the best performance as Jesus Christ in a movie (ie, comes closest to your own interpretation of what Jesus might have been like–albiet if he spoke English, was Caucasian, etc. 😃 ) My vote goes to Jeffrey Hunter in King of Kings–though I’m not a Christian, his performance has always seemed to carry the perfect pitch of dignity and compassion. Your thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/2 "2002-12-13T20:56:52Z")
I liked Ted Neely’s performance in _Jesus Christ, Superstar._ He had this intensity that is usually only seen on stage. He did do the part on stage too. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/3 "2002-12-13T21:13:23Z")
I’m a fairly devout Catholic, but I can’t think of any really good film portrayals of Jesus. What can I say, most religious movies strike me as unbearably cheesy. I can think of a few actors who gave… well, non-embarrassing performances as Jesus, but none who were genuinely good. I suppose that the best film I’ve seen about Jesus was Pierpaolo Pasolini’s “The Gospel According to St. Matthew.” Pasolini’s intent was to give the gospel a Marxist spin, but in spite of his political leanings, I thought he made an admirrable, moving, gritty film that even Pope Paul VI called “a masterpiece.” So… I guess the best movie Jesus was Enrique Irazoqui. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/4 "2002-12-14T00:32:54Z")
Incredibly, astorian beat me to it. Pasolini’s film is leaps & bounds above any others, and Irazoqui is fiery, intense, charismatic and yet compassionate and touching. I will say, though, that Max von Sydow is surprisingly good in the otherwise terrible _Greatest Story Ever Told_. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/5 "2002-12-14T01:16:26Z")
I kinda like the Jesus they have on _South Park_… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/6 "2002-12-14T01:55:35Z")
Well, Christian Bale was the SEXIEST Jesus… Oh, I am SOOOO going to Hell for that one! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/7 "2002-12-14T02:13:08Z")
Well, Jesus (as himself) was pretty good… ---
**Author:** ![Rodd\_Hill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/8 "2002-12-14T02:28:26Z")
Peter O’Toole, in _The Ruling Class_, although he does change his identity at the end of the film… ---
**Author:** ![montag01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@montag01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/montag01)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/9 "2002-12-14T03:53:21Z")
Astorian–is that the same Pasolini that did Salo (the 120 Days of Sodom interpretation)? If so, quite interesting, I’ll have to look into it. Thank you all for your responses thus far! ---
**Author:** ![Bullwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@Bullwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/10 "2002-12-14T04:25:26Z")
How about Robert Powell in Jesus of Nazareth? Maybe he’s a little too European looking, but I thought he did a great job. BTW am I the only one who thinks that Willem Dafoe was horribly miscast in The Last Temptation of Christ? I’ve read the book several times but I can’t watch the film. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/11 "2002-12-14T04:53:16Z")
SOMEONE ELSE REMEMBERS “The Ruling Class”!!! _When I pray to Him, I find that I am talking to myself._ ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/12 "2002-12-14T05:58:51Z")
\*\*Bullwinkle \*\* beat me to Robert Powell by half an hour. His was my favorite portrayal of Jesus. The scene in “Jesus of Nazareth” that I liked best was when he raised Lazarus. The power that it took to do it seemed to weaken him, showing(as Christians believe) that he was not only divine but human, and it must have \*hurt \* to make the effort. ---
**Author:** ![TridCloudwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TridCloudwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TridCloudwalker)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/13 "2002-12-14T06:07:55Z")
David Karesh _snickers_ ---
**Author:** ![joshmaker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a587f6/32.png) [@joshmaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joshmaker)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/14 "2002-12-14T06:48:45Z")
Best almost Jesus: Graham Chapman 😃 (Life of Brian) ---
**Author:** ![marinwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@marinwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marinwood)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/15 "2002-12-14T07:15:02Z")
Jeremy Sisto, in the 1999 TV movie. Grrrr. Sex on a stick. _(joins **Guinastasia** in Hell)_ ---
**Author:** ![Bullwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@Bullwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/16 "2002-12-14T07:15:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by joshmaker \* > \*\*Best almost Jesus: Graham Chapman 😃 > (Life of Brian) \*\* Follow the gourd! ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/17 "2002-12-14T11:15:55Z")
**Donald Sutherland** , in _Johnny Got His Gun_. Well, ok, maybe not the best, but certainly very interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/18 "2002-12-14T11:23:55Z")
Another vote for Robert Powell. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/19 "2002-12-14T14:34:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Montag01 says: \* Astorian–is that the same Pasolini that did Salo (the 120 Days of Sodom interpretation)? Yes, the one and the same (though he made _Salo_ later). ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596/20 "2002-12-14T15:34:57Z")
… not to mention Whoopi Goldberg in the recent Muppet Christmas TV special… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-best-jesus-christ/142596.md?page=2)