Live event
Ben Blümel plays Jesus in the RTL event “The Passion”
Became famous with the hit “Engel”: actor, presenter and musician Ben Blümel. photo
© Jens Kalaene/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
The live event is planned for March 27th in Kassel. The role of Judas goes to Jimi Blue Ochsenknecht.
RTL tells “The Passion” live from Kassel. The last days of Jesus’ life are staged on a stage and transported to today with well-known pop songs. The actor Hannes Jaenicke (63) takes on the role of the narrator.
This year’s Jesus actor became known as the musician Ben with the hit “Engel” (2002). “My expectations for “The Passion” are actually huge. It’s really great to be able to be a part of it and, above all, to give everything to be able to reinterpret the greatest story in the world through modern pop songs,” he was quoted as saying.
Ochsenknecht plays the villain for the first time
Ochsenknecht said he had always wanted to play a real villain – “and Judas is one of the most famous villains in history. On the other hand, his character is much more complex than just ‘evil’. I’m really looking forward to seeing all of them to work out nuances.”
In 2022, singer and musical actor Alexander Klaws appeared as Jesus on Essen’s Burgplatz, Thomas Gottschalk was the narrator. “The Passion” reached an audience of millions on television and was a big topic of conversation. A new edition initially planned for 2023 was canceled.
In RTL’s first TV “Passion” Martin Semmelrogge played the criminal Barabbas. It is not yet known who will take on the role this year. In January, the broadcaster called for audience voting for the role. Participants were also sought for the procession. A huge illuminated cross will be carried through Kassel’s city center before the climax of the show takes place on the main stage at Friedrichsplatz.