Who Plays Jesus in Heaven is for Real?

Helmed by Randall Wallace, ‘Heaven is for Real’ follows Colton Burpo, a 3-year-old child whose parents, Todd and Sonja Burpo, are deeply involved with the church in Imperial, Nebraska. When a medical emergency leaves Colton struggling for his life, everyone in the family is pushed to their absolute limits, and his recovery only leads to more questions than answers. Soon after, the little boy begins claiming that he went to heaven and met Jesus during surgery, and while his parents initially chalk it up to his vivid imagination, a string of revelations forces them to reconsider. With hardly anyone believing Colton’s experience, Todd Burpo takes it upon himself to give his son the platform he needs to share his extraordinary story. This Christian family drama movie, based on the eponymous book by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent, approaches the subject of faith with utmost sensitivity, especially in its portrayal of Jesus Christ.

Actor Mike Mohrhardt Brings Forth a Unique Depiction of Jesus in Heaven is for Real

While Mike Mohrhardt essays Jesus in the movie, the actor’s face is never shown in detail, with his back and often silhouettes being the primary ways he is shown on screen. Alongside his role in the movie, Mike is famous for his work in short films such as ‘Sunset,’ ‘The Empty Seat,’ and ‘If These Balls Could Talk.’ Although the actor’s physical appearance in ‘Heaven is for Real’ is limited in nature, his voiceover performance becomes an important element in the film, creatively rendering the warmth and wisdom that Colton describes. The restrained depiction of Jesus is likely an intentional decision on the creators’ part, as it helps frame Jesus from Colton Burpo’s perspective, in keeping with how the story goes in the original 2010 novel. Furthermore, in doing so, the movie makes itself distinct from other cinematic renditions of Jesus.

Director Randall Wallace’s approach to storytelling in ‘Heaven is for Real’ is largely guided by his understanding of Jesus’s parables, as in an interview with CBN, he mentioned being inspired by Jesus’s storytelling prowess and asserted the movie’s ability “to reach across all the lines.” The decision to portray Jesus on screen without emphasizing his face is likely intended to further that effect by creating a universally resonant image on screen, which adds to the subjectivity of the experience. Furthermore, while sharing his perception of the movie with the public, Todd Burpo described Wallace’s efforts in recreating the story as accurate and sincere, which adds further credence to how director Wallace and actor Mike Mohrhardt mold the narrative.

A Real-Life Painting of Jesus by a Child Artist is Connected to Colton’s Story

Notably, the obscuring of Jesus’s face for much of the movie has a deeper reason embedded within the narrative. In his initial recountings of the trip to heaven, Colton claims that the pictures of Jesus that he is familiar with are different from what he experienced, and continues by describing his own account. According to Colton, Jesus has emerald green eyes and specific markings on his hands. These details become relevant in the final moments of the film, when Colton’s father, Todd Burpo, discovers a painting of Jesus by a child prodigy artist, who similarly claims to have visited heaven. Upon seeing this painting, Colton immediately identifies it as a match to what he saw, and the final shot of the movie reveals the painting to the audience.

Given that the entire final segment is partially based on the real-life Colton Burpo’s reaction to a painting of Jesus by the child artist Akiane Kramarik, it makes sense for the creators to obscure actor Mike Mohrhardt’s face in the scenes depicting Jesus, so as to avoid confusion. The real painting by Kramarik, titled ‘Prince of Peace,’ has since become synonymous with ‘Heaven is for Real’ as it is used both in the final scene of the movie, as well as in various promotional materials, which further adds to the distinction between the painted depiction and Mike’s performance. As such, while there was a guiding inventory of visual details based on Colton’s descriptions of Jesus, their connection to an existing painting might have led to the restrained appearance of Jesus in the movie.

Read More: Where is Colton Burpo Now? Update on Heaven is for Real Survivor