Actor George Xanthis says playing John in THE CHOSEN has changed the way he hears Jesus’ teachings, a personal insight he shared while previewing the series’ coming sixth season.
“I had no idea how much more expansive Jesus’s teachings were.” Xanthis said in the Hope 103.2 interview. He made the observation while explaining how reading Jesus’ words has shaped his performance.
The official THE CHOSEN homepage describes the series as a historical drama based on the life of Jesus Christ, told through the eyes of those who knew Him. Xanthis’s account fits that approach: he considers how John might have heard Jesus, then carries those discoveries into the character’s scenes.
The actor also drew a clear line between acting and spiritual authority. He said he does not want to serve as a mouthpiece for Greek Orthodoxy or Christianity, and he encouraged people seeking spiritual guidance to turn to their leaders and the Bible.
“I miss my family.” Xanthis said while describing what he misses most when he works overseas. He placed that longing alongside Greek Easter, shared meals and the extended community that helped preserve his heritage.
Related: Why THE CHOSEN Kept Holy Week Personal Amid Bigger Scale
That family emphasis gives the interview its warmest thread. Xanthis said his connection to Greek Orthodoxy feels cultural and familial as well as spiritual, and he described traditions as part of how Greeks maintained identity through generations.
Xanthis entered THE CHOSEN without fully understanding the assignment. As Movieguide® previously reported, he recalled thinking John meant John the Baptist before learning he would portray a Gospel writer.
“Then they said you’re one of the Gospel writers, and then they said John 3:16,” he recalled. “I’m like, you mean, Stone Cold Steve Austin 3:16? Is that who I’m playing?” he joked.
The official Season 6 page says the upcoming chapter will cover Jesus’ final day and point toward the cross. Xanthis said the production lasted about six months, including three weeks in Italy for crucifixion material, and he described the unusual challenge of performing toward an empty cross when Jonathan Roumie was still in makeup.
Those conditions shaped the cast’s work as much as the scale did. Xanthis recalled Roumie coming to the disciples for physical contact to help enter the scene, and he described the repeated emotional response as the most potent and memorable part of the experience.
Xanthis also praised the show’s early, close-knit spirit, even as the production expanded. He said the set still feels like it did on day one, a quality he connected to the way cast members remain willing to explore together.
For viewers, that combination of biblical story, actorly curiosity and family heritage offers a useful way into THE CHOSEN. The series’ official description reminds audiences that artistic imagination and condensed timelines shape the retelling, while the Gospels remain the foundation.
Xanthis stopped short of presenting himself as an expert, and that restraint strengthens his account. He speaks as an actor learning how to inhabit John — not as a replacement for pastors, priests or Scripture.
The interview leaves Season 6’s full story for viewers to discover, but it makes one point plain: Xanthis approaches John with growing affection and seriousness. For families returning to THE CHOSEN, his comments invite a fresh question — what might familiar words reveal when readers listen again?
Read Next: Everything We Know About THE CHOSEN Season 6
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