George H. Xanthis is “Chosen”
“The Chosen,” an American historical TV drama following the life of Jesus Christ, has skyrocketed to massive success, due in part to George H. Xanthis’s incredible and nuanced portrayal of John the Disciple. Below, the Australian actor and former comedian talks about what he’s learned over the years of filming, where he may be headed going forward, and America’s tragic lack of corner pubs.
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Denim by Nili Lotan
You’ve said that “The Chosen” had humble beginnings, but it has clearly come a long way. How has it been to see this success build, and to hear the response from viewers
It’s been quite remarkable to be honest. It is a special feeling to have been on set during those first few weeks of production on Season 1, it was so small, we didn’t even have a distribution medium! It started out basically as a web series. Now we have cast members flying all around the world to see the show in theatres dubbed in different languages. You always hope as an artist that your work touches people and helps enhance their life in some way, and it’s clear this show is doing that all over the world.
How has your understanding of John changed and grown over the five seasons you’ve been playing him?
I think lots of people credit John as being “The Beloved Disciple,” the Gospel writer who is attributed to mentioning “love” more than any book in the Bible, Old or New Testament. However the way our writers work, is they don’t take the end product of a character, they map a journey. I learned that John started out as a “Son of Thunder,” an impetuous passionate student willing to storm in the way of anything that could threaten those closest to him. Through the show I’ve learned it might have taken John quite a while to go from “Thunder to Love.”
What has your biggest challenge been while filming the show? The biggest win
Reconciling John’s Thunder with his Love has been a difficult but rewarding journey as an actor. Season 5, which we’re releasing this year, was particularly challenging as I had to tread a fine line between John realising his status as a future leader of John’s ministry versus his occasional bursts of immaturity. Dallas, our director, and I had many conversations about this on set. Juggling those two aspects of John was challenging and nuanced, but ultimately very rewarding. It ends up actually being my biggest win!
You’ve described John as impetuous and fiery; do you resonate with that description in your own personal life? If not, which other character from “The Chosen” do you feel you’re most like?
Definitely. I’m a Son of Thunder. But there’s no problem with that, I think so many of our fans can resonate with both the “Sons of Thunder,” James and John. They teach us that passion is not a bad thing, but in large doses it can be misguided. Audiences also learn through the Sons of Thunder that nobody is perfect. To see the disciples learn a lesson and become “Saints” immediately…? That’s not very believable. To see these men who eventually become Saints toil and misstep constantly teaches us that we can always strive to be better. It takes more than one good deed to achieve greatness.
Left:
White Shirt + T-shirt by ALLSAINTS
Bomber Jacket by ALLSAINTS
Denim by Nili Lotan
Right:
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As the show continues onward, what aspects of John and his story are you most excited to explore further?
John is still, in my opinion, operating from a position of youthful exuberance in our show, whereas we know in the Bible he goes onto take on a role as a leader for Jesus’ ministry, especially in the Book of Acts where he and Peter lead the charge for the disciples. I’m very excited to see John settle into this role, as someone who can be trusted to set an example for others.
What kind of spiritual conversations have you been led to engage in, if any?
As someone who’s spiritual but not very religious, the show has made me prouder of my Greek Orthodox roots. The show puts Jesus’ works and parables into a context that I think contemporary audiences can appreciate. For someone like myself who doesn’t consider themselves particularly religious, I wouldn’t have had access to wise parables such as “observe the lilies, how they neither toil nor spin” (Matthew 6), inspiring a spiritual connection to Earth and nature, or the parable of the patient servant waiting for his master to return (Luke 12) which is either viewed as a metaphor for either the Kingdom of Heaven or for the concept of “living in the present moment”, or both! I’ve often had these discussions with Christians and non-Christians alike and we can all appreciate Jesus’ wisdom regardless of our spiritual beliefs.
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You have a background in comedy and were nominated for an Australian Academy of Cinema & Television Award (AACTA) for “Open Slather”. Do you see yourself working on a comedy project any time soon?
I hope so! I also used to do stand-up comedy and my own sketch work on YouTube, so if I’m not in a comedy series soon I’ll probably be scribbling down jokes and ideas regardless. So much of comedy is about getting out there and seizing it for yourself.
Did this background assist you in any part of filming “The Chosen?”
My comedy background – for sure. I’m quite fortunate that our writers on The Chosen increasingly find room for me and John to be funny or quirky, and I feel it’s because the show has seen success in watching the Sons of Thunder toil in messes of their own making. It’s important in a show like this to have SOME degree of comic relief, when everything around is getting more and more dramatic, it’s nice sometimes to settle with James and John as they wolf down a plate of their mother’s famed cinnamon cakes. Season 5 has a particularly funny John moment as he’s denied entry to the Sanhedrin, keep a watch out for it this year!
If you could play any character in any existing movie or show, what would it be and why?
I would love to play Alexander the Great in some sort of television / biopic series or film. As a student of Ancient History myself, Alexander was a fascinating individual in the history of Ancient Greece. I find lots of projects about Ancient Greece rarely feature actors of Greek descent. I’m hoping to be the one of the firsts!
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What has been the biggest cultural shift between Australia and the United States?
I find there aren’t many “corner pubs” in the United States. For those who don’t know, it’s more of an English/Commonwealth sort of thing. In most cities in Australia, every suburb will have some sort of pub or hotel that serves pub fare and happy hour drinks. To be able to say “hey, let’s meet in Newtown, or Manly, or Cronulla” (three completely different areas of Sydney) and be able to head to the local pub and grab a beer and a chicken schnitty, it’s an incredibly underrated form of event planning. It makes “hanging with mates” just that tad little bit harder to organise, haha. Which restaurant? Do they have beers on tap? Can I wear shorts? Can we watch the game there? Where should we go after? The pub sorts all of this out!
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
Definitely watch Liverpool Football Club play footy. But full disclosure, even when I DON’T have a day off, I will watch Liverpool play. Some people have suggested that I will have the game running on a mobile phone in John’s satchel bag whilst filming on set. But those rumours aren’t true at all. If John cheers at the same time that Liverpool score a late winner? It’s just a MASSIVE coincidence…
CREW CREDITS:
Talent: George H. Xanthis
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz
Photography: Michael Creagh
Fashion Stylist + Producer: Alison Hernon at Exclusive Artists
Groomer: Evy Drew for Exclusive Artists using La Mer
Fashion Stylist Interns: Katie Myers + Mariliet Vin-kab
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Logan Dutra, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
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