By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist

During an appearance at an Orlando church this past weekend, Jim Caviezel, the actor who so famously played the role of Jesus Christ in the blockbuster hit, The Passion of the Christ, spoke about how his faith helps him to cope with a role that continues to haunt his career.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, the 42 year-old Caviezel told an audience at the First Baptist Church of Orlando that Mel Gibson’s warning that he would “never work in this town again” if he played the role of Christ, has proven true.

But “we all have to embrace our crosses,” he told the audience.

The role did indeed damage his career. Even though The Passion was a box-office smash, it led to fewer, not more, acting roles for him.

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

He’s not worried about being rejected by Hollywood and said the awards, the “hall of fame” that actors crave here on Earth don’t matter to him because his reward will come in heaven.

“We have to give up our names, our reputations, our lives to speak the truth,” he said.

The Washington state native has been a devout Catholic all his life and said his faith is his guide, both personally and professionally. He believed he was “called” to the acting profession and says it was no coincidence that he played the role of Jesus when he was 33, and that his initials are also J.C.

The Passion was not his only religious role. He also played in the “The Stoning of Soraya M.” (2008) , “I Am David” (2003) and “Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius” (2004).

Caviezel and his wife have adopted “special-needs” children from China, one of whom has cancer.

“Maybe God, through my son’s death, is going to teach me something,” he said.

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