▁had ▁enjoyed ▁his ▁version ▁of ▁Ble ak ▁House . ▁He ▁played ▁Pil ate ▁as ▁" a ▁cold , ▁hard ▁war rior ", ▁and ▁was ▁inspired — by ▁the ▁peace ▁in ▁Ireland — to ▁play ▁him ▁Irish . ▁Pal oma ▁B ae za ▁felt ▁a ▁" respons ibility " ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁offered ▁the ▁part ▁of ▁Mary ▁Mag dal ene ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁scale ▁of ▁the ▁story ▁being ▁told . ▁Of ▁playing ▁Mary , ▁she ▁said , ▁" I ▁was ▁looking ▁at ▁her ▁journey , ▁who ▁this ▁person ▁was ▁and ▁her ▁relationship ▁to ▁Jesus . ▁And ▁looking ▁at ▁her ▁as ▁a ▁woman ▁and ▁her ▁pred ic ament ." ▁ ▁Production ▁was ▁based ▁at ▁the ▁Atlas ▁Studios ▁in ▁Mor oc co . ▁S ets ▁were ▁constructed ▁on ▁locations ▁in ▁O u arz az ate ▁from ▁May ▁to ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁Princi pal ▁phot ography ▁took ▁place ▁from ▁ 2 7 ▁August ▁to ▁ 2 3 ▁October . ▁Sc enes ▁in ▁Jerusalem ▁were ▁fil med ▁in ▁Tam n oug alt . ▁Many ▁scenes ▁were ▁fil med ▁with ▁hand - h eld ▁cam eras ▁to ▁make ▁it ▁appear ▁that ▁the ▁audience ▁is ▁" e aves dro pping " ▁on ▁characters ' ▁convers ations . ▁A ▁significant ▁scene ▁was ▁the ▁cru c if ix ion ▁in ▁E pisode ▁ 3 . ▁The ▁scene ▁was ▁fil med ▁over ▁three ▁days ▁and ▁was ▁frequently ▁interrupted ▁by ▁tor r ential ▁down p ours . ▁M aw le ' s ▁make - up ▁call ▁came ▁at ▁ 3