Cavaziel: 'Shunned' by Hollywood because of Passion/ Christ

[Captaindemotion]

Seems it's not just The Passion of the Christ Director Mel Gibson, who is an outcast in Hollywood now. The star of that movie, Jim Cavaziel says that it's made him an outcast in Hollywood and that his career has suffered.

Actor Jim Caviezel, his voice sometimes cracking with emotion, spoke of being "rejected in my own industry,"

The actor recalled Gibson's offering him the role of Jesus in the film, then calling him back to beg him not to take it:

"He said, 'You'll never work in this town again.' I told him, 'We all have to embrace our crosses.' ''

But the actor noted that Gibson wasn't far off the mark when he spoke of the damage playing Jesus could do to his career.

"Jesus is as controversial now as he has ever been," Caviezel said. "Not much has changed in 2,000 years."

Caviezel said he doesn't worry about the career price he paid with that film — a global box-office smash that led to fewer, not more, film offers for him. "The awards, the hall of fame" that actors get into here on Earth, he said, don't matter to him. His reward, he said, will come in heaven.

"We have to give up our names, our reputations, our lives to speak the truth," Caviezel said.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/ente...viezel-speaks-050111-20110430,0,2902881.story

So, is the other JC being, er, crucified for his career choice? Is it his overt religiousity that's being punished or his association with an allegedly anti-semitic movie?

Or was Cavaziel just not destined to become a big star? Were career choices like Angel Eyes, Deja Vu, Pay it Forward or High Crimes the stuff of which movie megastars were made?

 

[backstept]

he was in Outlander . . . he's okay in my book



Outlander is the most awesome movie ever.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

He may have a point...

I have to admire him for his dedication. Taking a role he knew, and was warned, that it might hurt his career? And he took it anyway? You can't argue with that.

BTW, Frequency rocked.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ True, dat.

 

[ManOnTheWave]

You mean the same Jim Ca-whatever who was utterly forgettable in The Thin Red Line, The Count of Monte Cristo, Frequency, and let us not forget Angel Eyes in which he was second string to J-Lo, an actress and singer famous for having a big ass, and a music career because she was doing a rapper. Oh yeah, him. He was in The Prisoner which also sucked.

The Passion of the Gibson was probably the one movie he made that a lot of people went to see. Then it was back to mediocrity.

 

[Chaos Descending]

The Count of Monte Cristo rocked too, IMHO.

 

[ManOnTheWave]

The Count of Monte Cristo rocked too, IMHO.

It wasn't a bad b-movie. But it wasn't a career launcher either.

 

[Aragorn]

You mention Deja Vu, Pay It Forward and High Crimes, even though those are supporting parts. Carrying movies are not easy work, and carrying successful movies is even harder. Hell, Gerard Butler keeps getting cast as the lead in crappy movies no one goes to see because of 300 even though he wasn't the reason people went to see 300.

I doubt Caviezel was ever going to be a big name (though maybe Superman could've helped), but he does have a point to some extent. Hollywood studios don't exactly make The Ten Commandments anymore. Christian Bale had to play Jesus on TV.

Maybe the lead role in a JJ Abrams series could help out his career. Of course, it's going to be on CBS, so either it'll be too unique for them or they'll water it down to make it as generic as their other dramas.

 

[backstept]

I think he's a great actor, and I don't think less of him for being in the movie. Same as I don't think less of Mel Gibson for making it . . . however Gibson's personal problems are a different story . . .

Caviezel is a great guy, and I wish him well.

 

[iguana_tonante]

"Jesus is as controversial now as he has ever been," Caviezel said. "Not much has changed in 2,000 years."

Yeah. Except 2,000 years ago, he was the rather forgettable leader of one of the many Jewish apocalyptic cults of the day, and today he is the focus of the world's largest religion. Yeah, not much has changed.

"The awards, the hall of fame" that actors get into here on Earth, he said, don't matter to him. His reward, he said, will come in heaven.

Then, why is he bitching about it? I am amazed by the ability of some people to feel persecuted in the most powerful nation in the world, where 80% of people agree with them.

"We have to give up our names, our reputations, our lives to speak the truth," Caviezel said.

The truth being, Jesus was a blue-eyed, white-skinned Swiss in 1st century Palestine. Yeah.

 

[Skellington]

"We have to give up our names, our reputations, our lives to speak the truth".

I think that we may have a smoking gun here. This kind of statement and ones like some of the others from the article can make someone come across as grandiloquent, self-important and perhaps overly earnest to put it nicely. That's probably not the sort of thing that would inspire a prudent film studio to part with an eight-figure sum.

 

[Agent Richard07]

So, is the other JC being, er, crucified for his career choice? Is it his overt religiousity that's being punished or his association with an allegedly anti-semitic movie?

If religion did affect his career, I think it's his own religiosity and not the movie that did it. I don't believe that making or being in a religious movie will affect anyone's career negatively, but being a bit overzealous will.

 

[lurok]

I watched this over Easter for first time and a) profoundly moved, and b) couldn't see what all controversy was about (having googled). OK, I'm a Catholic (with Jewish mother) so loyalties may be divided, but I thought was masterpiece of religious filmmaking, and Caviezel endured and conveyed magnificently. I couldn't expect more (and just for record have seen Powell/Pasolini/DaFoe Christs). It's a particular view of Catholicsm many may not agree with, but unless you know what it is conveying you have no right to criticise. I think it's a disgrace if Caviezel shunned simply for sticking by his beliefs...

 

[auntiehill]

You mean the same Jim Ca-whatever who was utterly forgettable in The Thin Red Line, The Count of Monte Cristo, Frequency, and let us not forget Angel Eyes in which he was second string to J-Lo, an actress and singer famous for having a big ass, and a music career because she was doing a rapper. Oh yeah, him. He was in The Prisoner which also sucked.

The Passion of the Gibson was probably the one movie he made that a lot of people went to see. Then it was back to mediocrity.

^This. I have seen The Thin Red Line, The Prisoner and Frequency, yet I can barely remember him; he doesn't have a powerful screen presence and doesn't seem terribly appealing. I never Passion, so the fact that he made that film has no effect on me whatsoever.

Nice how he uses religion (the largest, most powerful religion in the country that makes the films in which he wants to star) as an excuse for his own, fairly average screen presence.

If he wants to be a "star," he could do any one of the following:
1) Get a better agent, who will help you get better projects.
2) Be a fantastic actor.
3) Appeal to the general audience. Have an image or at least some personality that lets people feel they know you.
4) Stop whining about your "persecution." No one like a whiner, especially when it comes from some strong, healthy, good looking man who makes movies for a living. No one's busting out the tissues for you, pal. Man up, Nancy.

 

[Kirkman1987]

The Passion is a good movie, but I don't think Cavaziel was destined for greater things. He's decent, but he lacks the charisma and screen presence of a big star. He does come across as a bit of a douche in that article, but If he's seriously been overlooked just because of the movie I could understand the anger (if not the creepy religious posturing).

 

[lurok]

People can be as 'snide' (such a great word) as they want, but it has historically taken some time for most actors to overcome the stigma (stigmata?) of playing Jesus. I'm in no position to judge Caviezel as whether great actor or not than anywhere here, but on basis of films seen so far (Thin Red Line, Frequency, Passion) in my opinion no worse, if not better. I passionately admire him his faith, even to extent of defending Gibson (who I also admire). Cynics be damned...

 

[Greg Cox]

Playing Jesus didn't seem to hurt William Dafoe, Max Von Sydow, or Christian Bale . . . .

Just saying.

 

[lurok]

Playing Jesus didn't seem to hurt William Dafoe, Max Von Sydow, or Christian Bale . . . .

Just saying.

true. Though for argument's sake none of above particularly well-known/box office at time played Jesus (in Hollywood terms). Von Sydow certainly, Bale arguably, Dafoe...meh. Equally, none to best of knowledge have expressed any adherence to devout Catholic beliefs, unlike Caviezel...

 

[JarodRussell]

All he needs is to get cast in a Cameron or Nolan movie and then he's da shiznit again.

 

[Greg Cox]

Playing Jesus didn't seem to hurt William Dafoe, Max Von Sydow, or Christian Bale . . . .

Just saying.

true. Though for argument's sake none of above particularly well-known/box office at time played Jesus (in Hollywood terms). Von Sydow certainly, Bale arguably, Dafoe...meh. Equally, none to best of knowledge have expressed any adherence to devout Catholic beliefs, unlike Caviezel...

It's funny to note that the other Jesuses ended up playing comic book characters: Batman, the Green Goblin, and Ming the Merciless! (And, of course, there was Jeffrey Hunter who ended up as the first captain of the Starship Enterprise!)

Clearly, Caviezel needs to audition to play Buck Rogers or somebody!