Elizabeth Tabish recently discussed how her relationship with Jesus has been affected by her portrayal of Mary Magdalene in THE CHOSEN. After reading the script for Mary Magdalene’s role in The Chosen, she considered giving up acting because she was depressed and lived with her mother.
Elizabeth Tabish said, “I had been depressed, I think, for several years without really acknowledging it.” “I was emotionally and physically unable to move due to chronic back pain, and I slept far too much.” I was also having trouble making ends meet.
She performed in advertisements to make ends meet, but she considered this “a mockery” of her pathetic situation. “I would arrive with my kids, a dog, and a happy, healthy family. I would drive a fancy car, grin all day, and then return home to go back to bed.
I thought I was stuck in a never-ending cycle of hopelessness. I was blind to the future and its possibilities. I was unable to imagine it. I felt disoriented.
Elizabeth was unaware that her agency had submitted her for the role of Mary Magdalene against her will. Nevertheless, he put me forward for this. And I had such a strong emotional connection to the character as I read it. This should be a clue that I shouldn’t be acting if I don’t book it.
After the audition, she was thrilled to hear back from Dallas Jenkins, the director, co-writer, and creator of The Chosen. I thought it was specifically tailored to me, offering me a fresh start—which is precisely what happens to Mary Magdalene. It’s just this new beginning.
“My life is like a whole different life before and after I book The Chosen, like before and after Jesus.”
Elizabeth recalls her spiritual upbringing with fondness. “I cherished my upbringing as a Catholic. However, at some time, the personalities found in religion and religion became so diverting that I almost forgot the central ideas of Christianity and what Jesus was teaching. And youth experience that frequently. And from it, a certain kind of cynicism may result. Thus, I carried that pessimism into adulthood for a very long period.
The dishonesty with which some conducted their beliefs turned her off. I felt a little alone because I didn’t want to deal with the hypocrisy I saw in churches, even though I needed a group of people who shared my beliefs. Therefore, even if I held onto this notion, I needed a means of expressing it and a network of individuals with whom to discuss it. It was this solitary thing, aside from my family, until the show.
Elizabeth realized the essence of a close relationship with Jesus due to her participation in The Chosen. I can now go back to the essential lessons of what Jesus genuinely taught and who Jesus was because of the show. I no longer have to rely on other people’s interpretations of what Jesus meant because then it becomes a very personal, real, and alive experience.
She says, “This path back to it has been the show.” Furthermore, I was unaware of the sheer number of miracles and healings that Jesus performed. For some reason, it escaped me as a child just how extensive and impressive this belief system is. Therefore, it has delightfully and deeply bonded me.
God has been present the entire time, said Tabish. “There are times during the performance when I truly declare, ‘You are there, in the heights and the depths.’ This program has been filled with these endearing, quirky moments that serve as a continual reminder of the reality of God’s love. I’ve gradually become more receptive to it, and it’s real.
Elizabeth did not know that a demon had possessed Mary Magdalene before her liberation through Christ. “She was possessed, and Jesus drove these demons out of her; I had no idea.” It’s crazy that I had never heard of that before. Upon initially reading this play, I wondered if it aligned with biblical teachings. And sure enough, it does.
The Gospels provide us with very little information about her. However, there is much more imaginative writing about her in the media. There’s so much false information out there about her as if she was a prostitute or the wife of Jesus. It is said that she provided financial support for the ministry and was the first to witness Jesus’s resurrection.
The Chosen’s strength is giving biblical characters a more relevant and intimate human touch. “They’ve done a stunning job of bringing Mary Magdalene to life. And because she had received first-hand healing from Jesus, she would have dealt with everyone and the disciples with a level of understanding that the others might not have. She is just a beautifully written female character, and I get to explore the darker, more complex, as well as the authentic and gritty aspects of her in a way that any actress would be thrilled to portray. Additionally, it humanizes her and makes her seem realistic rather than like a one-dimensional Biblical figure.
