"Snow White Round 2" - Netizens react as Adam Lambert's casting as Judas in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ sparks debate

Jesus Christ Superstar is trending after Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and actor Adam Lambert was cast in the role of Judas on May 5, 2025. It comes in the wake of backlash for casting Cynthia Erivo in the titular role of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ Superstar is the Hollywood Bowl production of the iconic Broadway musical of the same name.

Former American Idol star Adam Lambert's casting has also sparked debate among fans online. For instance, X user @Hannahmpd commented on content creator Dom Lucre's post sharing the casting update.

"Okay then, Snow White round 2! Good luck," the user wrote.

Many people joined the conversation and shared varied opinions on the platform.

"That's wild," a person wrote.

"I seriously thought this was a joke or just another wild rumor… Just looked into it… It's real. Adam Lambert is Judas, Cynthia Erivo is Jesus, and it's happening at the Hollywood Bowl. Tickets go on sale tomorrow. This timeline just keeps getting weirder," another person wrote.

"And nobody will watch," a user wrote.

Others continued to weigh in.

"Hollywood is now a f**king circus," another user wrote.

"I can totally see it," a netizen wrote.

"Who cares, it's not like the original version was any good to begin with. They needed something really gimmicky to draw attention back to this tired playwright franchise," wrote another.

The casting of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar remains unannounced at the time of writing.

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All you need to know about Jesus Christ Superstar

Jesus Christ Superstar is a three-night production of the Broadway play by the Hollywood Bowl as part of its yearly tradition of doing a staged production of a famous musical.

According to Variety, the show made a promise of "returning to its rock roots," alluding to how Jesus Christ Superstar was originally made as a rock album in 1970 by music producer Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice. It reimagined the last week of Christ's life through Judas' eyes while blending biblical and pop culture themes.

Subsequently, a Broadway musical was released in 1971, followed by a big-screen adaptation in 1973. In 2018, NBC created Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert featuring John Legend, Brandon Victor Dixon, and Sara Bareilles.

The latest Hollywood Bowl rendition will be directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo, while fellow Tony winner Stephen Oremus will conduct and compose the music. Neil Meron and Robert Greenblatt are set to produce it.

The announcement of Adam Lambert, 43, as Judas comes a day before single tickets for Jesus Christ Superstar, alongside other Hollywood Bowl summer concerts, go live on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 10 am Pacific Time. Packaged deals for several shows have already been up for sale. It will run from August 1 to 3 in Los Angeles.

In this regard, LA Phil President and CEO Kim Noltemy said in an official statement to the press, as shared by Time Out.

"For many Angelenos and concertgoers, the Hollywood Bowl is the premier summer destination for live music. Each season, the LA Phil presents world-class artists in a truly one-of-a-kind setting, and this year is no exception," Noltemy stated.

Kim added,

"We're especially thrilled to welcome Adam Lambert to the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar and look forward to sharing this bold, fresh interpretation of a legendary musical, returning to its rock roots, with our audiences."

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Lambert is coming off a six-month-long success of the Tony-winning Broadway revival of Cabaret at the Kitkat Club, which remains ongoing. He plays the Emcee in the musical.