New York Daily News
Jacqueline Catler
Jodi May as Leah and Richard Coyle as Caiaphas in “AD.”
Speedos and sunscreen aren’t the first two items one associates with the disciples. But that was the scene recently when several productions about Jesus shot in Morocco.
“Any time you’re around the pool, there is a mix of three Jesuses, a brace of Mary Magdalenes and disciples fighting over the condiments,” says Rufus Sewell, Caiaphas in “Killing Jesus.”
His National Geographic Channel miniseries (airing March 29) and NBC’s series “AD The Bible Continues” (airing Easter Sunday) were simultaneously shooting in Ouarzazate, “the Hollywood of Morocco,” a craggy city seven hours south of Casablanca.
Though both productions are about Jesus, they take different approaches. “Killing Jesus” is embattled Fox News Channel talk show host Bill O’Reilly’s analysis of the time leading up to the crucifixion; “AD” focuses on what happens after.
Stephen Moyer as Pontius Pilate in National Geographic Channels “Killing Jesus.”
Stephen Moyer, Pontius Pilate in “Killing Jesus,” said he was delighted when, after traveling 31 hours, he ran into Sewell.
“Rufus is an old mate of mine,” Moyer says. “One of my best friends is on one of the other jobs, ‘The Jesus Code.’ Michael Higgs — he’s playing Joseph of Arimathea. All of us were at the Royal Shakespeare Company 23 years ago and now we all around the pool sipping cocktails. It’s like being in Soho in London.”
With so many actors in such a small and remote place, the connections and reconnections are constant. Chipo Chung, Mary Magdalene in “AD,” ran into a pal from L.A., Haaz Sleiman, Jesus from “Killing Jesus.” They ended up riding camels into the Sahara.
“He organized this `Killing Jesus’ trip,” Chung says. “We traveled for seven hours, and who do I bump into? Juan Pablo (Di Pace, who plays Jesus in “AD”). He was by himself.”
“We ran barefoot on the sand like a bunch of kids laughing for no reason under the moonlit sky,” Sleiman says of their desert excursion. “And we all gathered around a fire while four hilariously charming Bedouins sang, played music and danced for us after they cooked us a hearty meal. We are a very big group of friends now, the cast of ‘AD,’ some of Spike TV’s ‘Tut,’ and CNN’s ‘Jesus Code’ (both also filming in the area) if not more.”
“At any point, you see 36 disciples by the pool,” Moyers says.
“We have such a hard life,” Sleiman jokes. “Lounging at the pool, complaining about flies, and eating tagine over and over. It’s always a beautiful thing when people connect with one another. This is no exception.”
Chung, from Zimbabwe and Sleiman from Lebanon were hanging out with actors from the U.K. Adam Levy, Peter in “AD” and from Liverpool, marvels at the mix of cultures.
“It’s bloody brilliant that they got them all there,” Levy says. “People from all over the world. The disciples tend to hang out together. When I see a whole load of Roman soldiers all coming toward me, I feel a load of fire. It’s a quite wonderful to feel that within me. I never thought that I would feel that way but I do.”
Given that some actors were there for a long haul, Richard Coyle, Caiaphas in “AD.” was devising a plan.
“I know so many people in other productions I hope we are going to have a Caiaphas dinner,” he says pacing outside a tent where meals were served. “I’ll call it The Caiaphas Collective. And we can have a talent show and each person, each character, will have to come up with a variety act — but the main thing is maintaining and retaining your sense of humor.”
NBC/JOE ALBLAS/LIGHTWORKERS MEDIA/NB
jacquelinecutler@verizon.net
