The actor said he didn't want to play the part of Jesus. Then he changed his mind and said it wasn't that he didn't want to play the part of Jesus but that he couldn't. "It wouldn't feel right," he said. "Are you religious?" asked the director, handing him a cigarette, and lighting both it and his own. "Because let me assure you, I have my own reservations. But that isn't to say I don't think we can do it. A movie, remember, can be a work of devotional art. It's not necessarily entertainment." The actor considered this as they smoked. A waitress came and cleared away their plates. "It was great, thank you," the director said to the waitress. "Do you mind if he and I chat a little longer?"