‘I Don’t Want That’: The Chosen’s George Xanthis on Being Iconised

The Sydney-born actor opens up about faith, fame and following Jesus on screen.

Key Points:

Almost eight years since he was cast as a disciple on The Chosen, Australian actor George Xanthis is acutely aware of the pressure to be a mouthpiece for the Christian faith, but it’s a role he’s hesitant to take on.

Starring as John, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, George portrays one of the most significant people in Scripture: a Gospel writer, the self-proclaimed “one whom Jesus loved”, the first male follower to arrive at Jesus’ tomb, and one half of the compelling “Sons of Thunder”.

George’s representation of John has been credited with some of The Chosen’s success, generating great admiration from fans who see him as the embodiment of this holy figure.

In truth, George is a local Sydneysider who grew up in Earlwood, went to a Greek Orthodox school, and enjoyed impersonating his teachers to “scratch the acting itch”.

“There’s a lot of pressure sometimes,” George told Hope 103.2’s UNDISTRACTED podcast.

“Especially with someone like me being on a show like The Chosen to represent the community in the best way that I can.”

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While he’s culturally “very proudly” Greek Orthodox, George highlights his limitations as a religious advisor and wants people instead to go with him on a journey of working out their own spiritual views.

“I can only muse,” George said.

“I always say to people if they want to ask my opinion, there are things from a historical perspective I’m learning about John that I can share.

“But if they need spiritual guidance, they should definitely seek spiritual leaders and the Bible because you’re going to get much better answers than from me.”

Something that lifted the pressure of playing John for George was a cliffside walk in Sydney’s East with a priest from his youth.

“He gave me the permission to explore this role in a way that came naturally to me,” George said.

“Spirituality is a much bigger journey for me, but I had no idea how connected my views were to Jesus the person until being on The Chosen.

“On the show I listen to Jesus’ teachings through so many takes, I walk in his teachings and follow them, and as a character I’m digesting it and trying to understand it.

“I would implore people who are either very spiritual, or religious, or both, to digest The Chosen that way – imagining yourself ‘in their sandals’ 2000 years ago.”

“On the show I listen to Jesus’ teachings through so many takes, I walk in his teachings and follow them, and as a character I’m digesting it and trying to understand it.” George said.

Filming for season six finished in September last year, with season seven getting underway in the coming months, and George knows this is going to be a very effecting season as they approach the crucifixion of Christ (Jonathan Roumie).

“There were times where Jonathan took three hours in makeup and three hours out of makeup because of the lashes,” George said.

Workday limitations meant Jonathan couldn’t always be in the shot for disciples reacting to Jesus’ treatment, forcing them to perform to an empty cross and process the emotion of his absence.

“I used it,” George said.

“And just thought, ‘Oh my goodness, He’s gone’. I wanted Him to come back.”

At times Jonathan would need the disciples “physical touch to get into what he needed to get into” as an actor.

“When that happened I would just grab his arm and say, ‘Don’t go’”, George said.

“That triggered him and it triggered me.”

Having six seasons is a huge milestone for a show funded by fans that’s now streamed worldwide, but George thinks The Chosen’s greatest success is that it has been able to retain its down-to-earth essence through the growth.

“Every single cast member is the exact same person I remember coming into the show,” George said.

“There’s been a lot of changes, but we have a very personal and emotional stake in the show, and I’m proud to say we’re the exact same people we were in the beginning.”

Season six of The Chosen releases this year.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Listen to the full episode of UNDISTRACTED with guest George Xanthis in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feature image: Supplied