Jim Caviezel recently gained widespread attention for his outstanding performance in the highly popular film, The Sound of Freedom, which has taken the internet by storm. However, before this, he gained immense recognition for his portrayal of Jesus in the movie The Passion of the Christ. Despite the character’s profound suffering, it appears that the actor himself faced considerable challenges during the filming process. One remarkable incident was when he was struck by lightning.
During an interview with Newsweek, the actor extensively shared his firsthand account of working on the film and how the experience of being struck by lightning somewhat transformed him.
Jim Caviezel Got Struck by Lightning Twice in The Passion of Christ
Actor Jim Caviezel, while portraying Jesus in the 2004 Mel Gibson film, experienced a lightning strike, along with the film’s assistant director, Jan Michelini. The lightning bolt struck them while they were filming in a remote location a few hours away from Rome. According to BBC entertainment news, this was not the first time such a freak accident occurred during the production, the astonishing occurrence marks the second time that Michelini has been struck by lightning during the filming process. Caviezel in an interview with Newsweek said,
“Oh, yeah. We were shooting the Sermon on the Mount. About four seconds before it happened it was quiet, and then it was like someone slapped my ears. I had seven or eight seconds of, like, a pink, fuzzy color, and people started screaming. They said I had fire on the left side of my head and light around my body. All I can tell you is that I looked like I went to Don King’s hairstylist.”
Following a light-hearted jab from the interviewer, who jokingly suggested that perhaps the actor had to pay a price to portray Jesus, Jim Caviezel laughed in response. With a hint of humor, he then playfully directed a question directly to Jesus, inquiring whether the lightning strikes were a consequence of them giving a bad take during filming. Surprisingly, this was not all, the actor went through many other injuries during the shooting process.
The List of Injuries Jim Caviezel Survived on Set
As a result of the lightning strikes, Jim Caviezel had to undergo two open heart surgeries and endure an extensive array of medications. It took a staggering decade of filming that particular scene before he finally recovered. In addition to the lightning incident, he also suffered numerous other injuries, some of which are so incredible that many find them hard to believe. In a separate interview, the actor stated,
“It fell on my head, and I bit through my tongue and my cheek,–And it was actually in the film,–You see blood streaming out of my mouth” during the scene. The actor’s left shoulder was also dislocated.–I had really struggled with that all film.”
Apart from the lightning strike, Caviezel had another harrowing experience on set when he was toppled by a cross that weighed over 150 pounds during filming. Additionally, he committed to the role by losing 45 pounds, leaving a lasting impact on his physical health. The rigorous filming also led to a 14-inch scar from an accidental whip injury. The challenges didn’t end there, as he also endured a dislocated shoulder and battled pneumonia and hypothermia during his time on set. The physical toll and dedication he displayed for the role were truly remarkable.
Source: Newsweek
