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Topic: The Passion's James Caviezel (Read 444 times)

lakelady
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The Passion's James Caviezel
« on: Feb 17^th, 2004, 1:40pm »

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From the official website:

LABORS OF LARGER LOVE: THE CAST TAKES ON THEIR ROLES

From the beginning, Mel Gibson knew a key to making The Passion of The Christ would be finding an actor capable of embodying to the highest degree possible both the humanity and spiritual transcendence of Jesus Christ. Gibson sought an actor who could lose himself in the role entirely, and whose identity would not interfere with the realism the director was seeking.

The search led Gibson to James Caviezel, last seen in The Count of Monte Cristo. Gibson had been riveted by a picture he had seen of Caviezel, especially by the actor's penetrating eyes and transparent expressions, which Gibson felt had the rare ability to convey the essence of love and compassion in utter silence.

When Gibson called Caviezel early on, the actor was so taken aback his response was "Mel Who?" Gibson jovially responded Mel Brooks. But the conversation soon turned serious when Gibson explained the role that he had in mind for Caviezel - a role Gibson told the actor he considered so tough and fraught with potential pitfalls he himself would balk at playing it.

Caviezel was daunted but energized by the challenge before him. It struck him as a remarkable coincidence that he had just turned 33, the same age as Jesus in the last year of his life. A practicing Catholic, Caviezel also found inspiration in his own religious beliefs and devotion, using prayer as a means to more deeply explore the character, words and tribulations of Jesus.

But really nothing could have prepared him for the incredible journey he would undergo during the production of The Passion of The Christ. As Caviezel explains: For day after day of filming, I was spat upon, beaten up, flagellated and forced to carry a heavy cross on my back in the freezing cold. It was a brutal experience, almost beyond description. But I considered it all worth it to play this role.

Gibson was quite clear to Caviezel from the start that it was his intention to film Jesus; suffering with as much authenticity as possible, never flinching from the chaos and violence that Christ was swept up in according to accounts. Even for Caviezel, the torment Jesus endures throughout the film was terrifying at times but he says: No one has ever showed Jesus in this way before, and I think Mel is showing the truth. Mel hasn't used violence for violence's sake and it has never felt gratuitous. I do think the realism will probably shock some people but that is why the film is so incredibly powerful.

During the demanding production, Caviezel had to face his own physical vulnerabilities in a profound way. In one of the film's most graphic sequences, Christ is scourged , or whipped extensively, then further flayed with an infamous Roman torture device known as a flagrum, or the cat o nine tails, a whip designed with multiple straps and embedded with barbed metal tips to catch and shred the skin and cause considerable blood loss. To capture Christ's resulting wounds, Caviezel had to undergo grueling, full-body makeup sessions that lasted for hours. But that was just the beginning of his trials, for the irritating makeup soon caused his skin to blister, preventing him from even sleeping during this time.

He also spent more than two weeks filming the crucifixion scenes, during which he had to carry, or more often drag under great duress, a 150-pound cross (about the half the weight of a real crucifixion cross) to Golgotha, and later to be suspended from it. Caviezel trained for the tortuous positions he would have to stand in by holding squats against a wall for up to ten minutes at a time and lifting weights to strengthen his lower back. In addition, he spent these weeks working in a loin cloth in the middle of the Italian winter, and experienced several bouts with hypothermia, often becoming so cold he could no longer speak. At times, the crew had to put heat packs on Caviezel's frozen face just to warm up his lips enough to move.

It was fire and ice for Caviezel, culminating in one of the most literally shocking moments on the set when both Caviezel and assistant director Jan Michelini were struck by lightning while shooting in the midst of a thunderstorm. The bolt went right through Michelini's umbrella and zapped Caviezel as well. Astonishingly, neither man was seriously injured.

The toll of physical and mental stress on Caviezel continued to build through the production. The actor suffered a lung infection at one point and an excruciating shoulder dislocation, as well as numerous cuts and bruises. But if I hadn't gone through all that, the suffering would never have been authentic, Caviezel comments, so it had to be done.

There were also unexpected psychological, and spiritual, challenges. It was bizarre, he admits. I was thinking I'm just an actor playing a role but I also began to see that this couldn't be just another role. I had no idea how much I would have to pray during this film to keep things in perspective.

Ultimately, Caviezel feels he learned many vital lessons. The role changed my life in the sense that now I'm no longer afraid of doing the right thing, he explains. I'm now more afraid of not doing the right thing.

« Last Edit: Feb 17^th, 2004, 1:47pm by lakelady »

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shamon
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Re: The Passion's James Caviezel
« Reply #1 on: Feb 17^th, 2004, 2:52pm »

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I read somewhere that there is a big stink about him playing Christ since he was in other movies that involved him in love scenes.....

SIDE NOTE: Traditionally, Jesus' other profession was carpentery (Jewish tradition of apprenticing under the father), he would have been quite used to carrying large pieces of wood and stone around... (Just something for you all to chew on)

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When others demand that we become the people they want us to be, they force us to destroy the person we really are. It's a subtle kind of murder. The

lakelady
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Re: The Passion's James Caviezel
« Reply #2 on: Feb 17^th, 2004, 6:22pm »

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I read somewhere that there is a big stink about him playing Christ since he was in other movies that involved him in love scenes.....

Good grief. Must be something the media came up with. Jeesh (not to be irreverant) but he is just an actor trying to make a living.
Thanks for pointing that out, shamon. I had no idea. After reading this, all I could think was Oscar nomination.

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MzWings
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Re: The Passion's James Caviezel
« Reply #3 on: Feb 17^th, 2004, 6:41pm »

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on Feb 17^th, 2004, 2:52pm, shamon wrote:

SIDE NOTE: Traditionally, Jesus' other profession was carpentery (Jewish tradition of apprenticing under the father), he would have been quite used to carrying large pieces of wood and stone around... (Just something for you all to chew on)

I was under the impression that carpentry was Christ's only profession.

Not sure what you meant by "Just something for you all to chew on". Jesus had been beaten, had a crown of thorns slammed down upon his head, stoned, whipped, spat upon, kicked and knocked down - all while he plodded towards the hill where he would be nailed upon the cross. Just because he was a carpenter and used to heavy work, doesn't allow for the brutal treatment he received for hours and hours.

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shamon
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Re: The Passion's James Caviezel
« Reply #4 on: Feb 17^th, 2004, 8:41pm »

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MZWings-

You're right, you probably did not know what I meant since I write and speak the same way as my thought process (East Tennessee dialect, jargon, AND grammar mixed with Hippy scientific burnout lingo)... My wife usually has to translate to people.

I refer to Jesus' profession as being carpentry (30 years of age and younger) his ministry as his other profession (30 years and older). This is assuming that he didn't do carpentry during his ministry or the Bible makes no mention.

What I am saying is that his carpentry profession provided with the physical stamina to carry heavy wooden and stone items. Probably a common task in his day. Perhaps he was being "prepared". (At this point, the conversation could be taken to deep theological debate)

I am not sure how you are making the carpentry connection with him not deserving the brutal treatment. You're right, he didn't deserve it. I did.

Sorry to the rest of the viewing audience for turning this post into a 1st century Nazarene carpentry history lesson.

MZWings, much love to you. Please feel free to send me a message to my mailbox if you feel we need to straighten each other out on our train of thoughts without severly disrupting the post.

« Last Edit: Feb 17^th, 2004, 8:47pm by shamon »

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When others demand that we become the people they want us to be, they force us to destroy the person we really are. It's a subtle kind of murder. The

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