For Jonathan Rumi, “The Chosen One” felt like a blessing from God.
The star, who plays Jesus Christ in the historical drama based on the Bible’s New Testament, told TheWrap that the command from “The Chosen One” saved his life. About six years ago, the actor said he was at his lowest point and knew something had to change. That’s when he dedicated his life to his faith and the wheels started turning again.
“I was broke, I had no food, I was desperate and I had no other option. All I could do was turn my situation, my career, my life, my finances, everything over to God,” the actor told TheWrap. “Three months later, I asked for ‘The Chosen One.’ My life has never been the same since and I give all the credit to God’s influence in my life.”
Rumi has guest-starred on episodes of The Mindy Project, Paternity, and Law & Order and has worked steadily as a voice actor, but it wasn’t until The Chosen One that he said he could live on his own.
When he began working on The Chosen in 2017, Rumi was open about his faith. The 49-year-old is a devout Catholic and doesn’t hesitate to showcase his faith in professional settings. Rumi even released a four-part documentary, “Jonathan and Jesus,” in January, in which he equates fame with faith while portraying his “savior.”
Season 4 of “The Chosen” is currently airing weekly on The CW after premiering in its entirety on “The Chosen” earlier this summer.
When asked what it’s like to be open about his beliefs in the entertainment industry, Rumi said it only helped his career.
“My testimony didn’t diminish any of my faith. It just made everything better,” he said. “They can choose to hire me or not. But if you want me to work as an actor, I can do that, but if you don’t feel comfortable with my expression, that’s between them and their Creator.”
Rumi began filming the fifth season of “The Chosen” this summer. The season begins on Palm Sunday, when Jesus rides through Jerusalem on a donkey, and is expected to premiere in conjunction with Holy Week and Passover in 2025.
While starring in the role of Jesus, Rumi is no stranger to fan experiences where viewers of the show bare their souls and confess their faith. Several viewers reached out to share their life stories with Rumi when they met him on the show in person in season 4.
For many fans, Rumi is the most realistic representation of Christ they’ve encountered on screen and especially in real life, creating a parasocial relationship that Rumi has learned to navigate. She told TheWrap that the experiences have been rewarding for her so far and even allowed her to date Poppy. The actor added that it’s “unusual for the show to be a vehicle for this kind of grace” and that he won’t be taking the opportunity for himself.
Dallas Jenkins, creator and director of The Chosen, made Season 4 available to churches and prisons before it began airing to the public. The creator also held personal theater performances of the final season around the world.
“When we saw the stage versions of the show in London, Poland, Mexico and Brazil, fans were blown away. This is a show that deserves to be on the big screen. This is cinematography. This is beautiful. It’s so full of vivid imagery that it’s really meant to be seen on the big screen,” Rumi said.
The Chosen season now airs weekly on Sundays on The CW, but can also be streamed on Prime Video, Peacock, and for free on The Chosen. The “chosen” are funded Come see the Foundationwhich aims to produce seven episodes of the series, translate it into 600 languages, distribute it worldwide and keep it free for everyone on The Chosen.
