THE PASSION OF CHRIST:
“Mel Gibson reportedly warned Jim that the character would be very difficult and that to accept, he could be marginalized in Hollywood. Caviezel asked for a day to think about it and his response was: “I think we have to do it, even if it’s hard.” And one more thing, my initials are J. C. and I’m 33 years old. “I hadn’t realized it until now.”
Mel responded with a candid, “You’re scaring me.”
During the set, Jim Caviezel (playing Jesus) lost 45 pounds, was struck by lightning, accidentally whipped twice, leaving a 14-inch scar, dislocated his shoulder and suffered pneumonia and hypothermia from hanging almost naked on a cross for several hours out.
His body was so stressed and exhausted from playing the role that he had to undergo 2 open heart surgeries after the production. The crucifixion scene alone took 5 weeks out of the 2 months of filming.
“I don’t want people to see me. I just want them to see Jesus. Through that conversions will happen.” Almost like an advertisement, many strange things happened, Pedro Sarubbi who played Barrabas, when playing that part felt that it wasn’t Caviezel who looked at him but Jesus Christ himself. “His eyes had no hatred or resentment towards me, only mercy and love.”
Luca Lionello the artist who played Judas was a declared atheist before filming began. He eventually converted, confessed and baptized his children. One of the tech chiefs who was Muslim also converted to Christianity.
Some producers claimed to have seen some people dressed in white giving advice, who at the end of the recordings did not reappear.
The Passion of the Christ is the highest-grossing U.S. film of all time, with $370.8 million! Worldwide it raised $ 611 million. More importantly, it reached many souls from all over the world. Mel Gibson paid $30 million out of his own pocket for the production because no studio would take care of the project.
Jim Caviezel proudly proclaims his faith in Christ in the midst of Hollywood ungodliness. People like him who will step forward to do what may not sound “fun,” but which conveys God’s Word and the story of His salvation to mankind.”
Very interesting trivia
