Vanessa Benavente of ‘The Chosen’ Explores Mother Mary’s Humanity and Challenges in Season Three

*The honeymoon is over as described by the series creator of “The Chosen,” Dallas Jenkins: “The theme of Season three is ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.’ The honeymoon phase is over, and the characters all have to deal with the costs and occasional confusion of following the Messiah.” 

Following Jesus Christ in a world hostile against His word and principles is a costly decision to make. His twelve disciples will learn the meaning of paying for such a price as they set foot into the crux of His earthly ministry, preaching of the coming Kingdom of God, as well as, eternal salvation. The disciples must learn to endure persecution in a world content with living in darkness and rejecting the light of the gospel. Season three will take viewers on a whirlwind journey to show them what it truly entails to follow The Messiah. 

In today’s world, holding Christian values makes believers vulnerable to job loss, ostracization, persecution, and, unfortunately, death. Yet, Philippians 1:21 reads, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Not only will those who cling to the faith despite opposition inherit honor and treasures in heaven, but as they travail on Earth with the insults that will inevitably come, they will know they are blessed and that the Spirit of glory and God rests upon them as 1 Peter 4:12-14 clarifies. 

“The Chosen” is a fan-supported, seven-season television series that creates an authentic and intimate picture of Jesus’ life and ministry, seen through the eyes of the people who knew him. While most of the series focuses primarily on the disciples, one of the most intriguing individuals in Yeshua’s life was His mother, played by actress Vanessa Benavente. She discusses with EURweb Mother Mary’s internal maternal conflict as she witnesses what her son must endure and her humanity as it relates to God’s eternal plan. 

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EURweb: You play Mother Mary. How would you describe her?

Vanessa Benavente: First, she is strong, and her faith is rock solid. The fact that she’s gone through so many years keeping the secret. Having no one to talk to about it, learning the ropes of being a mother on the one hand, and taking care of the Son of God and being His earthly guide. The person who teaches Him how to be a human. I can’t even imagine what that is like; being a mother myself, I struggled with just one of those things. But this woman is so in tune with her vulnerability, herself, strength, and values that she has been able to do this on her own with the help of I’ve God. 

EURweb: The popular Christmas carol ‘Mary Did You Know’ asks Mary some heavy questions. For a very young girl to be told you’re going to birth the Son of God is difficult. From your perspective, obviously, we don’t have many of her thoughts; however, as you stepped inside her shoes, what do you think she thought about Jesus? Do you think Mary could wrap her mind around the fact that he was the Son of God, that He was God himself? What do you think she was thinking during his lifetime?

Benavente: I struggle with that sometimes. From the perspective of the actor playing her, how much of it does she comprehend, or how much of it she’s learning on the spot? How much of what comes next [did] she know? Or is she just trying to follow her son and what he is telling her about it? From how this show is written, she knows a little bit of what’s coming. Probably not all the details. But definitely, that [Jesus’] kingdom [is not] on Earth. He is the Son of God, but there is a finite time of Him on this Earth. So, just telling you, this gives me goosebumps. Because living with that realization as a mother and not fighting against it, not rebelling against it, and not just saying ‘No!’ 

I’m getting emotional just thinking about it because it can’t be easy, and that shows you again it goes back to her strength, her faith, and her trusting that this will change the world and will be positive for us as this species and not just her feelings and her emotions.

EURweb: You know she wanted to say don’t do this to my Son. 

Benavente: I’m sure! 

EURweb: Is there an aspect of Mother Mary you relate to, question, or wonder about her? 

Benavente: It’s the motherly part where she’s still caring for her son at 33. She’s like, ‘Nope. I need to be there. I need to be there. Make sure you’re eating right because all this is taking a toll on you, so I’m going to be there.’ That’s the part where as a Latina, also I take care of my babies through food. That nurturing comes out through food and spending that moment with them at the table as a family; that’s super important to me. I relate to when she welcomes His students as part of her family. In “Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers” she says, ‘I loved you as a daughter from the moment I met you at the wedding,’ and she’s talking to Mary Magdalene. She extends her love to these students because she knows what it has been to follow this man, to follow Jesus, and to be part of His mission here on Earth. Through her experience, she has a lot to teach them as well. 

What I’ve learned or questioned about her? (she pauses) It has to do with what we were talking about, how she wanted to keep Him there. You know she wanted to tell Him, ‘Well, maybe not do this.’ 

I wonder how she did that. I wonder how she kept her humanity from intervening; I was going to say like her selfishness. Her selfishness in the sense that this is my baby. How can I let go of my baby? But you’re thinking about yourself at that moment.  

EURweb: That’s huge. That’s so powerful. How did Mary prevent her humanity from not intervening in God’s work? What can audiences expect to see regarding your character in season three?

Benavente: Well, we’re talking about how much she knows about what’s coming. It’s becoming more challenging for her; suddenly, things are getting real. He is starting to make enemies as much as he’s making followers, so whatever she knows about what’s coming, it’s becoming much more real and much more present and, in her eyes, maybe more imminent. She doesn’t know when it’s going to happen; she knows that it might happen or that it will happen but doesn’t know when. I love the moment in season two where the Romans take Jesus, and Jesus says, ‘I just want to say goodbye to Eema,’ my mother, and at that moment, I thought, what if she thinks this is the moment? What if she thinks this is when? And he says to me, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be back’ or something like that, and as a Christian and a follower of Jesus, I need to trust what He says to me. As a mother, I’m dying inside. 

You’re saying I don’t have to worry, but there’s armed Romans taking you away. How am I supposed to not worry? She’s walking that line. We saw her walk that line in season two; she’s walking that line much more presently in this season.

EURweb: What do you hope people will take away from season three of The Chosen?

Benavente: The humanity of these characters and how they went from what they were when they started following Jesus to the teachers we later came to know is when you see them at their most human. They’ve started following Jesus, felt [the] change they can bring to the world, now, they have to walk the talk. This is when we will see them at their most flawed. The tensions are building up, and so how you walk this path, and all the pitfalls you’re going to encounter, all those stumbles that you are going to go through, that is us in our daily lives. So to keep inspiring people is the goal of this show, and keep bringing the Bible to life and have these teachings resonate more with us these days.

“The Chosen” – the global phenomenon, a multi-episode television drama based on the life of Jesus launched the first two episodes of its highly anticipated third season in more than 2000 movie theaters across the United States and in English-speaking territories on November 18, 2022.

With more than 420 million episode views from around the world, The Chosen is a fan-supported, seven-season television series that creates an authentic and intimate picture of Jesus’ life and ministry, seen through the eyes of the people who knew him. 

Throughout its first two seasons, the series has garnered praise from critics and fans alike for its historical and biblical accuracy, playful Spirit, stirring drama, genuine humor, and disruptive impact. It has been translated into 62 languages (and counting) and is consistently one of the top-searched shows on streaming platforms. When the Season 3 trailer premiered, it was the number one trending item on YouTube for two days. The Chosen is entirely free to watch on mobile or smart TV apps with no fee or subscription necessary. Distributed through Fathom Events and beginning November 18, The Chosen will show at least ten times per theater over five days, with extended runs possible domestically and in the U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Tickets are on sale now.

For a complete list of theaters, visit www.thechosen.tv/3. 

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