MUCH MORE THAN A VILLAIN
Luke Dimyan brings Judas to the screen in ‘The Chosen’
Luke Dimyan couldn’t say no when he was offered a role in the TV series, “The Chosen.” “When I auditioned, I did the best that I could with the performance in me,” he says. “They cast me and it was during a concerning time in the industry. It was August 2020 and the pandemic was still very fresh. We were still wearing masks on set.”
“The Chosen” is a series which airs on the CW. The fourth season will premiere later this year, but is currently showing in theaters for the Easter holiday weekend.
“The Chosen” is the first multi-season series of its kind, a groundbreaking historical drama about the life of Jesus, played by Jonathan Roumie, as seen through the eyes of his followers.
Set against the backdrop of Jewish oppression in first-century Israel, the show shares an authentic and intimate look at Jesus’ revolutionary life and teachings.
Dimyan plays Judas in the series.
He knew it was a wellknown character.
“I really wanted to work and I was fresh out of college,” he says. “I wanted to make a name for myself and prove to myself that I could be a working actor. The pandemic put a wrench in the plan, but having ‘The Chosen’ come along was a blessing.”
The fourth season was filmed in Utah and Texas.
For nearly three years, Dimyan has portrayed Judas.
“You know, he’s a hottopic character,” he says. “As a performer, it’s not strange to take on a controversial character. I can say that Judas isn’t the most devious, horrible character. I mean in high school, I played a tap dancing devil in a musical. What I’ve learned is at the end of the day, Judas is human and makes mistakes. His story can get very complicated, but it all amounts to him making mistakes.”
Dimyan also knew that Judas is often considered the worst villain of all time.
“This man existed at the same time as Julius Caesar,” he says. “This time was full of betrayal. Here we have this one random Jewish guy who betrayed the Messiah. His entire motivation was to financially move forward. Everything else was written in hindsight.”
Dimyan realized he wanted to be an actor at a young age.
“My immigrant parents weren’t supportive and a little confused,” he says. “My perseverance for the occupation outlasted their concern. As they saw me grow and started booking things, they were not taking such a hard stand.”
Since graduating from college in 2018, Dimyan says “The Chosen” has been his primary focus.
“It’s a huge part of my yearly schedule now,” he says. “There was a strike and we had to step away and came back stronger than ever.”