Mehdi Ouazzani, the man who played Satan in “The Bible” series, on the History Channel, said that he found it funny that some people have said that he looked like President Obama during his portrayal of Satan.

Ouazzani, a Moroccan actor, said that his fame increased because of the rumors of him resembling the president. He said that he was an unknown actor before the series, but now he is known all over the world. He added that even though he thought it was “nonsense” that some believe he looks like president Obama, it hasn’t hurt his career.

Some people said that making Ouzzani’s character, Satan, looking like the president was intentional and deliberate. However, Roma Downey, who played the virgin Mary, and who is also co-creator of the series, said that not even one person at the pre-screening of the series ever said that there was a resemblance.  It’s odd and ironic that none of them failed to notice the thing that was noticed around the world.

Downey went on to say that she was disappointed that people were chatting more about what they thought about the resemblance to President Obama than they were about Jesus. She added that both she and her husband, Mark Burnett, who was also co-producer, have the greatest respect for President Obama, who is a fellow Christian.

Downey says that statements such as these are just a distraction to try and draw people away from the “beauty of the story of the Bible.”

Ouazzani said that he has a very expressive face and that African or Moroccan people talked with their faces. He adds that “Satan taught me how to manage my close-ups, because Satan didn’t feel anything, didn’t suffer anything.” Ouazzani appeared in the series wearing a black hooded robe and with heavy makeup.

Ouazzani even joked that he’d like to hang out with the president. “I’d like to invite him (President Obama) and his family for couscous, (a traditional Berber dish of semolina, which is cooked by steaming) in Morocco.”

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