‘The Chosen’ Wraps Filming after 8 Years: ‘God, What a Thing You Did’

Of course, fans of the series have yet to see what the cast and crew filmed in recent months, and haven’t even seen Season 6, which launches in November with a spotlight on the crucifixion. Season 7 —the final season, which wrapped filming on Thursday — won’t debut until the spring of 2028.

But for the cast and crew, Thursday was a special day for a series that — for many — was the biggest project of their careers.

Jonathan Roumie, who wrapped his scenes several days earlier, was a relatively unknown actor when he landed the role of Jesus — a part that transformed his career, landing him on magazine covers and national television programs such as The View.

Similar stories unfolded for Shahar Isaac, who portrayed Peter, and Elizabeth Tabish, who played Mary Magdalene — actors whose careers became closely intertwined with a series that grew into a global phenomenon.

Thursday was also the culmination of a remarkable journey for Jenkins, who began filming the series in 2018 after coming off the biggest disappointment of his career —a faith-centric comedy, "The Resurrection of Gavin Stone" (2017), that bombed at the box office.

Back then, Jenkins billed "The Chosen" as the “first multi-season television series about Jesus” — but was scrambling for funds and filming locations and didn’t even know if the series could make it past the first season.

The 2020 pandemic served as a turning point, with much of the public stuck at home and searching for something to watch. Millions watched "The Chosen," fueling its rise in popularity and helping the series go viral.

“This morning, when I was praying, I just said to God, ‘What a thing You did, what a thing You've done,’” Jenkins said Thursday in a video to fans. “And I'm grateful to be a part of it, and I'm grateful that you're part of it.”

Cast members, too, expressed their appreciation to fans. The series’ unique fundraising model — driven in part by livestreams and merchandise sales — brought fans into closer contact with the cast and crew than a typical Hollywood production. Fan-centric ChosenCon events gave fans a chance to meet their favorite actors in person.

Joey Vahedi, who portrays Thomas, posted an Instagram video thanking fans and reflecting on his final day with the series.

“Every single one of you has impacted me in such a beautiful way, and I'm so grateful that I got to do this with you guys,” he said Thursday. “So for the last time, this is Thomas saying thank you. I love you guys.”

Giavani Cairo, who played Thaddeus, marked the end of his journey by posting a video of himself hanging up his costume and sandals for the final time, set to the tune of Brandon Lake’s "Gratitude."

Lara Silva, who portrays Eden, the wife of Simon Peter, reposted a video from the final day on set with a simple message: “Happy series wrap to the rest of our cast and crew.”

Austin Reed Alleman, who portrays Nathanael, looked back at his own journey, posting side-by-side photos from his first day on set, Oct. 13, 2020, and his last, Sept. 24 of this year.

“What a wild ride!” Alleman wrote.

Season 6 of "The Chosen" premieres on Prime Video in November.

Photo Credit: ©Instagram/GiavaniCairo &JoeyVahedi

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. 

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