The actor at the center is the chosen one The show's surprising appeal to non-Christians, who make up a third of viewers, shows a cultural tolerance for faith-focused content, he said.
“That's pretty important,” actor Jonathan Roomy said. new york times With reference to data revealing that a third of viewers will not be believers in early 2024. Rumi plays Jesus in the series.
He said faith-based content too often fails to appeal to a wide audience because it is “heavy-handed” or “misses the mark in terms of excellence.” the chosen oneBut he said the quality of the work appealed to viewers.
“Today, 30 percent of the audience is non-religious,” Rumi said, noting that the overwhelming majority of early audiences were Christians.
“That’s a lot,” he added.
“If we don't tell these stories with the authenticity, authenticity, and respect they deserve, we'll end up with a movie that misses the mark and alienates the core audience we're trying to reach. I think that’s where we got it right.”
Roomy, a devout Catholic, said the series had to be good for viewers to fully embrace its central gospel message.
“I think that's one of the reasons we've been successful and it's one of the priorities for both parties.” [director] dallas [Jenkins] And what I think, and I think everyone involved, is, first and foremost, we recognize that this is a television show. “It's based on the Bible and the Gospels, but there are some parts where we have to take creative license in certain situations to tell a more balanced story,” he said. Anything less than the highest quality, if it's not a great television show, any of the other things that you want people to take away from the show from a personal standpoint or from a faith standpoint, it doesn't matter. ”
Rumi compared low-quality Christian works to gold nuggets stuck in a sidewalk trash can.
“Nobody's going to want to touch it. It's going to just pass by,” he said. “If the message behind the show is a little gold wrapped in a bunch of trash, forget it. It's over. But it still has to be a great TV show first. Everything flows.”
Meanwhile, Roomy told The Times that his beliefs lend a certain authenticity to his role.
“I feel like this role gave me a sense of authenticity because I was able to understand why Jesus did the things he did and why he said the things he did than someone who didn't know him at all.'' “I'm working on it,” Roomy said. “Like anyone else who considers themselves a Christian, I struggle with following Jesus, but that struggle is part of it. And God knows what we are struggling with. You know, we're still challenged as to what God would do in a situation like that, and I think that's because I actually believe that – that's probably what people saw. It seemed to give me a certain authenticity and verisimilitude in approaching an unfamiliar character.”
He said his faith keeps him humble.
“I realize that none of this is about me. In the grand scheme of things, I don't matter,” he said.
WATCH: Jonathan Roomy talks faith, surrender and playing Jesus on TV
Photo courtesy: ©The Chosen
michael faust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His articles have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star, and Knoxville News Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's podcast! he is the host of crosswalk talka podcast where he speaks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christians are making their faith a priority in Hollywood, and discover the best Christian movies, books, TV and other entertainment. can be found crosswalk talk above LifeAudio.comor subscribe at apple or spotify So, never miss an interview that is sure to encourage your faith.
