Scorsese series casts 5 Israeli actors as Jesus, other Christian saints
Performers also land roles of Mary Magdalene, King Herod in acclaimed director’s upcoming eight-part, Christian history-themed TV docudrama, which has begun filming in Morocco
At least five Israeli actors are set to star in an upcoming TV docudrama by Martin Scorsese that chronicles the lives of major figures in Christian history, according to recent reports.
“Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints,” an eight-part miniseries hosted, narrated and produced by the legendary American film director, will reportedly feature Israelis Adva Levy, Dar Zuzovsky, Ariel Yagen, Ido Katzir and Amitai Kedar.
The Kan public broadcaster reported Wednesday that Levy, 29, from Tel Aviv, had joined the cast. The participation of the other four was reported in various outlets over the past week.
The project was first announced in March. Its first four episodes are set to premiere on the Fox Nation streaming service on November 16, with the rest of the series airing in May 2025.
Each episode of “The Saints” will tell the story of a certain figure’s journey to sainthood, including John the Baptist, Francis of Assisi and Joan of Arc. The show is based on “A Life of Jesus” by Japanese writer Shusaku Endo.
According to Kan, Zuzovsky will play Mary Magdalene, who the Christian gospels say was a disciple and benefactor of Jesus. The Israel Hayom mewspaper reported last week that Kedar will play King Herod, for fear of whom, according to the gospels, Jesus’ family fled to Egypt.
Yagen, according to Channel 12, will play Jesus himself. It was unclear whom Levy and Katzir would portray.
Hebrew media has reported that “The Saints” will film in locations including Egypt, Italy and Israel. According to Kan, filming for the project has commenced over the past week in Morocco.
Oscar-winning director Scorsese, a Catholic, has dabbled in Christian history throughout his film career, notably in his 1988 movie “The Last Temptation of Christ.” The film was boycotted by some Christian groups for its departure from the gospels, and Scorsese reportedly received death threats because of it.
In January, Scorsese told the Los Angeles Times that he had recently met with Pope Francis and “responded to the pope’s appeal to artists in the only way I know how: by imagining and writing a screenplay for a film about Jesus.”
