Published: October 23, 2003

Filed at 11:26 a.m. ET

NEW YORK (AP) — Don't tell Jan Michelini that lightning doesn't strike twice. Michelini, an assistant director on Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ,'' was nicknamed "Lightning Boy'' after lightning struck his umbrella during filming on a hilltop in the town of Matera, Italy, reported VLife, a supplement to Variety publications, in its October issue.

He suffered light burns on the tips of his fingers.

A few months later, while the crew was on a remote location a few hours from Rome, a storm rolled in and Michelini, again carrying an umbrella, was standing beside star Jim Caviezel on top of a hill, the publication said.

"I'm about a hundred feet away from them,'' producer Steve McEveety was quoted as saying, "when I glance over and see lightning coming out of Caviezel's ears. Both Caviezel and Michelini got struck this time. The main bolt hit Caviezel and one of its forks hit Michelini's umbrella.''