MANILA, Philippines — In time for the Feast of Christ the King last weekend, Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in the world’s most successful crowdfunded series “The Chosen,” visited Manila to grace the teal carpet of the premiere of “The Chosen’s” Christmas special “Holy Night,” which will start showing in the Philippines on December 11.
The Feast of Christ the King, according to the liturgical year of the Roman Catholics, emphasizes the true kingship of Christ.
In an interview with Philstar.com during a roundtable interview in Shangri-La The Fort in Taguig City last Friday, Roumie was asked by Philstar.com for his favorite sermon by his character in “The Chosen.”
“I don’t know if I can answer your question. That’s a tough question,” he said.
“Faith is a journey and belief is a journey and God is a relationship that all people need and I may never receive the answer to any of our ‘why’s.’ But what I need is the answer. The why doesn’t matter. What matters is knowing that I may not understand the plan that God has for my life. But He does and I have to trust in the ‘what.’ So, I trust in the ‘what.’ The ‘why’ doesn’t matter for as long as I continue to trust in the ‘what’ and the ‘Who,’ more specifically. I’m covered," he said as response to another question by another press member.
When asked by another media outlet if he dreamt of becoming the next Brad Pitt or George Clooney, the actor who plays the more prominent superstar, Jesus, said: “No, I knew that it was never going to be possible. I was fine and I just want to have access to be able to tell stories that are meaningful and hopefully, have some sort of impact. At least, meaningful to me and that kind of impact, I think, ‘The Chosen’ does that. And then, I haven’t understood that it could and that it could be possible to have an impact to people from telling that specific story. So I’m happy to be part of the stories as they unfold.”
Roumie, who first played Jesus for a multimedia project about Saint Maria Faustyna Kowalska in 2013, recalled how his devotion to becoming a “media missionary” for Christ started. Roumie is a devout Roman Catholic and member of the Church institution Opus Dei.
“I think, it wasn’t until the first season of ‘The Chosen’ where I was currently in between seasons and performing the ‘Passion’ play that I started to understand, four years of playing Jesus and I was like, five times in four years… So between 2013 and 2017, I played Jesus, the same project or another, four or five times in a year and I thought, ‘This is interesting. What’s going on here?’ And then after I got booked in ‘The Chosen.’ After the first series, we saw how I was perceived in front of the world. I thought, ‘Okay, God has a specific truth or specific plan for me and my life as a performer with this character’.”
In whatever he does, may it be acting or advocacy, the actor makes sure to make Christ the king of his life.
“I think, God gave us a pretty clear roadmap to what roles to have in our lives. I think that the more that we stick to the Scriptures, and stick to the principles that He gave us to base our lives on, the more obvious our decision is when it comes to any issue that comes and presents itself in the course of our faith. I think, sticking to the Scriptures is the best way for the overall.”
When asked by Philstar.com at the teal carpet on his impression of the Philippines, Roumie exclaimed: “It’s amazing! Everybody is really wild!”
“Thank you for supporting us all the way! You guys have been amazing and again, we’re so excited to be here finally!” he said as a Christmas message.
At the event when the hosts asked what can fans expect on the Christmas special “Holy Night,” Jonathan started with a question to the fans as well, “I heard you guys like the Christmas season a little bit, is that true?”
“I think that you’re going to love the way that ‘The Chosen’ tells the story of the nativity and the fact that we do it in a way that we also invite worship music to be a part of the film, to be a part of the experience of the story of nativity, with so many wonderful artists including The Feast Worship playing in the film as well. I think it’s an opportunity to remember what this season is about. It’s about Christ as the reason for the season of Christmas.”
Gary Valenciano, who joined other Filipino artists at the movie’s SM Megamall premiere, including Rabiya Mateo, Roxanne Guinoo, Andrea Del Rosario, Wendell Ramos, Betong Sumaya, and Camille Prats-Yambao, professed that he had been “a solid ‘The Chosen’ follower since the very beginning and during the pandemic.”
Over a thousand fans from all ages and Christian denominations, including pastors, bishops, priests, nuns and members of Bo Sanchez's The Feast Worship, also came together to attend the premiere.
“So I’m really blessed that they’re here to a nation that has been hungry for the Lord ever since, so Jesus is great!” Gary V declared.
According to him, “The Chosen” is “a great tool” for God to speak to us “in ways that only He can.”
“People who already know the Lord will get to know Him in a different way after watching ‘The Chosen’,” he assured.
“I’m thankful that it is a project that boldly speaks and boldly talks about Jesus, in a world where everybody has their own idea of what truth is and what life is – Jesus is the truth, the way and the life! That’s not going to change because He is the same yesterday, today and forever!”
For Gary V, Christ is not only king; He is the real "Mr. Pure Energy."
WATCH: Gary V gives inspiring review of 'The Chosen'
— Videos by Deni Bernardo; video editing by Anjilica Andaya, Martin Ramos