The JOY FM Podcast

CHOSEN CONversations | Abe Bueno-Jallad

Dave, Bill, and Carmen sit down with Abe Bueno-Jallad, who plays “Big James” in The Chosen, during a “bring your mom to work” segment featuring Carmen’s mom, “Mohair,” a devoted fan. Abe shares a line from season two—“Sometimes I don’t always know what I’m doing, I’m just following”—that has grown in significance for him, and discusses how playing a disciple without a dedicated biblical book pushed him to study the Gospels and broader scripture like a detective. He describes the emotional weight the cast carried while filming season six’s crucifixion scenes, compares the cast dynamic to a family cooking Thanksgiving dinner every day, and talks about the show’s reach in Spanish-speaking regions and the Arab world, including connecting with Christian families in Bethlehem. He also notes how the series can challenge viewers’ preconceived ideas about Jesus and mentions fun on-set moments he can’t fully share, including an unused version of the triumphal entry. ---------------------------------------- Connect with us: The Morning Cruise on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/themorningcruise/] The JOY FM YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO8z2WY0a_cYcDLDjn57LrkH52sBS-Sm1] Listen Live: https://www.thejoyfm.com/ [https://www.thejoyfm.com/]

CHOSEN CONversations | Austin Reed Alleman

Austin Reed Alleman from The Chosen on Nathanael, the Walk on Water Scene, and Filming the Fig Tree Moment On The Morning Cruise with Dave, Bill, and Carmen at The JOY FM, the hosts interview Austin Reed Alleman at Chosen Con, with Carmen’s mom “Mohair” joining after arriving with 11 handwritten pages of notes. Mohair asks Austin which scene has stayed with him most, and he highlights filming the walk-on-water sequence as a dreamlike, large-scale production and teases another impactful Season 6 moment he can’t discuss yet. Austin shares he’s from New Orleans, misses the food, lives in New York City, and notes the walk-on-water scene was filmed in Shreveport, Louisiana, describing the tank, rain, wind, and cold conditions. The conversation shifts to Season 2’s emotional “under the fig tree” scene, where Austin explains his acting training, the time pressure, technical issues, and how Dallas helped him connect to the scene’s significance, including that Nathanael was modeled after Dallas’s life.

CHOSEN CONversation | Jordan Walker Ross

Jordan Walker Ross on Disability, Faith & Healing + Behind-the-Scenes Fun on The Chosen Join The Morning Cruise as Dave, Bill, and Carmen interview Jordan Walker Ross (“Little James” on The Chosen). Carmen’s mom, a devoted fan shares how a scene about healing helped her reframe living with MS, and Jordan discusses embracing his own disabilities after years of feeling boxed in by the industry, the impact the scene has had on viewers, and why faith and healing aren’t always black-and-white. He offers encouragement to those who feel “less than,” describing disability as different, not broken, and emphasizing internal healing from others’ hurts. Jordan also describes supportive cast dynamics, his playful “dad” bit with Jonathan Roumie, and his practical jokes on set.

CHOSEN CONverations | Giavani Cairo

The Morning Cruise sits down with Giavani, who plays Thaddeus on The Chosen, joined by Carmen’s mom, a devoted fan. Giavani shares that Jordan Walker Ross is the set’s class clown, describing pranks like filling Austin’s dressing room with dozens of small Christmas trees and tumbleweed. He explains how the cast developed their accents using Jonathan Roumie’s performance as a reference and working with a dialect coach, and admits he sometimes stays in character at home. Giavani discusses the challenge and honor of portraying the quieter disciple Thaddeus (St. Jude), including a season five flashback showing his earlier hesitation and how he aimed to portray quiet faith and kindheartedness. They also touch on his Detroit roots, Lions fandom, engagement and wedding planning, and how an injury shifted him from baseball dreams to acting, which he attributes to surrender and trust in God.  ---------------------------------------- Connect with us: The Morning Cruise on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/themorningcruise/] The JOY FM YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO8z2WY0a_cYcDLDjn57LrkH52sBS-Sm1] Listen Live: https://www.thejoyfm.com/ [https://www.thejoyfm.com/]

CHOSEN CONversations | Noah James

The Morning Cruise interviews Noah James, who plays Andrew on The Chosen, at Chosen Con, joined by Carmen’s mom “Mohair,” a devoted fan. Noah describes his casting journey, including auditioning for the short film The Shepherd, initially reading for Simon Peter, later auditioning for other roles, and learning about a week before filming in Los Angeles that he’d been cast as Andrew, prompting him to grow out his hair and beard. He mentions Season 7 as his last with such long hair and possible future spinoffs. Noah shares he married during Season 3 in 2022 and offered wedding advice to castmate Giovanni. Asked about a favorite scene, he highlights filming the visit to John the Baptist in Herod’s dungeon and its impact, then discusses Andrew and Peter’s supportive dynamic and how it reflects real-life relationships.  ---------------------------------------- Connect with us: The Morning Cruise on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/themorningcruise/] The JOY FM YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO8z2WY0a_cYcDLDjn57LrkH52sBS-Sm1] Listen Live: https://www.thejoyfm.com/ [https://www.thejoyfm.com/]