The actors playing Jesus' disciples are thrilled to be sharing what season 5 of the hit TV series The Chosen has in store for viewers.
"There's a lot of intense experiences going on," says Reza Diako, the actor who portrays Philip in The Chosen. "There are extreme highs in the beginning because you're entering home, it's like a coming home story. But suddenly, it kind of flips around and the tables get turned."
For anyone who has read the Easter story in the Bible, the tables literally get flipped by Jesus himself after he calls the church in Jerusalem a 'den of thieves' after the Pharisees turned it into a marketplace. This scene, along with the betrayal of Jesus from one of his own disciples, is the climax of season 5.
"We sit at a supper that might be the last," says Diako, referring to the famous Last Supper. "Emotional intensity all the way through."
Noah James, who plays one of Jesus' disciples, Andrew, shares his thoughts on this new season of the Biblically-based show.
"At the Last Supper, we walked in, and it felt like the air was still," says James. "We knew that we were walking into something special. It was six days [of shooting] straight. We sat in those same seats, listening to Jesus say, honestly, some troubling and confronting things. We kind of carried that sense, as a group, that we would never be the same."
Brothers Peter and Andrew
Within the twelve disciples written about in the Bible, there were two groups of brothers. James and John, also known as the 'Sons of Thunder,' and then Peter and Andrew who were fishermen before they became Jesus' disciples.
James talks about what the journey has been like, acting alongside Shahar Isaac, the actor playing Peter.
"It's such a gift," says James. "We get to play off of each other so much in the show and that continues in season 5. The fact that we have that sort of relationship where we've known each other since birth, is fun to grow within the group. I just feel so proud of Peter as my brother. Shahar and I have so much fun playing the scenes together."
In Time for Easter
The six episodes of The Chosen, season 5, cover the week leading up to Jesus' crucifixion. The first two episodes will be released as a 'movie' in theatres across North America, starting Mar. 28, 2025.
"I hope that people really go through the journey with us," says James. "It is a pressure-cooker of a season. At the end of it, it will be a worthwhile ride. It's difficult, challenging, and confronting, but I think that sometimes the things that are the most rewarding are the most challenging."