Actor who played Jesus in ‘The Passion of the Christ’ will play Bolsonaro in new film | Brazil

The American actor Jim Caviezelknown for playing Jesus Christ in the film The Passion of the Christ (2004), he was chosen to live Jair Bolsonaro in the feature film “Dark Horse”, a production that revisits episodes from the 2018 presidential campaign. The film is scheduled for release in 2026 and is being shot in English.

Caviezel gained notoriety in the 2000s and, more recently, was in productions associated with conservative themes, such as Som da Liberdade (2023). He also starred in titles such as The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), Déjà Vu (2006) and Crossed Lines (2001).

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Dark Horse is directed by the North American Cyrus Nowrastehfilmmaker known for works with a strong political and religious bias, such as The Stoning of Soraya M. (2008), The Young Messiah (2016) and International Kidnapping (2019). The script was written by federal deputy Mario Frias (PL-SP).

The film’s narrative axis is the stabbing suffered by Jair Bolsonaro in September 2018, in Juiz de Fora (MG). According to information published by Estadão, the script presents the former president as an “unlikely winner”, highlighting his military trajectory, his political career and actions related to the fight against drug trafficking.

The text also suggests that other alleged assassination attempts were planned by the same people responsible for the 2018 attack. The person responsible for the stabbing, Adélio Bispo, will appear under another name.

Production continues at a fast pace even after Bolsonaro was preventively arrested last Saturday (22), after being sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison for an attempted coup d’état.

Among the planned reconstructions are passages set in the 1980s, when the former captain served in the Army and participated in operations against drug trafficking. The plot also mentions articulations attributed to left-wing groups and criminal organizations.

Cast brings together Brazilians and foreigners

The confirmed cast includes actors who will play Bolsonaro’s children:

• Marcus Ornellas will play Flávio Bolsonaro;
• Sérgio Barreto will play Carlos Bolsonaro;
• Eddie Finlay will play Eduardo Bolsonaro.

Michelle and Laura Bolsonaro’s interpreters have not yet been announced. The casting also features Lynn Collins, Esai Morales, Felipe Folgosi and Biaka Fernandes.

The recordings began on November 20 and should portray an idealized version of Bolsonaro’s trajectory.