Amazon Prime's new documentary series reveals the life and faith journey of actor Jonathan Roomy before and during his career-changing role as Jesus Christ in the television series The Chosen.
The four-episode series “Jonathan & Jesus” was completed in 2021 ahead of filming for season 3 of “The Chosen.” Rumi travels throughout America and Europe, meeting with many figures from the entertainment industry along the way and talking about Jesus.
FOX News Digital interviewed Roomy via Zoom and said the idea for the documentary series came from a meeting with Pope Francis in 2021.
Jonathan Rumi talks about his life of faith and prayer during Advent and always: “God has not forsaken us”
A one-off video about a meeting with the pope sparked the idea to turn it into “a series about the impact of Jesus on culture” through the lens of the man tasked with playing the pope, he said. role.
“I think that when Jesus felt pressured by life and human life, he would often pray by himself, recharge his batteries, and just find some quiet time,” Rumi said. “That's what I do. I find that doing the same thing, going out to pray by myself and just spending time with God in prayer alone, has a huge impact on me.”
Jonathan & Jesus, a new four-part documentary starring Jonathan Roomy, is now available to stream on Amazon Prime. (“Jonathan and Jesus”/Stephen Schwartz)
Despite his challenges in the role, Rumi is well aware of the impact his portrayal of Christ has had on people, especially those learning about Jesus for the first time or those who have spent time away from religion. he said.
Dilemma of Faith: How Effective is Positive Thinking When Life Gets Difficult? Pastors Also Participate
“This commitment, this responsibility, this gift that has been given to me, although sometimes challenging, is ultimately for the greater good of me,” he said, “and that others may It’s a connection or a return, often a return to faith, for inspiration or the possibility of finding some kind of inspiration.”
“Jonathan and Jesus'' also depicts Rumi's personal struggles before taking on the role of Jesus. He told FOX News Digital that part of his purpose in creating the series was to “reveal the level of surrender that he had to take on in his life” to get his career to where it is today. said.
“We tried to clarify the level of capitulation,” Roomy told Fox News Digital this month. [to God] That's something I had to work on in my life''—and this changed him forever. (Fox News Digital)
Before appearing on “The Chosen,” Roomy had a negative checking account balance.
He hid his precarious financial situation even from his family.
“I felt like I was trying so hard to take control of my career, to do everything I thought I had to do and check all the boxes,” Roomy said. Ta.
This included “attempting auditions and trying side jobs to make a living and earn an income.”
'Parable of the Sower' in Luke's Gospel shows the need for constant evangelism, says 'Bible memorizer'
Despite this effort, things didn't work out.
“It seemed like the more we tried to make everything go smoothly, the more chaos it created,” he said.
Things started to change when he surrendered control of his life to God, he told Fox News Digital.
Jonathan Roomy from “The Chosen One” appears in one scene in season 2. Playing the role of Jesus Christ is a commitment, a responsibility and a “gift,” the actor told FOX News Digital. (Courtesy of “The Chosen One”)
“Basically, I let go of the controls and said, 'God, if you want me to do something different, if this pursuit of entertainment or being an actor is very fulfilling. If it’s something you can’t do, well, show me.’ Tell me which direction you want it to go, and I’ll go there,” he said.
At the time, Rumi was deeply in debt and “literally had enough food to survive the day,” he said.
'HALLOW' prayer app hits goal during Republican debate, company says 'please pray with us soon'
“I knelt down and prayed,” Rumi said. “I said, 'God, I give you everything. If you want this to work, you have to help me find a way to survive and find food for tomorrow. I won't. And I won't go. You don't have to worry about it anymore.”
“From that moment on, my life has never been the same.”
Rumi said that after praying, she felt as if a burden had been lifted.
Soon after, his fortunes began to change.
About three months after his act of “surrender” to God, Rumi told Fox News Digital that he had been cast as Jesus Christ in the television series “The Chosen One.” (Fox News Digital)
“The important thing is that I promised that I would no longer be in control,” Roomy said. “And when I did that, I think that's what changed for me. My life was never the same from that moment on.”
Approximately three months after this act of “surrender” to God, Rumi was cast as Jesus Christ in the television series “The Chosen One.”
In his new documentary series, Rumi said he hopes to inspire others experiencing suffering to do what he did: put their faith completely in God.
Click here to sign up for our lifestyle newsletter
“Jonathan and Jesus can serve as role models for people who are in a similar position to me, who are struggling with something, who are feeling a bit stuck in their careers,” Roomy said. .
“Maybe they're just holding the reins a little too much.”
Letting go of this need for control was a life-changing experience for him, and he wants to share it with others.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“one time [people] Let go of the reins and put your trust in the sacred, in God. Basically, God will change your entire life the same way He changed mine. ”
“Jonathan and Jesus” is available to watch on Amazon Prime.
For more lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle..
