The Chosen’s Mother Mary: I loved washing Jesus’ hair

In the phenomenally popular series The Chosen, Vanessa Benavente plays the Virgin Mary. She told Günther Simmermacher about that role and her favourite moment in the series.

For Vanessa Benavente, portraying the Virgin Mary in The Chosen, the popular series about Jesus and his disciples, is both a privilege and a journey of discovery. “It’s an honour to play such an iconic character,” she said in a Zoom interview with The Southern Cross from Madrid. “But also, it’s been such a learning experience.”

The Chosen is currently in the fifth of seven seasons.

When she first took on the role, Benavente had a conventional view of Mary which focused on her fragility and vulnerability. But the series’ script challenged that perception, revealing a woman of great strength, deep wisdom and unwavering faith, the actress said.

“I think this show does a wonderful job at exploring many moments in Mary’s life where she is portrayed as a strong woman — committed and devoted to her son, but also wise,” Benavente explained. In The Chosen, Mary is not only Jesus’s mother but also a mentor to the other women in his circle, she noted. “It’s lovely to see all the other dimensions that we, as women, tend to have in our day-to-day lives.”

Vanessa Benavente was born in Lima, Peru, on December 8, 1979 — notably, given her role, the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her childhood was shaped by political upheaval. At nine, she and her mother fled the country amid a wave of terrorism, seeking refuge in the United States — an echo of Mary’s status as a refugee in the Holy Family’s exile in Egypt. While her mother lived for many years as an undocumented migrant, Vanessa obtained legal status as an engineering student.

During her studies, Vanessa pursued acting and singing on the side. After graduating, she followed her passion, training in Spain under renowned acting coach Juan Carlos Corazza, whose students include Oscar winners Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz.

Theatre was Vanessa’s first love, earning her critical acclaim for stage performances in Lima, Madrid, Miami and Los Angeles. After relocating to LA, she transitioned to film and television, landing her breakthrough role as Mother Mary in The Chosen. Benavente’s first lead feature film, At The Gates, earned her a spot on the 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards shortlist.

The script is the map to the role

To prepare for the role of Mary, Benavente relies heavily on the script. “At least for me, it’s a very important map to see where they’re taking Mary’s story,” she explained. However, she also delves into historical context. Particularly helpful to her was reading a book that, while not a biography of Mary, offered insights into the lives of women in 1st-century Judea — their struggles, the political and social climate, and the sheer physical endurance required to survive.

“When I talk about strength, it’s not only strength of character but also physical strength. You had to be a healthy, strong woman just to be able to survive those days,” she said. Understanding Mary through this lens has transformed the way Benavente sees her.

Playing Mary has changed the way she views the Blessed Virgin in other ways too. While Benavente does not publicly discuss her religious life — a practice shared by most of The Chosen’s cast — she has noted as a highlight of her career the time a viewer shared that her portrayal of Mary had led the viewer back to a relationship with the Blessed Mother. The actress has also said that playing Mary, and the narrative of the series itself, has strengthened her own spiritual life and view of Jesus’ mission.

Playing Mary can be intimidating

One of the most daunting moments in The Chosen yet to be filmed is the crucifixion. Asked whether she is nervous about that prospect, she admitted: “Very much so.” The scenes will depict the most painful moments in Mary’s life as she witnesses her son’s suffering and death. Benavente understands that Mary lived with the constant fear of what lay ahead. “She knew that she had to fulfil her mission.”

The actress said that portraying Mary creates a certain pressure “Sometimes I feel intimidated. It’s like, ‘Oh, it’s Mary, and what am I going to do?’ That comes in between seasons. Then I get the scripts and I start to work, and that’s where all that dissipates,” she explained.

She particularly appreciates that Mary is written as having a good sense of humour, which she finds “refreshing”.

For her, the heart of the story lies in relationships — especially between Mary and Jesus. “This show has done such a great job at concentrating on her relationship with her son, and that’s universal,” she said. “That grounds me.”

Of all the scenes she has filmed, one stands out as her favourite: washing Jesus’ hair. It’s a quiet, intimate moment that captures the tenderness between mother and son.

An unusual circumstance is that Benavente plays the mother of Jonathan Roumie, who portrays Jesus, despite being five years younger than her screen son. She takes it in stride.

“An hour and a half of makeup really helps,” she joked. But beyond the physical transformation to make her look older than she really is, Benavente adopts a little trick when acting opposite Roumie. “I talk to Jonathan like I have a time machine and I’m projecting myself 20 years into the future, talking to my adult daughters,” who at present are just six and three years old. “That maternal love and admiration never changes.”

According to Benavente, The Chosen authentically captures the experience of motherhood. She points to a scene where Mary quietly cares for Jesus while those around him argue — a reminder that the Blessed Virgin’s life and ministry were devoted to him.

That devotion will reach a shattering climax in future episodes of The Chosen, as the crucifixion comes into view.

Season 5 of The Chosen was released in cinemas around the world, including South Africa, in April. It is expected to be released for free streaming around September on The Chosen’s app or website (watch.thechosen.tv), where the previous four seasons are also freely available.

Published in the August 2025 issue of the Southern Cross magazine