SUNDAY WITH JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR’S JOHN LEGEND,
The award-winning singersongwriter remembers his church choir roots as he prepares for the title role in Jesus Christ Superstar.
Grammy, Tony and Oscar winner John Legend, 39, who displayed his musical and acting chops in 2016’s La La Land, says he’s eager to take on the title character in the new one-night TV event Jesus Christ Superstar
Live in Concert. Based on Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s 1971 rock opera, the Easter telecast (April 1 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC) will be performed in front of an audience in Brooklyn, N.Y., and will also feature rock icon Alice Cooper as Herod and singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene. Legend, a native of Springfield, Ohio, will have a vocal cheering section: Chrissy Teigen, his nearly 7-monthspregnant supermodel wife of four years, and their daughter, Luna, who turns 2 on April 14.
What’s the most challenging part about playing this role?
Jesus Christ is obviously one of the most talked-about figures in world history. And I was singing Andrew Lloyd Webber productions in show choir, including songs from Jesus Christ
Superstar, when I was a kid. It’s going to be fun to dive into it and make it my own.
The Broadway production and the 1973 movie were fairly scandalous.
When you put your own interpretation on what Jesus might have been feeling or thinking, it’s going to ignite some controversy—he’s considered a deity by people all around the world. But I think what makes the show so powerful and cool is that Andrew Lloyd Webber took this person and thought to humanize his challenges, emotions and frightening experiences.
Do you remember your first live performance?
It was a Christmas musical at church in Ohio when I was 4 or 5 years old. My grandfather was our church pastor, my grandmother was the church organist and my mother was a choir director. I got the singing bug really early on.
What were your other favorite Sunday memories growing up?
I’d go to Sunday school around 10 and church would last until 1 or 1:30. Then we’d go home and watch football games. Sundays were always about food and football.
What’s a typical Sunday like now?
I love Sundays. It’s my favorite day of the week because I still associate it with family and love and being relaxed and lazy. When we’re home [in Beverly Hills, Calif.], we often cook a big dinner.
Who does the cooking?
Chrissy is in charge of the cooking, and I’m a very good sous chef. It’s a collaborative effort. And we still watch a lot of football. My favorite team is the Cincinnati Bengals, which is a source of a lot of disappointment. Saturdays are good because my favorite college team, the Ohio State Buckeyes, usually wins!
How has fatherhood changed you?
Now we think of ourselves as more of a team. You have this important project you’re doing together, as a family. It elevates your relationship. It gives you a sense of responsibility because it raises the stakes and changes your priorities.