THE CHOSEN INTERVIEW: Actor George Harrison Xanthis (John). Hosted by Darren Scott Jacobs.

[Music] welcome fans of the chosen I'm here today it's a great privilege to introduce another cast member George xanthus George thank you so much for being here today with us good eye down thanks for having me it's really great to be here and uh yeah I know the fans do and it's gonna be an interesting ride for us today so I'm just gonna start off with the obvious how did you land the role of John you know what was the audition process what did you have to bring to the table what challenges did you have in the role it's funny because I'm you know obviously we did that we did our live stream a couple of weeks ago and um I was fortunate enough that um that Dallas went through a little bit on the process on how I was cast but uh essentially I like a lot of the actors I think you go in for one character and then it goes from there so I actually went in for Simon Peter or at the time just Simon see you merchants you get twice the help out and see I neither twice the help here on learns excuse me John John I was unaware that the climate changes policy on allowing in children and he really liked him and Beverly at the casting studio and then obviously people who are watching really liked what I did and but they they had seen and in Shahar is just an incredible sign and I don't think it was it was possible to shape that image from from the head from the mind I think he's done such a great job with Simon so they're thinking like hey maybe not great to Simon but we saw what he could do I think I'm one of the actors actually winning for Simon because it was such a good especially the first four episodes there's a lot of great work from a lot of great dialogue for Simon so from there they actually got me to come in the next day and one of the the most gifted with their tongue I would say is Quintus the Roman I think he's like a traitor I think they call him is like a I guess a a general of sorts and I actually went in for Quintus so a Jew tax collector and his escort demand to see the praetor of Judea it's urgent they say a matter of life and death and whereas Simon was this sort of he sort of cocky but a man of the people then there was a different type of cockiness of a man of the elite I would say and so I switched between the two you know within a 12-hour turnaround I would say so yeah I think I'm not sure we're talking off air about the challenges of casting perhaps or you may have asked just then but one of the challenges is remembering eight pages in there or seven pages in just an evening you know so yeah I came in the next day had all the lines down in Australia you're not allowed to take the script with you they Dave they like you to be off-book so now in America when I'm going in for auditions I am mostly off-book and they were very surprised by that behind the camera Dallas is very impressed by that the fact that I was off-book and yeah they again they just it was it was thanks to Dallas his wife that uh that the casting decision was made that look he was great as Quintus great as Simon but I'm feeling you know this could be one of our apostles and good thing they settled on John because me and John have very similar character traits normally which is great you know both of them are quite you know zealous quite fiery as the as the sons of thunder can be but what happens with John later on not to get too far away from the original question but it is casting an and character but John gets he gets calmed down a little bit by Jesus and also through Jesus his experience with the other apostles there's a great scene in not mistaken it's episode six indescribable compassion or something like I think that's the name of the episode it's when Simon pulls John away and I love this scene because Simon and John become quite close later on but we don't know that now in its sites that's why it's a long form televisions as you see these early relationships but you see Simon is comfortable each time he brings him aside and says I'm not too comfortable with all the people watching because Jesus is preaching and there's a lot of crowd you know surrounding Zebedee's house and he says I'm looking at this exit here and that's right it's getting too crowded don't worry about it you know him and Hubble I love the company I'm not worried about them so what do you want to do try to make sure the paths are your back garden is clear but you think it's going to happen anything could happen all these people weren't spreading wrong people stop by Simon you don't have to be his bodyguard I think he can handle anything yeah well he called me and if we're not fighting the Romans yet I want to do something until that time comes I want you to catch men I don't know what that means exactly and if you need that you don't know what that meant he would have told you so just just be you okay and he's sort of worried about what it is he has to do and it's John that sort of calms him down and says of all people fiery personality of one of the sons of thunder to say hey you'll know when you know and it's sort of like that you know have faith in in who in this man that we're that we're following and it's great that we've got John who as you see in that episode John's the first one when the knife going to the leper stay back and then as a juxtaposition later on he's the one telling Simon to calm down so you know again great decision from casting because that's that's very similar to me I can be quite a fiery sort of you know opinionated extroverted person but I you know I contain all of that so yeah it sort of it's it's it's am it I'm quite measured person but fiery when I need to be so yeah that's how I ended up with John and good thing I did good thing I reacted the way I did it fits me perfectly and I've grown with the role just as John grows in the series so yeah you know there's another scene that I wanted to kind of discuss at length and it's the scene between Nicodemus and Jesus whatever basically were you know in the midst of John chapter 3 we're talking about what it means to be born again and it's such an emotive scene but one of the things I really liked about it is you're shown Jonathan taking notes you're listening in you're not really in the midst of it you're taking notes and I thought that that was a really profound way of reminding the audience that this is one of the writers of the four accounts well one of the writers of the Gospels that equipped it mean it's the chosen you you've got the script and that's they do a shooting script in that that's it or is their improvisation is there the possibility of ad-libbing where things are kind of you know fluid a little bit it's funny we actually on I think we may have even talked about that on the live stream as well there's a funny story to accompany that but to answer your question firstly it was not improvised that was in the scripts and it was such a great moment in the script me and know what we're very excited about that Noah plays Andrew we we were the reason being is because yeah this is these books have been written by these are these you know these disciples and it's great to see it happening in action people get excited by that and there's been a great response to that scene and then based on that what happens is actually our our props one of our props people she would have been head of props Lynne moon she would have all of our stuff and this is when it does come into now The Improv part where as that scene was written in and I think I'm writing down and me and Andrew are listening in to um to Nicodemus and Jesus but then in later scenes when I see my process and actor I get given my bag my water bottle and my satchel and then I said when I see the book I go as George the actor I said can I actually have a book I think it might be interesting like when we saw John taking notes in that scene might be interesting just to have him hold the book around and there's that thing of whenever as an actor was the character inspired you know would there have been a moment here John would have gone I just learned something something here I need to take note of because he's just said some gold or I've realized something and that's how it would have been I would imagine I mean that's something that they may choose whether to add that into the series you can see it in the background on occasion so when the creatives and the people in charge see that sort of improv in the background and they like it they can keep it but for me personally I like the concept of John with his book and so for the for the fans out there you can keep a close eye on John in the background you especially in these scenes where there's lots of walking and stuff you'll see me with you'll see John with this book which is great because you know well they were riding back there and surely it's brilliant I like it physical object it brings it in flushes out the character brilliant what about humor obsessed by all the interviews that I've done so far it's been fun great cast great people but everybody has kind of a story about something comical going on yeah well there we actually are there's lots of okay lots of humor on set you don't you know and that's the thing it's never a problem but because it's always good on every on every set it's never an issue but it does need to be curbed and uh you know me and can [Music] older brother plays James we we've got a lot of scenes together so you know we're often doing silly voices are upset Noah as well obviously Nick who you've spoken to is it is an absolute prankster and a jokester so we're all constantly doing that we probably need to be reined in but that's a good thing you always want there to be a certain amount of humor and then and when we're good sports enough to to understand when we need to keep quiet a little bit but there's definitely more jokes then not but that's funny that we mentioned that seemed I actually forgot to say that when me and me and Noah doing that scene where I was I was taking notes my only line is and we did it like I felt like 20 times because it was I mean there's not much to do there but it's such a cool little scene that it got to a point where it's just like Noah would say something he's like do you think we need to should we I don't know and I just kept pushing him and it's considering how much we joke around on set I can't believe we've got through that because when it ended we burst out laughing and going that was pretty funny you know but yeah it was funny that the 20 takes for this like it would joking that I have to remember my lines for that scene but what's the stuff we've done lots of beatboxing and dancing on set we are we did some nineties dance yeah yeah one of these yeah well also what happens is we all have our little catch phrases and so when when we're on set and we're you know Jonathan sometimes needs to steer clear of us as well so Jonathan's obviously got the hardest job of all of us and he he'll probably if he's got a big scene he'll walk in engage what it is what it's like and John John's just so calm like a calming presence on set you know as his as Jesus is for the disciples as is Jonathan for the actors you know but you know there will be times when we they're doing weird beatboxing and like now we wait I do all these weird things and Jonathan probably come in and see it's like ah funny day today I don't think I can get involved in that he just smiles and just hands in pockets and just turns and might need to go because if he's gonna get involved in what we're doing is probably gonna throw him from the scene so uh but meanwhile we did this we did this beatbox like audio of all of our catchphrases so it's usually Lions that when we do them in the show and actors struggle to say the line or we're like that line is not really landing for me those are our catchphrase lines so Qian had one when he goes feet for the journey thanks for the journey ah now we won't even need to stop for lunch and I that was his line and him saying it over notice toss to lose meaning and so it became his catchphrase so Kean's lion in the beatbox like trance track that we had was weeks for the journey and then Noah's one was he was eating an apple and it's in the last episode he goes who got you food who got through food and he was he was like struggling he was like how should I say this who got you food or it was like hilarious on a day and so yeah we put that in the dance mix there's a bunch of different catchphrases and no one made a song it's incredible he made a dance mix like a we should release it on their chosen fan page or something you should we should put on the app like a music video why not but yeah lots of joking around as you can tell I can only imagine but it makes sense I mean part of it is just you know stress release in a sense you kind of you need that yeah well um I've got it I've got an office the office mug if anyone can tell dunder-mifflin but anyway quoting the UK version of the show David Brent says morale very important for any any business or any absolutely I mean you know we're not really that stressed on set you can get stressed a little bit but it's just great for morale as to quote the great David Brent and that's yeah it's I think every set that I go on I always try me finding two voices and that sort of thing okay why not okay so favorite scene of the eighth episodes one stand out yeah look I mean I always say I'm gonna I'm gonna cheat and say two because there's one scene that okay especially because I'm on set filming the second half of the series of course I'm gonna say the miracle of the fish is is the is my favorite scene it looks incredible like I don't know I can't I was so impressed when I saw this fish get into the boat after the fact because all we had as I've mentioned many times quoting the great Dallas Jenkins was the big green burrito and that's what we had to put into the into the boat like try and get this burrito into the boat and we're just hearing him say burrito made me crack up laughing every time whatever you [Music] the boat is like being will Sears I could you just get your glue burrito put it inside like dude you just said green burrito how am I supposed to keep a straight face with green burrito but I'm looking at this thing going right now they're gonna do this and it looks phenomenal but then you watch the actual scene minutes hundreds of whatever fish they counted it do you know how many fish there are this is like a I think I know the number mayor maybe I don't know maybe I don't but do you know how many fish there were in that apparently there are historical records records about how many fish they work I honestly don't know it's supposed to be like 143 150 something like that I don't know however many fish we used in the scene I haven't counted them maybe we should but that seemed but now now that I've seen the second four it says I love the lensing please please please don't do it from me I won't Lord if you are willing you can make me clean only if you want to I submit to you my sister she was a service that the way they she told me what you can do I know you can deal with your will [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] you think because I had not seen the second four episodes and it's in episode 6 again if I'm not mistaken but I just wanted to show my family's quickness and very quickly so I got onto the app chosen up which is so good I'm so impressed by the app as well it's like seamless obviously you've interacted with the app by watching the show it's just incredible the technology that we've got with the show but I showed them that senior and then it leads on if I'm not mistaken into a scene maybe with Simon and his mother perhaps and then after that it leads to activity what a Simon is taking care of some things at home andrew is getting him now mmm good I thought maybe got cold feet but I'd love to go drag him out of Mohammed are you kidding he's the teacher's pet I'd hardly recognize him oh and before I knew what I was watching half yet I'm like watch this whole episode let's watch the whole episode and then you know we ended up watching the whole thing as a family and then we're like that's it that's what got me to you know hash tag beans Jesus was that scene I would say it it's hard to turn off so I would say my new favorite scene is the healing it's such a it's incredible performances in that scene and it's it's a lovely scene and it also just the episode flows so nicely so I'm gonna I'm gonna change it to that fish was but now it's to miracles I guess so it's pretty it's it's hard not to choose miracles well here's it this is a related question obviously what do you think the series is so incredibly popular we were talking about this earlier we're looking at close to 7 million I think 7 million views and not just popular but well-received what I mean by that is critically you know received why do you think well components do you think the chosen have that are generating this global interest well I actually think that there's one I'm sure there's many and I don't know if I'm gonna be ultimately correct in what I say I have a feeling that it's close to it but there's one I would say one concept within the show that I think satisfies two main maybe two receivers of the content and we've got you know if you're Christian or you know whether it's Orthodox Catholic or whatever Evangelic or whatever it is Christian some denomination you're gonna be interested in the show but then you've got me who are perhaps spiritual in another sense or you know or whatever they choose to believe you've got two groups of people and the thing that marries them both together as a collective single audience is the relatability of what we've created here and that goes down to whether it's Jesus or the disciples as we call the chosen whoever those around as Jesus are as Dallas's as the sales pitch for the show it's the perspective of the life of Jesus from those who knew him the best and that's these people and when you when you've got sort of like you know they did wicked from the perspective of the witch you know so to speak like when you whenever you see something from a different perspective it's always going to make it it is a different level of relatability and so I think that that phenomenon is occurring with this show but there's a scene in my former favorite episode episode 4 miracle of the fish and Alice actually told me when we were filming this I'm so grateful to have a director like Dallas is just I mean we're friends now it's it's it's great to you know to to have that sort of relate ability as well with you or with your director creator but he told me I remember when we were like sort of having snacks it goes I'm you know there could be people that aren't a fan of this particular moment and the moment I'm talking about is and it's my favorite it's one of my favorites in the whole series is Jesus is up here and Simon is down here and and he's down on his knees my brother [Music] you are the love of God yes I am depart from me I am a sinful man you don't know who I have the things of God don't be afraid son I'm sorry we waited for you for so long we believed but my faith how sorry lift up your head fishermen why do you work for anything you ask I will do follow me and he says I'll do whatever you want I'll do whatever you want and that's how a lot of people see Jesus and Simon this is the perspective of this is the show Simon is the show the perspective of those who love who who are around Jesus that's what we're watching from it he's Jesus and this is where the chosen is different or white successful Jesus gets down on a knee and becomes here and you've got Simon in tears and they're equal and then that's when he says follow me in Dallas because that's important for me because I'm bringing Jesus down a lot of people don't like you know not a lot maybe there's some Salette or who knows like some people don't like to see Jesus on an equal level with with with you know commoners let's just say like a Simon Michelin at the time but I mean with the 8 million people watching and the 11 million crowd funding I think it's safe to say this is a very very popular view of what we're trying to tell and that's the relatability it's so many people have said hi I feel so close to these people whether it's assignment or Jesus you know there's an incredible scene at the wedding which Jesus dancing doing you know the traditional dances with everyone he's having fun he's being a person that is the success of the show and whether you're on this side whether you're you know Christian about brown or whether you're another spiritual faith or even though spiritually you watch that and that's that's just that that's what humans want they want to watch stories that they can relate to and this is a the most relatable recount of Jesus of Jesus's life to visit a beam I think and that's why it's so successful and I've had people come to me to of all different backgrounds and face and spiritual beliefs and Dale I want I wanna see more and that's the reason and I think that's the main thing relatability hey look what's up next for you for me what's so I my background is originally in comedy saw noise my improv student of The Groundlings and I do stand-up so I'm always doing as we can see on the app you'll see that season two is uh is is is getting crowd funded as we speak so you know definitely the chosen up and around the corner but yeah it's I'm looking forward to to to getting back into it and it's it's a family it's basically just seeing family again so you know in and amongst being my funny crazy self on one side I'm also gonna be yeah looking forward to being involved with season two for sure look this has been you guys are amazing I mean this is the fourth interview and I always learn something new and it's just great fun and I know the fans appreciate you taking the time but I'm gonna let you have the last word so what one thing would you like to tell the fans well I think going on again from what what is so successful about this show is just going on that point again is that it's the relatability it's the closeness of it I think we're all the family and if you watch the show you'll see we have this section at the end of the credits where everyone's you know lots of people's names are mentioned this is this is this is the people's show and it's been made from the ground up so you know the moment that you that you you you you watch it or your interact with it you're already a part of it so I would just say to everybody thank you so much for the support and you know you're already part of the family this is a family on set we have fun as a family on the chosen I think there's a chosen fan group they're part of the family with we by the way us actors what's that thread we are constantly you know sharing those means that they make the hilarious there was one about being James about when you're when you're when your brother won't stop I don't know annoying you and then it shows qian's face and he's but that's that's like I guess that's the the fact that the final word I would say is that this show has been made through support and that's how it's going to continue getting made is just through support and support can just be watching it can be you know telling someone all this is a great show or you know it can just be you know thinking about it or whatever it's it's it's a it's made from the ground up and and we're thankful for every single ounce of energy that's that's put towards it and we want to give you more so can't wait to give you more basically and thank you so much for support is what I would say that's all just gratitude awesome George thank you so much I envision season two I think it's on the horizon I really do I know the first episodes already paid for and it's it's just they're basically I know the production is it's just gaining ground so I think eight seasons maybe nine that's mine yeah all they'll be going well it'd be like I can't wait to see what happens I mean we know what happens but we can see that there's obviously this is a television show like there's there are arcs and there are you know there are plot lines and there are threads and there's lots of threads and that's testament to the creative team that have made this so enthralling to watch so you know at the same time as we're getting historical events told to us it's also there's a narrative and it's a narratives that not only the crowd and the supporters want to watch but also the actions we want to see what happens next oh yeah absolutely awesome George thanks a lot the very best you and all your all your friends thank you very much thanks for having me awesome that was killer [Music] trouble gonna find you here trouble [Applause] [Music] Shabbo hey it's Dallas and the creator of the chosen and yes season one of the chosen is complete all eight episodes they're available right now you can look up the chosen in the App Store or Google Play and we're easy to find you can download it and be watching within minutes and in fact it's unprecedented technology you can connect to almost any device you have directly and you don't even need a subscription so I hope you check out season one of the chosen [Music] it's it's if you don't enunciate perfectly it will be I thought we tried it and it kept catching words long and it actually thought it was more of a distraction than a better okay so we're recording so let me and I'm if you could just keep a little eye on that thing and make sure the clock is tickin in a thread at the top left it's just that you're staring it's recording the Scholz oh I need to be I'm going to cheat and I'm going to my questions and then I've got a little doc and I'm gonna put this up I've got my hand over here so people can't see me scroll with and then what I'll do is okay that's good how do I look I look alright you'll cry okay all right thanks George so welcome fans of the chosen I am so excited and it's a privilege to have George I looked at your last name you got such a cool last name all you guys have the coolest place to X with a Zed yeah it's like it's like it you can just say xanthus okay these questions a wicked Castro long with a globe and we haven't been interviewed yet not at all it's just consciousness dressing up plays I'm an American faking an Australian accent like this is where it's at heard that Australia is the greatest country so you take this accent enough people would like me have have issues with self-esteem it's the only way people can respond to me right angry instant response sellout it works it's actually a nice if they use it as a screen shot for a lot of the videos It's Made seeing the fish for the first time I look at that cross island life and I'm really excited about the fish so that moment especially with the music and cutaways to Jesus Simon that moment is quite a magical TV sort of moment my family's Greek Orthodox I said my grandparents that and they they know the stories as well so they were all very very happy and impressed with those scenes for sure the miracle of the fish there's actually a video of Dallas like going through he's like I don't think we're gonna get to stay I don't think we're gonna get it I don't know what's gonna happen they expect what he called them camera awesome George that was that was a killer that was killer Oh beautiful I can tell you do you're on stage and you stand up I just can't it's the presents no I mean you're just like you're on you're on it you're under game and it is impressed it's impressive I think that they're gonna I'll go ahead and stop it now I think that they will love it

Channel: Against the Tide Media

Views: 10,027

Rating: 4.9481864 out of 5

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Id: pGI174oq83c

Length: 35min 34sec (2134 seconds)

Published: Sun Mar 08 2020