Almost five decades after its premiere, Jesus of Nazareth continues to be one of the most viewed religious productions in the world and a classic that, every Easter weekonce again brings viewers together in front of the television.
In that context, Robert Powellthe British actor who gave life to Cristo in the miniseries directed by Franco Zeffirellireviewed how he arrived at the role that defined his career and explained why he hopes the play continues even after he is gone.
In an interview granted to journalist Gonzalo Valdivia, from the Chilean newspaper The ThirdPowell also surprised by revealing that, initially, thought about rejecting the character. At that time he considered that interpreting Jesus was a task that “beyond human reach.”
The unique role that overshadowed Robert Powell’s career
Although he worked in theater, film and television for six decades, he recognizes that there is a character who overshadowed the rest of his career and who continues to accompany you anywhere in the world.
Today it is difficult to imagine another actor in that role, but Powell says that His first reaction was to refuse.: When the Italian director offered him to star in the miniseries, he felt that the proposal surpassed any professional challenge he had faced.
«To be honest with you, It seemed impossible to me for an actor to play Christ. «It is something that is beyond human reach,» he explained.
At that time he was going through an excellent theatrical present. He was part of the cast of Travestiesthe work of the prestigious British playwright Tom Stoppard. That show was about to move from the Royal Shakespeare Company to London’s West End before landing on Broadway.
Accepting the series meant abandoning that project. For a week he avoided responding to Zeffirelli’s proposal until he decided to consult Stoppard himself. The playwright’s response ended up tipping the balance.
Stoppard told him that his works would always continue to exist and that he would have other opportunities to perform them, while the possibility of embody Christ It would probably appear only once in his entire life.
That advice was decisive. «And he made me do it. So I did it,» the actor summarized.
Today in places in Greece and Rumania They stop him on the street to greet him. «Even when I’m 50 years older,» he clarified and then continued: «It has lasted for 50 years. I hope it lasts long after my death.. Someone will create another version and it will be just as popular. But whatever it is, I think Zeffirelli’s ability will make it difficult for him.»
How was the preparation to interpret Christ?
Once his participation was confirmed, Powell traveled to Morocco and Tunisia, where much of the filming took place.
The cast brought together several of the great international figures of the time, including Anne Bancroft, Olivia Hussey, James Earl Jones, Laurence Olivier, Claudia Cardinale and Anthony Quinn.
Before filming began, the actor undertook intense preparation with the intention of better understanding the character.
Among other things, he carefully read the Gospels looking for elements that would allow him to build a more defined personality of Jesus. However, he assures that this search ended up generating an unexpected conclusion.
«There’s nothing there that tells you anything about his character. Nothing«, he noted during the interview. Despite this, he claimed to have a personal conviction about the historical figure of Jesus. «He exists. It existed,» he said.
The small definitions, the acting philosophy of Robert Powell
Beyond what it represented Jesus of NazarethPowell maintains that his entire career was guided by the same idea about acting.
For the actor, the most effective performances are not the most exaggerated, but those built from small details.
«For me acting is about very small definitions of the truth. «It’s not about waving your arms,» he explained.
That style of interpretation, based on restraint and naturalness, ended up becoming one of the most remembered characteristics of his composition of Christ.
