How did Christo Jivkov die? Actor rumored to be part of 'The Passion of the Christ' sequel
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Actor-producer Christo Jivkov died on Sunday, April 1, in Los Angeles after a protracted battle with cancer. Jivkov was best known for his lead role as John in Mel Gibson's 2004 blockbuster 'The Passion Of The Christ.' He was 48.
Jivkov was best known for his roles in the critically acclaimed movies 'The Profession of Arms' and 'The Passion of the Christ,' in which he co-starred with Jim Caviziel and Monica Bellucci. He was also rumored to be part of the sequel, 'The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection.'
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How did Christo Jivkov die?
The Bulgarian actor died in Los Angeles after a prolonged cancer battle. The US Sun reported that Jivkov died of lung cancer.
Christo Jivkov's professional journey
Jivkov was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, on February 18, 1975. He was chosen to play the lead, Giovanni de Medici, in Ermanno Olmi's 2001 movie 'The Profession of Arms,' which won nine David di Donatello Awards in 2002, including Best Film. He concentrated on directing while attending the Bulgarian Cinema & Theater Academy, which eventually resulted in a career in Italian television and film.
Jivkov later played John in 'The Passion of the Christ,' which made $612M at the box office. He was speculated to be a part of the long-rumored sequel.
Despite a lot of buzz around the movie, there is no confirmation when or if it will be created. "It’s called 'The Resurrection.' Of course, that’s a very big subject. It needs to be looked at because we don’t want to just do a simple rendering of it. You know, read what happened," Gibson reportedly told preacher Greg Laurie in 2016.
Despite a production budget of just $30M, 'The Passion of the Christ' broke many records and became a blockbuster. It was one of the most commercially successful independent movies ever, and it set a record for the highest-grossing R-rated film in North America. Although it received three Oscar nominations at the 77th Academy Awards ceremony, it did not win any.
