Why Jesus Is ‘The Most Difficult Character’ Jonathan Roumie Will Ever Play
By Movieguide® Contributor
THE CHOSEN’s Jonathan Roumie is explaining why his role as Jesus is “the most difficult character I will ever play.”
“Playing Jesus requires a lot of deep thought and consideration, given who He was and what He means to so many people around the world, including myself as a Christian, and I think there’s a certain reverence that I have for the character,” Roumie told Movieguide®.
Roumie has been portraying Jesus since THE CHOSEN premiered.
READ MORE: JONATHAN ROUMIE SAYS THIS IS THE ‘SECRET SAUCE’ TO THE CHOSEN’S SUCCESS
“There’s an endless supply of complexity with Jesus,” the actor explained. “I mean, He’s the most difficult character I will ever play. He’s the most difficult character just to play because of who He was. I don’t take any of it lightly. I strive to honor Him in my portrayal.”
Speaking to Yahoo, Roumie said prayer is a major part of his preparation to play Jesus.
“It’s the first thing I do,” he said. “Lots and lots of prayer before every season, before every scene and before every take. I’m always doing a silent prayer to myself and praying for guidance, that God will allow his voice to be heard through mine and his words to be felt through the ones I’ve been given to say in the script, and for everything else that happens as a result of the show.”
Roumie continued, “People have these deep conversations, or they go from believing to not believing in something, or just wanting to know more about Jesus. All that stuff — this supernatural stuff — is not up to us. Our responsibility is to show up, be open and tell the story with authenticity and truth. God does the rest.”
The actor told Us Weekly that his role in THE CHOSEN is “life-changing.”
“Not just in the material sense, or the success sense, but just in a personal and spiritual sense,” he said. “And it’s been humbling. They’re grateful for what we’re doing and we’re grateful that we get to do what we love for a living and portray these characters. It’s been the honor of my life.”
READ MORE: JONATHAN ROUMIE ON THE INFLUENCE OF ON-SCREEN PORTRAYALS OF JESUS
