Alice Cooper, Harry Lennix discuss Their Gospel Musicals

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Alice Cooper (left) and Harry Lennix.

On Easter Sunday, April 12, two actors will confront Jesus in gospel musicals: Alice Cooper, 72, as Herod in an encore presentation of Jesus Christ celebrity are living in live performance (NBC, 7 p.m. ET, 9:30 p.m. PT) and Harry Lennix, 55 (The Blacklist, Billions, The Matrix Reloaded), as Pontius Pilate in Revival! (on-line at eastersunday2020.org, purchasable starting 8 a.m. PT, with a special church tie-in screening 6 p.m. ET). Cooper shared his strategies about enjoying Herod with AARP upon its 2018 most efficient, whereas Lennix is releasing his gospel musical Revival! to a country wide, stuck-at-domestic audience for the first time, online.

what's 'Revival!' about?

Harry Lennix: type of a mixture of Jesus Christ celeb and The Wiz, with Mali track as Jesus, Chaka Khan, 65, as Herodias, fate's newborn's Michelle Williams as Mary Magdalene, and me as Pontius Pilate. Mali song wrote most of the songs — he received Grammy nominations in gospel, city contemporary and traditional R&B.

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John Legend as Jesus (left) and Alice Cooper as King Herod in "Jesus Christ superstar are living in live performance."

Alice, you are doubtless the number 1 Christian rock megastar. Is it weird to play Herod, who hates Jesus?

Alice Cooper: i go to be persecuting Jesus Christ, whom I worship. I definitely prayed about it, and i realized it changed into completely no issue. It does in reality glorify Christ. and that i have the funniest music within the complete demonstrate ["King Herod's Song"]. I play that character very arrogantly and with some authority. Herod is so cynical, trying to embarrass Jesus. I at all times play the unhealthy man. The total concept of this Alice Cooper character turned into that rock needed a villain.

Who else is in 'Jesus Christ movie star reside in live performance'?

Alice Cooper: John Legend plays Jesus, and Sara Bareilles is Mary Magdalene.

Is social-isolation time a fine time to celebrate Easter at home?

Harry Lennix: Most americans might not be going to church buildings. we will deliver the church to the people. Jesus is somebody that knows self-isolation, he remoted himself for 40 days in the wasteland.

Do you advocate Alice Cooper's display?

Harry Lennix: I acquired such a kick out of that! I performed Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ superstar in school. Roma Downey and Mark Burnett's The Bible [on Amazon and Vudu] is astonishing, too. We're all making these inspiring reports amusement. during this time americans are seeking anything devoid of always having to accept the doctrine or dogma. These reviews lasted as a result of they are exceptional reports.

How is 'Revival!' influenced by the 'Matrix' films you have been in?

Harry Lennix: As in the Matrix, there are two realities occurring. We delivery with a stage play in the existing, then I — Pontius Pilate — travel back through time to Jesus' day. or not it's hyper-true, surreal, like the Matrix. or not it's also about Jesus' dual nature [in time and eternal].

Alice, you are a preacher's youngster — but weren't you the manager of sinners in the 1970s? on the Rainbow nightclub in L.A., there is a plaque honoring you as a frontrunner of "The Hollywood Vampires."

Alice Cooper: Yeah, that changed into only a bunch of guys who acquired inebriated each night: John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Alice Cooper, Keith Moon, Bernie Taupin, Mickey Dolenz [of the Monkees]. The individuals who owned the bar all started calling us the Hollywood Vampires as a result of they only noticed us at night.

Larry French/Getty photographs for Harry Lennix's movie Revival!

Creator and producer Harry Lennix on the film most advantageous of "Revival!," a gospel musical according to the booklet of John, on the Museum of The Bible in Washington, DC.

Can anything else first rate come out of the current disaster?

Harry Lennix: I don't imply to get overly spiritual here, but you be aware of, Aquinas talks about how God permits evil things to turn up as a result of simplest he can carry good from that. i am the use of this as a means to take some time that we're at all times claiming now not to have adequate of to do first rate. We're giving 10 percent of the proceeds of the reveal back to 70 or so church organization companions, including Rev. Edgar Boyd's African Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest black Christian church in the nation.

Do you ought to be Christian to monitor a musical about Jesus?

Harry Lennix: you can take it or leave it on my own as a sermon. For people who are unchurched, if you love gospel track, or just remarkable track, or not it's now not just a sermon. all and sundry will be entertained via it.