Actors on ‘The Chosen’ explain the joys, challenges of portraying biblical characters on the big screen

(The Daily Signal) – The Bible provides readers with glimpses into the personalities of Jesus’ Twelve Apostles, but little is known about the details of their lives.

That can be both a challenge and creative opportunity for the actors and writers on the set of the hit series “The Chosen.” 

“We know he’s known as ‘Doubting Thomas,’” says Joey Vahedi, the actor who plays Thomas on the multiseason series. But the question that Vahedi says he has the opportunity to answer is “why is [Thomas] that person?” 

The writers of the show, Vahedi says, “take such great liberty with bringing this human perspective to all the characters, because we got to remember they’re not saints yet.” 

The character of Thomas is significantly developed in the first three episodes of season four of “The Chosen,” which are in theaters now. 

Season four picks up right where season three left off, and “I think you get to see a much, much sweeter and kinder side to Thomas,” Vahedi says. “He’s out of his shell, finally feels comfortable. He’s ready. And on the flip side of that, Jesus’ message is getting so much more radical, to the point where it is dangerous for everybody now.”

Even outside of the Apostles, the latest season of “The Chosen” shows how the message of Jesus is affecting everyone who hears it. 

Kirk B. Woller, who plays the role of the Roman soldier Gaius, says his character is “toying with” the message he’s hearing Jesus speak. 

“There’s just great responsibility to me in all of this” to portray his character accurately, Woller said.

Woller and Vahedi join “The Daily Signal Podcast” to share their own stories of how they became a part of “The Chosen” cast, and the hardest and most rewarding parts of playing their roles as they develop further in the new season.