'The Chosen's' Paras Patel Finds a 'Sense of Belonging' in Portraying Matthew

For actor Paras Patel, playing Matthew the tax collector on The Chosen has been a game changer. Once struggling to get auditions for meaningful roles, the Florida native has become a fan favorite on a show that has slowly evolved into a global streaming phenomenon.

Furthermore, the 37- year-old Patel has seemingly found purpose in portraying Matthew as someone who has autism, a recurring show theme that has gracefully touched the hearts of millions of viewers. For that, he is amazingly thankful that God is using him to inspire others in their daily walk of life.

Season 4 of The Chosen is currently available on The Chosen app.

I recently sat down with the serious yet affable Patel to discuss the feeling of being a fan favorite, why he personally relates to his character, and what viewers might expect to see in Season 5 which began filming in April. 

I've been seeing in various press materials as related to The Chosen that you've been called, a fan favorite. So my question is, how does it feel to be a fan favorite? It must be quite validating to you on a personal level.

I like to say that everybody on the show is called a fan favorite at some point. Of course, it's validating, but it just speaks to who Matthew is to our audience in that anyone can relate to him and anyone can find a piece of themselves in Matthew and his journey. It motivates and inspires them. And so that's why I think he is “the fan favorite”.

Have you been surprised by the seemingly exponential growth of the series from season to season? I thought Season 3 was kind of a big deal, but Season 4 just went to a whole new level. 

I like to say expect the unexpected with The Chosen, because from our humble beginnings to now launching globally in theaters has been (very rewarding). And the fact that The Chosen has its own app now with shows and after shows is just (tremendous). It seems like we are constantly breaking new ground. We are breaking into new territory. But like you said, Season 3 was great but Season 4 went higher. Wait until you see Season 5 my friend. It’s a whole new ball game. It's been quite a journey and it's been amazing and I'm just so grateful to be a part of it. This is something that's like a once in a lifetime thing. The popularity of this show  is unheard of the way it's happened.

I want to get into Season 5 in just a minute, but before that, there are so many roles out there for actors. What was it about the role of Matthew that drew you in?

I am just an actor auditioning, and I was just lucky to be given the chance by Amanda, Dallas's (Jenkins) wife, and Dallas himself to play the role. What really drew me into the series and the scripts was the writing. I felt like it had this poetic nature to it. I thought the backstory was so creative. It's interesting because as an actor, when you're memorizing lines, sometimes it can be very hard and brutal, where you just can't get the words. But with this character and the sides that I got from Matthew, I looked at it a few times and just knew the words. And that's how you know that you can connect with the role. You are connecting to something because it's kind of written in your own voice. And so that really is what drew me into the show and the character. And of course, portraying Matthew, the way the show has creatively done so, was a challenge for me. But it was something I welcomed and wanted to be a part of because I felt like it would be a historic moment for the media.

What do the stories told in The Chosen mean to you personally? How do you each personally relate to your character?

In order to portray an authentic character, you have to bring part of yourself into the character. That's the only way you can live life truthfully in your character. I can certainly relate to Matthew and feel like you don't fit in sometimes. Wanting to have a community of friends, or have a sense of belonging. I think Matthew's story about finding himself in his confidence kind of parallels mine as I started in this industry. There are a lot of things that can bring your confidence down as well as your own self-worth. In portraying Matthew, it has kind of helped me find my own footing and my strengths as well.

Changing gears a bit, what is something you have learned about Jesus or the Bible that you never knew prior to working on this series?

I actually had no idea that Jesus was funny. I think what has been great about our show is just the humanity behind each character. Realizing that they are kind of like us. That makes it more relatable and it helps you connect more. So, I love the unique take with these little sprinkles of funny moments. To me, that really kind of allows you to connect more.

As you mentioned, in recent weeks you have begun filming Season 5.  Any hints on what viewers might expect to see with these new episodes?

As you've seen with Season 4, things take quite a turn. It's kind of the point of no return. With Season 4, Jesus' radical message is upsetting many people. It's out there. People are after Him, political figures and religious figures. His time is limited. And in this season, it piggybacks off of what was rooted in Season 4. And in Season 5, some of the disciples are starting to get it. But I don't want to overtalk about Season 5. All I can tell you is that it's very emotional. We're getting closer to the end. It's going to be told in the beautiful ‘Chosen’ way that it does.

You’ve been with the show for a while now. Do you approach this coming season with excitement or at this point is it just business as usual for you and the rest of the cast?

I'll speak for myself. I'm always intrigued to see where Matthew's journey is going season per season. Because I have no idea. So I like to use it to help me kind of continue up in the prior season. So, I'm always excited. I think what's happening in my heart right now is that I am starting to feel a bit sad because of what we're heading towards, but also as the show, we're almost done. We've got seven seasons, so it's a little bittersweet right now. But certainly with how high the stakes are in Season 5, I'm definitely using those emotions for my scenes. Matthew's busy writing this season is all I can tell you , because he's got to be awesome. Make sure it's all accurate and all the facts are there.

After people have seen an episode or hopefully the entire series of The Chosen, what would you like to see viewers get out of the experience? What is your greatest hope for Season 4 and beyond?

That's a great question, Chris. I want viewers to take what they want and what they can from the show. By that I mean sometimes you don't know what you need until you see it. You don't know if that is something that responds to your heart. And I think what the show is doing, it's really opening up people in many ways. Like you don't have to be religious, it is just good meaningful TV. It gives you faith. It gives you hope. And through Matthew's journey and all our other disciples and followers, you're seeing them struggle, but you're seeing them sometimes prevail, and sometimes fail. And you're seeing what it looks like and that's okay. So, it should motivate you. I want the viewers to feel inspired and motivated through our show, and I think that is what's happening as it continues to do its thing around the world.  

Season 4 of The Chosen is currently available on The Chosen app.

WATCH A TRAILER FOR SEASON 4 OF THE CHOSEN: