By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Assistant Editor Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Tom Pelphrey has played his share of complex characters on screen, from troubled preacher Ben Davis in “Ozark” to roles in HBO’s “Love & Death” and Netflix’s “A Man in Full.” But for the 43-year-old New Jersey native, stepping into the role of Jesus Christ for the upcoming audio drama “The Christ” presented a different kind of challenge.

“I was simultaneously so excited and deeply intimidated,” Pelphrey told The Christian Post. “Truly, in a way that I don’t really get. So yeah, it was a new experience for me.”

“The Christ,” a four-episode podcast series releasing during Holy Week, dramatizes the life, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus using cinematic sound design and voice performances from a cast that includes David Oyelowo as Pontius Pilate, Paul Walter Hauser as John the Baptist, Patricia Heaton as host and John Rhys-Davies as narrator. 

The series, produced with over 100 immersive, spatial audio and soundscapes, premieres March 30, with new episodes released daily through April 2 ahead of Good Friday.

“I really love the format,” Pelphrey said. “It reminds me more of almost reading a book, where you get to participate with your imagination. You get to lean into the story and almost make it personal, because we’re not dictating every aspect of it to you.”

“When I’m acting in front of the camera, I trust that whatever I’m doing physically will naturally come across in the sound,” he added. “But here you’re sitting in a booth, in a chair, and you’re not doing anything physically. So how do you make a sound that feels true when your body’s not involved?”

The process, the Emmy-nominated actor said, became a learning experience as the recording sessions progressed.

“You want as much color as possible in the sounds coming out of your mouth,” he explained. “It’s just a different way of working.”

The series opens with one of the most emotionally intense moments in the Gospel narrative: the crucifixion. Pelphrey said preparing to portray Jesus on the cross required immense focus and spiritual preparation.

“I’ve certainly spent a lot of time thinking about what the Passion would have been like,” he said. “It’s obviously very heavy. I just tried my best to find ways to let that come through in an audio booth.”

The script presents the story of Jesus in a nonlinear way, moving back and forth through key moments in His life, following not only Christ’s death and resurrection but the temptation in the desert and the miracle at Cana.

“We jump back and forth in time,” Pelphrey said. “The story begins with the Passion and jumps back from there, so it’s a different way of telling the story.”

Because listeners can hear every breath, pause and inflection, Pelphrey said he experimented with different techniques to convey the physical suffering and emotional weight of the moment.

“I did every trick in the book you can think of to try and help me sound like some of those things were happening,” he said.

The actor added that portraying such a pivotal moment in Christian history carried a sense of responsibility. The experience, he added, gave him an opportunity to spend more time reflecting on the words of Jesus.

“It’s one of the cornerstones of our entire faith,” Pelphrey said. “I just wanted it to go as much from my heart to someone else’s heart as it possibly could.”

“I’ve always loved that part of it, to read His words, to read His teachings,” he added. “To go back into the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount. I think they are the most beautiful words ever written.”

For research, Pelphrey said he focused primarily on the biblical accounts themselves, emphasizing his commitment to the script written by Paul G. Cuschieri, who also directed the series along with Mark Ramsey.

“I’m there in total service of the script,” he said. “And we all know the book we’re using to do our research.”

Despite his familiarity with the Gospel accounts, Pelphrey said the role offered new opportunities to explore the humanity of Jesus, including moments of warmth and humor.

“There were a few more opportunities for humor,” he said. “There’s a way certain things can be said with a smile, with warmth.”

He pointed to actor Jim Caviezel’s portrayal in “The Passion of the Christ” as an example of that balance.

“I thought Jim Caviezel did a beautiful job of that in some of the flashbacks in ‘The Passion,’” Pelphrey said.

Ultimately, Pelphrey hopes the series helps listeners rediscover the heart of the Gospel message during the Easter season and encounter the mercy and grace Jesus offers in a new way.

“I think the podcast does a beautiful job of reminding us of His mercy,” he said. “Just to be reminded of mercy. … That’s literally the only goal here. That’s what we want.”

​​Listeners will be able to listen to “The Christ” for free wherever they get their podcasts or at TheChristPodcast.com.

News Source : https://www.christianpost.com/news/tom-pelphrey-takes-on-jesus-in-holy-week-audio-drama-the-christ.html