At this point, Hollywood isn’t even pretending anymore. It’s not about art, it’s not about creativity, and it’s certainly not about respect for religious or cultural traditions. No, this is pure, unfiltered trolling—a deliberate slap in the face to Christians, served up under the tired, predictable banner of “progress.”
Cynthia Erivo, fresh off her role as Elphaba in Wicked, has now been cast as Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl. Yes, you read that right. A bald, black, self-described “queer” actress will now be playing the Son of God in a rock opera that, while already controversial in religious circles for decades, at least pretended to be based on biblical events. But this? This is Hollywood’s latest and most blatant attempt to spit in the face of Christian audiences while smugly patting themselves on the back for their oh-so-brave “diversity” stunt.
Now, if this were some original, avant-garde production set in some obscure off-Broadway black box theater, maybe you could chalk it up to artistic experimentation. But this is Jesus Christ Superstar—a globally recognized musical that tells the story of Christ’s final days, his betrayal, and his sacrifice. And in their infinite wisdom, the decision-makers out in La-La Land thought, You know what this story really needs? A queer woman playing Jesus. Because, of course, in today’s entertainment industry, nothing matters more than identity politics.
This isn’t about “rethinking” a classic. This isn’t about “reimagining” a story. This is Hollywood’s version of an internet troll, except instead of typing snarky comments from their mom’s basement, they’re spending millions of dollars to mock faith-based traditions while expecting applause for their “boldness.” They don’t care that this will offend millions of Christians. In fact, that’s probably the point.
Social media reaction has been swift and brutal. Newsmax’s Todd Starnes summed it up perfectly: “The Hollywood Bowl just hired a bald, black woman who identifies as queer to portray our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Dude. WTH?!?”
The Hollywood Bowl just hired a bald, black woman who identifies as queer to portray our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Cynthia Erivo will star in a revival of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Dude. WTH?!? pic.twitter.com/p5Aq7RoCQq
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) February 18, 2025
And actor Nick Searcy didn’t hold back either, writing, “Hollywood is just trolling us now…”
Hollywood is just trolling us now. @Variety https://t.co/QP3B5toH7A
— Nick Searcy, Actor/Director/Producer/Author (@yesnicksearcy) February 18, 2025
They’re right. This is a calculated move, not an accident. It’s a continuation of the trend we’ve been seeing for years—the erasure, rewriting, and outright mockery of anything even remotely tied to traditional Christian values. And this is why regular Americans are tuning out of Hollywood’s nonsense in record numbers.
With all due respect, and humbly submitted, Cynthia Erivo is too BALD, BROWN, and BI to play Jesus. Casting a woman as Jesus Christ is an intentional form of blasphemy that Hollywood would be fuming over if done to certain other religions. pic.twitter.com/0PblC3zg5u
— John K. Amanchukwu Sr. (@REVWUTRUTH) February 19, 2025
You’d think they would have learned by now. Audiences are rejecting this nonsense left and right. The box office has been brutal to woke reboots, gender-swapped remakes, and identity-obsessed “reinterpretations.” Just look at the absolute train wreck that was Disney’s The Marvels. But instead of learning the lesson that people want authenticity and respect for beloved stories, Hollywood just doubles down. And now, instead of finding a strong, classically trained male actor for the role of Jesus, we get a casting choice that screams, Look at us! We’re so edgy and inclusive!
It’s exhausting, transparent, and frankly disgusting. But hey, the good news is, if recent history is any indication, audiences will respond the way they always do—by not buying tickets. No matter how much Hollywood tries to rewrite the rules, no matter how aggressively they push this agenda, one truth remains: the American people are getting fed up with it.
