‘Beyond A.D.’: Juan Pablo Di Pace on the Cross He Wears

Last updated on: April 19, 2015 at 6:40 pm by Kate O'Hare

‘Beyond A.D.’: Juan Pablo Di Pace on the Cross He Wears 2015-04-19T18:40:35-08:00 Kate O'Hare

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In an earlier interview I did with NBC’s “A.D.: The Bible Continues” star Juan Pablo Di Pace, who plays Jesus, the actor spoke about his mother:

Di Pace’s mother is religious painter Marta Maineri, who named her third son after Pope John Paul II.

“She came to the shoot,” said Di Pace. “She was at the Crucifixion, my own mother. I called her before, and I said, ‘I was auditioning for a part, auditioning for Jesus.’ She said, ‘Oh, Juan Pablo, you couldn’t be Jesus. You’re not ready to play Jesus.’ ‘That’s harsh.’ When I got the part, I said, ‘Mom, I got Jesus. I’m playing it.’ She’s like, ‘I knew it.’ I said, ‘Well, what do you mean?’ ‘I was preparing you.’

“She came in handy at that moment, because it didn’t feel like I did enough of what it takes to get the role, and I didn’t feel ready until I was.

Last week, I headed back to the set of “Beyond A.D.,” the Web companion series (click here to watch) to “A.D.: The Bible Continues,” which airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT. It’s a 12-episode sequel to History Channel’s wildly successful miniseries “The Bible,” produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey.

Di Pace was one of the guests for the April 19 episode, and we sat down for a chat after the taping. I noticed he was wearing the same little gold cross he had been when I first met him at a press event in January.

“This is something my mother gave me,” he said, “when I was doing Communion — maybe it wasn’t Communion, maybe it was a little later. She had one made for my father and for my brother and for myself.

“They’ve been wearing them forever. When she gave it to me, I just said, ‘No, I don’t want to.’ I was a teenager. ‘Please, I don’t want to wear that!’ It was probably for Communion, since I didn’t do Confirmation. Many years later, as in after playing Jesus, she comes up to me and she goes” — he mimes holding up the necklace — “‘What about now?’

“And so now I’m wearing it, and it really reminds me of her.”

As for playing Jesus, that’s one that will stay with Di Pace.

“It was a really hard one to shake off,” he said. “It was a really hard part not to get attached to, because there’s so much to learn from it. I literally had withdrawal symptoms when I flew back home. I didn’t want to leave Him.

“To be honest with you, if they asked me to go back and do it again and again and gain, I would, because it leaves such a huge effect.”

Image: Kate O’Hare

Previous Post

April 19, 2015

Holy QB! The Philadelphia Eagles to Sign Tim Tebow (UPDATED)

Next Post

April 20, 2015 'Independence Day' Sequel: Will God Be Invited Back? (UPDATED)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category books breaking news digital media Faith practice food interview jane the virgin media movies music NFL Pope Francis Showbiz 101 social media sports technology television Uncategorized video

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz