Get To Know 'A.D. The Bible Continues' Jesus

A.D. The Bible Continues, which premieres this weekend on NBC, is picking up right where The Bible left off, and there's a whole new cast coming along with it. As someone who will take any show with a slight religious narrative and devour it in its entirety (I was a Religious Studies minor in college), this came as pretty exciting news. And it certainly doesn't hurt that Juan Pablo Di Pace, who plays Jesus in A.D. The Bible Continues , was the perfect casting choice.

Haven't heard of him? That's OK, it's pretty understandable, considering his IMDB page doesn't have many American credits. He's an Argentine actor who spent a great deal of his career doing Spanish-language projects, with brief forays into American projects like Mamma Mia! and Camp, NBC's short-lived show that tried too hard to be nostalgic.

His previous work doesn't mean he'll be wrong for the part though. After all, playing Jesus Christ (or any Biblical figure for that matter) is no easy task for even the most seasoned of actors — just ask Christian Bale. If anything, this role will simply be another for Di Pace to add to his fascinatingly diverse resume. I mean, just check him out in trailer.

Fun fact: That man who appears in the first 10 seconds? That's Vincent Regan. He just so happens to also play King Simon on E!'s The Royals. Just thought I'd point that out. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, here are a few reasons why Di Pace is perfect for the part of Jesus in A.D. The Bible Continues.

He'll Give The Part The Respect It Deserves

That's always a concern when Biblical figures are represented onscreen — will they be treated respectfully, or will it just be offensive? Di Pace seems to be aware of the gravity of this role, and I think he'll approach it with the level of respect it requires.

He Already Knows How To Take On Big Roles

He played Nicholas Trevino on TNT's Dallas , a show that built up a MASSIVE fan following before he came along in Season 3. Granted, playing Nicholas doesn't bring along as much pressure as playing Jesus, but Di Pace knows how to handle fanfare and high expectations. That'll be important for taking on such an iconic role.

He's Already Accepted His Title As "Hot Jesus"

As E! reported, Di Pace has been called "Hot Jesus" and he's embracing the title as much he can. That's probably the best move on his part.

His Voice Is Regal & Eloquent

It should bring the appropriate weight for such a role.

He's Not The Juan Pablo You Immediately Think Of When You Hear That Name

Because, OMG, can you imagine if The Bachelor 's Juan Pablo Galavis played Jesus Christ? He'd just be bopping around, patting people on the head like, "EET'S OK." It's pretty obvious that A.D. The Bible Continues chose the right Juan Pablo.

Images: Joe Alblas/LightWorkers Media/NBC; dailydreamqueen, antiquelaceartist/Tumblr; Giphy