Cynthia Erivo Set To Play Jesus In ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’

Well, Hollywood's officially lost it.

The Hollywood Bowl, one of the premier music venues in the country, announced on its official Instagram page Tuesday afternoon that Cynthia Erivo would be playing the role of Jesus in the Broadway show "Jesus Christ Superstar" in an upcoming run at the Bowl this summer.

Cynthia Erivo, who identifies as "queer" and "bisexual," and who is, of course, female. Is playing Jesus. 

"Just announced! @Cynthiaerivo joins the Hollywood Bowl's production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" this summer. The Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner, and three-time Oscar nominee is cast as Jesus in Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webbers's musical," the post reads.

Erivo shared the news with the caption, "Just a little busy this summer, can’t wait."
 

Feb 2, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Cynthia Erivo at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. Mandatory Credit: Dan MacMedan-USA TODAY

Cynthia Erivo Playing Jesus Raises Some Questions

It's not like "Jesus Christ Superstar" is the most religiously appropriate Broadway show, regardless of cast, but this is absurd. 

Just imagine if any other central figure in a different religion was portrayed this way; there would be outrage and potentially violence. Not that it would be justified, but it's a sign of how committed the entertainment industry is to ignoring all the lessons learned from the cultural backlash in the 2024 election.

This also isn't a role like Peter in "Peter Pan," where in stage adaptions, it's often played by a woman. Mary Martin, Sandy Duncan, and Cathy Rigby all famously played Peter. But what is the point of casting Erivo, other than to cause controversy? 

It's dumb, it's insulting, and it's purposeful.