Ewan McGregor digs deep for his dual performance as both Jesus and the Devil in Last Days in the Desert. The lush film from director Rodrigo García, who is the son of acclaimed Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez, takes an imagined look at the last days Jesus spent in the desert after fasting and praying there for 40 days.
On his way to Jerusalem, to begin the last chapter of his life, Jesus wrestles with his doubts – and lack of communication from his Father – while also dealing with Lucifer and his temptations. Jesus then encounters a family – a man, wife and their son – living on the desert’s outskirts and who are in crisis.
The wife (Ayelet Zurer) is dying, but the man (Ciarán Hinds) insists she’ll live and is building them a home. The teenage son (Tye Sheridan) wants to honor his father and mother but yearns to go live his life in Jerusalem. And so, Jesus halts his journey and tries to help, as he struggles with Lucifer over the family’s fate.
At the film’s recent press day, we sat down for an exclusive interview with McGregor, who spoke about how he approached both roles as Jesus and as Lucifer, and how he saw it as more of a father-son story than anything else.
Hear what he has had to say in the video above and be sure to check out Last Days In The Desert, in theaters this Friday.