London, December 6 (ANI): Oscar winner Clint Eastwood has praised Nelson Mandela, likening him to Jesus Christ.

The 79-year-old director made the reference while speaking at a screening of his new film based on the former South African President.

‘Invictus’ narrates the true story of how Mandela recruited the white captain of South Africa’s rugby team during the 1995 Rugby World Cup to give Afrikaners a lift about the end of apartheid, reports the Daily Star.

Clint revealed that he was stunned how Mandela kept the peace, saying: “I thought he was just Christ-like. There are just no people like this on the planet.”

He added: “He could have come out of jail and started a civil war. Instead, he saw that rugby, the national pastime, could unite whites and blacks. It was a stroke of genius.” (ANI)