[EN] THE CHOSEN: JONATHAN ROUMIE, PARAS PATEL AND LARA SILVA - Inteligência Ltda. Podcast #1135

Estimated read time: 1:20

Summary

In this episode of the Inteligência Ltda. podcast, the cast of "The Chosen," including Jonathan Roumie, Paras Patel, and Lara Silva, share their experiences about the making of the show and its impact. The conversation covers the actors' personal journeys and how being part of the series has influenced their lives. They delve into behind-the-scenes stories and discuss the unique portrayal of characters that makes the show relatable to modern audiences, emphasizing the human sides of biblical figures. The hosts and cast also touch on the global reach of the show and its reception in Brazil.

Highlights

Jonathan Roumie reflects on his spiritual awakening before joining "The Chosen." 🙏
Lara Silva talks about her personal connection to her character, Eden. 👩‍🦱
Paras Patel shares unique insights into playing Matthew and the relatable aspects of his character. 📜
The host humorously discusses the idea of Jesus as a stand-up comedian. 😂
The crew recounts filming experiences and the evolution of set designs over the seasons. 🎥

Key Takeaways

The podcast offers a deep dive into the lives and experiences of the cast from "The Chosen." 🎬
Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus, sheds light on his spiritual journey and how it aligns with his role. ✨
The cast shares touching and humorous backstage stories, bringing their characters to life. 😄
The show's success is attributed to its relatable and human portrayal of biblical figures. 📖
The actors discuss the global impact of the series, especially in Brazil. 🌐

Overview

The podcast begins with the host introducing the cast of "The Chosen," expressing excitement about having them on the show. They discuss the global phenomenon that is "The Chosen," highlighting its international reach and reception, particularly in Brazil. Each cast member introduces themselves and elaborates on their journey to becoming part of this impactful series.

Jonathan Roumie shares a touching story about his spiritual journey that peaked just months before he was offered his role in "The Chosen." This led him to view the opportunity as a divine connection. Meanwhile, Lara Silva and Paras Patel discuss how immersing themselves in their roles has been life-changing, both spiritually and professionally.

The conversation touches on the production aspects of the show, from the challenges of shooting on location to the joys of bringing these beloved biblical stories to screen. They also address the portrayal of characters with depth and humanity, which has resonated with viewers worldwide, making segments of the audience see them as more than just historical figures.

Chapters

00:00 - 00:30: Introduction and Greeting This chapter introduces the recording event featuring the cast of 'The Chosen.' The speaker expresses excitement and honor about the opportunity to record with such impactful individuals. They also convey a desire to be present at the event and hope it will be a blessing to all involved and to those who watch. The greeting is directed towards everyone associated with the show.
00:30 - 01:00: Rodrigo Silva's Message In the chapter titled "Rodrigo Silva's Message," Rodrigo Silva, a theologian and archaeologist, addresses a group of producers, actors, and directors in Brazil. Silva expresses his admiration for their work on 'The Chosen,' highlighting its capacity to present the gospel in a captivating format that resonates with new generations. He shares his professional background in Middle East archaeology and working with the New Testament. Silva concludes with blessings and a desire to meet the team in person.
01:00 - 01:30: Professor Lissa's Thoughts Professor Lissa greets everyone warmly and expresses her wishes for their success. She introduces herself as a theologian excited about the convergence of reality, history, archaeology, and academic studies.
01:30 - 02:00: Discussion on The Chosen and Its Impact The chapter discusses the significance of understanding the Bible's historical and cultural context. It highlights how 'The Chosen' series aligns closely with recent biblical research, offering a portrayal that is both authentic and informative for viewers seeking a deeper connection to God's word. The text emphasizes the importance of knowledge in gaining a true comprehension of the biblical narratives presented.
02:00 - 02:30: The Chosen Cast Preparation The chapter titled 'The Chosen Cast Preparation' begins with expressions of gratitude, possibly directed towards the audience or participants, as indicated by the greeting in Greek meaning 'thank you all.' The anticipation is set for a special episode, with congratulations extended to someone named Vela. It suggests that there's valuable content and learning to be derived from 'The Chosen.' The latter part of the chapter hints at the imminent arrival of the cast, creating anticipation for the start of the show.
02:30 - 03:00: Sponsorship and Opportunities In the chapter titled 'Sponsorship and Opportunities,' the discussion revolves around the transition from on-stage personas to more casual, everyday attire, representing a shift towards normalcy and alignment with the regular audience. This sets the scene for a broader dialogue about the future, particularly looking forward to 2024, and how sponsors will play a role in upcoming ventures.
03:00 - 03:30: Gifts and Show Start The chapter titled 'Gifts and Show Start' discusses sponsorship and the international reach of a show. Key sponsors are acknowledged, and the discussion emphasizes the global broadcast of the show in English. The conversation includes light-hearted banter about the pronunciation of 'all over the world.' Looking ahead to 2024, there is excitement about the opportunities and potential developments for the show.
03:30 - 04:00: Host's Introduction and Miracles Discussion The chapter opens with a discussion on public tenders, specifically highlighting the swift nature of the process that can occur in as little as three months. The focus is on the variety of public tender options available, such as the unified tender and opportunities at the Federal Bank of Brazil. The discussion encourages staying informed about these opportunities as they play a crucial role in securing future ventures.
04:00 - 05:00: Cast Introduction The chapter titled 'Cast Introduction' focuses on promoting a partnership with Strategia Concursus, which offers a comprehensive tender worth 10,000 to 20,000 per month and numerous benefits. It promotes a free ebook designed to transform lives in 2024 and emphasizes Strategia Concursus as a key partner and leader in their field. The chapter concludes with a call to action to click a link for more information.
05:00 - 06:30: Journey to Joining The Chosen The chapter discusses the importance of studying with Stesia for success in public tenders in Brazil. It highlights Stesia's comprehensive study platform that includes professors who have successfully passed public tenders themselves. The platform allows users to create their own study schedules, offering an entirely online education experience. The chapter encourages readers to download an ebook for recommendations on the best upcoming public tenders.
06:30 - 07:30: Impact of The Chosen's Success The chapter begins with a warm welcome, expressing gratitude to the cast for being present. There is excitement about opening gifts during the show.
07:30 - 08:00: Character Development and Relatability The chapter titled 'Character Development and Relatability' begins with a musical introduction followed by a greeting from the host, J V. J V welcomes the audience to the show called 'Intelligencia Limitada,' humorously indicating that the 'limited intelligence' is only attributed to the host. He explains the purpose of the series, where he invites guests who are more intelligent and have experienced various 'miracles' in their lives, setting the stage for discussions on personal growth and development.
08:00 - 09:30: Deep Dive into Jesus' Character The chapter titled 'Deep Dive into Jesus' Character' humorously explores the concept of personal miracles through a light-hearted conversation about relationships. The narrator shares a comical anecdote about getting a girlfriend, comparing it metaphorically to a miracle, which invites a humorous query about what Jesus might think or bless in such personal matters. The conversation takes a playful turn with a story about Jesus having been in a relationship for three months. He communicates his intentions creatively by sending a PDF containing choices of rings each bearing a significant meaning.
09:30 - 10:40: Spiritual Changes and Personal Growth This chapter discusses spiritual changes and personal growth through the lens of love and relationships. It opens with a listener's question about being in love and seeking advice. The chapter promises to address this topic along with other questions from listeners, emphasizing a two-way conversation format.
10:40 - 12:00: Future of The Chosen Series The chapter discusses the future prospects of 'The Chosen' series. The speakers are enthusiastic about its potential reach and its special significance for various international audiences including those who speak French, Italian, and Japanese. There's a light-hearted moment where they joke about the multilingual capabilities of someone, suggesting he must be 'high' due to his language proficiency. They encourage viewers to subscribe to their channel and like the video, underlining the importance of this episode.
12:00 - 13:30: Character Interactions and Humanity This chapter is centered around a welcoming event, where the hosts express gratitude for the presence of attendees at their table. This is marked as their second special with the production company, and they also welcome the cast members from 'The Sound of Freedom' and 'The Chosen.' The narrator shares their unexpected excitement upon learning about the visit from 'The Chosen' cast to Brazil, expresses personal appreciation for their show, and encourages others to watch it. The chapter concludes with an invitation for Jonathan, portraying Jesus, to introduce himself to the camera.
13:30 - 15:00: Filming Conditions and Set Experience The chapter titled 'Filming Conditions and Set Experience' features a transcript from actors Jonathan Roumie and L. Silva, who portray Jesus and Eden, respectively, in the show 'The Chosen'. The chapter appears to involve introductions from the actors, possibly as part of a feature on their experiences on set and under filming conditions. No further details are provided about their specific experiences in this excerpt.
15:00 - 16:30: Dealing with Fame and Fan Expectations In this chapter, the focus is on the impact of fame and the expectations that fans have from public figures. The conversation starts with introductions, where Paris Patel and Matthew, labeled as 'The Chosen,' are in front of a camera, indicating some kind of broadcast or recording situation. The mood is light and informal as they discuss the topic of gifts, revealing that the dynamics of fame extend into personal interactions where even gifts could potentially be connected to fan expectations or public personas.
16:30 - 18:00: Brazilian Fan Love and Cultural Impact The chapter highlights the cultural impact of certain items like a pencil used for marking scripts and flip-flops. The speaker reminisces about childhood memories associated with these objects, particularly recalling their mother's antics with flip-flops, which symbolizes a playful yet impactful aspect of their upbringing. The mention of Brazilian fan love suggests a connection between these cultural elements and the larger influence and affection from Brazilian fans.
18:00 - 19:30: Personal Struggles and Overcoming Challenges The chapter titled 'Personal Struggles and Overcoming Challenges' begins with a humorous anecdote illustrating someone's impressive ability to throw a flip-flop with precision. This serves as an engaging introduction and a metaphor perhaps for how challenges can 'curve' into one's life in unexpected ways. The narrative then transitions into a discussion about participation in a show, hinting at the personal journeys and experiences that led each individual to this point. The chapter explores themes of personal growth, the stages people go through in life, and the different paths they take to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.
19:30 - 20:30: Final Reflections and Legacy The chapter provides a reflection on a long-standing professional relationship with a director, initiated a decade ago. The narrator shares their experience of being cast as Jesus in a short film made by Dallas Jenkins, known for creating 'The Chosen.' This film was produced for a Good Friday service and was titled 'Two Thieves.' This role marked the beginning of their collaboration, leading to the narrator participating in two more short films over the next three years. This period is suggested to have served as a testing ground or blueprint for the future initiatives involving the narrator and the director.
20:30 - 22:30: Simultaneous Translation and Behind-the-Scenes The chapter titled 'Simultaneous Translation and Behind-the-Scenes' explores the relatable portrayal of Jesus and the disciples in various short films that preceded a larger series. It highlights unconventional and humanizing scenes, such as Jesus making jokes and disciples arm wrestling, which were not typically depicted. These scenes later became integral to a series that began filming in 2018 when Dallas received the opportunity to produce it.
22:30 - 23:30: Conclusion and Future Plans The chapter discusses the initial uncertainty and challenges faced by the creators of the series, specifically highlighting their reliance on crowdfunding to produce the first four episodes. Despite doubts about the project's potential success, the narrator expresses enthusiasm and willingness to participate, symbolized by their acceptance of the role of Jesus in the series despite uncertain future prospects. This reflects a broader theme of taking risks and committing to creative ventures even when outcomes are not guaranteed.

[EN] THE CHOSEN: JONATHAN ROUMIE, PARAS PATEL AND LARA SILVA - Inteligência Ltda. Podcast #1135 Transcription

00:00 - 00:30 V what an amazing thing you're going to record today with the cast from The Chosen it's a show that has been impacting the entire world such a privilege and such an honor I really want it to be there even if it was just for watching it I really wish that is a great blessing for you all and that everyone who watches it can be amazed by what God is doing hello everybody from the ch
00:30 - 01:00 producers actors directors welcome to Brazil it's a privilege for me to be recording this message my name is Rodrigo Silva I am a theologian and an archaeologist and I work with the Middle East archaeology and with the New Testament and watching The Chosen is a pleasure for me you are conveying the gospel in such an interesting format that can really reach the new generations I hope God bless you all I really want it to meet you in person so
01:00 - 01:30 I could give you a hug but unfortunately it wasn't possible so please receive my blessings and I wish you all success in everything that you do hello everybody this is Professor Lis sa Theologian and it's such a great thing to see the reality and the history and the archaeology and all the studies that
01:30 - 02:00 have been done about the Bible so that we can really understand that context and that old context about the Bible and how everything happened and what the chosen is doing is something that is really close and it's really proper and it's really in sync to what was researched over the last few years and if we want to be connected to God's word without the proper knowledge it's not
02:00 - 02:30 going to be good so I thank you all and in Greek it means thank you all and I wish you all can watch this very special episode congratulations Vela I know that everyone can learn a lot from The Chosen wait wait wait wait hang on you know that I'm but the show is not start stting yet the cast is arriving
02:30 - 03:00 they are putting on makeup they are taking off their clothes that they use on on the show and they're going to be he in Bland clothes with no crown with no robe what's the name of that is is that a robe it's a robe right yeah yeah it's a robe it's a robe so they're going to be heing blank clothes like if they were part of our or of our year and talking about 2024 I want to talk about our sponsors
03:00 - 03:30 that have been sponsoring us for a while and they can make this possible this is an English version interational this is going to be broadcast all over the world right allward yeah that's that's how you say it all over the word is the word or word what are we talking about here oh whatever yeah all over the word that's it so in 2024 we have an amazing year and we're talking about opport unties to really
03:30 - 04:00 take a public tender in only three months only three months right three months yes that's it what how is it in French three okay what's going on we have a lot of public tender options you have the unified tender you have the Federal Bank of Brazil and others so we have a lot of new opportunities coming over the year so stay connected because this public tenders really ensure you
04:00 - 04:30 the tender of 10 20,000 hi per month and a lot of other advantages so strategia concourses our sponsor prepared a free ebook for you that want to change your life in 2024 so click on the link here below and strategia concursus is our partner and is the our great partner and the main leader of this type of course right
04:30 - 05:00 exactly and it's really hard to find someone that has been approved in a public tender that did not study with stesia they have a complete study platform with professors that have been approved in the public Tenders in Brazil and you can put together your own your own study routine because this is 100% online so download your ebook and see what are the best public Ts for the following months right to you can click
05:00 - 05:30 on the link and you have the QR code yes that's it okay so we have gifts for our cast some gifts I love gifts should we open them yes of course first of all I really want to thank you all for being here I'm really touched and while you open the gifts let's start the show
05:30 - 06:00 [Music] hello earthlings how are you today I am J V and we are starting another intelligencia limitada here The Limited intelligence is just part of the host just because of the host because I bring here people that are more intelligent and with a lot of Miracles in their life
06:00 - 06:30 right toi yes what was the greater miracle in your life toi I got a girlfriend yeah yeah it makes sense and you a steady right yes yes we are are you maybe Jesus have something to say I hope that he just give me his Blessing okay just to explain you Jesus he has been dating for three months and he sent a PDF with nine Rings not at all five okay five rings for her to choose and explaining the meaning of each ring I am
06:30 - 07:00 a man in love three months in do you have any advices God bless amen amen okay and we're going to have a really special episode today we're going to have the chat we're going to have your questions but maybe we can read one question or more because it depends on the time so please send your questions
07:00 - 07:30 right toi exactly okay so please subscribe like our video and this is a really special episode right now in French it's very very special in Italian and in Japanese okay he he he can speak a lot of languages yeah no he he is high he must be high okay
07:30 - 08:00 so thank you all for being here for being our table this is our second special with your producing company and we also received the cast from The Sound of freedom and the chosen receiving you guys from The Chosen something I did not expect because I was really happy when I heard that you guys were coming to Brazil because I see your show and I tell everybody to watch your show and I want you all to introduce yourselves to the camera so Jesus Jonathan please introduce yourself to this
08:00 - 08:30 camera hi my name is Jonathan roomy and I play Jesus in The Chosen anything else no it's good okay this camera wow hello I am L Silva and I play Eden in the chosen
08:30 - 09:00 which camera that one on the top hi I'm Paris Patel I'm Matthew The Chosen now that we have all introduced ourselves did you bring me any useless gifts yes there may be a couple okay let's see did you bring anything it's in my backpack
09:00 - 09:30 okay ah you all wear it okay now we have a camera up here okay see it thank you I had a little extra one it's a pencil that I used to mark my scripts H this is amazing I'm GNA put it here and those flipflops of AAS I remember when I was a children because I remember when I was a child because my mom used to throw us this flipflop when
09:30 - 10:00 she was angry at us she said oh my God she had such an amazing aim the flipflop would make curves to reach me you know okay so now let's start talking about the show how was each one of you how were you invited to this show did you go through many stages or how was it who wants to go first I think I probably have the
10:00 - 10:30 longest history with our director about 10 years ago this year he asked me to play Jesus in a short film that uh Dallas Jenkins creator of the chosen made for a Good Friday service and it was called two thieves and that began our working relationship and over the next three years I did two more short films and that process for Dallas I think became uh the testing ground for or the blueprint of I would become the
10:30 - 11:00 chosen which is essentially showing Jesus and the disciples in a way that was very relatable we had uh in the first and second films short films we had scenes of Jesus making jokes we had never really seen that before and there we had the disciples arm wrestling each other so the scenes that eventually would become part of the series four or five years later so in 2018 when Dallas got the opportunity to shoot
11:00 - 11:30 four he had the first four episodes of the series through crowdfunding I got the call and he said hey we're going to make a series I'm not sure if it's going to go anywhere it's crowdfunding probably it won't go anywhere but uh at least it's a little bit of work and the Jesus stint is back on and I said sure absolutely and that's how I got to be a part of the chosen
11:30 - 12:00 that's got be wow and I may think that none of you imagine how successful he would be of course you always take a part expecting to be successful but not this big right yeah you hope for it but you never expected I've worked in this business for 20
12:00 - 12:30 years with different levels of success so we had four episodes maybe it could turn into seven seasons but I'll take for episodes it's it's what I have now we really said yes to Des script because it was beautifully written and it was the first thing that got to me when I had the opportunity to audition I was thinking oh no this might
12:30 - 13:00 not be good probably won't be the quality but reading it I was just started crying and I needed to find a way to be a part of it I got the opportunity a little bit differently I admit four years prior to the chosen was even a thought we became close friends and she was filming in Atlanta and I lived in Florida and she started working with casting she was with the Chosen and gave me a call it wasn't through an agency but I got this through a friend
13:00 - 13:30 she thought of me for Mary Magdalene and I read it for Dallas but he had something else of mine then I submitted the audition for Eden the rest was history
13:30 - 14:00 the rest is history Paris am I say it correctly Paris Paris Paris yes Paris yeah yeah my name is Paris Patel it's a it's a name from from where yeah yes Paris is no but is Paris ah he from India
14:00 - 14:30 I just needed to make my entrance so I just thought why not and I auditioned for it a joking uh the role was very interesting Lara actually led me to her friend and she got she got me the audition and what spoke to my heart was that Matthew was written as a new Divergent and I had just auditioned for a show prior to that and the characters happened to be closed like Matthew so I had my notes I studied those audition
14:30 - 15:00 this mutual friend told one of my acquaintances that I'd probably get the part so I got excited uh I didn't get the part and then a week later I did get the part so I wasn't the first choice for Matthew but it's it's just the way it worked out Dallas's wife the showrunner said the direction they wanted to take I'd be more suited so I got the part so I was really honored it's all winding roads
15:00 - 15:30 want ah yeah yeah we have a lot of roads that are they're winding and a lot of holes so this idea of putting Matthew in the O Spectrum came from them yeah it's just something that Dallas yeah this was something that Dallas really wanted to incorporate into the character
15:30 - 16:00 because it's something close to him his daughter is in the Spectrum as well and he has talked openly about it and he wanted to have someone like that in series like this so they can feel accepted and heard in I'm just a vessel I was the second man for the job that's amazing I have some answers for the question that I'm about to ask but what is the reason that you think that is
16:00 - 16:30 behind this amazing success of this show when others couldn't I'm going to say my opinion first I think that you they put many layers on each character because we used to watch movies or shows that were really shallow and other than that and maybe because of that the characters are really Humane right and especially the the Jesus figure it it really brought
16:30 - 17:00 together and really brought the humanity closer to Jesus I am a comedian so I would always think that I think that I I Think Jesus was kind of a standup comedian the ways the way that he would say things and how he would approach people it would be easier if he was kind of like that do you agree with that or do you want to add something um no stand up comedian Jesus to me it's a little too
17:00 - 17:30 much can you imagine he arriving at stage and say I was thinking about this and that I can see Jesus trying some knock knock jokes stop me if you know this one like that jokes right I you know I think he definitely um you know I think he definitely knew his audience for sure references the
17:30 - 18:00 stories he told incorporating all the elements of the lives that he and all the people in the community lived um he used building farming references stuff that the people knew if he were going uh if you were going to talk about the birds in the sky it was because they were right there he knew how to reference things that people knew well the culture they knew so well so he had to be a man of the people to
18:00 - 18:30 have an impact the way he did by speaking the same language I'm sure he used humor when needed because it's part of Human Experience when you have humor and be able to laugh to have a spectrum of emotions that people feel and this is Being Human and Jesus was human but he grew up knowing he was God according to the beliefs and and people were able to relate to him because he was
18:30 - 19:00 human and he hadn't we hadn't seen that in media I think mainly because there's not enough time to tell tell the story of the Gospel the power and the message of Jesus and to show to this side of Jesus
19:00 - 19:30 now we have the luxury of Having Eight Episodes per season in season in Seven Seasons we have the ability and the time to know all these characters through interpersonal reactions and relationships and and see their Humanity in a way we had never seen before and make them close to us in the 21st century that's perfect yeah a lot of times
19:30 - 20:00 a lot of times the scenes between Simon Peter and Eden before we filmed Dallas would come up to me and said Amanda and I we've written it because I thought about this so he writes things that are close to him from experience and that's what makes it real so a lot of things we see have happened
20:00 - 20:30 to someone we know it's like a slice of Life of people we know do you want to add anything forgot I forgot the question what makes this show such an amazing and to be being such different so different from everything that already right was portrayed I think that Jonathan said it besta as well the show makes us so relatable and the characters feel human I like to think that it's like a video
20:30 - 21:00 game with different characters Matthew speaks to a community people that identify with feelings of loneliness feeling invisible and we have characters like Simon Peter who has a temper as a characteristic so you feel you can relate to them that when you can see yourself on a show that you feel more interested you want to watch it you want to follow the journey you can see yourself in it that's perfect I want to ask Jesus I don't know if he
21:00 - 21:30 knows or he ever thought about it back in the day people would pray and when they were praying they would picture Jesus in their mind with blue eyes long hair and probably from now one when people pray they're going to think about you how do you deal with that how do you do deal like with people laying on their bed wishing for everything they want they're going to think they're going to be thinking about you
21:30 - 22:00 we were recently in we were recently in Mexico for the Mexican Premiere and uh we spent some time a couple of days there afterwards so I went into a church and they had this uh painting this it was like a combination a combination of eras uh priest holding Jesus like he had a a bandage bandage on his head and he
22:00 - 22:30 had wounds and the priest was taking care of him I look at the painting and his face was of Robert pow the actor that portray very series uh Jes Jesus of Nazareth in
22:30 - 23:00 1977 and I immediately thought I really hope I don't see my own face it'd be just so weird I can't I can't allow myself to think about that I know it happens people have told me when I hear uh read the scriptures I think about you well it's uh human nature I think we desperately want to have a human face for Jesus as a person as a concept as a
23:00 - 23:30 friend a spiritual celor people need to have an image of what they're thinking about when they are reading about them that means whatever the pertaining symbol symbols of that person at that time it automatically becomes an image for you in the 70s and 80s it was Robert Powell in the early 2000s it was James
23:30 - 24:00 ciso and as of now I'm becoming that and I think that's not going to be just to for me but to everyone else in the show when people read about Peter's mother-in-law they'll be thinking of uh Eden as his wife when they think about the Apostle Matthew you would be Paris inevitable because the show has been so power powerful and so impactful um which
24:00 - 24:30 is which is a good thing and I don't think it has to be a scary thing I think some people can feel like it's we got some coffees coming oh um I think some people can turn it into wine oh after when the cameras are off when the cameras are off um so cheers cheers you want cheers cheers you please coffee yes um so yeah I think I
24:30 - 25:00 think it's it's not something that I think we need to be concerned about cuz people ask me are you worried that people are only going to see you and I say you know no it's it sure if anybody remembers me for anything as an actor I'm like that's great that's great to be remembered at all for the work that we're doing um and I I have no I have no um uh you know I can't think of the word but um I
25:00 - 25:30 have I have no issue with the idea that this will be the character I'm I'm honored and humbled I and I I hope to continue working long after we finish the chosen but if this this is the thing and I I saw it recently an interview with Christian Bale uh going through all his roles and he's had some iconic roles and he readily admitted he's like I I know Batman will be the thing that people remember me for and I'm grateful because it allowed me to bu my first house it allowed me to you know put my
25:30 - 26:00 kids through school or whatever it is so um at the end of the day I think all of us are just so grateful that we have this this job as an actor it's so rare to have something that is mapped out for several seasons it's it's it's such a rare thing that we're getting to do for sure yeah absolutely especially L and Paris did you go through any spiritual or internal change after you joined the
26:00 - 26:30 show do you think that a supernatural thing happened because even though this is a joke right between among actors you have a big responsibility behind it and I can only imagine that the things that happen in real life is like oh Jesus talked about it or this is what Jesus would do do you think about that or not like at the if the scene is over that's it it's over right so I mean growing up I I
26:30 - 27:00 didn't always have like a a strong faith um were you Catholic growing up my mom was but she never really pulled us towards that direction and then she ended up leaving uh the church so for me I didn't find my own path my own what I now feel and call is my Rel relationship with Jesus that
27:00 - 27:30 is as my friend yeah I see as like that's my guidance my my spiritual guidance and and everything that I do and it was around the same time that when I found acting my passion and my purpose was the same time I found God and I don't believe that I would have pursued it without feel feeling and knowing in my soul like wow I'm on fire for this and I know that I need I need his help and so to bring me full circle on a on the chosen it it's just been
27:30 - 28:00 lifechanging for myself as just I feel like for as well as people you know the the fans that we meet um so I'm just I'm grateful Paris did you feel that it changed your life on a personal level yeah it's it's funny I started having dreams as Matthew um when I first got the part and like this is how you should do the part yeah it was cool that's awesome mhm I never heard that story wow it's a unique story that' be
28:00 - 28:30 cool like how detailed a no just you know sharing some wisdom it's personal to me so you know I'll stay what Matthew said to me in my dreams but interesting something rep personal wow yeah yeah yeah just keep it put in the character that's sweet Jonathan uh were you Christian before were you connected to any religion yeah I was um I was baptized in the
28:30 - 29:00 Orthodox Church as a as a baby uh and then uh I grew up in New York and started in New York City and then when we left New York City we moved to the suburbs and in the suburbs there weren't a lot of options for Orthodox Churches but my father uh went to Catholic school as a kid in Egypt and my mother is Catholic so when we moved to the suburbs my dad literally just said this is church down the street it's Catholic
29:00 - 29:30 Church down the street let's let's just go there uh he's familiar with it like I know it it it's so similar we'll just go there and so we started going there and I I made my first communion and I made my confirmation and I I just kind of stayed Catholic and I thought you know in my early 20s I thought about revisiting my Orthodox Roots but you know I never felt pulled back all completely so I just kind of felt like okay this this kind of works and um and
29:30 - 30:00 then but it wasn't until much later in life just just before the chosen actually three months before the chosen I had a um a deeper conversion and uh I my faith was activated at a moment of of disparity and and lack and um you know um you know Financial destitution basically and uh and I experienced this sort of mystical Financial miracle that happened
30:00 - 30:30 and just really opened my eyes to to what God was trying to do and how he was trying to connect to me and and ultimately use me uh and the gifts that I he'd given me for um the world and for for his glory ultimately and then three months later Dallas Jenkins called me with the chosen the offer for the chosen so um I don't see it as any coincidence uh I just felt like there was a moment where I needed to be open and ready and
30:30 - 31:00 uh and I really wasn't up until that point I was trying to control my career and my life in a way that was just not healthy and once I let go of it I just said whatever happens if if I meant to leave the business I'll do something else I'll find something else I'm good with it I just I'm giving it to you and I did and he changed everything and uh yeah and then 3 4 months later on set for season one so it's pretty pretty
31:00 - 31:30 extraordinary do you know how many seasons The Chosen we will have and Jonathan is there any way of preparing yourself for the end of the show because this show is like Titanic we all know how it's going to end right and I think that the passion of Christ is going to be prepared over time but when it happens it's going to be heavy for each and every one of right it's going to be a great challenge are you ready to do
31:30 - 32:00 that and how many seasons is going to have yeah so we're planning we're planning to do Seven Seasons yeah and there may be things that go on after the chosen but the chosen as a series will end after seven seasons um season five will focus on Holy Week season six will focus on the crucifixion season 7 will'll focus on the resurrection and the Ascension and maybe Beyond we're not quite sure we
32:00 - 32:30 don't get scripts or ideas or the stories in advance um which is also helpful because I think that it also Keeps Us focused on just what's in front of us just on the present um me personally I can't I can't really think too much about the crucifixion before considering Holy Week you know because that's our next season so we just got scripts for season 5 and so I've been reading through those and and and there are of course references to the
32:30 - 33:00 crucifixion and there's we're we're we're preparing to go there but for me um mentally I I I can't allow myself to really go there yet because then it takes me away from the present moment and and the most important thing for me you know as an actor is to just make sure that I'm I'm present in whatever scene I'm doing with these guys and and right there and focusing on that and and uh making sure that uh that I'm grounded in in in reality of what's happening
33:00 - 33:30 right now right cuz our our characters don't necessarily know what's exactly to come it's not like he has told us hey guys I'm going to get crucified you know that's we don't know so for us in character we have to stay in the in the moment but me L outside I'm like no let's kill all the yeah right we're going to change the
33:30 - 34:00 story and yeah spoiler alert to come for the chosen no yeah you want to add anything no and what about dividing Jesus and his disciples and everything around him and how do you do you separate the spiritual and the human part of each and every one of them
34:00 - 34:30 because people make mistakes and Jesus have this tender way of deting with things so keeping this balance between the human and the spiritual thing having a a Jesus that is so close to you because they show you that you you can make mistakes but you can be better as well I'm sorry what what was the question how is the impact on you as actors to live with this duality of wanting to improve yourselves
34:30 - 35:00 but you don't have a Bible you don't have any type of lessons that can really create a foundation you work on fragments because there are many informations that you don't know right your characters don't know so how is it to work with the things that you hear from Jesus and happens around you it's like you have a lot of information as actors that you cannot really convey for your characters
35:00 - 35:30 right yeah I I I I feel like it's almost the actor's job to kind of fill in the the blinks to get to those scriptural moments and that's what this the show does really well is that we have this backstory these these rich Back stories that explain different Dynamics and different um relationships and how they evolve especially when it comes to Matthew and Jesus and you know those one-on-one moments so it makes it it makes those historical moments more plausible um and it adds it makes it richer for even just for Eden we don't
35:30 - 36:00 know anything about her in the Bible she didn't even have a name we just know that Simon was married because Jesus heals his mother-in-law and that's all we really know so I think it's so incredible that Dallas and the writers have given her a voice and and a story that so many women can relate to so many people relate to because she's not perfect either yes she's a strong woman of Faith but you see in the show she has
36:00 - 36:30 her doubts she suffers from loss and there's grief and there's confusion and you feel just broken but she finds that spiritual healing and that hope and then she is that rock for Simon that just the stories are so beautifully told and man I'm just here we are I don't know it's true and what was the most impacting scene for you I think that you all have individual scenes right what can you say
36:30 - 37:00 about that I have many so I'll let them go for yeah I mean a scene we had together it was I mean my first time like just on a really real set you know with real awesome people and I just connected with you so well um I think we just have to look at you in the eyes and we start crying really but yeah I mean you know yeah we just C but
37:00 - 37:30 he has a great emotional burden behind it right yeah yeah I was just nervous you know I'm I'm there I'm I'm having to do this scene with all these amazing incredible talented professional actors and I'm like who am I to be here but question you're right there with us and and it was just a moment where Jesus tells Eden hey I want you to know I see you and it wasn't just me and the character it was really realizing like
37:30 - 38:00 oh he really does like you really don't have to feel a burden or a loan or that you're doing all of this for no reason because he sees you yeah yeah I I think uh one of the things that I look forward to with these guys is just having opportunities and moments in the scenes to to really just affect and affected by them um
38:00 - 38:30 there's yeah every season has a number of scenes that are just truly you know personally impacting to me and um I think getting to to be able to work with with these guys and and experience authenticity of those those emotional highs and lows in the scenes um are what make us love this job love this work work and and to tell these stories you
38:30 - 39:00 know using ourselves as these instruments of of emotional baggage and you know uh feelings and and and opinions and ideas and and uh frustrations and all of that just kind of goes into the work and as long as we're authentic and and with each other moment to moment I think that's what really brings the story to life but is there a specific scene that you would like to share with us about the process
39:00 - 39:30 the backstage of it that really marked you as an actor you know this is an easy answer but it's one that I think for me uh always sticks with me as one of my one of my favorite scenes um which is Jesus's entrance in the series and we see Mary Magdalene in a bar and she's drinking herself and she's just in a
39:30 - 40:00 really really dark low place and Jesus is there and he comes in she was called Lilith right yeah and as when she's Lilith and he puts his hand on her hand and he says that's not for you and it still kind of gets me every time I see it it's like you know um and then she leaves and he chases her out and follows her in call her to him and every time I
40:00 - 40:30 see that it's like I'm watching two other people you know do a scene that really just moves me it's it's it's very very strange there's not very many moments I don't know how you guys feel but there's not very very many moments where I can see myself and somebody else in a scene that I did a scene with and be affected in a way as if it's not me it's like it's it's it's it's really really unique to this show um it moves me in a way which I think why it's it's there's an anointing to it because it
40:30 - 41:00 moves me in a way I think on a on a spiritual on a truthfully spiritual level that transcends just a regular TV show or a regular film um and and it's just beautiful to watch and to be surprised by could you choose could you choose one mic drop I'm always the last one yeah no uh you know it's it's good to think about cuz I have so many favorites but I just realize and listening to them speak
41:00 - 41:30 that it's it's always the scenes that I know that the audience will learn from and grow from with Matthew he uh you know Dallas has mentioned that he serves as the audience surrogate in a way where he is the audience in in that particular moment where he asked those questions is struggling with uh finding answers and trying to better himself so for me what excit if it was us inside the show right see see yeah so it's it's those moments that I get excited about because I know the audience will be able to relate and
41:30 - 42:00 connect to it so in season 3 there's a particular moment between Matthew and Mary um not letting their past uh kind of Define them and not feeling the guilt of their and shame of their past and they have a very great scene and moment where they connect together and then from that conversation Matthew's Faith grows deeper and he becomes uh he sheds a layer and evolves into a a stronger person as he continues to do throughout the season so that's a favorite scene of mine uh a bunch of other ones calling a Matthew a Sermon on the Mount Beatitudes
42:00 - 42:30 so those are all my favorite scenes and how is your root scene while you are filming uh it's a real location right so it's different from a Clos Studio where do you film it do you feel like inside the story because you can really be there you can see the Sun how is it for you and where do you film it oh it's yeah the sets are go you go
42:30 - 43:00 first L comes before P so you go um I mean just looking at the the differences between the first season to where we are now oh it's an actor's gift and dream to be able to walk in and H I mean to have the studio world right yeah like to be able to see the dirt you know and and be able to feel and touch just the beautiful pieces that are um the you
43:00 - 43:30 know even our costumes down to the cups um it just it puts you right into the world so I mean I feel like half almost half the work is done for us but yeah because as actors we're really able to just use it um but the first season we didn't necessarily have as I feel like as as much that makes sense mhm yeah yeah our our sets have expanded we've gone of the
43:30 - 44:00 budget right as well oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah um so we had a very small set that we reused for the first season and part of the second season and then in the second season we went to another location in Utah we're in two different states and we're filming a lot of stuff on location in the in the um in the uh in the outdoors in the elements uh Outdoors on Hills sides of mountains things like that uh and then we have physical set that is that is built in
44:00 - 44:30 the outdoors as well as well as a a Sound Studio where the sets are built in under a covered set so that way we don't have to be limited by weather so it rains a lot in Texas and Utah there's a lot of Storms and and things that come through so we have covered sets sound stages they call them uh where we build the sets inside mostly for the Interiors of different sets and then we have the exteriors in in another location that
44:30 - 45:00 you you walk out of the set you you have the the air the sun if it rains it's raining you know um so uh which can make for you know challenging filming when it's when it's raining or it's windy or there's airplanes flying overhead constantly which there are in Texas especially um so uh yeah all of it though as as La L is saying just helps to contribute to a sense of authenticity you ever had to erase a
45:00 - 45:30 plane in the post- production part or did it something happen just like on Game of Thrones where you had that Starbucks they left the plane on b or we actually did have that the plane behind it we did like a coffee cup made it there I think there might have been a coffee cup or water bottle something yeah had not a smartphone right answering his phone yeah or somebody wearing their sunglasses right sunglasses sunglasses
45:30 - 46:00 yeah cuz we always like forget like okay we I like i' I've almost been with my sunglasses really yeah and how long does it take for you to film it like the the the filming scenes and then the post production how long do we record so filming lasts anywhere from you know 3 to 5 months and then after we're finished filming and in between in that time there's there are
46:00 - 46:30 some breaks and then after that time they go into post production and then sometimes we come back and have to re-record lines in a studio you know using microphones like this um and then you usually it's it's about a year before the season comes out after we from when we start to when the season is released it's about a year okay okay so we have questions from the audience Dy okay cord asked she says I'm asking
46:30 - 47:00 Jesus okay so Jonathan yes how does he deal with people that mix the character with Jesus and if you feel like an instrument of God and do you feel the need of saying something important I don't have any obligation to any of that uh I I think I feel underqualified um to do that I
47:00 - 47:30 think occasionally if I'm talking to something and something hits me and I I I'll occasionally have uh the the instinct to say something to somebody and I don't quite know why but um from time to time it'll happen where they they might be wrestling or struggling with something and something I said actually was really meaningful to them but I I don't I don't have any knowledge of what they're dealing with so um so
47:30 - 48:00 that has happened but I I don't feel like I I have to go around and and be you know a preacher or a pastor that's that's not my job that's not who I am I see my my work as an actor as a form of ministry but that's when I'm playing this particular role especially um on the street it's it's weird to for people to call me Jesus um but I understand understand why you know it makes sense to me but uh it's very it's still
48:00 - 48:30 surreal and I don't think I'll ever be comfortable with it and I can only imagine that you are also invited by many churches to give lectures to talk about your work right and how is it for you you talked from your personal experience or what do they expect from you about the character maybe um I mean I don't think they're expecting me to come and do Miracles or anything I think a lot of stand up and walk my friend's sick um like I don't
48:30 - 49:00 just I'll pray for them and I'll call a doctor yeah yeah I mean that's what I can do I I can offer to pray for people I I had um I met a fan once at a at a an event at a stadium that I was invited to speak at when I was promoting a movie I did called Jesus Revolution and uh when I was on my way out of leaving the uh the
49:00 - 49:30 stadium um there was a there was a fan that that uh came up to me and and they had a a son a child that was in a wheelchair and they they they continueed to tell me how their favorite scene uh in the show so far was the scene where the paralytic is lowered in through the roof and Jesus heals the paralytic and and this this person said to me and we just thought wouldn't it be
49:30 - 50:00 great if if Jesus could heal my son wow and I'm they're looking at me and I'm like like do you mean I'm like oh I I I don't have that gift um but I'm happy to pray with with you and pray for your for your child would that be okay and they said yeah yeah yeah so I I prayed with them and then I walked away and I just I burst into tears cuz I thought on some
50:00 - 50:30 level they're they they must be just deflated they must have been in the back of their mind they must have been hoping like somehow what I do on the TV show could maybe translate to a healing for their their child and you know I I felt that responsibility and I recognized afterwards that it's not my respons of course I'm not expected to do that I
50:30 - 51:00 can't possibly be expected to do that um because I haven't been that's not the gift that I've been given so what I can do is just be present to people and and pray with them and and take pictures with them and give them a hug and and um and hopefully they can get some kind of something from that some sort of nourishment or I don't know spiritual healing from that I can only encourage whether I meet a fan or or you know someone online
51:00 - 51:30 um all I can do is encourage with my own life experiences and my own personal faith and my walk and um but that's really it you know and when when I do get asked to to speak I have done it a few times and have shared my testimony but after a few times I mean I'm so anxious speaking in large crowds I literally told God to please stop giving me opportunities to do that because I'm done I was so just like
51:30 - 52:00 physically would be ill um so then he did he was like okay all right no more than for you I'll figure something else out for you for now for now do you Patel uh most uh most of my fans just uh want to hug me and say k k ah really you are the cutest right how cute fful fful means cute fful cute
52:00 - 52:30 yes I don't know if you know but I have to tell you something Jesus we have actually a Brazilian Jesus I I I know that she knows it no he's in Brazilia not in R Ino don't you know Crystal he calls himself Christ he has
52:30 - 53:00 uh oh wow wow a crown of thorns and he says that he is the Christ he is the new Christ and he goes all around Brazil saying that he is Christ and he stays in Brazilia but he rides a scooter he plays poo and he has this Crown that's not made of thorns but it's like a rope it's not going to hurt him so we have our Christ here in Brazil wow that's great there he is there he is
53:00 - 53:30 he's a cool Jesus exactly just like Jonathan is a cool Jesus yeah you both are just the cool has he done any Miracles yes yes he was on every channel in Brazil every TV channel and he really created high ratings so this is a miracle for TV and he has his crew like the inets are those Apostles yes all women yeah yeah there's one guy but I I think that's not part of the crew yeah wow any other question
53:30 - 54:00 interesting God bless okay we have a question here to Matthew how does he feel the warmth of Brazilian fans because he is the favorite one in the show yeah here in Brazil right yes yes people in Brazil love Matthew so how is it for you to feel this love from Brazilians not only Brazilians but from
54:00 - 54:30 all the fans I I'm just really honored to be here but I really feel that all the Brazilians love everybody on the chosen I I don't think of myself as being the favorite of them all you are you are you are the Brazilian and but um uh just an experience and to be here with Jonathan a lot of my my my close some of my close friends it's just been a great experience to to enjoy it and the heart and energy and love of the bra
54:30 - 55:00 Brazilians uh fuel me and keep me excited so I've been happy to be here another question toi now for L how is it for you to really play a such an important character even though Eden is not on the Bible and does the Brazilian extras really talk to you on the set M um to to portray Eden at first I I
55:00 - 55:30 just was so nervous because I I thought what woman would marry Simon no I'm just kidding just kidding um uh but no but what you know what characteristics would she have to sort of because we know a lot about who he is um and then I just sort of as an actor I really relied on who I am and my experiences and what I how I would
55:30 - 56:00 normally react to whatever was on the page and so that's been the greatest gift is is making her come to life using me and so a lot of who Eden is is myself um you know down to like her little wits and her sass you know um and so that's it's been such an honor and then um what was the second part of if the Brazilian extras really talk to you the Brazilian extras right ah how can
56:00 - 56:30 I have an opportunity like that oh um we don't have wow that's that is um humbling because I yeah I I when I moved to the United States I you know my mom had the uh American dream and she wanted to make sure that I was able to pursue and and follow um my dreams as well but I didn't know where that would
56:30 - 57:00 take me and um I just I hope that I can encourage um young women and just people to really follow their heart whatever whatever wherever it takes them um just know that they can put their mind to it and just work hard um and if that's where they see themselves and that's a dream that they have they can do it too I hope that answers it you did I really wanted to thank you all for being here I know that you don't have a lot of time and at the end of our show I
57:00 - 57:30 always ask some questions to my invitees and I you can answer that what was the most difficult moment you've been through in your career the toughest the toughest moment and I mean was truly who I was before I found my love and passion and purpose for acting when I really started pursuing it was later in my life um so
57:30 - 58:00 because I really was lost I didn't know what I wanted to do I was in college studying um it's really anguishing right mhm yeah it was I just didn't know uh what I wanted to do but then I quit college which ultimately made me feel worse like a quitter and a loser so I um I just was lost and depressed and it wasn't until I truly surrendered and just asked God like what what is it that
58:00 - 58:30 I'm supposed to do um cuz I don't know so before finding acting and God and my purpose and all of that that was the worst part of my life I feel like is not when I didn't know uh you know in portraying Matthew I do bring a lot of myself to the character and the role and I still deal with not feeling accepted or valued or honestly seen um it's a struggle that I
58:30 - 59:00 go through a lot and I try to be happy all the time just stay positive but genuinely it's it's hard so yeah it's a work in progress you know but you just have to look forward and keep going I think for me uh it was the um the months leading up to to getting cast uh in in the show uh just just before I I kind of had that sort of deeper conversion moment and and uh you know I
59:00 - 59:30 was just struggling I was broke I was out of food and I just didn't know what God was doing and why I how I had arrived at the point that I did um and that's what led me to my my surrender moment so leading up to that point was really really difficult and um yeah I'm just grateful that uh he brought me out of it so thank you and the last question
59:30 - 60:00 I don't know if you know we are all going to die maybe Jesus won't because he will be back in three days but we are all going to die and this show is going to be online forever what will be your last words for people who are going to watch the show 200 years from now my final words would be at least I did this podcast I love this M will be I will haunt you I'll be back right I'll
60:00 - 60:30 be back yeah I'll be back BRB be right back uh I Tred to serve through my art beautiful thank you all for being here I really want to thank you watch the fourth season you're going to watch the trailer the preview and I hope thank you all hope you all have great blessings thank you I wish you all success more and more success thank you just watched the fourth season's
60:30 - 61:00 trailer I am anxious already I watched the preview yesterday these episodes are amazing and what they said here just make me want to watch it even more and we've recorded a lot of Backstage scenes right because they were with a limited time here it it they had like one hour right because they had to to go on a chopper to go to a different place right oh you're talking English with me now okay but we've recorded some backstage scenes so check it
61:00 - 61:30 out hey everybody my name is Gustavo ASI I Am The Interpreter I'm here at intelligen liit today with the company we love translation I'm going to translate the cast from the chosen to into Portuguese so that everyone can understand I'm here on my booth already I'm ready it's always a challenge and I hope it is what the Chosen and the fans deserve hello my name is K solto I am an interpreter I work for we love translation and today I'm going to be
61:30 - 62:00 translating Vela the host so that the cast can understand him it's always a complex Dynamic when we work with podcast because it's all life we have no room for mistakes so we really need to be focused so that everything can be perfect hello everybody I am leny I'm going to explain you how our translation Booth works we really put this together in a record time in less
62:00 - 62:30 than a week we've built this all and our great challenge was to really provide everything the translators need so we really put here uh we have this TV both boots are the same so we have this TV here where they can watch all cameras and also the the live stream they also have uh the mic where they're going to be translating into and they
62:30 - 63:00 have this mixer where they are going to receive the audio from Vela or from the guests so we really put this together fast and our greater challenge was to really do this on time and we did it and I hope you all enjoy this really special episode with the chosen cast The Chosen is amazing show I and thank you all so much hello everybody how I doing my name is I'm going to be the translator today
63:00 - 63:30 this is fa she's in charge of the production here the podcast so she's going to guide you okay okay great we'll follow you we're going to show you around and then we're going to show you the studios Okay [Music] Okay L did you see this [Music]
63:30 - 64:00 [Music] L here's a glass of water which TR me [Music] that nice to meet you v v Portuguese we don't that name in English
64:00 - 64:30 no okay I'm gonna attempt to draw myself too smiley face with a ponytail I'm going to do it you're going to watch more today at the show you can click on the link here the cast of The Chosen see you only Jesus can save you thank you thank you very much now you've seen how we put
64:30 - 65:00 everything together it was the first show we had with simultaneous translation and we have two boots now we have a lot of wires man it's it's just amazing it's amazing you've seen the translators that worked with us and this is only the beginning we're going to have a lot of international interviews I'm going to to America I'm going to New York LA and Orlando to interview a lot of Brazilians but also foreigners and I am really happy I am a Christian I am a huge fan of the show and man Jesus
65:00 - 65:30 was here dude Jesus was here such a privilege so sleep with that noise thank you so much only Jesus can save kiss a kissing your elbow and don't mess up see you