Our costume journey as extras for The Chosen
I was skeptical when The Chosen first came out. I had seen plenty of movies about Jesus over the years, and none of them seemed relatable to me. None of them brought to life the words written as I believed was possible. However, after seeing an episode with our LifeGroup from church, my faith in finding an acceptable representation was renewed!
I was relieved at the authenticity of it all: the characters, the settings, the costumes. We continued to watch more episodes over time, and I became even more enthralled that this was a group of people and events to which I could relate. Even Jesus, the disciples, the Romans, the Samaritans, men, women, rich, poor, etc. were relateable. None of it was overdone or underdone, including the costumes.
After the first two seasons, the crowd-funded series opened up the invitation for everyday people like my husband and me to become extras for the filming of Jesus’s largest miracle recorded in the bible: the feeding of the five thousand. My husband and I had been so moved by what we’d seen in the series so far that we decided to gift this experience to one another for Christmas in 2021. We eagerly awaited news of when and where the filming would take place and how we were to dress.
Wardrobe instructions arrive
In due time, we received pictures and videos for the many options we had for creating our costumes. We could be Jewish or Roman or Phoenecian, or some other Gentile group, rich or poor. Everything was discussed from head coverings to sandals, bags to carry, what to sit on, jewelry, etc. It was interesting to see how status or wealth was demonstrated via the costuming.
We started with this pattern and selected fabric. We don’t find ourselves in the sewing section of stores very often, so selecting fabrics was a bit daunting. Thankfully, we had a generous and talented friend who donated her services to make our costumes for us, and she had them done in a few days.
Within a couple of weeks, however, it became evident that the weather during the filming was going to be on the warm side, to say the least. It was to be filmed in July in Texas, after all! We decided that the fabrics we had selected were going to be too heavy to wear all day in that heat, especially being covered head to toe. So at the last minute I took the chance and ordered another costume online, hoping it would be a cooler option.
My clothing
I searched for something that was boho-style and decided on this blue gown, which was different from the heavy dusty-pink broadcloth from my original costume. This was roomy enough to wear shorts and a tank underneath so I could take it off if it became too hot, and I did end up taking my costume off between shootings. There was no A/C, and for many, not even shade.
I ordered these Hurache shoes early so I could break them in beforehand. It was a long walk through the grassland between the waiting area, the filming area, and the dozens of port-a-potties.
I found a good deal for multiple head scarves since I wasn’t sure what I’d end up with at the last minute for my main robe.
I also decided to buy a scarf hanger since I’d just increased my scarf supply. Love it!
I also wore the dusty pink belt my friend had made for my original outfit, as well as a blue and brown stone long necklace I already had on hand.
My husband's clothing
My husband chose to wear the lightweight beige overcoat made from the pattern linked above over this white Kaftan gown, which was much more breathable than the dark, olive green, long-sleeve, non-breathable fabric we’d first had made. That will come in handy for another opportunity, I’m sure, but it would have been suffocating for heat.
He wore a light green headscarf which had actually been made for me from my original costume. With the belted rope to keep it on, it added color to the neutral tones in the rest of the ensemble.
Dealing with the heat
We bought two of these UV umbrellas in two colors. They were life savers! During filming just before doing a take, we’d hear director Dallas Jenkins shout, “umbrellas down!” and we would hide those along with our non-first-century sunglasses under our blankets. Then we’d hear the director say “umbrellas up!” at the end of the take. Whew!
Even in the shade it was hot, so I would not have wanted to go without this hand-held fan, as well. It has a handy attachment that allows you to clamp it on a table or grip it to an umbrella handle.
Accessories
Hemp shoulder bags came in handy for our snacks, as well as our hand-held fan and water flasks. Thankfully the Chosen staff were constantly passing out water bottles so we would not have had to lug those around. We had to keep the zipper side toward our bodies since zippers didn’t exist in biblical times. Because it is so versatile, I know I can use this bag even while not in my biblical costume.
We used an old family heirloom tablecloth very similar to these Mexican blankets to sit on the grassy ground. It was dyed in various sizes of larger stripes in shades of muted orange and smaller strips in muted grays.
All in all, I was pleased with the final outcome.
On that very hot day in July, five thousand people who shared the same love for getting the good news of Jesus out in such a real way found ourselves together, in all our creativity - or lack thereof - as we invested our time and money to make this miraculous event come alive. The production team assured us that all of us will be seen and have our names in the credits, so see if you can spot us!
Where to watch
- Visit their website to watch all of The Chosen series for FREE or download The Chosen app.
- Also available on Amazon Prime
- Pay it forward and donate to enable more people to share The Chosen experience!
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The Chosen
The life of Christ through the eyes of those who encountered him called The Chosen.
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