The History Channel miniseries “The Bible” made headlines on Sunday – but not for its huge ratings.
Some on Twitter said actor Mohamen Mehdi Ouazanni – who plays Satan on the miniseries – resembled President Barack Obama, something the producers do not agree with.
“This is utter nonsense. The actor who played Satan, Mehdi [Ouazaani], is a highly acclaimed Moroccan actor. He has previously played parts in several Biblical epics – including Satanic characters long before Barack Obama was elected as our President,” Executive Producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey said in a statement.
Roma added, “Both Mark and I have nothing but respect and love our President, who is a fellow Christian. False statements such as these are just designed as a foolish distraction to try and discredit the beauty of the story of ‘The Bible.’”
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The network also spoke out about the comparisons from people, which included conservative newscaster Glenn Beck.
“History Channel has the highest respect for President Obama. The series was produced with an international and diverse cast of respected actors. It’s unfortunate that anyone made this false connection. History’s ‘The Bible’ is meant to enlighten people on its rich stories and deep history,” a rep for the network said in a statement.
The 10-hour miniseries concludes on Easter Sunday.
— Jesse Spero
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