Haaz Sleiman to play The Messiah in Killing Jesus adaptation

The Visitor star Haaz Sleiman is set to join the long list of actors who have portrayed Jesus Christ onscreen after signing on to play the son of God in the film adaptation of newsman Bill O’reilly’s book Killing Jesus. The Lebanese actor will join Kelsey Grammer, Stephen Moyer, Rufus Sewell, Emmanuelle Chriqui and John Rhys Davies in the project, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Grammer will play King Herod, the Roman King of Judea, who attempted to kill Jesus at his birth, while True Blood star Moyer will portray another biblical villain, Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who ordered Jesus’ crucifixion.
O’Reilly, who will serve as executive producer of the National Geographic film, tells The Hollywood Reporter, “The film Killing Jesus will break new ground in chronicling the life of the most famous human being who ever lived. The superb cast and script reflect much thought and research. Viewers are in for something very different and very special.”
Killing Jesus will premiere globally on the National Geographic Channel in 2015 in 171 countries and 45 languages.