The Chosen director reveals he had his 'first emotional breakdown' while filming Season 6's crucifixion scene
The Chosen director reveals he had his 'first emotional breakdown' while filming Season 6's crucifixion scene
Aashna Sat, November 14, 2026 at 9:56 AM UTC
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Jonathan Roumie as Jesus in The Chosen ©Instagram/@primevideo
The Chosen, Prime Video's breakout Christian historical series, created and directed by Dallas Jenkins, will adapt one of the most heartbreaking and important chapters from the life of Jesus of Nazareth (played by Jonathan Roumie): the crucifixion.
The fifth season, which adapted The Last Supper, concluded on a dramatic cliffhanger. After Jesus experienced intense emotional and spiritual struggle while receiving symbolic visions in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas arrived with the Roman soldiers, culminating the season with Jesus' arrest. With Season 5 tackling an emotional chapter of Jesus' life, The Chosen Season 6 is ready to adapt the crucifixion, which was an emotional filming experience for Jenkins and the cast.
In an interview with Woman's World, Jenkins recalled how Season 6's crucifixion scene, which was filmed in the historic city of Matera, Italy, pushed him to his emotional limits:
"I had my first emotional breakdown on set that I've ever had, where I had to get away, cry, pray and recover in some way...I do think that the sacrifices we were making are going to be worth it. I still know for a fact that filming in Italy was by far the best thing we could have done."
The Chosen Season 6 creator reveals the challenges of filming the crucifixion in Italy
The official synopsis for The Chosen Season 6 reads as follows:
"The hour has come. Before the sun sets, Jesus will be dead. Season 6 captures the historic events of Jesus’ final day through the lives of those who love Him—and those who condemn Him...in the face of loneliness and death, Jesus stands resolute in a plan that has always led to one place: the cross."
The upcoming season, which will begin streaming on Prime Video on November 15 and conclude with a global theatrical film, The Chosen Crucifixion, on March 12, 2027, was filmed in Italy. Matera has been a popular setting for biblical stories, including Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.
The Chosen, which was initially financed through crowdfunding, has now been watched by an estimated 280 million people worldwide. As the cast steps into one of the most important seasons, Jenkins and set designer James Cunningham discussed the behind-the-scenes challenges of filming the crucifixion with Woman's World.
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A still from the upcoming season (Image via Instagram/@thechosentvseries)
Unlike previous seasons, the upcoming installment covers the pivotal, emotional final 24 hours of Jesus Christ's life, spanning from the Garden of Gethsemane through his arrest, the secret Sanhedrin trials, interrogation by Roman authorities, and the walk to Calvary, and finally to the crucifixion, which will be featured in the 2027 finale film.
Recalling the process of building the cross and filming scenes with Roumie, Cunningham said:
"He [Jesus] was actually raised on the cross. So we had machines raising [Roumie] on the cross, but had to make it look like people were raising him. I was up all hours designing this."
Beyond the logistical challenges, Cunningham recalled that he and Jenkins 'cried quite a few times on set' and were overcome with emotion upon looking back on their journey. The Chosen started from a 'little farm in Illinois' and has transformed into a global hit, with fans eagerly waiting for Season 6.
In another interview with theLA Times, Roumie called The Chosen Season 6 the most crucial season of the series and the one that made him the most nervous. Beyond an emotional transformation, Roumie underwent a physical one, losing nearly 25 pounds to play Jesus on the cross in the upcoming season. The actor, who has played Jesus since the series' debut, wanted to portray an authentic image of Him on the cross.
In addition to Roumie, Season 6 stars Shahar Isaac as Peter, Paras Patel as Matthew, and Elizabeth Tabish as Mary Magdalene.
The Chosen Season 6 will drop the first three episodes on Prime Video on November 15. Weekly episodes will be released every Sunday until December 6, followed by the finale film, scheduled to be released in theatres on March 12, 2027.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
