“Rather than re-cast or try to hide it with creative camera angles, [Jenkins] embraced it and asked if I’d be opposed to him writing it into my character,” said Ross. “Now it has given a whole new layer to my role.”
Ross told Deadline that he found it “notable” not only that a disabled actor was cast in a fast-growing show, but also that his character was re-written to accommodate his disability. He described this act as “another level of inclusion and visibility” of disabled actors.
In a recent episode of The Chosen, James is asked why Jesus has not healed him of his limp.
Ross said that the scene features his “character’s struggle for self-acceptance and fighting his insecurities,” which he said would “lead him to the realization that not everyone needs to be healed.”
Looking ahead, Ross said that he hopes to use his celebrity to “help inspire others to chase their dreams, regardless of their mental or physical limitations.”
“In fact, you can often use your differences to inspire others,” he said.
The pilot episode of “The Chosen” premiered on Christmas Eve in 2017. The show’s first season focused on Jesus meeting his apostles, while the second season is focused on His growing fame. Jonathan Roumie, a devout Catholic, plays the character of Jesus.
During its first season, the show was the largest-ever crowd-funded television series. Recently, the show’s website reported that 75,000 donors gave a total of $10 million through crowdfunding to support the first season; more than 125,000 donors had given a total of $10 million for the second season.
The second season premiered on Easter Sunday 2021. Season two is scheduled to have eight episodes, and can be streamed for free on YouTube, through an app for iOS or Android systems, or through the website of VidAngel, its distributor. The first season is also available on DVD.
