‘The Chosen’ Cast Surprises 200 Texas Inmates: ‘The Gospel Transforms Lives’
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Approximately 200 incarcerated men at a Texas prison recently watched an unreleased episode of The Chosen—then received a special treat when three actors from the popular series joined them for a panel discussion.
The inmates at the Prison Fellowship Academy at the Carol S. Vance Unit in Richmond, Texas, watched Episode 1 of Season 6 in late September, nearly two months before its Prime Video release. After the screening, they were surprised when Noah James (Andrew), Abe Bueno-Jallad (Big James, son of Zebedee), and George H. Xanthis (John) walked into the room.
When asked by a show of hands how many had seen every episode of the series, nearly all raised their hands.
The event was held thanks to a partnership between Prison Fellowship and Come and See, the ministry behind The Chosen. Since 2023, Prison Fellowship has streamed The Chosen into more than 300 prisons in the U.S.
“One of the amazing themes of the show is that it doesn't matter what happened before — you can always change your story,” James said in a video released by Prison Fellowship.
The episode was shown in a room the incarcerated men had decorated to resemble a theater, complete with The Chosen-themed decorations, popcorn, and candy, such as Swedish Fish and Sour Patch Kids.
“My story began before I came to prison — I got out of prison last time and went into a bad environment, but it's in this environment that Christ met me,” one of the incarcerated men said in the Prison Fellowship video. He, like the other men in the video, was not identified.
Some inmates had not been to a movie theater since they were kids. Several were close to being released.
“For the last seven years, it's been a struggle. I've been up and down, but about three and a half years ago, something really, really shifted — I started to get serious by reading the Word, praying and fasting,” another inmate said.
Doug Deason, president of The Deason Foundation, said organizations such as Prison Fellowship play a vital role in rehabilitating inmates — 97 percent of whom will eventually be released. The foundation supports criminal justice reform. Prison Fellowship has partnered with Come and See to develop Chosen-themed discussion guides for the inmates and their families.
“They're going to be our neighbors. What's great about this is they're setting them up for success, not failure,” Deason said.
Noah James encouraged the men not to discount their ability to help others, pointing to Matthew’s struggles with self-doubt in the series.
“Matthew is one of the ones called by Jesus, and he, throughout the whole series, goes, ‘I don't feel like I'm someone that should be helping others.’ And Jesus all the time says, ‘You are exactly the person for the job because you do have something to bring to the table -- a lot.’ Never devalue that. I really, really believe that,” James said.
Heather Rice Minus, president and CEO of Prison Fellowship, said the event demonstrated the “life-changing impact of The Chosen series.”
“Seeing the incarcerated men connect with the story of Jesus has been deeply moving,” she said, “and is a powerful reminder that the Gospel transforms lives and that no one is beyond God’s reach.”
Photo credit: Screen Grab/Prison Fellowship/YouTube.
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published October 27, 2026.
