By Gavin Boyle
Giavani Cairo, who plays Thaddeus on THE CHOSEN, recalled a powerful moment while filming when his costar Jonathan Roumie helped him realize that the Lord sees him, even when others don’t.
“One of the most difficult questions I always had to ask myself — and I’ve gotten better through it over the years, and I shared this last time so I won’t bore you with it — but I grew up without my biological father, so for my life I constantly had to ask the question of why this happened. Why I wasn’t enough, why I wasn’t chosen,” Cairo shared.
“So, I remember sharing that with you,” he said to Roumie, “and when we were performing that scene the next day, it was in the middle of one of the takes, and I don’t know if you remember this man, but it was after one of the takes and you said, ‘He is proud of you.’ And I said, ‘Thank you, man.’ And it was like you know, at least to me.”
Related: How God Is Changing Lives on THE CHOSEN Set
“You said, ‘I’m not talking about him.’ And I looked at you and you pointed up,” the actor recalled. “And to me, that meant the absolute world because it was a healing moment for Thaddeus to say yes but it was also a healing moment for me. And that meant everything to me.”
Cairo previously shared the many ways working on the hit Bible series has transformed his life. From deepening his faith to introducing him to his wife, his life before and after working on THE CHOSEN looks completely different.
“Growing up, the faith just seemed like it was something you just did,” Cairo said last November when explaining how THE CHOSEN has made his faith real. “You go through first Communion and confirmation, and then you go to church on the weekends. But I never felt like I had a relationship with Christ.”
The show “has made me want to be a better person,” he continued. “My character that I portray, Thaddeus, is a peacemaker, and he really tries to see people for who they are and really wants people to feel seen. That is the kind of friend I always wanted and always wanted to be growing up. So, what I’ve really learned is to really love people for who they are.”
In the same way that the show has impacted all who have worked on in, THE CHOSEN also continues to leave a major impact on its audience. For that reason, THE CHOSEN: THE LAST SUPPER was nominated for the Epiphany Prize® at this year’s Movieguide® Awards. Those interested in seeing if THE CHOSEN takes this prize home can tune in to the Movieguide® Award Gala when it airs on Great American Family on March 5.
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