The Chosen’s Giavani Cairo Credits the Series With Rekindling His Walk With Christ
Michael Foust
Audio By Carbonatix
By Michael Foust, Crosswalk.com
The actor who portrays the disciple Thaddeus in The Chosen says the series not only reignited his own Christian faith but also led him to meet his future wife.
Giavani Cairo was living in Los Angeles in 2018 and feeling adrift as an actor -- unhappy with his career and frustrated by the lack of roles he considered “fulfilling.” At that low point, a friend invited him to join her in community volunteer work, including at a homeless shelter, while he searched for direction. Cairo responded by setting two personal goals for the year: booking his first role in a series and growing closer to God.
At the time, he sensed something was missing in his life.
“I grew up Christian, but it just seemed like that's something you did as a kid, and I never really related to it,” Cairo told Crosswalk Headlines.
A few months later, he learned about auditions for a new series, The Chosen, that was in its infancy and trying to get off the ground.
“That was just the beginning of my faith renewal, and it's made me want to be a better person,” he said. “It's funny how God works, because I don't think you can plan that.”
Cairo’s casting as Thaddeus came at a time he was considering pausing his career and moving back to his home state of Michigan to be close to his family.
“That was a complete surrender moment for me. Because I was willing to put my career on hold for whatever the case may be,” he said. “And, you know, He had another plan. … It's just taught me a lot about trusting even when you don't see signs initially.”
Although Cairo was thrilled with his new role, he was also curious about the disciple he was portraying. Little is known about Thaddeus, who is mentioned only a handful of times in the New Testament and is sometimes referred to as Judas (not Iscariot).
Director Dallas Jenkins was impressed by Cairo’s audition.
“I thought he was making up a disciple,” Cairo said, laughing.
In the series, Thaddeus is portrayed as a gentle man who seeks peace and reaches out to those on the margins.
Cairo is one of the few cast members who has been with the series since its first season, when The Chosen was entirely crowdfunded, still searching for an audience, and its future was far from certain.
“We only had the budget for those first four episodes, and Jordan [Walker Ross], who plays little James, and I were only on for a few days for those first four episodes,” he said. “And I just remember it being like: ‘Oh, this is so fun. I hope we get to do more of this at some point.’”
He is grateful for the role, recognizing that it’s unlike a typical television series.
“Actors pray to be a part of something bigger than themselves,” he said. “And this is beyond bigger than ourselves. This is something that means so much to so many people, myself included, from a faith perspective. And it's bringing people together.”
It also brought him together with his fiancée, Bella; the couple became engaged this summer.
“She actually reignited her faith by watching the show, too. That's how we met. She's an excellent journalist, and she interviewed Dallas a few years back, and that's how we got to talking. It's crazy how full-circle moments happen.
“The rest is history.”
Season 5 of The Chosen begins streaming on the series’ official app Sept. 28.
Photo Credit: Credit 5&2 Studios
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
