Never Give Up on God - with Jonathan Roumie of "The Chosen"

Host Pat Reidy had the unique opportunity to sit down to an intimate conversation with Jonathan Roumie in front of a small, live JSerra audience while Jonathan was on campus in August of 2024. The audio of their interview is presented here in its entirety. With both laughter and poignancy, The Chosen actor explains his work and hobbies prior to acting, the crisis moment that led to his total surrender to Christ, and how God’s miraculous response to that prayer landed him his first lead role after a 20-year struggle in Hollywood. With humility, sincerity, and approachability, Jonathan discusses why his faith is the center of his life and how playing the role of Jesus has revolutionized not only his career, but his entire life.

Jonathan Roumie spent 20 years in Hollywood playing minor roles and doing voice overs when the creator of the hit Christian series, The Chosen, with whom Jonathan had previously work, called and asked Jonathan if he was, “ready to put the sandals back on.” That moment changed the struggling actor’s career. The Chosen is the first ever crowdfunded streaming series and has come to be known and loved by Catholics and Christians across the world. Many fans and critics call Jonathan’s version of Jesus “the best in any film or television depiction.” Jonathan grew up in a first-generation American family on the east coast and was raised Catholic. His depiction of Jesus demonstrates a personal intimacy with Christ that comes through in the humanity and accessibility he lends to the role. Jonathan talks about this aspect of learning how to play Jesus, from his prayer life to his being overwhelmed to be associated with the God whom he loves and serves. Besides The Chosen, the actor is also known for his role as evangelist Lonnie Frisbee in the 2023 film Jesus Revolution and in the soon-to-be-released Heart of a Servant. He is also a voice artist and a sought-after public speaker, particularly on the Catholic Conference circuit.