Diogo Morgado

Playing a role as iconic as the founder of Christianity is something that comes to few actors. Diogo Morgado, however, was the first to become known as the "Hot Jesus." Born in Campo Grande, Lisbon, Portugal in 1980, Morgado began modeling at the tender age of 14, prior to beginning acting at 15 on the top-rated Portuguese TV show "Terra Mãe" (1998). Other TV roles followed, but it was his portrayal of Miguel in the romance "Amo-Te, Teresa" that made Morgado one of his country's most promising actors, as the TV movie captured some of the highest ratings ever in Portugal.

His career on the Portuguese small screen later included more than a dozen other roles of varying degree, including several on the prominent SIC Network. Morgado worked these parts around his first feature film, "O Crime do Padre Amaro" (2005) where he showed a comedic side for the first time. He returned to the big screen in "A Vida Privada De Salazar" (2009) in the title role of Antonio De Oliveira Salazar, the longtime Portuguese dictator. Other international film credits included Spain's "Dos Rivales Casi Iguales" (2007); "Star Crossed" (2009); and "Mami Blue" (2010). He wrapped the decade by beginning a more-than 300-show run as Joao Riberio on the Portuguese series "Laços de Sangue."In 2013, Morgado appeared in his most-famous portrayal, as Jesus, in that year's Emmy-nominated production of The History Channel miniseries "The Bible," executive produced by reality TV legend Mark Burnett and his wife, actress Roma Downey. The role created some controversy with Christians when the actor earned as much acclaim for his looks as his acting. Nonetheless, Morgado reprised the role as Messiah in "Son of God" (2014), a feature film created out of footage from the TV miniseries. He next appeared on the American TV series "Revenge" (ABC 2011-15).