Series cast summary: | |||
Joseph Morgan | ... |
Judah Ben-Hur
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Stephen Campbell Moore | ... |
Messala
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Emily VanCamp | ... |
Esther
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Kristin Kreuk | ... |
Tirzah
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Ben Cross | ... |
Emperor Tiberius
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Simón Andreu | ... |
Simonides
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Alex Kingston | ... |
Ruth
(2 episodes, 2010)
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James Faulkner | ... |
Marcellus
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Art Malik | ... |
Ilderim
/ ...
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Marc Warren | ... |
David
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Lucía Jiménez | ... |
Athene
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Miguel Ángel Muñoz | ... |
Antegua
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Kris Holden-Ried | ... |
Gaius
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Michael Nardone | ... |
Hortator
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Eugene Simon | ... |
Young Ben Hur
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Toby Marlow | ... |
Young Messala
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Daniella Ereny | ... |
Young Tirzah
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Ricky Simmonds | ... |
Conspirator #1
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Leo Faulkner | ... |
Conspirator #2
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Guy Faulkner | ... |
Conspirator #3
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Dick Ward | ... |
Pilate's Physician
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Alex Walters | ... |
Officer
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Bouchra Es Saddiki | ... |
Athene's Body Servant
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Ghita Tazi | ... |
Ilderim's Female Reader
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Jonathan Stamp | ... |
Pilate's Tweezer
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Ray Winstone | ... |
Arrius
/ ...
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Hugh Bonneville | ... |
Pilate
/ ...
(2 episodes, 2010)
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Julian Casey | ... |
Jesus
(2 episodes, 2010)
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A young Jewish prince seeks revenge after an old friend wrongly imprisons him and his family.
Judah Ben-Hur (Joseph Morgan) is a rich Jewish merchant in Jerusalem. He, his sister Tirzah (Kristin Kreuk) and Roman commander Messala (Stephen Campbell Moore) were childhood friends. Ambitious Messala returns from Rome pushing Judah to inform on the Jewish revolt. He tries to stop the demonstration. He gets betrothed to Esther (Emily VanCamp). While the Governor of Judaea Pontius Pilate (Hugh Bonneville) marches in, a tile falls onto him and starts a riot. Messala is demoted. Judah is sent into slavery and encounters Jesus Christ on his way to the crucification. He is pressed into rowing a gallery where he rescues Roman admiral Quintus Arrius (Ray Winstone) after a battle. Arrius adopts him naming him after his dead son Sextus Arrius. He returns to avenge Tirzah and his mother Ruth (Alex Kingston).
This is a solid TV mini-series. There are some great actors. The younger leads are mostly TV stars. Joseph Morgan has more youth but not quite the presence of Charlton Heston. The big action is compensated by the modern CGI. The gallery scene works well. The chariot scene is less epic. I like some of the early exposition laying out the political situation. This series may not be necessarily but it is an interesting addition to the '59 classic.