“The Chosen” is not the first time he has played Jesus on screen.
Although the dynamic duo are most well-known for their recent work together on “The Chosen, director Dallas Jenkins’ and Roumie’s relationship goes back several years. The two first worked together when Jenkins, an evangelical Christian, was the media director for his church. He cast Roumie to play Jesus for a short film he made for his church called “The Two Thieves.” The film told the story of the two other men who were crucified with Jesus.
Soon after, Jenkins made the short film called “The Shepherd,” which became the pilot for what would become “The Chosen.” Several months after that was released, Jenkins called Roumie to ask if he would be interested in playing Jesus again in this new series.
He is outspoken in urging Christian actors in Hollywood to stand firm in their beliefs.
In an interview with Matt Fradd on Pints with Aquinas, Roumie encouraged Christian actors to stand firm in their beliefs when accepting roles to play. He discussed how the culture is at odds with faith and reminded Christian actors to look at the kind of roles they are being offered and if they compromise their spirituality. He added that there are certain shows he can’t watch anymore because “they’re so gratuitous” and his “spirit rejects them.” Roumie advised Christians actors to try to find Christ in each role and emphasized the importance of prayer and discernment.
He has partnered with the Hallow App to create Catholic content.
Roumie is a featured partner on the popular Catholic prayer and meditation app Hallow. He has taken part in several of the app’s prayer challenges such as the #Pray40 Lent Challenge, the Advent Feat. The Chosen: #Pray25 Prayer Challenge, and a 30-day Gospel Challenge. His voice was also used to record the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Sacred Heart Novena, and the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic.
Hallow launched in December 2018 and is the No. 1 Catholic app in the U.S. and Canadian app stores. The app has more than 2,000 sessions including novenas, the rosary, daily examens, litanies, music, Bible stories, and much more. The app has been downloaded in more than 150 countries.
7. He will be portraying a hippie preacher in his new upcoming movie.
Roumie will be turning in Jesus’ tunic for bell bottoms and flare-sleeved blouses as he takes on the role of playing hippie-street-preacher Lonnie Frisbee in the new movie “Jesus Revolution.” The true story takes place in Southern California at the height of the hippie counterculture in the early 1970s. The movie shows the national spiritual awakening that took place during this time and how a community of teenage hippies came to encounter Christ. The film will be released on Feb. 24.
Francesca is the Social Media Manager for Catholic News Agency. She received her degree in Communications with an emphasis in Digital Media from the University of Colorado - Denver.