By Gavin Boyle
JESUS CROWN OF THORNS actor Alister Hawke discussed the weight of playing John the Apostle and how he approached such a heavy role.
“There’s a certain reverence when you play a character like John the Apostle. What creates that reverence is their obedience, their faithfulness and their consistency to the task at hand,” Hawke told Fox News.
“You want to do justice to these people and tell their story, and I’ve always been really passionate about exploring the context of these stories and making sure that things aren’t just taken at base value, and we can really drill into those beautiful moments and those stories, but also the contextual side of things,” the actor continued.
Related: What’s it Like Playing Biblical Heroes? Jonathan Roumie and Michael Iskander Say…
While all of the apostles are extremely important in the Christian tradition, John is particularly of note as the only disciple to not leave Jesus’ side until His death on the cross.
Hawke’s sentiment about the weight of playing such a character is shared by many actors through the years who have portrayed heroes of the faith. In the spring, THE CHOSEN’s Jonathan Roumie opened up about a similar experience of playing Jesus.
“What does it mean to play Jesus? I think for me, I mean, it’s the role of a lifetime, much as I imagine playing David is for you,” Roumie said in a discussion with Michael Iskander. “What I didn’t expect was just how impactful and how personal it was going to be for people on, like, a daily basis. Like, encountering people, you know, everywhere; from grocery stores to department stores to church to everywhere.”
“And in cities that I didn’t anticipate it having that kind of impact, like New York City, where I’m from, [or] Los Angeles, and so anytime I get recognized in any of those cities that are known to be a bit more culturally removed from the faith identity, I’m always shocked,” he continued. “But something that I’ve come to realize is that playing this role, for me, is a part, I think, of God’s mission for my life. And it’s one that I’ve chosen to accept, and everything that comes with it. The joys of playing the character and the pains of playing the character.”
These pains have become even more apparent for Roumie recently as the upcoming season of THE CHOSEN portrayed Jesus’ crucifixion.
“There is yet more suffering to endure, not only as my character, but through my own sacrificial offering as an artist to embody and accept every ounce of pain and discomfort associated with the process of making Christ’s own suffering very real to everyone who not only participates in the production, but to those who witness the finished product. l.e., YOU,” Roumie said last month.
Praise the Lord that these actors are willing to take on these weighty roles as these portrayals of the heroes of the faith help bring them to life in new ways. Season 2 of Hawke’s JESUS CROWN OF THORNS is now available.
Read Next: Why THE CHOSEN Season 6 Is ‘Easily Our Hardest’
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