‘Wicked’ Star Cynthia Erivo Mocks Critics of Her ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ Casting: ‘It’s a Musical, the Gayest Place on Earth’

Wicked star Cynthia Erivo, who is set to star as Jesus in an upcoming production of Jesus Christ Superstar, mocked critics of her casting, declaring, “It’s a musical, the gayest place on Earth.”

A new production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl this August is set to star Erivo as Jesus, with critics accusing the actress and the musical of “blasphemy.”

In response, Erivo laughed in a Monday interview with Billboard, dismissing the mockery of Jesus Christ and Christianity — a move the entertainment industry knows better than to make when it comes to other religions, such as Islam.

“Hopefully they will come and realize, ‘Oh, it’s a musical, the gayest place on Earth,’” the queer Bad Times at the El Royale actress quipped.

As for why a woman should not play Jesus, Erivo chuckled with a shrug asking, “Why not?” before suggesting that critics better familiarize themselves with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s work.

“You can’t please everyone,” the Harriet actress added. “It is legitimately a three-day performance at the Hollywood Bowl where I get to sing my face off.”

Billboard’s Stephen Daw, who sat down with Erivo for the interview, also dismissed people upset over the sacrilegious casting, referring to them as a “vocal minority,” before segueing to President Donald Trump.

“Like many, [Erivo] has watched in horror as the Trump administration has attempted to strip the rights of and federal protections for queer and trans people across the country through a flurry of executive orders,” Daw fearmongered.

President Trump — who won the 2024 election in a landslide victory that included securing not only the Electoral College, but the popular vote and every swing state in the nation as well, thus being given a mandate from the American people — signed an executive order earlier this year, stating the U.S. government will recognize only “male and female.”

“I’m trying to be a person you can get positive things from, because that is the only way you can balance this stuff,” Erivo sighed, adding that she feels a sense of dread whenever she sees something like wokeness being rooted out of the Kennedy Center.

“I don’t know who gains what from that. I hope that it comes back,” the Widows actress told Billboard. “It’s really sad to have to watch this happen to it. The Kennedy Center is supposed to be a space of creativity and art and music for everyone.”

As Breitbart News reported, the Kennedy Center began the month of June by debuting the Angel Studios hit film The King of Kings, an animated movie that goes through the life of Jesus, and actually depicts Him as male, rather than mocking the Messiah.

The film comes after a week’s worth of events celebrating LGBTQ+ rights ahead of the World Pride festival in Washington, D.C. were canceled.

Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.