This week’s English edition of the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano: ING_2021_033_1308.pdf (osservatoreromano.va)
VATICAN INSIDER: A CONVERSATION WITH JESUS
My extraordinary guest this week in the interview segment is Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays Jesus Christ in “THE CHOSEN,” the multi-season TV series about the life of Christ that has broken records to become the highest crowd-funded media project of all time. Jonathan and the producers, writers and directors have been in Rome on a summer hiatus and media trip.
A Catholic of profound faith, Jonathan’s Egyptian–born father is Greek Orthodox and his Irish mother is Catholic. Though Greek Orthodox, his father went to Catholic school in Egypt. Jonathan often notes in interviews that, “both of my parents were very devout and when we moved from New York City to the suburbs finding an Orthodox community was difficult so my father was comfortable going to the Catholic Church since he was raised essentially with both faiths. I made my first communion and confirmation as a Catholic and attend a Catholic Church.”
He obviously talks about his faith and prayer, the pillars of his life, in the interview.
As to his portrayal of Jesus in “The Chosen,” one reviewer wrote: “Roumie has such a quiet but commanding presence…he speaks with such calm authority, and it carries throughout the series as he brings such humanity and sincerity to this role.” I might add that this is what you feel when you are in his presence and speak to him.
Aleteia wrote: “A breakout performance of Jonathan Roumie as Jesus. Roumie…brings an unparalleled warmth, gentleness, and humor to this daunting role, lighting up the screen.”
Some photos of the interview on Wednesday, feast of St. Clare, patroness of television, in EWTN studios an just outside our offices on Via della Conciliazione. I thought the olive tree was perfect for the moment! Others are from the gala dinner a week ago when The Chosen cast and crew arrived in Rome. There is also a photo with Neal Harmon, CEO of Angel Studios, myself, Jonathan and Dallas Jenkins, writer, producer and director (you’ll hear them next week)
Some fans came up to Jonathan as we exited the EWTN office building and he was beyond cordial – as if he had been waiting for them. I saw a video where minutes later, fans came up to him near St. Peter’s Square and it was the same experience.
I never took a closeup of Jonathan and asked US Catholic for permission to use one from an interview they did but they do not have the authority to grant it. They got permission from Jonathan and the photographer whose name is at the end of the article but here’s a link to that story: Act the part: Jonathan Roumie as Jesus | U.S. Catholic (uscatholic.org)
I can only end this post by saying if you have not heard of or seen The Chosen, put it on your agenda! This multi-season (7 are scheduled, two have been completed, 8 episodes a season) TV series about the life of Jesus will change your life and undoubtedly your faith by enriching it. You become an observer but also really a participant in each episode.
You will find yourself delighted, amused, enthralled and, most of all, riveted by character development, something that is impossible in a single movie extravaganza about Jesus. You will both laugh and cry, for example, at the character development of Peter and Matthew (among many)! You really feel as if you are in Jerusalem or Judea or Galilee, walking side by side, eating, sitting by the sea or in the huge multitudes that gather to hear Jesus – you are with Jesus, Mary, Mary Magdalene, the Apostles and so many.
If you are addicted to The Chosen, you are in VERY good company throughout the globe!
IN THE UNITED STATES, you can listen to Vatican Insider (VI) on a Catholic radio station near you (stations listed at www.ewtn.com) or on channel 130 Sirius-XM satellite radio, or on http://www.ewtn.com. OUTSIDE THE U.S., you can listen to EWTN radio on our website home page by clicking on the right side where you see “LISTEN TO EWTN.” VI airs at 5am and 9pm ET on Saturdays and 6am ET on Sundays. On the GB-IE feed (which is on SKY in the UK and Ireland), VI airs at 5:30am, 12 noon and 10pm CET on Sundays. Both of these feeds are also available on the EWTN app and on www.ewtnradio.net ALWAYS CHECK YOUR OWN TIME ZONE! For VI archives: go to https://www.ewtn.com/radio/audio-archive and write the name of the guest for whom you are serarching in the SEARCH box. Below that, will appear “Vatican Insider” – click on that and the link to that particular episode will appear.
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