The Big Lebowski 2: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Spinoff Movie The Jesus Rolls

The Jesus Rolls was the long-awaited sequel to The Big Lebowski. With a long road to getting made, there are some interesting facts about the film.

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In a cavalcade of unique characters, Jesus Quintana still managed to be a scene-stealer in The Big Lebowski, the ’90s Coen brothers’ comedy that wasn’t a huge hit on its initial release but developed a cult following in the years since. John Turturro always felt like there was more to say with the flamboyant bowler, so began a long campaign to make a sequel. That it took decades is a testament to his passion for the character, and besides, “Nobody f—s with the Jesus!

The sequel finally arrived in 2020, over 20 years after Jesus made his first strike, and follows the purple-preferring ex-con and his friend Petey as they embark on a spree of theft, debauchery, and mayhem. The journey from idea to reality may have been onerous but it’s certainly worthwhile, and for casual fans, Turturro enthusiasts, and followers of Dudeism, there’s a lot of interesting facts surrounding The Jesus Rolls.

10 Turturro Had To Convince The Coen Brothers (And Universal Studios)

In an interview with Variety, Turturro chronicled the lengths he went to in order to secure the Coen brothers’ blessing to take the Jesus character from The Big Lebowski lore, which included showing Joel and Ethan Coen his screenplay and reassuring them that it would stand on its own — much more like a spin-off than a direct sequel.

Universal Studios held the rights to The Big Lebowski, which meant that Turturro also had to successfully negotiate with them to let him use Jesus the way he wanted. The only glaring stipulation? He couldn’t kill the character off.

9 John Turturro Came Up With The Character Concept

Though Jesus Quintana was originally the brainchild of the Coen Brothers, they hadn’t decided exactly how he would sound or behave, giving John Turturro a certain amount of creative license to invent a truly memorable character.

Sitting down with the hosts of The Today Show, Turturro explained that he based his performance in The Big Lebowski off of a character he had played on stage, who was in turn based on an ex-convict he knew in real life. Joel Coen saw Turturro play this character in a series of one-acts at the Public Theater and liked his energy, allowing Turturro to bring many of the same mannerisms (as well as the high voice) to the Jesus role when he got the part.

8 For All Of It’s Macho Swagger, It’s Surprisingly Empowering For Women

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Turturro sat down with his co-star Susan Sarandon to discuss the movie and explained that he realized he wanted to tell a story “about how stupid men are,” but more specifically about how they try to understand women, only to fail miserably until they treat them as equals and not as mysterious puzzles.

He felt he could imbue the character of Jesus with gentlemanly qualities even if he’s rough around the edges, and that his journey through the movie is one of self-discovery, especially when it comes to his relationships with women. Jesus and Petey may come off as bumbling, but they work earnestly at being deferential to the women in their company.

7 It’s About Living The Moment

For a movie about the road tripping adventures of a flashy bowler and his inane best friend, the film has a surprising message at its core. In the same interview with Entertainment Weekly, Turturro explained that it’s about living in the moment, something the two underachievers do quite often, but most people try and fail to do on a daily basis.

Like The Dude in The Big Lebowski, who thought nothing of wandering around the grocery store in his bathrobe looking for milk, Jesus and Petey go through life in their own way. Both movies center on individualists thrown into a wild, episodic ride, where their life philosophy is applied to increasingly more bizarre situations.

6 He Also Wrote And Directed It

Aside from being a veteran character actor who’s been steadily working in Hollywood for four decades, John Turturro has built a reputation as a successful triple threat, often writing, directing, and starring in his own movies.

Aside from The Jesus Rolls, he also wrote and directed Romance and Cigarettes and Fading Gigolo, both movies with a European flair and an arthouse feel that endeared him to critics. The Jesus Rolls continues Turturro’s penchant for romantic underdog stories with lovable, messy heroes trying to do their best.

5 It Features Plenty Of References To The Original Movie

Considering it’s a loose sequel, The Jesus Roles can’t fail to pay homage to its predecessor, and there are references galore to the Coen Brothers classic. From featuring a prominent mention of Jeffrey Lebowski sponsoring the “Sing Sing Bowling League,” to Jesus saying his signature line, “No one messes with the Jesus!” the gags run a spectrum of subtle to obvious.

Even the freedom to live life on his own terms allows The Jesus to channel The Dude’s unabashed carefree nature, and the philosophy of the two movies remains to “live and let live.”

4 It Also Clarifies One Of Walter’s Comments

Some fans of The Big Lebowski will probably wonder if the movie ever sheds light on a bizarre comment that Walter made to The Dude about The Jesus. The bowling champ’s reputation was questioned regarding an incident of exposure to an eight-year-old boy, and fans never got to find out if it was true.

While The Jesus Rolls doesn’t linger on the topic, it has a duty to get it out of the way with a scene in the beginning, because fans wouldn’t be able to watch an underdog comedy about an actual pederast.

3 It Has An All-Star Cast

The Big Lebowski boasted performances by a number of well-known actors, including Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, and Steve Buscemi. The sequel also includes an equally accomplished cast filling roles both large and small.

Jon Hamm, Susan Sarandon, Audrey Tautou, and Bobby Cannavale all join Jesus on his quest for debauchery and self-discovery, with Audrey Tautou being the third wheel to Cannavale and Turturro’s buddy adventures and a love interest for the pair.

2 It’s Plot Borrows From The Movie Going Places

The plot of the movie, which involves Jesus and a gang of misfits causing mayhem and chaos after getting out of jail, is based on the 1974 dark comedy Going Places (itself based on the book Les Valseuses) about a pair of whimsical thugs who harass the wealthy and try to get away with as much – and as many of their things – as possible.

The French movie features a great deal more violence, drug usage, and casual sex, but its bon-vivant attitude and aesthetic can be found throughout The Jesus Rolls. There are even a few scenes done as homages, including the famous fishing sequence.

1 It’s Pretty Racy

In the same Today Show interview, Susan Sarandon was asked about what it was like working with Turturro and Cannavale, especially given the subject matter of the movie. She shared that she’d work with them before and was comfortable because of their level of professionalism, so the intimate scenes could be taken in stride.

At one point in the movie, Jesus and Petey have a threesome with Sarandon’s character (who’s just gotten out of jail as well), and while the scene is treated with a refreshing amount of open-mindedness, it may be more of The Jesus than some fans are expecting!

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