Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:10] Speaker B: Welcome to Becoming Church, the podcast where we discuss how the message and movement of Jesus is not just about becoming Christians, but about becoming the church. I'm your host, Kristen Mockler Young, and my guest today is. Well, I have lots of guests for you today because I am at chosen con 2026 right here in Charlotte, North Carolina. And my guests are going to be. I don't people you might know, like Jesus the mother, Mary, Peter, Andrew, John, maybe even Larry the cucumber. We're going to see who we can rally up right here on this teal carpet. What you want to do right now, though, before you listen, and I know this for a fact, is you want to share this episode with someone else. You're a fan of the Chosen. You've heard of the Chosen. Maybe you don't even watch the Chosen, but you're like, I feel like this should be a big deal. I'm just not sure why yet.
I know for sure that you know someone who loves this show. So right now, text them a link to either the podcast or YouTube where you can watch all of these videos and interviews live as well, and then we'll continue on with the episode.
You're from Livonia.
[00:01:20] Speaker C: I am from Livonia.
[00:01:21] Speaker B: I'm from Holt. What? No way. Okay, so Ghost Spartans.
[00:01:25] Speaker C: Ghost Spartans. Go green, Go white.
[00:01:26] Speaker B: Here we go. This is meant to be. I was like, this is meant to be. This is perfect.
[00:01:30] Speaker C: I love it. Love this. We're starting the day off right.
[00:01:32] Speaker B: That's exactly right. Well, listen, if you had not taken a public speaking class, you would not be here, right?
[00:01:38] Speaker C: Very, very true.
[00:01:39] Speaker B: If you hadn't taken that class, what do you think you'd be doing right now?
[00:01:41] Speaker C: Oh, my gosh. You know, I've always loved sports. Me and my wife share a passion for sports as well. So I always wanted to be a commentator or a journalist, which is crazy because she was a thespian in high school and now she's a journalist. So we're doing kind of, like, what each other originally wanted to do, so.
[00:01:55] Speaker B: Okay. But you get to, like, you know, have each other's experiences. You get to, like, dabble, understand each
[00:02:01] Speaker C: other's kind of, like, career paths, too. Right. So she understands the film industry. I understand, like, the sports world. So I would definitely want to work for either Michigan State, my alumni, or the Detroit Lions would be great to work with, too.
[00:02:13] Speaker B: Okay. I love that. Well, listen, your character Thaddeus, is often overlooked a little bit Quiet.
And I was curious, what encouragement do you have for other people who Maybe feel that way in real life also.
[00:02:25] Speaker C: You know, I think there's something to be said about quiet faith, and that's nothing to be ashamed of. That's. That's such a big strength, and everybody just really wants to be acknowledged in the end. So I think a simple gesture, a simple hello, a simple. And I think kindness and connection are so important nowadays, especially in this world that wants to divide, and you never know what just like, a simple hello can do. So for me, I would just say it's like when you really surrender to the world and you really surrender to God and what he really wants to bring to the table.
We're a lot more closer together than we are apart.
[00:02:58] Speaker B: If the disciples were in a reality show, like right now, we needed to make our way through who is going to win.
[00:03:03] Speaker C: Oh, my God. You know what? I think Simon Z would be a great choice, because no matter what is thrown at that man, he can adapt. He can adapt, and let's be honest, he can flip from one obstacle to the next. He can do all those mixed martial arts moves. I'm very envious of Simon Z, as you can tell. So I would say. I would say Allah, who plays him, he can do all that on his own.
[00:03:25] Speaker B: So, I mean, he's a real actual martial artist as well.
[00:03:29] Speaker C: He's like. He's a black belt. He can do jiu jitsu. He's. I need to learn from this man.
[00:03:34] Speaker B: He's very impressive.
[00:03:35] Speaker C: So, yeah, I would say. I would say Simon Z, for sure.
[00:03:38] Speaker B: I love that last question for you.
What have you yourself learned from playing Thaddeus?
[00:03:44] Speaker C: He taught me how to be a better person. He's. I always say Thaddeus is the best friend that I wish I was to myself growing up, because I had a lot of insecurities, especially growing up without my biological father. I felt unseen and felt like I had to prove myself. So what I would say for him is he really wants people to feel seen. And anybody can be that Thaddeus to a friend and most importantly, to themselves, so they can give more and more to other people. So that's what I would say to anybody. It's like, you are seen. You absolutely are.
[00:04:12] Speaker B: I love that. Well, I did love the line where I know Simon Peter says to you and season five, I forget which episode, but it's the second to last one maybe. I think he's talking to the other disciples and he's like, never underestimate that kid.
[00:04:23] Speaker C: That. That. That meant a lot. That meant a lot, honestly. So I'm I'm proud to play Thaddeus and just blessed to be a part of this. This family. I really am.
[00:04:31] Speaker B: Awesome. Well, it's a great show. We love it.
[00:04:33] Speaker D: Our.
[00:04:33] Speaker B: Our viewers, our listeners love it so much. So thank you for all that you do. Thank you.
First. First interview in. I got it. I did it. I didn't stumble over my words. Guys, it's all set. It's all set. All right, let's see who else we're gonna get. I want to know, first off, what is it like playing a woman in that culture while you are living as a woman in this culture in this day and age?
[00:04:53] Speaker E: I mean, to be honest, not a lot has changed.
[00:04:57] Speaker B: Tell the truth.
[00:04:58] Speaker E: You are still struggling to be seen. You're still struggling to have a place like, she is this not only a single woman, which had very little value.
She is without family.
She's a foreigner. She speaks another language. She's just like, I'm here trying to figure things out, and I don't know what it is, but she does.
[00:05:17] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:05:17] Speaker E: And she is such a testimony of faith and strength and also just that women are not monoliths and that we're not just a soft, feminine, weepy thing, and we're not just this strong superwoman, carry the world thing. We're so much of all that and everything in between.
[00:05:35] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah. Well, you. Tamar refuses, you know, visibility. She's like, I refuse to be unseen.
What do you think the local church could learn about making space for diverse people like her?
[00:05:48] Speaker E: I think that's what the church was about in the first place.
[00:05:51] Speaker B: Preach. Yes. Hello.
[00:05:53] Speaker E: That's what Jesus came here for in the first place, is to say that my word is for all.
And she is a beautiful example also of innocence in faith, because unlike everyone else who had been raised and trained and have studied in the Jewish faith, she came without any of this prior knowledge, which means she came with zero expectations.
She came with that zero expectation. That means she had no expectations to not be met in order to be disappointed. Because everyone else like, why are you doing this, Jesus? Jesus is supposed to look like this. And she's like, I'm just here to bear witness.
I just. She's like. She's the only one who's like, I want to follow you. And he was like, okay. And she also is the one who's just like, how can I be useful? And so that right there is a perfect example of how we should all be. How can I be useful?
[00:06:39] Speaker B: I love it. I love it. So we are live and it's happening. We're just standing and waiting. We've got Mother Mary over here. We've got Matthew, and. Oh, wow. Little James and Thomas are doing quite the pose down here on the teal carpet. We are just patiently waiting as they come through. I've got my notes here.
We are prepared. Prepared for whoever they happen to bring us.
Hello.
[00:07:06] Speaker F: Hi.
[00:07:06] Speaker B: Kristen.
[00:07:07] Speaker F: Hi, Kristen.
[00:07:08] Speaker B: So great to meet you. So great to see you.
[00:07:10] Speaker F: I know you.
[00:07:11] Speaker B: Yes, you know me. Yeah. Do you?
[00:07:14] Speaker F: I. I might have seen you on Instagram.
[00:07:16] Speaker B: Okay, let's go. Let's go. All right, well, listen, now, here we are in person.
[00:07:22] Speaker F: You might have seen me on Amazon.
[00:07:24] Speaker B: I think I have. Wait, let me see. On Amazon, on all the. All the channels. All the places. Yes.
[00:07:30] Speaker F: All the places we have been, yes.
[00:07:32] Speaker B: Okay, well, I'm so glad you're here. Listen, you are one of the only disciples with a qualifier, right? Big James.
[00:07:38] Speaker F: Am I?
[00:07:38] Speaker B: Big James. Little James.
[00:07:40] Speaker G: Sure.
[00:07:40] Speaker B: Okay. Not just James.
[00:07:42] Speaker F: Right, right, right. Yeah.
[00:07:43] Speaker B: Are there other nicknames you guys have for the cast members, like, behind the scenes when you're on set?
[00:07:48] Speaker F: Rad.
[00:07:48] Speaker H: Thad.
[00:07:49] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:07:52] Speaker F: I mean, there's Doubting Thomas, but that's
[00:07:54] Speaker B: about, like, fun ones that you guys, like, joke around with each other, you know, on set.
[00:07:58] Speaker F: Rad. That has to be the best one.
It can't get better than that.
[00:08:02] Speaker A: It just flows.
[00:08:03] Speaker B: That is a good one. I like it. I didn't know if maybe there were some that you were like, we keep these personal and private, and they will
[00:08:09] Speaker F: stay personal and private.
[00:08:11] Speaker B: As they should. As they should. Wilson, you have a background in mental health.
[00:08:14] Speaker F: Yes.
[00:08:15] Speaker B: And so I want to know how has that kind of shaped the way that you play Big James?
[00:08:19] Speaker F: You know, I think mental health can be seen as this thing that's outside of your cultural, religious philosophies, practices. And I think that some of the best results are when people feel comfortable to clear their humanity by touching their spirit, you know, and that's not everybody, and it's not for everyone. Equine therapy is great, too.
[00:08:45] Speaker B: Are you an equine therapy. Do you do equine therapy?
[00:08:48] Speaker H: No, I. I don't.
[00:08:49] Speaker F: I don't.
[00:08:49] Speaker H: I don't.
[00:08:50] Speaker B: Set on set.
[00:08:51] Speaker I: On set.
[00:08:51] Speaker F: I think I'm the equine.
[00:08:53] Speaker I: I'm the.
[00:08:53] Speaker F: The. The resident equine therapist.
[00:08:57] Speaker B: Well, how do you play some of these scenes? I mean, specifically, you know. You know that the resurrection is coming. Yeah, right. But, like, James doesn't know. Right. So how do you play those scenes knowing what you know, but he doesn't know yet.
[00:09:10] Speaker F: That's. That's, you know, that's really hard because you.
It's. Sometimes you're breaking down the script with the knowledge that I have today. Yeah. And I have to go back and really make sure that I haven't gotten ahead of it, because there's some moments where if I approach it with my knowledge of today, I'm gonna be like, duh. Right, Duh. But I can't.
[00:09:32] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:09:32] Speaker F: I have to stay in the mom. And the realization has to hit me. The covenant's not complete till the resurrection. So what, am I getting it ahead? Why am I. Duh. I got to give James an opportunity to witness and take part, you know, and that's hard. It's hard. And I think it teaches us a little bit about not judging books by their covers in a weird, non direct way.
[00:09:56] Speaker B: Okay, explain that a little bit more. So if.
[00:09:59] Speaker F: If you meet someone and you think you know everything that you need to know about them, I encourage you to be in the moment a little bit more and not jump to the ending that you think you know is there.
[00:10:11] Speaker B: That's why those are wise words. How do you recover from these really heavy scenes? Like, I. I've seen, you know, snippets of filming for season six where everybody's, like, breaking down. How do you, like, shake that off?
[00:10:25] Speaker F: You have to.
You have to really just take care of yourself. And I think that goes into mental health. You know, we are bringing a really.
[00:10:36] Speaker G: You just asked me who on the cast is most likely to show up and not maybe have all their lines together.
[00:10:42] Speaker A: Okay, good.
[00:10:43] Speaker F: Yeah.
[00:10:43] Speaker B: Oh, Abe. Okay, sorry, I'm crossing in between. That's all right. Dallas, come on over. We in the world are meeting.
It's a K Love collab is what it is. We're doing it.
[00:10:53] Speaker F: You should see how many words I paraphrase. It's great.
[00:10:55] Speaker B: Exactly.
Just suggesting it.
[00:10:58] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm there.
[00:10:59] Speaker F: You know, they needed an actor, not a talker.
[00:11:03] Speaker B: Okay, so normally when you paraphrase, are they like, oh, Dallas is like, oh, we're gonna go with it. That's better. Or is he like, no, run it back, do it again.
[00:11:08] Speaker H: Run it back, do it again.
[00:11:10] Speaker F: No, it's because I like to. I like to come in, not over rehearse.
[00:11:14] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:11:14] Speaker F: Because the reality of the scene might completely change what I thought.
[00:11:18] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:11:18] Speaker F: And I know that we have a great script supervisor and a director who's a little spectrumy and won't let me get away with things.
[00:11:27] Speaker B: I love it. Well, you auditioned for a few Other roles before you got Big James. If today Dallas was like, hey, by the way, you're not Big James anymore, who do you want to be? You have to be another disciple.
It's not for your. It's not for your.
[00:11:40] Speaker F: Okay, this is hypothetical.
[00:11:41] Speaker B: Hypothetical. You're not kicking somebody out. No, no, no.
[00:11:44] Speaker F: Okay.
I would like to play probably Thomas.
[00:11:52] Speaker B: Yeah. Okay.
[00:11:53] Speaker F: Yeah, Yeah. I think that's, like. There's, like, a young Romeo quality about
[00:11:57] Speaker J: it that I love.
[00:11:59] Speaker B: I love that.
[00:12:00] Speaker F: I'm not coming for it.
[00:12:00] Speaker B: No, Joey, it's yours. It's yours. It's good you even looked over.
Sorry, Joey. Sorry.
Okay, but what can you tell us about season 6?
[00:12:12] Speaker F: I can tell you that yet again, we have taken this story that everyone knows so well, and we have managed to find the gray and seam it together with the black and white that everybody knows. And it's fall 2026, Amazon Prime. Don't miss it. We did it again. Come check us out.
[00:12:32] Speaker B: It's one of my favorite things about the show is the way that you guys truly are able to nuance and, like, do a different lens and perspective of things.
[00:12:38] Speaker F: So it's mine, too. We are jonesing for the next script because there are these obvious like, well, how are they going to do that?
[00:12:46] Speaker B: Right?
[00:12:46] Speaker F: And then they do it and you're
[00:12:47] Speaker B: like, oh, they're so good.
So, yeah, I love it. Well, thank you. We'll see you on Instagram.
[00:12:52] Speaker A: Such a pleasure.
[00:12:53] Speaker B: It was so good to see you. All right, Paris.
[00:12:55] Speaker H: Yes.
[00:12:56] Speaker B: Kristen. Kristen, great to meet you.
Great to meet you, too. So I have one question. I got one question for you. Okay, let's move up. Let's move up.
Sorry, without bumping up into anybody yet, Paris and I are coming closer to you. We're coming closer to you.
I want to know. You do a lot of work with neurodivergence, and I know that you play someone that's neurodivergent, but also you're doing more work with that outside. So talk to us about why that's important to you and what you hope to kind of enlighten people with.
[00:13:24] Speaker H: Yeah.
[00:13:25] Speaker J: You know, when I was cast as Matthew, I'm not neurodivergent, so I just asked myself the question, well, why am I here? What purpose is this for me? And for me, I realized it was to raise awareness. I was chosen for this, and it spoke to my heart because I know how it feels to not feel seen or represented, and I wanted to just portray the neurodivergent community. But anyone that can Relate to Matthew and what he has gone through in his life and learn from him.
And so I just want to continue to amplify the message and be as authentic as possible as Matthew, but also kind of keep this little Matthew legacy going because it's just so important to feel seen. I think a lot of us need that. And when you can see yourself and someone like Matthew, who has grown so much, finds his own way, finds his strength, his confidence, his passion, it's so important for you to use those for yourself and find that in your own journey.
[00:14:20] Speaker B: Yeah. You know, do you think that's why you are. I mean, you are the fan favorite. You have to know this, right? Matthew is like that, but I don't think about it. Do you think that plays a part of it, though? Do you think it's because so many people can uniquely relate to your character that that's kind of why Matthew, like, took off?
[00:14:35] Speaker J: I knew Matthew was special the moment I read him. And, you know, I realized that because I.
I have been through so much in my own life that I just knew I wanted to pour that into Matthew.
So it was important for me to. To show that and let people relate to that. And it.
I heard my. I hear my name, and so I
[00:15:03] Speaker B: just lost the track of the question.
[00:15:05] Speaker J: Let's ask it again. Ask it again.
[00:15:07] Speaker B: No, I was just gonna say. Is that why I got the. I got the.
Yeah. No.
[00:15:10] Speaker A: Oh, so, okay. So, okay.
[00:15:12] Speaker J: One of the most impactful stories I got was when the show out, it was from a family. A dad messaged me and said that my daughter doesn't speak much. Doesn't, like, react much to stuff. But when you did your walk, she immediately said, oh, he's like me. And he just thanked me, and I just knew I was on to something special.
Reading those messages and. And for me, it's like finding connection. Finding that especially between, like, a father and daughter and. And just allowing that communication that's kind of being lost right now with just how, you know the. You know, that is how I knew I was on to something special and impactful. So when I think of fan favorite, I don't really think of it. I just think of, like, my purpose, the impact. So to me, it's impact. So I'm like, well, favorite impact.
[00:15:54] Speaker B: You're definitely making one. Why do they keep thinking they know me?
Why do they all keep saying that they know me?
I don't know what to do with my son because I don't know, is it. Do they actually know who I am from Instagram, or are they, like, they think I'm someone else?
I am sweating.
So you are. You come from a Persian Lebanese background?
[00:16:24] Speaker H: Yes, I do.
[00:16:25] Speaker B: How has your culture kind of shaped playing your role of Thomas?
[00:16:28] Speaker H: That's a great question. Yeah. I think the biggest thing for it is just seeing representation in the show. You know, that's been a really, really big thing for me. I mean, I remember as a kid growing up, I would not see people that looked like me up on screen and leading roles. And because of that, it made me feel as a kid like maybe there was something less than in me or that I had to live up to a certain type of expectation. And now with the way casting is going and making it much more diverse, but doing it not just for diversity's sake, but doing it for authentic storytelling, it's been really, really lovely. So it's been cool to have kids say to me, hey, like, it's cool to see someone that looks like us on the show in the same way that I would say that to, like, you, Riz Ahmed or Ram Youssef or something. It's just. It's cool to see, you know?
[00:17:15] Speaker B: Yeah. Especially funny to me in biblical storytelling that it's almost always white because you're like, hey, have y' all read this? Like, did you flip to the back and look at the map and see where these people are actually from?
[00:17:25] Speaker H: Yeah, exactly. No one from that area was sheltered by the sun in any way, shape or form. You know, let's get some. Let's get some brown people in the show.
[00:17:34] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:17:34] Speaker B: Well, Thomas gets a bad rap for doubt.
[00:17:36] Speaker J: Yes.
[00:17:37] Speaker B: But I think that maybe it's not necessarily a negative thing. How have you seen it kind of used as a strength or a positive?
[00:17:42] Speaker H: That's a great question. I think doubt is actually such an important aspect of faith, because when you doubt, it means that you care. And you care because it's. It's you wanting to seek out the information rather than you sitting in a pew and have someone say something to you or being raised in it as a kid and just kind of accepting it.
[00:18:00] Speaker B: Yeah, I can't believe.
[00:18:01] Speaker H: Yeah, exactly. And I think Thomas is someone who can give that journey to fans to go, hey, it's okay if you're questioning or, you know, weighing different sides. It's actually something that's going to help you later on. Whatever decision that you end up.
[00:18:17] Speaker B: It's not a bad thing. It actually means that you care and you want to know more about God and what you believe and why you believe it Exactly.
[00:18:23] Speaker H: And you're doing it for yourself. You know what I mean? I think that's the most important thing, and that's the thing that we see with Thomas is he is questioning and curious and maybe sometimes pushing back because he knows that there is something special there and he just wants to be so certain about it because it's, it's very hard to be vulnerable and give up parts of your life and just blindly accept without knowing the consequence. Yeah, it's tough for everybody and it's, it's cool to see Thomas exemplify that.
[00:18:49] Speaker B: Well, I appreciate it. I think there's a lot of that missing right now, like in the church and faith. And so I appreciate the example of, like, we're going to push back against needing to be certain about all the things that we actually can't be certain about.
[00:19:01] Speaker H: No, because no one is certain. I mean, people can say whatever they want to say, but at the end of the day, we have no idea, idea what, what's going to happen. Right. And it's, it's, it's important to push back on, on those things and push back on certain ideals.
[00:19:12] Speaker B: Yeah. Well, listen, I think just like Thomas, the fans have all fallen in love with Rhema.
Were you surprised to see her storyline, like, written in the way that it was?
[00:19:22] Speaker H: You want to know what's crazy?
[00:19:23] Speaker B: I do.
[00:19:24] Speaker H: I found out about this in season two during we were filming a scene with it's Thomas, Rayma and Rhema's father, Cofney.
[00:19:33] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:19:34] Speaker H: On the road to, like, looking at the map and like, all right, which way do we need to go to join up with everybody? And I don't know what came to Dallas's mind. I never know what comes to his mind. Right. And he comes up to us and he just goes, yeah, you know, we're, we're trying to set things up because I, I, he gave me a note to be a little bit meaner to her and I was like, well, that doesn't make sense because if you love someone, why would you behave that? No, no. There are things that we're setting up down the line for Thomas and he goes, it's just going to be fortunate because, you know, we're gonna kill Raymond.
[00:20:00] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh.
[00:20:01] Speaker H: And all three of us made the scene like, yeah, we're like in a happy moment, you know, like a cool, fun scene. Ready on the road to adventure. And we all just froze and we looked at Dallas and we're like, what are you talking about, dude? And he even will admit to this Day, he, he. Whenever I bring it up, he goes, I don't know why I said that to you guys.
[00:20:18] Speaker B: That was actually not the moment. I don't know why.
[00:20:19] Speaker H: I have no idea why we said that, but it was very shocking. But when we got the scripture, season four at that time, to see the way it happened was even crazier. And to experience it was so much like fun as an actor to be able to do that kind of thing, you know?
[00:20:33] Speaker B: Well, we love her. So any flashbacks or anything? My daughters, we all cheer. We're like, Reema's on screen. It's so great.
[00:20:39] Speaker H: I don't know anything as of right now. I always get surprised with the script. So we'll see what happens.
[00:20:44] Speaker B: Okay? No spoilers. No spoilers. Okay. First off, you are a world champion fighter, right?
[00:20:51] Speaker I: I was. I was. Yeah.
[00:20:52] Speaker B: I bet you could take somebody right
[00:20:53] Speaker I: now, you know, if I had to. Really, If I had to, but I.
[00:20:57] Speaker A: But I wouldn't.
[00:20:58] Speaker B: But you wouldn't. Okay. Well, if Z was going to arm wrestle one of the disciples, who I do have. I do have bets on who I think could take him out. But who do you think it would be?
[00:21:11] Speaker I: That's the thing is I think we would never get into an arm wrestle.
[00:21:15] Speaker B: That's why it's an arm wrestle. It's easy. It's easy, right? Oh, we. Let's scoot up here a little bit.
[00:21:19] Speaker I: We did this. We did have arm wrestle wrestling matches between us, and, and I did pretty good. So I want. I. I haven't, I haven't matched everybody.
[00:21:31] Speaker B: Okay. So I do think Mary Mags could take out pretty much any of the disciples, I think.
[00:21:36] Speaker I: Yeah. So. So that's Tamar. Yeah.
[00:21:38] Speaker B: Oh, yes. I love that. I love it. Well, what has Simon the Zealot taught you about yourself? What have you learned from Z?
[00:21:46] Speaker I: He's reminding me because, you know, because of my experience in martial arts and my journey, and I very, very clearly went through a phase for years thinking, I'm going to practice martial arts, to.
To learn how to be. How to navigate life in a tough way. To be tough enough to go through life and, and not let people step over my toes.
And that was the wrong intention, you know, so. But it took me years to find out, especially the day that I won my title by a knockout. And that knockout shook me probably more than.
Yes.
[00:22:30] Speaker F: Yeah.
[00:22:31] Speaker I: Because the view, the side of his eyeball, just like his, you know, black eye. Sorry, not eyeball.
What just stayed with me. And it was my very last fight ever. It was in 2002. And ever since then, I realized I dove into martial arts for the wrong reason.
[00:22:47] Speaker H: And what.
[00:22:48] Speaker I: What I loved about it was what I was learning about myself and how to center myself and how to learn about this. This area of my. Of my body and my soul and my. And this actually is about connection, emotion, being vulnerable, being human. This is where I'm human. This is my. This is my true brain. And so that's what my character is reminding me of.
It is about trusting and accepting that you can be powerless. You're not supposed to save everybody and not supposed to go to war with everybody, but it's quite the opposite. Let the others win so that you can be in peace and disappear into being serene, because you exist no matter what.
[00:23:34] Speaker B: There's strength in your humanity, and there's strength in your humility. When you have to get into, like, really, you know, the tough moments or those hard scenes, what do you do afterwards to kind of, like, recenter yourself, especially those really heavy ones?
[00:23:47] Speaker I: I think maybe it's due to my martial arts experience, is that it's easy for me to switch when it comes to, like, tough emotions. And, like, that would normally stay with me. I have that discipline of, like, being able to. To cut it. You know, when we finish a form in Taekwondo, we always go back to one and we go back to neutral. There's this kind of, like, breath that we take and we switch. And so probably. That's probably what. I've never thought of this, but this is probably what helps me. But there are scenes where when I go the other way and I get vulnerable, that's what really challenges me, because then I stay in there and it's. It's.
It's hard to go back to normal and just, you know, be light again. And so I'm always learning. I'm always learning my tools and my.
[00:24:36] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:24:36] Speaker I: Yeah.
[00:24:37] Speaker B: Okay, so no spoilers, obviously. But what we. What can we expect from Z in season six?
[00:24:42] Speaker I: Yeah, there's one thing I was dreading the moment that I was going to receive the scripts for season six, because I.
I felt like everything done so far, everything I got to defend with my character so far was leading to this one moment where, like, the question was, why? Like, the way that we've portrayed Z so far.
[00:25:05] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:25:06] Speaker I: Why doesn't Z do anything to stop what historically. Historically happens?
And that why was beautifully, masterfully brought to the paper, and I had so much fun playing it. So it's a. It's a great reason it works. It's heartbreaking. It's all.
[00:25:31] Speaker B: Aren't they all heartbreaking? Hopeful and heartbreaking at the same time?
[00:25:35] Speaker I: So, yeah, we all have. Great. Wise. Yes to that. And, you know, even the ones that even like Peter. Why does Peter betray, you know, Jesus? Like, betray, like, deny him.
[00:25:47] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:25:48] Speaker I: That. That is. I mean, that's one of the.
[00:25:50] Speaker G: We.
[00:25:51] Speaker I: They came up with perfect justifications.
[00:25:54] Speaker B: I mean, the storytelling to this point has been nothing short of phenomenal. So I only expect the same.
[00:25:58] Speaker I: Yes.
[00:25:59] Speaker B: Hello, Jordan. I'm Kristen. So good to meet you. Listen, I'm really excited to meet you because when I interviewed Liz Tavish on my podcast, I asked her who her favorite person on the show was, and she said it was you.
[00:26:10] Speaker A: I thought it was going to be a joke that, like, I'm her least
[00:26:13] Speaker B: favorite because usually how mean that's.
[00:26:15] Speaker A: We have like a.
We joke to each other or joke about each other like, that a lot. But that's really. I'm going to tell her that and she's going to deny it, but that's really sweet.
[00:26:22] Speaker B: Listen, I have evidence. Okay. I will send it to you to prove who is your favorite person to hang out or joke with on the show.
[00:26:28] Speaker A: I mean, honestly, she's my. My sister. I told her that last night. Actually, when they got in, I was just like, I used to be so sad about this coming to an end, and I still am. It's bittersweet. But now it's this. This feeling of like, I found my people. Like, I'm not.
I'm not going anywhere. They're not going anywhere. And there's that peace that, like, security that, like, even though it's ending, we're still all, like, we're in each other's lives forever.
[00:26:52] Speaker F: Your family.
[00:26:52] Speaker B: Your family.
[00:26:53] Speaker A: We are. And it truly is that.
[00:26:56] Speaker C: So.
[00:26:56] Speaker A: Yeah, I would. I'll say Liz as well.
[00:26:58] Speaker B: Perfect. Jordan, when your real life medical story kind of became your character story, because I know they wrote that in, did that feel vulnerable or empowering or somehow a combination of both?
[00:27:10] Speaker A: Yeah, it was both, for sure. I was like, on one hand, I was so excited because as an actor, like, selfishly, I'm, like, cool. I get more scenes and more dialogue.
But then also, it was terrifying because I was going to be shining a light on the thing I hated most about myself and had the most insecurities about.
But then, like, you know, doing that, I started to find it's kind of that thing where you, like, name your demon and it takes the power away from it. Like Rumpels.
Once you're able to acknowledge It. Because if you push it down, you repress it, you try to ignore it, it's always going to be there. If you're like, hey, I'm struggling with this. And as soon as you say that out loud, you're just like, okay, that's a weight off my chest. So doing that, I was like, I never talked about the fact that I was insecure about that stuff and then playing the character and it forced me to do that. I was. I slowly started to shift my perspective where the thing I perceived as my greatest weakness, I now see as one of my biggest attributes and biggest strengths. Even though there are moments of insecurity still, I don't view it like that anymore. So it makes such a difference.
[00:28:13] Speaker B: I love that. Well, and listen, all of us have insecurities. Don't tell anyone. I had insecurities yesterday about coming here to do this.
[00:28:19] Speaker A: Yeah, that's totally normal. But you're doing great.
[00:28:21] Speaker B: Well, thank you so much. Listen, I love the show. I've always loved the show, but there are episodes where I need, like, a palate cleanser after I watch.
What would your, like, go to palate cleanser be?
[00:28:31] Speaker A: The Office, hands down.
I could quote every episode. Basically. I've seen it all so many times.
Yeah, the Office is my palate cleanser. Anytime I need one, I love it.
[00:28:42] Speaker B: So after the really heavy scenes, when you're filming these really heavy scenes, do you go back and watch the Office? Is that how you kind of shake it off?
[00:28:47] Speaker A: For sure, Yeah. I watch the Office, you know, when I'm going to sleep, like, I like that background noise on, so it's comforting. I feel that's why I relate to the fans so much. I actually met the cast of the Office once, and when I was living in la and it was, like, such a surreal experience because I felt like I knew them. And now when we meet these fans, it's the same thing, but on the other end. So I'm like, I. I appreciate it so much.
[00:29:08] Speaker B: Thank you. Kristen.
[00:29:09] Speaker D: Oh, yeah. Hi, Kristen.
[00:29:10] Speaker B: So good to meet you. Here's your little mic. How you doing?
[00:29:12] Speaker D: Good.
[00:29:13] Speaker B: How are you done? Am I your last interview?
[00:29:14] Speaker D: I like these shoes studded. Almost studied.
[00:29:18] Speaker B: I know. You know, would you believe I'm a pastor? No.
[00:29:21] Speaker D: No.
But I like the punk. Thank you. That could be your Instagram handle.
[00:29:28] Speaker B: The Punk pastor. Okay. I usually get Pastor Barbie quite often.
[00:29:33] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:29:33] Speaker B: Today I'm in my, like, black leather face.
[00:29:35] Speaker D: I like punk pastor better.
[00:29:37] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:29:37] Speaker D: But, you know, who am I to say no?
[00:29:39] Speaker B: James just changed my Instagram. Name guys, look up. Look for me at the Punk Pastor. All right, so you have been having so much fun on the chosen Instagram. You took it over yesterday.
[00:29:48] Speaker D: I did. I listen how they let me do that. I don't know. They were like, would you like to. I was like, can I do whatever I want? And you're like, basically. And I did.
[00:29:59] Speaker B: It was great. It was great. I was brushing my teeth last night, getting ready for bed, and I was like, oh, I gotta go on and see what no one did next because I missed at the end.
[00:30:06] Speaker D: It was a lot. Because honestly, the convention is just a blast, like, through and through from morning to night.
[00:30:13] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:30:13] Speaker D: It's just so filled with love and energy that it's.
[00:30:16] Speaker B: Yeah, it's super fun. Well, if Andrew was gonna have his Instagram, what would his, like, vibe or aesthetic be?
[00:30:22] Speaker D: Ah, maybe like a. Maybe like a cinema Instagram. You know, like one of those. One of the. It is very aesthetic.
[00:30:30] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:30:31] Speaker D: Like, with the interesting looking stuff.
[00:30:33] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:30:34] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:30:34] Speaker D: Giving Mediterranean vibe.
Giving Ocean.
[00:30:40] Speaker B: He's gonna have, like, a theme for everything.
[00:30:42] Speaker D: Fellini.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bergman, kind of.
[00:30:46] Speaker B: Everything's set to the same filter, so they all have that similar.
[00:30:49] Speaker D: And, like, when you look at the grid, it all works.
[00:30:52] Speaker B: Yes. Perfect. Takes it a little too seriously.
[00:30:55] Speaker J: Yeah.
[00:30:57] Speaker B: Well, I heard that you and Luke, who's not here, so you can say
[00:31:01] Speaker D: whatever you want, and I will.
[00:31:02] Speaker B: You guys like to get after each other on set, right? With, like, pranks and whatever. So what do you want to say? Like I said, he's not here.
[00:31:09] Speaker D: What can I say?
[00:31:10] Speaker B: What do you want to say about this?
[00:31:12] Speaker D: Might not be what punk pastor wants me to say about Luke.
I love you.
I love you. I miss you. I see Luke all the time. We're definitely a big part of each other's lives, which I'm super thankful for. I love that because he's a great guy. And then, you know, even when he lets me just, like, beat him mercilessly in Super Smash Bros, like, he still plays. You know, he still plays.
[00:31:34] Speaker B: You, like, ranked once in a competition, Right?
I saw that before.
[00:31:39] Speaker D: I've taken some games off.
Top 50 players in the world.
[00:31:43] Speaker B: Like, amazing.
[00:31:44] Speaker D: But now I'm. Now the responsibilities of life have taken me away, which is a good thing.
It's a good thing. And yet I feel the lack of tournament competition in my life sometimes.
[00:31:56] Speaker B: Okay. All right, well, hopefully maybe you after one at, like, a heavy scene. Yeah, you can get in and.
[00:32:00] Speaker D: Well, that's actually this season. I was playing this game.
[00:32:03] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:32:03] Speaker D: It's Called Diplomacy. It's been around for, like, decades.
[00:32:05] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:32:06] Speaker D: And it's basically like Risk. It's like world domination.
[00:32:09] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:32:09] Speaker D: But I play with a board game. Yeah, it's like a board game where you play on online, and I was playing with my friends at home. So we'd go do a serious scene, and then I'd go take an hour break, and I'd call them and be like, give me Italy and I will give up whatever. The Balkans.
That's. Yeah, that's what I do. Even on my own.
[00:32:26] Speaker B: Balance. Yes, balance. Well, you grew up Jewish, is that correct? So tell me how that has kind of influenced the way that you play Andrew, or vice versa, how playing Andrew has changed your faith.
[00:32:37] Speaker D: No, I love.
I'm actually really, really grateful that I get to. It's something that I get to bring my culture to the table a little bit with the chosen. The fact that, you know, I go and have Shabbat dinner with my grandparents in la and. And we do this and we say the prayers, and then on the show, we get to show what is it? Like, what were Jewish families doing then? And that is the really interesting thing about the Jewish tradition is these traditions have been around for so long, thousands and thousands of years. Like, look at the Jewish calendar. It's quite long. And that's so fun. It's. It's a part of. There's also a social sort of part of the traditions in the Judaism and Jewish culture that is really fun. Part of Shahar and I, you know, as. As Peter and Andrew ribbing on each other. There is, like, a Jewish nature to what it is that we're doing, and. And I love that. And I think people connect with it, and it's just our special flavor of, like, siblings together. And that's. That's been really fun. And my family has also really enjoyed that. That aspect is a part of the show. It's funny because the chosen. I mean, it's kind of rare to show that much, I don't know, Jewish culture in the show, and it's so lovely to be a part of.
[00:33:46] Speaker B: Well, I think it'll be good for people to know, like. No, that is actually what it is.
[00:33:49] Speaker F: Yeah.
[00:33:50] Speaker B: Dinner. Like.
[00:33:50] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:33:51] Speaker B: Really happens this way.
[00:33:52] Speaker G: Yes.
[00:33:53] Speaker D: It's funny, the lines in the script in the first season, like, I just know the prayers in Hebrew. I don't know them in English. And so when he was like. And then say the prayers, I started. And he's like, what are you saying? He's like, hold on. I wrote them out for you.
[00:34:05] Speaker A: And I was like.
[00:34:05] Speaker D: I was like, what? Because they weren't in the script. It was like, just does the prayers. And I was like, oh, dude, I got a. Like, learn this like I'm used to doing in Hebrew. So anyway, I love it.
[00:34:15] Speaker B: Well, no spoilers. But last question for you. What can you tell us about season six?
[00:34:20] Speaker D: I think the thing that people obviously know that we're pointing towards the crucifixion, but I think what people don't understand is it's still the chosen. And we always do things in a surprising way.
And truly, when I read the scripts, I was on the couch, yes, I was weeping for like two days straight reading them. But it is surprising. It's. It's truly, I think so worthwhile a journey to go to because it's not just. It's not the whole season is not just the crucifixion. It is. You're dealing with the aftermath of the arrest, the aftermath of Judas's betrayal, us scattered and, and, and together apart, finding each other. So there's, there's a lot going on that I think people are going to really be invigorated by seeing how the chosen does well.
[00:35:09] Speaker B: I know there'll be hope and nuance and humor. Like they're always right. Thank you so much. We love the show. This has been great.
[00:35:15] Speaker D: Great chatting.
[00:35:16] Speaker B: So great to meet you. All right, Dallas, Kristen, great to meet you. Listen, you brought a lot of cast members with you, but I'm very sad that someone is missing and that is the donkey.
[00:35:25] Speaker G: Oh, my gosh. I'm not sad the donkey is missing. Working with animals is my. One of. One of my least favorite parts of the, of the show. So I'm, I'm sorry you're sad, but I'm not.
[00:35:35] Speaker B: That is okay. That is totally fair. That is totally fair. Well, you have really intentionally included some minor stories.
[00:35:41] Speaker G: Yes.
[00:35:41] Speaker B: And I want to talk about. I mean, I'm not just like Joanna, but even the daughter of Jephthah, like people that no one maybe would even have heard of. Talk to me about your intentionality in choosing to write them in.
[00:35:52] Speaker G: Well, there's. I don't believe anything in scripture is wasted. And so when a name is mentioned, there's always a story behind it. And here's the thing. When the gospels were written, they were writing to a first century audience, a Jewish audience. They were mentioning a lot of things that the readers at that time would have known and would have understood, would have had context for. We read them now and we don't have any context for them. So sometimes a good pastor, a good book.
[00:36:15] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:36:15] Speaker G: A good, you know, a good sermon will give you some of this context.
Some of these quote unquote side stories have extraordinary richness to them and there's a reason they were mentioned in scripture even if they weren't expanded upon. So for us, it's about bringing even more clarity and more spotlight to the story of Jesus.
[00:36:32] Speaker B: Yeah, I love it. Well, and you're bringing also spotlight to the women in scripture. You know, even when I put my subtitles on and it will say like the Shabbat dinner with Jesus and the women. I'm a female pastor, so this is also where I'm coming from. And the, the fact that it said women disciples, what has been the feedback on the way that you have really illuminated like not just Mary Magdalene, but all of the women as disciples of Jesus's?
[00:36:56] Speaker G: Absolutely. I mean, and it's not a, it's not a political thing that I'm trying, it's not a state statement I'm trying to make. This is the story of the gospels. Jesus appeared. The first person he announced himself as Messiah to publicly was a woman, an outcast woman, a woman who'd been essentially treated as property, who wasn't even supposed to be alone with. And he's meet her at a. Well on purpose. The first person he preached, you know, appeared to at the, at the resurrection was Mary Magdalene and women because they were the people at the cross. I mean, throughout the Gospels there are stories of extraordinary women who supported the ministry of. And so authentically telling the story of Jesus means you are including the extraordinary role that women played in this. And yes, the term disciple is referring to not just men. It's referring to all of the people who followed Jesus. Now, the 12 apostles, yes, they were men, but he had many, many disciples. And some of them were extraordinarily powerful and, and meaningful to the, to the mission and to, to diminish that or to not spend as much time on that as we do. The men would be a, would be a disservice to the story.
[00:37:55] Speaker B: And that's a wrap on ChosenCon 2020.
