For centuries, Judas Iscariot has been synonymous with betrayal. But for Luke Dimyan, who portrays Judas in “The Chosen,” the role is far more complex than a single act of treachery.
As the groundbreaking series created by Dallas Jenkins enters its fifth season, the 28-year-old actor said he’s determined to bring depth and humanity to one of history’s most infamous figures.
“I have a lot of thanks to the writers for that,” Dimyan told The Christian Post. “They already sprinkled a lot of nuances into his story. They work a lot with discovery, finding different ways to portray him and show off different sides — what could lead to a sense of betrayal in him.”
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Adding a deeply human dimension to one of the Bible’s most infamous figures is no small feat, but the key to Judas lies in understanding his loyalties, according to Dimyan.
“I always try to focus on keeping his goals very clear, the things that he’s loyal to: Jesus, to his brothers that surround him, but also to his culture and people,” he explained. “Being Jewish, and having a strong connection and pride in that, in a time of military occupation with Rome, that affects not only how he sees his people’s place in the world, but also how he feels about himself.”
Season five of “The Chosen: Last Supper” follows Holy Week, the week leading up to Christ’s crucifixion, and will pick up where season four ended.
In the season four finale, Jesus and His Apostles travel to Bethany to comfort Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary, following Lazarus’ death four days earlier. At Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus performs the miracle of raising him from the dead. News of this reaches the Sanhedrin, and the High Priest begins plotting to have Jesus handed over to the Romans for execution.
With season five, Jonathan Roumie returns to star as Jesus, along with Shahar Isaac as Simon, Paras Patel as Matthew, Elizabeth Tabish as Mary Magdalene, and more. The season will be released in three parts: part one releases on March 28; part two on April 4, and part three on April 11.
This season, as Judas prepares for the ultimate act of betrayal, “his perspectives and the things that he thought would be absolute truths are starting to shift and become unbalanced,” Dimyan said.
“He’s starting to question what their ultimate goal is. Since the disciples — and he — don’t have the hindsight that everyone who’s read the Bible has, they don’t really see what’s coming. Not just the crucifixion, but Jesus’ entire plan. Jesus is causing so much division, challenging the Pharisees and the temple authorities, instead of unifying our people. I think that leaves Judas [and the other disciples] a bit lost, frustrated and confused about their purpose.”
Dimyan, a Coptic Egyptian, said he wants viewers to see Judas as a human individual: struggling, questioning and searching for meaning in the shadow of history’s most pivotal moment. He said that throughout the series, he’s sought to portray the disciple who betrays Jesus as complex, torn between his love for the Son of God and the choices that lead him down a tragic path.
“I was coming at him purely from a personal and emotional perspective,” he shared. “I had no recollection or understanding of Jewish culture beforehand. But learning the traditions, the mindsets, especially what it meant to be Jewish in the first century under Roman occupation, it gave me a whole new understanding of how someone like Judas might have thought.”
With “The Chosen” entering its final stretch before Jesus’ crucifixion, season five is designed to raise the stakes both visually and narratively. Jenkins previously told CP that viewers will see Jesus “like never before” as he challenges both the religious and political establishments with unprecedented force.
“This is the lion’s den,” Dimyan said. “We’ve been through hardships, especially last season, but this is where all the preparation has led. This is the final act before the catalysts that lead to the last two seasons. Not only is everyone on edge, realizing this may be it, but the way we’re filming it is different.
“Our cinematographer, Akis [Konstantakopoulos], had a film camera and would set up his shot list in a new way […] the way we’re filming this is extremely different. It has truly upped the scale from the past four seasons combined. It is cinematic. If you see it in theaters, I think it’s going to be something like you’ve never seen before.”
As “The Chosen: Last Supper” prepares for release, Dimyan said he hopes fans make it to the theaters to watch it on the big screen.
“I really just hope they enjoy it,” he says. “I know people are excited for the emotional and spiritual aspects. I know everyone’s bringing their tissue boxes. But as a performer, I just hope that wherever they watch it — whether at home or in theaters — they walk away feeling fulfilled, that they just enjoyed their time. I hope they have a favorite episode or moment they want to come back to in a year. Our team put a lot of work into it, and I genuinely think this is our best season yet.”
Click here to learn more about “The Chosen: The Last Supper.”
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
