Unashamed with the Robertson Family

Ep 1175 | Jase Gets a Peek Behind the Scenes of “The Chosen” Season 6 & Why Faith Is Hard in Hollywood
Date: September 29, 2025
Host: Tread Lively
Guests: Jase Robertson, Willie Robertson, Dallas Jenkins (creator of "The Chosen")

Episode Overview

This episode brings together the Robertson family and Dallas Jenkins, creator of the hit series "The Chosen," for a rich discussion on storytelling, faith, authenticity in Christian media, and the creative process behind depicting biblical events for modern audiences. They reflect on their own television experiences, challenges in Hollywood, the complexities of portraying faith with integrity, and how "The Chosen" balances biblical fidelity with artistic imagination—culminating in exclusive behind-the-scenes insight into the filming of Season 6.

Main Themes and Discussion Points

1. Discovery of "The Chosen" and Early Connections

[01:04-03:16]

• Jase and Willie describe how they came to know about "The Chosen" through persistent recommendations from podcast listeners and family.
• Initial skepticism from the Robertsons: concerns over biblical accuracy, production quality, and whether it would be "cheesy."
  • Jase: “I just thought, what? I thought, like, Al... I mean, I didn’t know what they were doing.”
  • Dallas Jenkins: “I say 80% of our viewers started reluctant.”
• The role of spouses in influencing their viewing choices and spiritual journeys.

2. The Purpose of "The Chosen"

[03:16-05:24]

• Dallas Jenkins clarifies that "The Chosen" aims to point viewers toward Christ and deeper engagement with Scripture.
  • “The Chosen is designed to point a spotlight towards the thing [Jesus] and to illuminate the thing... We’re not going to be watching TV shows in heaven.”
• The show is not an end but a means: a way to bridge biblical stories to readers and viewers.
  • Dallas Jenkins [03:55]: “Sometimes a show or a song or a podcast can bring us to life a little more so that the Bible then becomes even more enriching.”

3. Artistic Imagination vs. Scriptural Fidelity

[05:24-07:06]

• Dallas discusses the idea of “extra-biblical” context—adding historical, cultural, and artistic elements to deepen understanding without contradicting Scripture.
  • Dallas Jenkins [05:34]: “No pastors get up and just read the Bible and then sit down and go, thank you for coming today... As a pastor, as a shepherd, someone called by God to help lead and unpack, I might have some insights into this passage...”
• Assurance to viewers: the creative team is deeply committed to biblical accuracy and stewardship.

4. Drawing Parallels to Duck Dynasty

[07:06-09:17]

• Reflections on the Robertsons’ reality TV roots and their intentions to let their faith show naturally.
  • Authenticity and prayer on Duck Dynasty: “Dad just said in the moment. He just said, well, you know, we prayed.”
• Lessons from behind-the-scenes negotiations (e.g., keeping prayer and Jesus’ name in the broadcast) representing the ongoing tension between faith and media.

5. Bible Study, Jesus-Centric Focus, and Relatability

[09:17-12:17]

• The Bible’s simplicity in focusing on Jesus, how all of Scripture points to Him, and the mysterious draw of the Spirit on faith-based shows.
  • Willie Robertson [10:57]: “For some reason I was drawn. There was something there... you were drawn to the spirit of God in us.”

6. Pushback from Religious Communities

[12:17-15:56]

• Both the Robertsons and Dallas observe that criticism often comes most from religious communities, echoing Jesus’ own ministry.
• Behind-the-scenes stories of network edits and the fight to keep explicit references to Jesus.
  • Jase [15:18]: “Second season, they had the dust up because they were cutting ‘in Jesus’ name’ when dad would say the prayer. It’s not that you have to say that, but it got under dad’s skin.”

7. Crafting "The Chosen": Process and Theological Checks

[17:15-31:09]

• Dallas explains the season-planning process: mapping out scriptural touch-points, thematic focus, and integrating human perspective.
  • Season 5 focuses on Holy Week, with the Last Supper spread across episodes for narrative depth.
  • Dallas Jenkins [22:10]: “They were guys following Jesus... They had no idea what was coming.”
• Recognizing what is too theologically dense for TV and encouraging viewers to pursue Scripture themselves.
  • Dallas Jenkins [23:19]: “How do we make it understandable to a modern audience? ... That’s where we start.”
• Systematic script review: theological experts vet scripts for red/yellow/green-light feedback.
  • Notable example from Season 1 with editing a scene to satisfy both narrative tension and historical authenticity.

8. Depicting the Disciples’ Humanity and Understanding

[31:09-38:35]

• The apostles’ persistent confusion, even as Jesus explains His purpose:
  • “You’re not going to understand this now. I’m telling you so when it happens, you’ll believe.”
  • Discussion on how the show uniquely portrays the journey of misunderstanding and eventual faith.
  • Dallas Jenkins [38:19]: “Can you trust and follow even when you don’t understand? Because they so clearly didn’t.”

9. Judas: A Complex Portrayal

[46:56-54:22]

• Dallas walks through the intentional creative choices made in showing Judas’ arc—not a villain from the outset, but a conflicted disciple.
  • Reference to John 17:12—Son of Destruction—not one of them lost except the one.
    • Dallas Jenkins [47:39]: “The notion that for three years, Judas not only participated in this work and was part of the 12…and he actually got authority…is, to me, patently ludicrous…”
• Theological wrestling with issues of free will, prophecy, and spiritual possession.

10. Behind the Scenes: Filming the Crucifixion in Season 6

[55:09-57:56]

• Dallas recounts the overwhelming emotional and logistical experience filming in Matera, Italy, the same location as "The Passion of the Christ."
  • Directors and actors were deeply affected by the realism and spiritual significance of the scenes.
  • Dallas Jenkins [57:40]: "I'm like, I'm spent. I've got nothing. ... I'm uncontrollably weeping here. ... my job is to recreate this thing that you did."
• Anticipation that this multi-season approach is unique in allowing rare character development, making the climax especially powerful.

11. The Unique Power of Multi-Season Storytelling

[58:28-60:45]

• The cast discusses how the episodic format allows rich, nuanced biblical storytelling—far more than a feature film or standard miniseries.
  • Grappling with nuanced scenes (e.g., Jesus washing Judas’ feet) made possible by viewer investment over multiple seasons.
  • Dallas Jenkins [60:09]: "That's what I think 'The Chosen' can do that other portrayals can't … because of the multi-season approach … we can make moments like that truly stick and truly cause us to wrestle with the Word."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|----------------|-------| | 03:16 | Dallas Jenkins | "The Chosen is not the end game. The chosen is designed to point a spotlight towards the thing and to illuminate the thing." | | 07:36 | Willie Robertson| "Except for the prayer, which we were not realizing the power of—that we thought—we would, like..." | | 15:18 | Jase Robertson | "Second season, they had the dust up because they were cutting ‘in Jesus’ name’ when dad would say the prayer. ... it got under dad’s skin." | | 22:10 | Dallas Jenkins | "They were guys following Jesus. ... They had no idea that when Jesus was speaking about his death and resurrection, that he was talking literally." | | 38:19 | Dallas Jenkins | "Can you trust and follow even when you don’t understand? Because they so clearly didn’t." | | 47:39 | Dallas Jenkins | “The notion that for three years, Judas ... and from the beginning, Judas knew all along he was going to betray Jesus for a slave's wage ... is, to me, patently ludicrous.” | | 57:40 | Dallas Jenkins | "I'm like, I'm spent. I've got nothing. ... I'm uncontrollably weeping here. ... my job is to recreate this thing that you did." | | 60:09 | Dallas Jenkins | "That's what I think 'The Chosen' can do that other portrayals can't ... because of the multi-season approach ... we can make moments like that truly stick and truly cause us to wrestle with the Word." |

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:04 – Jase and Willie's introduction to "The Chosen"
• 03:16 – Dallas Jenkins outlines the mission of the show
• 05:24 – Artistic license in biblical storytelling and its boundaries
• 07:06 – Duck Dynasty’s approach to authenticity and faith on TV
• 09:17 – Centrality of Jesus in the Bible and in media that points to Him
• 12:17 – Pushback from religious circles and struggles with Hollywood
• 17:15 – Planning "The Chosen" seasons; approaching the Last Supper
• 22:10 – Portraying the disciples' confusion and humanity
• 31:09 – Handling theological disagreements in the writer’s room
• 38:19 – The ongoing faith struggle: Trust and follow, even in confusion
• 46:56 – Portraying Judas: compassion, ruin, free will, and fulfillment of prophecy
• 55:09 – Dallas’s emotional testimony about filming the crucifixion in Italy
• 58:28 – The unique impact of longform, multi-season storytelling

Conclusion

This episode offers an authentic, engaging, and behind-the-scenes view of how biblical stories are brought to modern screens with reverence, creativity, and humility. Dallas Jenkins and the Robertsons bond over their shared commitment to authentic faith in media, the challenges of “getting it right,” and their hope that storytelling will drive audiences deeper into the biblical text itself.

For viewers and listeners, this conversation is a deep well—not just about "The Chosen," but about why and how stories matter in shaping and strengthening faith, especially in a culture that often finds faith “hard in Hollywood.”