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Adam Lambert defends Cynthia Erivo's Jesus Christ Superstar casting

Adam Lambert has defended the casting of Cynthia Erivo as Jesus.

The latest star-studded rendition of Jesus Christ Superstar is playing at the Hollywood Bowl for a three-day run this weekend.

The casting of a Tony-winning Black LGBTQ woman in the eponymous biblical role has drawn some backlash.

But as Erivo channelled the Christian Messiah, Lambert, who plays traitor Judas, came to her defence.

" Cynthia's brilliant. Her voice, presence, and simultaneous power and vulnerability absolutely blow my mind, and working with her has been a dream," Lambert told Billboard. "I'm excited by the challenge of presenting the audience with a production led by a female, Black Jesus and encourage the audience to expand their minds a bit.

"Jesus Christ Superstar is supposed to provoke and challenge, that's the point. And shouldn't the teachings of Jesus transcend gender?"

When Erivo was cast as Jesus back in February, she addressed the discourse.

"Why not? You can't please everyone," she told Billboard. "It is legitimately a three-day performance at the Hollywood Bowl where I get to sing my face off. So hopefully they will come and realise, 'Oh, it's a musical, the gayest place on Earth.'"

After contracting COVID, Josh Gad dropped out of playing King Herod last week, with John Stamos stepping into the role.

Photo: Cover Media
Source: Cover Media
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