Aahana Swrup
Jesus and his Apostles remain at the center of the narrative in ‘The Chosen.’ Among the latter, Simon Peter, the leader among the devoted disciples, charts a riveting path, starting his journey as a fisher from Capernaum who is struggling to meet the state’s debilitating tax debts. The complicated circumstances surrounding his life blanket his early storylines with opportunities for duplicity, a lack of faith, and consistent internal struggle. Nonetheless, eventually, he and his brother, Andrew, emerge as two of Jesus’ most trusted companions, grateful for his friendship and guidance. By season 5, we see Simon Peter eager to dip his own toes in preaching his Messiah’s teachings, even as darker times loom over the horizon for his ministry. As such, his character continues to be one of the more fascinating aspects of this biblical epic story.
Simon Peter is Played by Shahar Isaac
Shahar Isaac, the actor who embodies the role of Simon Peter in ‘The Chosen,’ has been a part of the show since the very beginning when it first aired in 2019. His character first appeared in season 1 episode 1, titled ‘I Have Called You by Name,’ and continues to remain a significant part of the narrative in almost every subsequent episode. As a result, this project marks the actor’s breakout role as a leading series regular. Prior to this, Isaac made his TV debut through a minor role in the 2015 show’ Person of Interest,’ in which he plays the one-off character of Tariq Al Juhani in season 4.
Similarly, Isaac also has brief appearances on prominent shows, like ‘Madam Secretary’ and ‘The Good Fight,’ credited to his name. Alternatively, he has also dipped his toes in the realm of movies and live theater through projects like ‘Price for Freedom’ and ‘National Theatre Live: Salomé,’ respectively. Therefore, the actor retained an impressive foundation as he built his cinematography toward something bigger. Now with ‘The Chosen,’ Isaac has finally found the perfect project to showcase the depth of his talents and skills, as he continues to bring the complicated character of Simon Peter to the screen.
Shahar Isaac is Committed to Ensuring Authenticity in His Portrayal of Simon Peter
As a biblical drama following the life of Jesus of Nazareth, ‘The Chosen’ has its work cut out for it. Most people, including actors and viewers, already have a clear idea of where the tale is heading from day one. Therefore, for Shahar Isaac, telling a compelling and emotionally stirring story about his character comes from a place of trusting showrunner Dallas Jenkins and his team of talented writers. He likes to remain aware of the disconnect between Simon Peter, the real man from history, and Peter the Apostle, as he’s remembered through various tellings, retellings, and cultural interpretations.
For the same reason, Isaac prefers to disconnect from these existing ideas of who his character is supposed to be and instead focuses on who he is within the show’s script. The fact that the writers allow themselves a certain amount of creative freedom in molding the story further helps, as it keeps the narrative refreshing and even incalculable at times. The actor discussed the same in a conversation with The Light.
Isaac said, “It’s very very important to try to detach any idea that you (as an actor) have (of the character and the story) in order to be able to immerse yourself and actually create this human being that rises from the page and is actually alive and is complex like a human being is and not like how that human being told about after years and years and years.” He further added, “It’s kind of like trying to forget about the possible significance of this and then being challenged by the writers with every season with the creative freedom that they take and with the depth of emotion and story that they give us, that they gift us with. So it’s pretty, it’s pretty amazing to be part of it.” As such, his mindful approach to Simon Peter’s on-screen characterization informs his unique and easily captivating performance on the show.
