"The Chosen" Star Jonathan Roumie Feels Season Two is "Next Level"

The lead actor of this series about the life of Christ credits the entire team for "raising their game."

Jonathan Roumie (right) during production of season two. Image: "The Chosen"/Instagram.

The first episode of the second season of The Chosen debuts on Easter Sunday and the star of the show thinks fans won't be disappointed. Jonathan Roumie plays the role of Jesus in this hit streaming series that has already generated a staggering 91 million views in 180 countries from its eight-episode inaugural season.

In an interview with Fox News, the 46-year-old New Yorker says "everything's bigger" in the new season, including the scene of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, which was shot in Texas and features thousands of extras. He also makes particular note of the fantastic Holy Land set they used in Utah for the first half of production.

That facility is owned by the Mormon Church and it is a massive and elaborate recreation of Jerusalem from the time of Christ. The Chosen director Dallas Jenkins, cast and crew filmed there at the end of last year, and Roumie believes it set the tone for this season by pushing everything to the "next level."

"So I think that sort of lit this subconscious fire under people's backsides to kind of make sure that they were on their A-game – not that any of us weren't before – but it all of a sudden just added another level like, 'OK, let's do this,' and I think it just naturally challenged people to match in performance what the visuals are going to look like for the show."

The actor is a devout Christian himself, but believes the program is accessible to everyone, not just the faithful. And he feels it should be watched by any "fans of historical dramas" because of the overall quality of the production.

"And if you like period pieces, if you like well-made shows, well-written shows, this is going to appeal to so many people."

You can read Roumie's entire interview at this link to Fox News' website. The first episode of season two of the show premieres Easter Sunday at 8:00 PM EDT (GMT -4) on The Chosen app (Apple and Android) and its YouTube channel. The trailer below will give you a feel for what to expect.