Jonathan Roumie: “I did not always feel worthy to say Jesus’ words, but God put me in this position for a reason”

Many consider that the Jesus of Jonathan Roumie is one of the best that has ever been seen on screen.

Along with other actors from the series The Chosen, Roumie was in Madrid on Tuesday for the premiere of the fifth season of a series that has become an unprecedented worldwide phenomenon for an entertainment product based on the Gospels.

Evangelical Focus and Spanish news website Protestante Digital participated in the opening of the premiere, with the unique opportunity to interview Roumie in one of the rooms set up by the organisers at the Four Seasons Hotel in the centre of Madrid.

WATCH the full interview here:

There is a certain reverent silence when we enter the room, with Roumie dressed in a very modern way, totally different from his image of Jesus in the series, but maintaining the same serene look, as if the something of the master of Galilee were somehow still present in his person.

“I am sure you're very tired”, I say to him as I greet him, not only because I know he has had interviewis all morning (it's 3pm now), but because his eyes show an exhaustion that cannot be hidden. But again, like the Jesus of the series, he is kind and willing to help, something that moves his life like a mission, as he tells us in the interview.

“Never mind, I am fine, please sit down”, he says

Question. Jim Caviezel also experienced the kind of success you are having with The Passion of the Christ, and he said that he suffered rejection from the Hollywood industry for being so closely associated with a role identified with Christianity. Other actors have shared similar experiences. Do you think that, in the future, being so strongly identified with the role of Jesus in The Chosen will affect your acting career?

Answer. No, I am not worried. I mean, whatever happens, happens. I made a commitment several years ago to go wherever God wanted to lead me.

It would not be my favorite choice not working for several years afterward—like I know was the case for Jim. But every situation is different. I think I have been given a lot of grace and opportunity.

I have a movie coming out in the fall, a romantic comedy with a famous American comedian, Kevin James, called Solo Mio. It takes place in Rome and has nothing to do with the gospel stories. But it is a fun, wholesome film that still aligns with my values and my personal brand, something I can be really proud of. So, I hope I get more opportunities afterwards.

I am going to work in faith that those opportunities will continue. But ultimately, I am not in charge of my destiny, the Lord is.

Q. For many years, both films and TV shows with Christian values were often stereotypically religious or relied too much on emotional appeal. Now, we see a completely new way of creating faith-based fiction with The Chosen, House of David, and others. There has been a significant increase in quality, in terms of production, storytelling, and scripts. How do you view this change, and why do you think it is happening now?

A. I think that commitment to production value, storytelling, and script quality is absolutely necessary. You can have the greatest message in the world, but if you do not present it well, people won’t receive it.

Imagine you have a message that contains the secret to life, but you wrap it in toilet paper, drag it through the streets, and then hand it to someone. No one is going to touch it, no matter how valuable the message inside might be. That is what Christian filmmaking was like for 20 years.

The message was great, but the overall quality—script, acting, dialogue—was so low that it worked against the very people trying to share it.

The challenge is reaching people who would not step into a church or open a Bible. How do you share the message with them? You have to tell stories in the way Hollywood tells stories, at the highest possible level.

That is the approach I take when choosing projects. It all starts with a great script. Then, I ask: Do I trust the filmmakers? Do they know how to tell a great story? If the answer to both is yes, then I get involved. And then, of course, it is about the editing, directing, and all the other elements that make a great film or TV show.

That is the only way any genre will ever move forward, by committing to the highest level of quality possible.

Q. You have played Jesus multiple times now, both on the big and small screen. Has this led you to experience “imposter syndrome” at any point?

A. Yes, I think that happened early on in my journey playing Jesus, specifically during the first season of The Chosen. I had a moment on set, in the middle of the season, where I felt overwhelmed. It was difficult, but Dallas Jenkins, the show’s creator, and I talked through it.

I was reminded that, even though I did not always feel worthy to say Jesus’ words, to preach his teachings, or to be seen as him, God put me in this role for a reason. That was not an accident.

That realization was a relief. It reminded me that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I try to hold onto that whenever I feel overwhelmed, it is about trusting God and the people I work with.

[photo_footer] Jonathan Roumie with Pedro Tarquis, director of Areópago Protestante. [/photo_footer] 

Q. Do you ever worry that the public will identify you too much with Jesus, to the point where they might confuse you with the character?

A. I don’t know... I think people know that I am not Jesus. Maybe sometimes they want me to be Jesus, but I could never be him.

But I do not mind being identified with him at all. He was the greatest person to ever walk the earth, I’m pretty okay with that.

Q. Was there any moment during the filming of this last season when you felt that playing Jesus transformed you personally?

A. Absolutely. I think playing Jesus has deepened my faith and made me want to be a better version of myself. It has made me want to be kinder to people, work on myself more, and truly try to live out his teachings in my own life.

Q. If you had to pick, which season has been your favorite so far?

A. I think every season I work on becomes my new favorite. So, season 5 is definitely my favorite so far.

It was the hardest to film, the most challenging, but also the most exciting and one of the most spiritually profound seasons I have ever done.

I had more dialogue in this season than ever before, so much that it felt like two or three seasons combined! But there is so much beauty in it. I am really proud of the work everyone did. It turned out to be something truly special.

You can also read the interview with Shahar Isaac (Pedro) and Vanessa Benavente (María, mother of Jesus)

Note: this interview was shared with Paula Martín Sánchez, from the Spanish media outlet Mundo Cristiano. She asked the last three questions.

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