Actress Cynthia Erivo got plenty of praise from the entertainment industry for playing Elphaba in the film adaptation of the musical “Wicked,” including BAFTA, SAG, Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. Although she played a “Wicked” witch, her latest project is getting even more backlash from conservatives who think she’s wrong for the role.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Erivo was taking on the role of Jesus in a three-night performance of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl this summer. The 1970s rock opera written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice tells the story of Jesus’s last days on Earth from the perspective of Judas, one of Jesus’s original 12 apostles, best known in the Bible for betraying him.
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Although Erivo fans know she is going to absolutely slay every song on the soundtrack, there are just as many people who think the idea of a Black woman who identifies as queer is downright blasphemous, and they are voicing their concerns on social media.
TikToker @youwontbelievemeofficial is against seeing Erivo in the role, arguing that any on-screen depiction of a religious figure should be accurate.
“As a Christian, I find this very disrespectful,” he says in his post. “Why? Because this is our Lord and Savior. This isn’t some cultural, political or movie icon that you can mold and change into anyone you want for some industry entertainment agenda.”
User @abednegolufile agrees, calling the casting blasphemous and accusing Hollywood of trying to mock the Christian faith.
But some, like TikToker @xianamcghee, think Erivo will be great in the role. She argued that the actress isn’t the first woman or the first person of color to take on the role of Jesus and had a few words of advice for anyone who might be offended.
“Just don’t watch it,” she said in a post.
But when it comes to the criticism, Erivo is unbothered, telling Billboard in a June 2 interview that if queer people belong anywhere, it’s on the stage.
“You can’t please everyone. 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.
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