For many years, actor Jim Caviezel avoided speaking publicly about one experience that reshaped his life, faith, and career.

Only recently did he decide to describe in detail what occurred during and after the filming of The Passion of the Christ.

According to Caviezel, the events surrounding the production were so intense and so difficult to explain that even decades later they remain unresolved.

What he endured followed him long after filming ended, leaving physical scars, emotional trauma, and a spiritual conviction that continues to guide his choices.

Caviezel shared these reflections during a recent long form interview on the Shawn Ryan Podcast, where he calmly but firmly described how the role demanded far more than physical endurance or emotional range.

For him, portraying Jesus Christ was not a professional challenge alone.

It became an act of spiritual preparation that affected every aspect of daily life.

During filming, Caviezel maintained strict religious discipline.

He kept a rosary with him at all times, attended daily Mass, received the Eucharist each day, and went to confession consistently.

Acting, in his view, was inseparable from faith while working on the film.

Before production began, director Mel Gibson personally contacted Caviezel to confirm his willingness to accept the role.

Gibson spoke honestly about the consequences.

He warned that playing Jesus could damage or even end a career in Hollywood due to hostility toward Christianity.

Caviezel acknowledged that the warning deeply unsettled him.

At the time, he had begun to achieve professional stability and recognition, and the risk felt real.

Yet he described experiencing a sudden and unexplainable sense of peace.

That moment clarified his decision.

He accepted the role fully aware of the cost.

Once filming began, the physical demands exceeded expectations.

The crucifixion scenes, in particular, pushed Caviezel beyond safe limits.

He spent long periods suspended on the cross, exposed to cold temperatures and harsh weather.

During these scenes, Caviezel prayed continuously, meditating on the sorrowful mysteries of the Gospel and focusing prayers on individuals present on set.

He visualized each stage of suffering described in scripture, from the agony in Gethsemane to the scourging and public humiliation.

As filming progressed, his health deteriorated.

His hands became numb.

His body weakened.

Later medical evaluations revealed heart complications that eventually required open heart surgeries.

These conditions were linked directly to the stress and trauma endured during production.

On the final day of filming, an event occurred that remains central to Caviezel account.

While suspended on the cross during a storm, he was struck by lightning.

Witnesses on set confirmed the sudden change in weather and the strike itself.

Despite the danger, Caviezel survived with injuries that doctors later described as potentially fatal under slightly different circumstances.

During this moment, Caviezel reported experiencing a profound sense of calm rather than fear.

He described sensing a presence near him and perceived a spiritual exchange that reinforced his resolve rather than weakening it.

That experience marked a turning point.

From that moment forward, Caviezel believed suffering was not an obstacle to faith but an essential element of it.

Filming continued despite repeated setbacks.

Equipment failed.

Scenes were delayed unexpectedly.

Behind the scenes, Gibson faced pressure from industry figures attempting to halt the project entirely.

Caviezel viewed these difficulties as part of a broader resistance to the film.

During one particularly severe moment, Caviezel body began to shut down from cold exposure and exhaustion.

He entered a state later described as mild cardiac arrest while still on set.

At the time, the seriousness was not fully understood, and production continued.

Later, Caviezel shared an experience that shocked listeners.

During the lightning strike, he perceived himself observing his own body from behind, detached from physical sensation.

Moments later, he returned to awareness as chaos unfolded around him.

Another lightning strike nearby injured a crew member, causing visible swelling to the hand.

Caviezel was heavily medicated afterward and struggled to comprehend what had occurred.

Years later, Caviezel revealed another event previously unknown to the public.

During one of his later surgeries related to injuries sustained during filming, he clinically died.

According to Caviezel, medical staff witnessed his heart stop before resuscitation succeeded.

During that period, he described leaving his body and observing doctors working urgently to revive him.

The experience, he said, was marked not by pain or fear, but by profound peace.

Returning to his body caused more distress than leaving it.

Following The Passion of the Christ, Caviezel struggled with long term trauma and anxiety.

He underwent major surgeries in 2009 and again in 2014, both connected to damage from the crucifixion scenes.

Despite public knowledge of these surgeries, few knew he had briefly died during one of them.

During that experience, Caviezel reported hearing powerful sounds he described as horns, overwhelming yet painless, creating a sense of timelessness.

These experiences shaped Caviezel views on modern Christianity.

He expressed concern over teachings that promise comfort and success without sacrifice.

According to Caviezel, faith does not guarantee an easy life.

He acknowledged enjoying material comforts but insisted he would relinquish them without hesitation if required.

For him, faith was defined not by gain, but by willingness to lose everything if necessary.

Caviezel also warned against corruption within religious institutions, stating that moral failure exists at all levels.

His message was not intended to undermine belief, but to encourage discernment and vigilance.

He urged people to question teachings that avoid suffering entirely and to guard their faith carefully.

Despite The Passion of the Christ earning more than six hundred million dollars worldwide and becoming one of the highest grossing films of its category, Caviezel career did not advance as expected.

Instead of receiving new opportunities, offers declined.

He acknowledged the cost without resentment, viewing it as a consequence of openly defending faith in a public arena.

In the years immediately following the film, Caviezel continued working in projects completed before its release, including Bobby Jones Stroke of Genius, Highwaymen, and The Final Cut.

In 2006, he played a villain opposite Denzel Washington in Deja Vu, which proved commercially successful.

He followed with roles in Unknown and voice work for The Word of Promise.

Caviezel maintained a consistent interest in roles centered on moral conviction and sacrifice.

In 2009, he portrayed journalist Freidoune Sahebjam in The Stoning of Soraya M, a film addressing injustice and courage.

From 2011 to 2016, Caviezel achieved renewed prominence starring in the television series Person of Interest.

The show was a major success, and his performance earned multiple award nominations.

After leaving another major television project due to creative differences, Caviezel continued selecting roles aligned with personal values.

He starred in When the Game Stands Tall and appeared in Escape Plan.

He narrated Christian documentaries and portrayed the Apostle Luke in Paul Apostle of Christ.

One of the most controversial decisions of his later career involved portraying Tim Ballard in Sound of Freedom, a film addressing human trafficking.

The project faced years of resistance and delayed release.

Caviezel reported losing professional representation due to his involvement.

When the film was finally released in 2023, it exceeded expectations, earning more than two hundred fifty million dollars worldwide.

Caviezel journey remains marked by conviction rather than convenience.

His experiences during The Passion of the Christ transformed his understanding of suffering, faith, and purpose.

While opinions about his accounts vary, the impact on his life is undeniable.

For Caviezel, the cost of the role was permanent, but so was the clarity it brought.