British singer Cynthia Erivo has been cast as Jesus Christ in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s stage production Jesus Christ Superstar.
The Wicked star is set to portray the iconic character this August, but this decision has sparked significant backlash. Find out more about the musical and how audiences reacted below!
Cynthia Erivo Is Playing Jesus Christ in a Rock Opera Musical — How Did Fans React?
On Instagram on February 18, Cynthia Erivo shared her excitement about being cast as Jesus Christ in a musical, captioning her post, “Just a little busy this summer, can't wait.”
Created by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar tells the story of Jesus and his disciples, but from Judas’ perspective.
The highly anticipated musical is set to be performed from August 1 to August 3, directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, with Stephen Oremus as the musical director.
Erivo received an outpouring of comments celebrating the casting, with many expecting a “powerhouse performance” and congratulating her. Even Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film adaptation of the musical, voiced his support, posting on X, “The evolution of this great Rock Opera! Proud to be a part of its history.”
However, some reactions were far from positive. Critics called the decision “absolutely blasphemous,” while another wrote on X that it was simply “disrespectful.” Many argued that Erivo was not an accurate choice for the role, and even some of her fans urged her to step down.
The Best Actress nominee, praised for her sensational performance as Elphaba in Wicked, previously played Mary Magdalene in the 2020 all-female Jesus Christ Superstar production, making this her second religious role in the rock opera.
As of now, no other cast members have been announced for the upcoming stage production.
Cynthia Erivo Discusses Elphaba's Role in Representing Black and Queer Identity
Erivo has yet to address the backlash over her casting as Jesus Christ. However, the Harriet actress recently spoke about themes of racism and queerness in her portrayal of Elphaba in the AnOther 2025 spring/summer issue.
With the first Wicked movie achieving massive success and the second part releasing this year, she shared her thoughts on playing a character who is seen as an outcast.
“It’s a green witch. But I think what they see also is so many parts of me,” Erivo stated.
The Wicked star, who appears alongside Ariana Grande in the musical film, added that Elphaba allows people to relate to the experience of not fitting in and constantly wanting acceptance.
“The green skin is like the umbrella under which the ‘other’ lives. So yes, it’s a conversation about racism, but it’s also a conversation about anyone who’s been othered. It’s a conversation about queerness.”
Erivo further explained that Elphaba’s green skin visually separates her from everyone else. As a Black woman in the role, she feels a responsibility to open up conversations about what it means to be seen as unwanted.
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