What was The Chosen Insiders Conference like?

The Chosen Insiders Conference was like if comic con met “The Chosen.”

On Oct. 14 and 15, fans of the Angel Original series about the life of Jesus gathered at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas to meet the cast, hear musical performances and get the inside scoop on the show.

The conference delivered on getting viewers an inside scoop.

Attendees at the conference were the first to hear about the special release of Season 4. All episodes will be released in theaters, as I previously reported. They also got a first look at the Season 4 teaser trailer. Over 3,000 attendees also got to hear from the show’s creator and director Dallas Jenkins.

“It was overwhelming and beautiful to see over 3,000 people in one room cheering and laughing and celebrating our show,” Jenkins told Religion News Service. “But even better were the countless stories of impact viewers were able to tell us personally.”

Here’s a closer a look at what happened at the conference.

What was ChosenCon like?

While at the convention, Jenkins opened up about the difficulty of creating Season 4. “This whole season was a slog from Day 1. I don’t know why. I think we’ve noticed that as the show has grown, so has the difficulty in the ... attacks from the enemy. And so, during Season 4, it seemed like we just couldn’t ever escape,” he said, per Religion News Service.

Some cast and crew also made themselves available during the conference for a meet and greet. An executive of “The Chosen” clarified to the Deseret News in a press conference that the cast members were able to do this during the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike as long as they did not promote or talk about struck material.

One panel during the conference was called “Jesus and the Disciples” and an actor opened up about how his character has had a positive impact on families.

The actor who plays Matthew, Paras Patel, shared a story about how a parent reached out to him, saying, “I now understand my child because of you and this portrayal of Matthew.” The parent was referring to the decision by “The Chosen” to portray Matthew as a neurodivergent character.

Some of the other sessions included a live Q&A with Jenkins and biblical scholars about the show, Annie F. Downs hosting a live podcast with some of the women actors of “The Chosen,” cast members facing off against fans of the show in a “Family Feud”-style game and a performance by Dustin Tavella from “America’s Got Talent.”

Exhibits lined the hallway and attendees were able to see props from Zebedee’s house and Simon and Eden’s house, as well as costumes the disciples wore. If you weren’t able to make it out to Texas, there was an option for online streaming.

What have cast members said about ChosenCon?

Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in the show, described the event in a post on Instagram as a “fantastic weekend” and said he loved his experience at the convention.

Jordan Ross, the actor who plays Little James, said on Instagram after the event, “Had so much fun discussing mental health, acting, rejection and more with my buddy @itsmeparas and our new friend @sarahmadbell! Thanks to everyone who came out to listen!”

Another actor, Giavani Cairo, posted on Instagram, “Incredible is an understatement to describe this past weekend. We have the best fans in the world. It was so great to meet and celebrate you all this weekend while talking about Season 4!”

Amber Shana Williams, who plays Tamar on the show, said in a post on Instagram, “I’m so blessed and humbled to have met so many of you face to face. Thank you for continuing to support the show.”

What’s next for ‘The Chosen’?

“The Chosen” is going to release Season 4 starting on Feb. 1 in theaters.