Jonathan Roumie Meets Pope Leo XIV: ‘There was just a kindness on his face’
Jonathan Roumie, who portrays Jesus in The Chosen, was deeply moved upon hearing of the election of American-born Pope Leo XIV, saying, “I just never thought I would ever live to see the day.” Just two months later, while filming Season 6’s crucifixion scenes in Italy, Roumie met the new pontiff during a papal audience on June 25.
Reflecting on the experience, Roumie told EWTN’s Colm Flynn, “It was fantastic. He was so kind and so gracious and generous with his time.” Although the meeting was a bit of a blur, he recalled telling the pope he was “humbled to be there.” While Pope Leo hasn’t seen The Chosen, he mentioned his brother is a fan, prompting Roumie to respond, “Well, we brought some DVDs to help remedy that.”
Roumie had met Pope Francis twice before, but this meeting stood out because he could speak in his native language. “When you know you can communicate with somebody in your own language, it makes all the difference,” he said, adding that he enjoyed being able to reference Chicago culture with the pope, such as “Da Bulls” and “Da Bears.”
Roumie was struck by the pope’s warmth: “There was just a kindness on his face and just a charity about him that just moved me.”
Roumie meets Pope
Speaking about the intensity of filming in Matera, he said, “I’ve never done anything harder than that,” and anticipates the scenes will be “life-changing for so many people… It’s just going to propagate the name of Jesus at a breakneck speed.” Yet he acknowledged it will be emotionally tough: “It’s just going to be devastating” for viewers who have followed Jesus’ journey for over five seasons.
Roumie also opened up about his personal journey — once struggling financially and spiritually in Los Angeles. At one low point, with only $20 left, he surrendered his life to God: “Once I committed my career to him and in doing so the entirety of my life, that’s when my life changed.” Just three months later, he got the call from director Dallas Jenkins to play Jesus.
After portraying Christ for over five years, Roumie said, “There’s always this striving to be more like him… That can feel impossible at times, but I know that I’m here doing this for a reason and I’m just going to continue to give him everything that I have.” He added, “I’m going to do the best I can and make sure I’m exercising the sacraments and going to confession and receiving the Eucharist.
On being seen by many as Jesus himself, he shared, “So many people say to me, ‘You’re exactly what I would have pictured if I met Jesus,’” noting that he tries to gently remind them of the difference by saying his own name.
Aware of the high expectations placed on him, he acknowledged, “If I’m being held to the standards of Jesus… that’s great because it’s just better for me spiritually.” While he’s open to future acting roles, Roumie assured, “I wouldn’t do anything that goes against my beliefs or a character that just doesn’t sit right with me.”
In the end, what makes him proudest is “the impact of the show and the reality of what it’s doing for people.” He concluded that The Chosen is “a testament to the show’s power and influence” in bringing people closer to God.
