(Relevant) When John Legend stepped into the role of Jesus in front of millions of viewers on Easter Sunday, he was in familiar territory. In many ways, he’d been preparing for the role his entire life.
He’s intimately familiar with Jesus’ teachings. That’s part of why he took the lead role in the live adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s popular—and controversial— musical Jesus Christ Superstar on NBC. That adaptation played to millions when it debuted in 2018 and was a huge hit when NBC re-aired this year, on Easter Sunday.
If you’ve listened to Legend’s music, including his most recent Darkness and Light, his Grammy-winning debut Get Lifted, his Oscar-winning single for the film Selma, “Glory,” or any of the other releases in his 15-year career, his deep Christian roots probably won’t be a surprise. But you might be surprised at just how deep those roots go.