Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Elizabeth Tabish finds playing Mary Magdalene on "The Chosen" an honor and privilege.
- Tabish's portrayal resonates with audiences, highlighting transformation from tragedy to hope.
- The role has changed Tabish's religious perspective, emphasizing miracles and healing.
SALT LAKE CITY — For actress Elizabeth Tabish, playing Mary Magdalene on "The Chosen" is both an honor and a privilege.
Tabish, who also recently had roles in "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and "The Shift," is an actress and director whose filmmaking projects have centered around women. Now she's playing one of the most well-known women in human history.
When she feels overwhelmed by her role, Tabish said she looks at everyone around her who's putting their sweat and tears into the project, and then she feels a new emotion — gratitude.
"I'm so grateful to be a part of something that is affecting people so beautifully," said Tabish. She sat down with a group of reporters this fall while in Orlando, Florida, to answer questions about what it has been like for her to play Mary Magdalene.
As Tabish has continued in the role, she said a number of people have shared that they feel seen and represented by her character.
"I know that feeling," said Tabish. "Being somewhere so tragic and despairing, and to be completely changed and transformed into a place of real hope and love." It's something that she said she tries to bring to her character — recognizing that pain is part of the human experience, and God can spin it into something that forges unity between people.
Tabish believes Mary Magdalene is a character many people relate to because she's a "real and messy and nearly tragic figure" at first, but her storyline transforms into something so joyous.
There's a lot of speculation around her character, said Tabish. Sometimes assumptions are made, and Tabish said she enjoys playing a version of her character that is focused on her character's portrayal in the Gospels.
Season 5 is just around the corner, and Mary Magdalene is expected to have a strong role as Holy Week gets underway. Without giving away any spoilers, Tabish said her character grows more in Season 5.
"There are moments that she surprised me, honestly," said Tabish. Her character's determination and mission are something to watch for as the show continues to unfold.
While Tabish spoke about the impact of her characters on others, she also said playing Mary Magdalene has changed her as well.
When she first took the job, she said she was cynical about religion because she had lackluster experiences with both churches and sometimes people at church. But Tabish said working on the show reminded her of who Jesus is and what he taught.
"It has changed my understanding of the gospel," said Tabish, adding, there are more miracles and more healing than she had imagined.
The best thing Tabish said she could achieve in her portrayal is for women to look at her character and feel like they can relate.
In fact, she said, "That's kind of the best thing I could hope for as an actress in this industry."
