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<\/a><\/p>\nAnother week, another round-up of Ben-Hur<\/a><\/i>-themed news items.<\/p>\n The Telegraph<\/a><\/i> has a report from the set in Rome:<\/p>\n But despite the fact that Jesus \u2013 as depicted by the Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro \u2013 will appear in the film, there was a degree of reluctance to present it as a Christian movie. \u201cI don\u2019t think we ever really looked at it like a religious epic, and I still don\u2019t,\u201d says [Jack] Huston. \u201cWhat I found when I read the movie is that Jesus isn\u2019t Jesus, the myth, the man, the legend, whatever you want to say he was. When Judah comes across Jesus, he\u2019s just a man, and he\u2019s a man who shows him kindness.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Sydney Morning Herald<\/a><\/i> also has a set-visit report:<\/p>\n The 1959 version distilled a revenge story from the novel \u2013 and that was its flaw, Timur [Bekmambetov] says. For him, the film ended with the chariot race. \u201cWhat came after, I don\u2019t really remember or care. This [2016] movie is about the two brothers, about revenge and forgiveness. Forgiveness is the most important message I think today in our world where we are all fighting \u2013 countries, people. I think to learn how to forgive each other is really important. Not many big movies have this message.\u201d<\/p>\n He wanted a \u201cgrounded and real\u201d movie, not a togas-and-sandals fantasy. \u201cThere are no slow-mo action shots, it\u2019s all real-time. It\u2019s not a graphic novel, it\u2019s a drama with a lot of action. This movie is about the Roman Empire, how seductive and glamorous and dangerous its ideas are \u2013 it\u2019s about power and competition. And we live in this world. We live in the Roman Empire today \u2013 and this movie is trying to find a way how we can survive today. It\u2019s not a movie about Jesus\u2019 time, it\u2019s a movie about us.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Desert Sun<\/a><\/i> reports that footage was being shot in the Palm Springs area in March of this year \u2014 well after the film\u2019s original release date<\/a> in February:<\/p>\n The majority of the movie was filmed in Italy and the role the Coachella Valley played was minor, but nonetheless significant for the local film industry. . . .<\/p>\n The initial \u201cBen-Hur\u201d application submitted to the BLM on Feb. 22 requested two days of shooting with a production team of about 30 crew members, three cameras with one or more mounted on a moving camera vehicle, five personal vehicles, 10 trucks\/trailers, a couple prop rocks, an artificial tree and a drone. . . .<\/p>\n What was finally approved after much revision and more than a month later on March 30 was a much smaller production team of eight, with no more than three vehicles and the use of a drone for only one day \u2014 March 31.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Los Angeles Times<\/a><\/i> also has a detailed story on the film:<\/p>\n It is the faith-based audience, though, that offers the companies\u2019 encouragement that early tracking \u2014 currently at a low $15-million opening weekend<\/a> \u2014 might be off-base. Paramount and MGM executives also believe the movie could play well beyond its debut weekend, with big summer flicks such as \u201cJason Bourne\u201d and \u201cSuicide Squad\u201d having cleared out.<\/p>\n They\u2019re relying on the Olympics too. \u201cBen-Hur\u2019 had to be pushed from February due to a lengthy post-production time, especially after a late-stage decision to convert to 3-D. Filmmakers are banking that a release on Olympics\u2019 closing weekend will a give them a Rio-related boost.<\/p>\n A set of NBC spots in the coming days, including one that intersperses scenes from the film with moments of Olympic glory, underlines the point. Michael Phelps and Judah Ben-Hur, it turns out, aren\u2019t all that different.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Parade<\/a><\/i> spoke to Jack Huston, who plays Judah Ben-Hur:<\/p>\n What\u2019s fresh about the new Ben-Hur<\/i>?<\/b><\/p>\n There\u2019s this wonderful message of being able to let go, move on, take a step forward, forgive and be merciful. I don\u2019t like to watch stodgy, sodden, sandal movies; I feel like a modern audience has to be able to relate. Judah Ben-Hur is going through a crisis in his life. He doesn\u2019t believe in God, per se. He questions his faith, he questions his life. There\u2019s something very relatable to it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Nascar<\/a> did a short \u201c21 Questions\u201d video interview with Huston.<\/p>\n The Miami Herald<\/a><\/i> spoke to both Huston and Rodrigo Santoro, who plays Jesus:<\/p>\n What was it like for you to play Christ, Rodrigo?<\/b><\/p>\n Santoro: Well, you can imagine. I had all kinds of feelings. It was a surprise, and I was full of different thoughts and fears and excitement all at the same time. It was so clear that this was such a unique opportunity and a very personal journey. There\u2019s no way of trying to play this character correctly. You have to dive vertically inside yourself to get a glimpse of Jesus\u2019 heart. What is this unconditional love we grew up hearing about? How do you put his words into practice? You have to work hard for that transformation.<\/p>\n What was the chemistry like on set for you two?<\/b><\/p>\n Huston: I am someone who is spiritually but not religiously inclined, one way or the other. I thought, \u2018Let\u2019s make it relatable.\u2019 How do we bring humanity to this relationship? Right up to the moment of the crucifixion we were so immersed in the brutality of it all. When I lock eyes with Rodrigo, it was from the gut up.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Newsmax<\/a> also spoke to Huston and Santoro:<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about hope and love and about what we have inside of us and forgiveness,\u201d Jack Huston, who plays Judah Ben-Hur, told Miranda Khan.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really not [a remake]. I can\u2019t emphasize that enough. That\u2019s the beautiful thing. I don\u2019t want to go and remake something.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Angelus News<\/a> spoke to executive producer Roma Downey:<\/p>\n \u201cJack Huston isn\u2019t a household name yet, but after \u2018Ben-Hur\u2019 he will be,\u201d asserts Downey. \u201cHe\u2019s sensational in this part. Same goes for Toby [Kebbell, who plays Ben-Hur\u2019s childhood friend and adoptive brother who betrays him].\u201d The cast is further elevated by Morgan Freeman, who is a household name, and whose voice \u2014 one of the most recognizable in Hollywood history \u2014 is the first and last voice audiences seeing the film will hear.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was amazing in the film, as he always is,\u201d states Downey of the veteran Freeman, who portrays the wealthy Nubian sheik that trains Ben-Hur to become a charioteer. \u201cHe brought such dignity and charisma to the role.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n NJ.com<\/a> spoke to Downey and her husband and fellow producer Mark Burnett:<\/p>\n Still, there\u2019s something she doesn\u2019t want.<\/p>\n \u201cDonkeys and sandals,\u201d she says. \u201cNo more donkeys and sandals.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s understandable. As president of Lightworkers Media, Downey\u2019s overseen a long series of religious epics, working alongside her husband on \u201cThe Bible,\u201d \u201cThe Dovekeepers,\u201d \u201cSon of God\u201d and \u201cA.D. \u2013 The Bible Continues.\u201d<\/p>\n Although she\u2019s proud of all of them, she\u2019s looking forward to turning to some more contemporary projects, a few of which are already in the works.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Downey got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last week, and Variety<\/i> ran several stories in conjunction with that event, such as this Ben-Hur<\/i>-themed one<\/a>:<\/p>\n The director credits Downey with helping him deal with the sort of on-set challenges that typically pop up during the filming of any movie, including maintaining the film\u2019s core emotional thrust.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s not only a professional producer, but also a good-hearted person,\u201d he says. \u201cRoma has the unique gift of hearing other people and making sure they hear her. That was one of the reasons we managed to maintain the emotional centerpiece of the movie. All the decisions she made were both emotional and well-balanced. Her sincerity inspired me and gave me the confidence that we were on the right track.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack Huston, who stars as the Jewish prince and merchant Judah Ben-Hur, calls Downey \u201cone of the most kind, generous and giving human beings.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think coming from being an actress herself, she understands the process so well,\u201d he says of Downey\u2019s directing style. \u201cShe\u2019s very focused and intelligent. She\u2019s very story-driven, and really wanted to help us get the most out of these characters. It\u2019s always nice to have someone on set who exudes warmth and light and is so approachable, and ready to help. She has a brilliant mind and is instrumental in developing a character.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n This one<\/a> looks at the work Downey and Burnett do with Lightworkers:<\/p>\n \u201cRoma has her finger on the pulse of the faith and family community in the United States,\u201d says Burnett, who describes that demographic as \u201cgreatly underserved\u201d by the entertainment industry. \u201cThis [need] provided an opportunity to [produce] several projects over the last few years,\u201d says Burnett.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n And this one<\/a> looks back to the work they did on The Bible<\/a><\/i>:<\/p>\n It was hot, dusty and working conditions were primitive, to say the least. When Roma Downey arrived in the Moroccan desert in early 2012 to work on the five-month shoot of \u201cThe Bible,\u201d cast and crew members didn\u2019t know what to expect.<\/p>\n Downey was an exec producer on the 10-hour miniseries with her husband, reality TV titan Mark Burnett. She\u2019d been integral to the development of the project over the previous two years, consulting with faith leaders to shape the interpretation of Scripture for a new generation of TV viewers.<\/p>\n Everyone knew that \u201cBible\u201d was a passion project for the couple, who are deeply committed to their Christian faith. But few expected Downey to roll up her sleeves on day one and firmly take the reins as producer.<\/p>\n \u201cThey took one look at me and thought I would last a week,\u201d Downey recalls with a laugh of her start on \u201cBible.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Variety<\/i> also ran articles on Downey\u2019s philanthropic work<\/a>, her work on Touched by an Angel<\/i><\/a>, and her Irish roots<\/a> which do not mention her work on Bible films specifically.<\/p>\n Paramount also released this video from the Walk of Fame ceremony:<\/p>\n