Blake Shelton says he 'absolutely loves' 'The Chosen'; Jesus actor Jonathan Roumie responds

By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Assistant Editor Thursday, May 23, 2024

Country star Blake Shelton says he “absolutely loves” “The Chosen,” adding that there is “no question” why the first-ever multi-season series about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ is a worldwide phenomenon.

“Random two thumbs up from a country singer… Just finished season 3 of The Chosen and I absolutely love it. No question in my mind why it’s a world wide phenomenon,” Shelton, an eight-time Grammy nominee, wrote in a May 20 post on X.

Random two thumbs up from a country singer… Just finished season 3 of The Chosen and I absolutely love it. No question in my mind why it’s a world wide phenomenon.

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— Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) May 21, 2024

Artist Gwen Stefani, who is married to Shelton, quote tweeted the country star and said, "@blakeshelton Obsessed !! Can't wait for season 4 @thechosentv u better not watch w out me!! Gx."

Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in "The Chosen," replied: "Ah man. Thanks brother! Wait till you see what season 4 of @thechosentv has in store. Bless you."

"Really appreciate that. Glad you love it," "The Chosen" official account responded.

Created, directed and co-written by Dallas Jenkins, the son of Left Behind author Jerry B. Jenkins, "The Chosen" premiered in December 2017 and chronicles the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.

The show focuses on the individuals who encountered and interacted with Him. In addition to Roumie, the cast also includes Shahar Isaac, Elizabeth Tabish, Paras Patel, Noah James and George H. Xanthis, among others.

Each season of "The Chosen" explores different aspects of Jesus' ministry and the lives of His disciples, with season 4 centering on Christ as a "man of sorrows" on the path to His crucifixion. 

"The Chosen" just wrapped filming season five in Goshen, Utah, and is expected to last seven seasons, according to Jenkins.

This Christian historical series began as a crowd-funded streaming project and achieved remarkable success across platforms like Prime Video, Peacock, Netflix and The CW. It's estimated that at least 110 million people worldwide have watched at least part of one episode across 175 countries.

The show has garnered a diverse fan base. Jenkins previously told The Christian Post he's heard countless stories of how "The Chosen" has reached marginalized communities, from the elderly to those with special needs. 

"One woman told me about her mom, who is in her 80s and has Alzheimer's," he recalled. "Her brain is, for all intents and purposes, gone. And yet every time 'The Chosen' comes on, she engages, she responds, she laughs. Her daughter told me that the show is their opportunity to reconnect with their mom because of Jesus. That was pretty extraordinary."

Numerous parents of special needs children, he revealed, have shared how the show has ministered to their families. 

"We hear about these young children with extreme special needs who, when they watch the show, light up. It doesn't make sense because the show is complex. It's not a simple, easy-to-follow Sunday school story. I believe that with this show, God is removing all these barriers and removing the scales from our eyes to allow us to see Jesus very clearly, from the very young to the very old."

At the premiere of the fourth season, Jenkins told CP that despite the show's astronomical success and accolades, he doesn't plan to rest on his laurels anytime soon.

"In season 1, I was coming off of a big career failure," the 48-year-old director said. "I didn't know what the future was. I didn't care; it was just about, 'How do I make a good first season that honors God and that is entertaining to watch?' I have to maintain that today."

"When I'm sitting in front of a blank screen and the cursor is blinking, it doesn't give a rip how successful or not successful my previous work was," he said at the red carpet premiere of season 4. "At the end of the day, I've still got to get season five going. I've still got to focus on the work."

Jenkins, who is also directing the forthcoming film "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," based on the bestselling novel by Barbara Robinson, hopes he's getting better as a director with each season of "The Chosen."

"But I hope season one is still good, even though it was done five years ago," he said. 

"You're always getting better because you're always curious," he added. "I'm always wanting to learn, even from my own mistakes. So hopefully, each season shows a little bit of that."