The Chosen cast and characters have captivated fans across the globe in the TV show, here’s a list of the actors.
People hired to work on The Chosen likely had no idea just how much the historical drama series would exceed expectations. Working with a modest budget, the show has picked up a passionate fanbase since.
Considering we’ve reached The Chosen Season 4, there’s now a wealth of talent who have worked across multiple seasons.
Below are the main actors in the series and The Chosen characters they play, including where you might recognize them from and what else they do professionally.
The Chosen cast and characters
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Jonathan Roumie as Jesus
The Chosen tells the story of Jesus Christ, as such, he’s in every season. As the guiding light of the show, Jesus’ humanity is explored through his impact on those around him. This portrayal of Jesus is also often humorous, with the show framing him as approachable and able to put a smile on other’s faces. The Chosen revolves around his spiritual journey, following the Gospels.
Actor Jonathan Roumie is an old friend of The Chosen creator Dallas Jenkins. The pair worked together on short-form projects, and Jenkins had only Roumie in mind for the leading role, saying he captures “the tenderness and the masculinity” required. Before The Chosen, Roumie had guest spots on Chicago Med, The Mindy Project, The Good Wife, Law and Order, and NCIS.
Shahar Isaac as Simon Peter
Simon Peter, a former fisherman from Capernaum, is one of the 12 apostles of Jesus and a kind of leader among them. He’s Andrew’s older brother, a son of Jonah, and a former partner of Zebedee. Along with Big James and John, he’s a part of Jesus’ inner circle. Jesus gave him the name Peter, which means ‘rock’.
Shahar Isaac has appeared in all seasons of The Chosen as a main character. Before that, he was known for roles in the legal drama The Good Fight and National Theatre Live: Salomé in 2017.
Elizabeth Tabish as Mary Magdalene
From Magdala, Mary Magdalene is one of the women helping Jesus’ ministry. She was redeemed after being possessed by a demon named Lilith and is the series’ female lead. Mary credits Jesus with changing her life, saying in the episode ‘Shabbat’, “I was one way and now I am completely different. And the thing that happened in between was Him.”
Elizabeth Tabish is an actor and filmmaker who completed her Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies and Master of Arts in Theater at Oklahoma State University. She has directed several award-winning independent films (Like a Ghost, Mother’s Day, To See You) that explore women’s perspectives She’s also the Co-Founder and Art Director of The Arthouse Film Festival.
Paras Patel as Matthew
Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector in Capernaum and is one of Jesus’ 12 apostles. He’s the son of Alphaeus and a former colleague of Simon Peter and Andrew. He’s been in The Chosen from the first episode through to Season 4.
Noah James as Andrew
Born in Bethsaida, Andrew is one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. Formerly a fisherman from Capernaum alongside his younger brother Simon Peter, Andrew is a disciple of John the Baptist.
Noah James is an actor and director. Outside the series, he’s best known for minor parts in Shameless as Barry and Perry Game Shakers. He also appeared in one episode of the Gilmore Girls revival, A Year in the Life.
Yasmine Al-Bustami as Ramah
Ramah has a romantic relationship with Thomas in the series. A former vintner from Tel Dor, she becomes one of the women who help Jesus’ ministry. Starting with just one appearance in Season 1, she became a recurring character and has been featured in every season since.
Yasmine Al-Bustami has been in several binge-worthy shows. She made her TV debut in The Originals in 2013 as the villain Monique Deveraux. Previously, she’s had a recurring role in The Inspectors, appeared in a John Legend music video, and was in the feature film You Get Me. She was also in CW’s I Ship It, playing Sasha and the interactive sci-fi series Orbital Redux as Tommie. She’s now a series regular in NCIS: Hawaiʻi, playing Special Agent Lucy Tara.
Shaan Sharma as Shmuel
The Chosen introduces Shmuel as one of Jesus’ opponents in several biblical stories. He’s a leading Pharisee from Capernaum and a member of the Sanhedrin.
Shaan Sharma is an actor, union leader, and educator. He founded the acting studio The Storytellers Conservatory, is an Adjunct Professor for PACE University’s School of Drama, and is a founding member of Solidarity, a grassroots SAG-AFTRA group. Shaan is also a Backstage contributing writer who publishes advice for performers. You also may have seen him in 9-1-1: Lone Star or Grey’s Anatomy.
Nick Shakoour as Zebedee
Zebedee is another former fisherman in Capernaum. He’s Big James and John’s father, Salome’s husband, and the former partner of Simon Peter and Andrew. He had a smaller part in Seasons 1 and 2 before stepping into the light more in 3.
Nick Shakoour has starred in the Oscar-qualifying film MADARAN, recurred on the NBC series State of Affairs as Aleek Al Moosari, and voiced numerous characters in games, feature films, and animated series, including Grumpy Bear and Tenderheart Bear in Care Bears: Unlock The Magic.
George H. Xanthis as John
John was a Capernaum fisherman and is one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He’s one of Zebedee and Salome’s sons, the younger brother of Big James, and a former fishing partner of Simon Peter and Andrew. Jesus nicknames him and Big James the “sons of thunder”. John is also a part of Jesus’ inner circle. He has starred in over 20 The Chosen episodes so far.
George H. Xanthis is an Australian actor and producer known as Leo Cassevettes from the series Syd2030, Open Slather, two episodes of American Crime Story, Apple TV’s WeCrashed, and the 2016 murder mystery mini-series Deep Water.
Abe Bueno-Jallad as Big James
Big James, like his younger brother, used to be a fisherman in Capernaum. He’s one of the Twelve Apostles and another son of Zebedee and Salome. With Simon Peter and John, Big James is in Jesus’s inner circle.
From Season 2 onwards, Big James is portrayed by Abe Bueno-Jallad. From El Paso, Texas, he has appeared in Spanish and English-speaking projects including the Lethal Weapon TV series, the 2014 film Transcendence, Good Girls Revolt, and the anime Great Pretender.
For more on the series, find out how to watch The Chosen Season 4, read about the special The Chosen filming locations, or see what the best TV shows streaming this month are.
