What’s in ‘The Chosen’ Season 5? Jonathan Roumie gives hints
MANILA, Philippines — Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in the world’s most successful crowdfunded series “The Chosen,” thanked his fans for “praying for the show’s existence” at last week’s “Holy Night” premiere in SM Megamall.
From originally only four episodes, “The Chosen” now has five seasons finished, Roumie announced.
“The Chosen” Season 5 that will finally drop in April 2025, and for this, Roumie teased: “Your heads are gonna pop off when you see what we did. It’s gonna be so intense and beautiful and a little bit of heartbreak as well. You can always expect a good cry when you sit down to watch a season of ‘The Chosen.’ So, Season 5 will be no less intense, no less joyful, no less heartbreaking than Season 4. Each season, we try to give more than what we gave from the previous season, the show gets a little bit bigger. God just seems to be bringing us through the series in a way that is profound and mysterious and I really hope you enjoy it this coming Easter.”
“The Chosen” is a ground-breaking drama series based on the life of Jesus, seen through the eyes of those who knew Him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, the seven-season series shares an authentic and intimate look at Jesus’ revolutionary life and teachings.
With over 253 million viewers, written, directed and produced by Dallas Jenkins, “The Chosen” is one of the most-watched series in the world. The series is consistently a top performer across streaming platforms, including Prime Video, Peacock, Netflix and Hulu, plus a top-rated network series on The CW. What started as a crowd-funded project has now garnered over 800 million episode views and more than 16 million social media followers. Watch all the series and more via the app and website - watch.thechosen.tv.
In an interview prior to the screening of “The Chosen” Christmas special “Holy Night,” Roumie was asked how he prepared for the intense scenes for Season 5.
“Well, it all comes down to what we're filming in that particular season. So what's going to be, what's going to be expected of me? So for season five, there was a lot of just putting my thoughts and my feelings and my understanding of certain seminal scenes just on the altar to God.”
He hinted that among the must-see episodes for the upcoming season would be his depiction of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and The Last Supper.
“Just to say, I don't know how or what exactly you went through in these moments, especially with like the Garden of Gethsemane. And you know, even The Last Supper, knowing that earthly phase of Jesus' life and his ministry with his apostles was essentially at an end.”
Related: ‘Jesus’ actor Jonathan Roumie visits Manila in time for Feast of Christ the King
Roumie tried to get into Jesus’ psyche leading to Christ’s crucifixion.
“And what he must have been feeling as a human being as a fully divine and fully human being. What must have been going through his mind as he's basically instituting the universe at this table and sitting next to him is Judas Iscariot. And then on the other side is beloved disciple John. And knowing that for instance, Judas was going to betray him, like, how do you handle that?” he said.
“So, in those moments. I just have to completely rely on prayer and God's grace and leadership spiritually and emotionally to be able to hopefully have some semblance of, an approximation of, of what is that to myself, then the rest, once it's in the can, as they say, once it's filled, and it's beyond me. And He then takes over and oversees all these other processes that happen to bring to life on the screen.”
When asked what he learned from “The Chosen” so far in these past five seasons, he explained, “I think what I've learned in five seasons of filming over the last six years is that there's always further to go in my relationship with Christ, to always get closer, to seek Him more intensely, to always be a greater witness to His life and His love.”
WATCH: Jonathan Roumie shares lessons learned from 'The Chosen'
Portraying Jesus has made Jonathan a better man even off-screen.
“In my own interaction that I'm given, I use every opportunity to hold my tongue. Once I get upset, because I knew that you follow me, everybody else, even though I play Jesus, I am deeply human. And so it's been a true lesson for me,” he said.
“How do they embarrass a human being after spending so much time with Him? Seeing, hearing His words and following what He's asked of us to turn the other cheek, to pray for the people that persecute us, the people that hate us, to pray for them. How often do we do that in our daily life?”
The best lesson “The Chosen” taught Jonathan is to make him try his best to be Christ-like in both reel- and real-life.
“When somebody upsets us and somebody says something that takes offense to you, we get defensive with our own securities. Our insecurities come out all of a sudden… that kind of keep me on track that I have to be really calm, and Jesus needs a home in my heart. What would Jesus do in this situation? What do You want me to do?”
Jonathan admitted that following Christ is easier said than done, but one must never give up.
“So, that's something that, especially over these last five seasons that I tried to implement as often as possible and I fail constantly. I have to just get back up, go see and stay right up for another day.”
Filipino singer Gary Valenciano, a self-professed “solid” “The Chosen” fan, could not wait to see Season 5’s additions to the series’ “life-changing” scenes.
“There were times where I had to pause and just stop and realize the goodness of God presented this way for the world. I think it’s great. I think it’s what the world needs,” he said of the show.
“Continue to be a people of faith, continue to be a culture of faith,” Roumie said as parting words for his “The Chosen” Filipino fans.
“You guys are leading the way for so many of the other nations in the world as to what it means to be a culture that puts God above everything else. And we thank you for that example. God bless you, Philippines!” — Videos by Deni Bernardo; video editing by Martin Ramos, Anjilica Andaya
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