Actor Christo Jivkov, 'The Passion of the Christ' Star, Passes Away at 48

Star actor, Christo Jivkov, is known for his iconic role as John the Apostle in Mel Gibson's 2004 The Passion of the Christ. Deadline reports that the actor passed away in Los Angeles after struggling with cancer.

The late 48-year-old actor graduated from the Bulgarian Film & Theater Academy, where he studied film directing — which pushed his career further.

After schooling at the film academy, Jivkov was cast in his first major movie as Giovanni delle Bande Nere in 2001's The Profession of Arms by Ermanno Olmi.

His lead cast movie, The Profession of Arms, became a theatrical success, having nine wins at the 2002 David di Donatello Awards — including Best Film.

In 2009, Jivkov transformed from an actor and producer to a film production company co-founder. The star co-founded an independent production company, Red Carpet Films, which has created some of the most successful projects of the Bulgarian National Television.

After his painful demise, his company gave a heartfelt tribute to its founder. In a statement on Facebook, the company wrote, "Today we lost our beloved friend and dear colleague Christo Jivkov, co-founder of Red Carpet. Wе are truly devastated by this untimed loss. We will never forget you!"

Italian actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta, known for her role in 1999's Bond film The World Is Not Enough, shared a tribute statement for her friend on her Instagram page.

Translating her caption tribute to English, it read, "Still can't believe you're gone… endless pain. Hello Christo, my friend, gentle soul, your fight for life was the fight of all those who love you."

The director of one of Jivkov's most known movies, Mel Gibson, recently shared a statement regarding the star's passing. Gibson stated, "My dear friend Christo has lost his heroic battle with cancer. Right to the last moment he was filled with hope and his spirit was strong. I'll miss him but I know his suffering is over and he has eternal bliss. God keep him."

Aside from his role in The Profession of Arms and The Passion of the Christ, Christo Jivkov is also known for his performance in 2009's Barbarossa, 2007's In Memory of Me, and 2009's David's Birthday.

Rumors about a sequel to Mel Gibson's hit movie, The Passion of the Christ, have been in the air since its box office success in 2004. According to Newsmax, Jivkov and lead actor Jim Caviezel are believed to reprise their roles for the sequel.

The movie director, Mel Gibson, confirmed the sequel title as The Passion of the Christ: The Resurrection, and recent reports reveal that its production is set to begin in the spring of 2023.

Following the first part's release, the movie turned out to be a massive box office success, bringing in $612 million worldwide on a production budget of $30 million.

Although the movie was a financial success, Gibson and his team received backlash from critics who claimed the film used excessive violence. Some others who didn't like the movie also stated it deviated from the actual biblical story on which it was based.

Speaking with Pastor Greg Laurie at the SoCal Harvest Crusade, Mel Gibson revealed screenwriter Randall Wallace would be joining the project. He also stated, "Of course, that is a huge undertaking, and you know, it's not the Passion 2. It's called The Resurrection.

While there have been tons of movies talking about the resurrection of Christ, Gibson isn't holding back on fulfilling his mission to create the sequel to his legendary film.

Still speaking with Pastor Greg Laurie, Gibson talks about portraying the story's deeper meanings rather than giving a simple rendition. "But in order to read it, experience and explore probably deeper meanings of what it's about, it's going to take some doing, and Randall Wallace is up to the task."

Screenwriter Randall Wallace has also expressed his eagerness to create a follow-up sequel. Wallace told The Hollywood Reporter, "I always wanted to tell this story. The Passion is the beginning and there's a lot more story to tell."

Wallace also told the media outlet that aside from his desire to see a sequel, many religious devotees have been craving a second part. "The evangelical community considers The Passion the biggest movie ever out of Hollywood, and they kept telling us that they think a sequel will be even bigger."

Director Mel Gibson, who is also set to helm the affairs of the sequel, has had a series of life changes since the release of the blockbuster movie in 2004. He split from his wife of thirty years, Robyn Moore, with whom he shares seven children.