Jim Caviezel, doin it for Jesus. Persecution complex much?
Actor Jim Caviezel, his voice sometimes cracking with emotion, spoke of being "rejected in my own industry," the problems of his friend Mel Gibson and his son's cancer in an appearance Saturday night at First Baptist Church of Orlando.
The star of "The Passion of the Christ," whom First Baptist pastor David Uth described as "more passionate about God" than anyone he's ever met, was in town to give witness to his faith, to urge others to share it and to sell a new all-star audio production of the Bible that he has produced.
During a 20-minute talk, Caviezel spoke of the troubles that have dogged Gibson, his "Passion" director, who has been labeled an anti-Semite in addition to being caught on tape ranting and cursing out the mother of his youngest child.
"Mel Gibson, he's a horrible sinner, isn't he?" Caviezel, 42, said. "Mel Gibson doesn't need your judgment, he needs your prayers."
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.
A native of Washington state and a lifelong Roman Catholic, Caviezel has never shied from films with religious subtexts, sometimes controversial ones, from "The Passion of the Christ" (2004) and "The Stoning of Soraya M." (2008) to "I Am David" (2003) and "Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius" (2004).
Caviezel has said his faith is his guide, both personally and professionally. He speaks of being "called" to the acting profession and says it was no coincidence that "in my 33rd year, I was called to play Jesus." He even joked about his initials — J.C. — with Gibson at the time of his casting, which "freaked him out a little."
Caviezel and his wife have adopted "special-needs" children from China, and one has cancer.
"Maybe God, through my son's death, is going to teach me something."
Caviezel will speak at the 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. services Sunday at First Baptist, 3000 S. John Young Parkway.