Paul Walter Hauser has played a wide spectrum of roles, from a serial killer in the award-winning series “Blackbird” to a bumbling bodyguard in “I, Tonya” and a fan-favorite sensei in “Cobra Kai.”
But according to the 38-year-old Emmy and Golden Globe winner, his latest project — joining “The Chosen” universe and voicing a talking sheep in “The Chosen Adventures” — marks a turning point both professionally and personally.
“I’m just really proud to be open about being a Christian person,” Hauser told The Christian Post. “For me in Hollywood, it’s always been something I’ve been open about. But this is a little more of a way to really plant a flag in the ground and say, ‘Yeah, I want to work with Margot Robbie and Spike Lee, but I also want to work with the folks from ‘The Chosen.'”
Created by Ryan Swanson and executive produced by “The Chosen” creator Dallas Jenkins, “The Chosen Adventures” is a 14-episode series that follows 9-year-old Abby and her best friend Joshua as they encounter Jesus in the ancient city of Capernaum. The series features an ensemble voice cast that includes Yvonne Orji, Jordin Sparks, and several actors from the live-action show, including Jonathan Roumie and Elizabeth Tabish.
Hauser voices Sheep in the series, Abby’s stubborn but loyal companion.
“What I bring to the table has more to do with the comedic relief and the injection of humor,” he said. “I’m having a lot of fun just getting to do something a little bit different, and I’ve seen the first two or three episodes, and it’s really great.”
The actor told CP he’s long admired “The Chosen” and saw the animated series as an opportunity to join a project that reflects his beliefs while maintaining artistic excellence.
“I’ve done family entertainment before, as far as ‘Cruella,’ ‘Cobra Kai,’ Inside Out 2,’ ‘Orion and the Dark’ … but this being faith-based, I think it was something I’ve always wanted to engage in, but I haven’t seen that much good faith-based material,” he said.
“I was a big fan of ‘The Chosen’ live-action show, and then when I heard they were doing this, they offered me the role of Sheep. And I was like, ‘Dude, absolutely, it’s funny. It’s well written, and it has this even higher calling and purpose than most things.'”
Since “The Chosen” first premiered, it has redefined the landscape of faith-based entertainment. Hauser said he’s noticed a broader shift toward excellence in the faith-film space.
“I love a lot of faith-based movies and shows I’ve seen lately,” he said. “I love ‘The Chosen.’ I love [‘Unsung Hero.’] I love ‘Ordinary Angels’ with my buddy Alan Ritchson and Hilary Swank. There’s a lot of good faith-based stuff now. It’s not as elusive as it once was.”
He added: “But that’s also a thing of people needing to step up their game. It’s a competitive, oversaturated world with a million different forms of distraction, let alone in the entertainment industry. So I think faith-based folks are getting more savvy and more thoughtful and pumping out cooler projects.”
Hauser’s faith has become a defining part of his life in recent years. He previously shared how, while filming “Blackbrid” in New Orleans, he underwent a radical transformation that restored his life and his family.
“This really changed my life because I ended up getting sober in the middle of the shoot,” he told Stephen Colbert last year on “The Late Show.” “You know, I was in a rough place personally. I was not the best version of myself — to put it vague and safe. But then I played this serial killer, and you’re in New Orleans, which is a very spiritually thick place to be. … There’s an atmosphere of dark spirituality there at times.”
“So I got sober in the middle of the shoot and I started going to therapy,” he continued. “It was like the catalyst for all these wonderful things that happened, including healing my family.”
He and his wife, Amy, who married in 2020, also participated in an “I Am Second” video, sharing how they filed for divorce while pregnant with their first child. Hauser subsequently turned to alcohol and struggled with suicidal ideation before finding hope and faith in Christ.
“I think if we summarized our story, it’s a story of two people that were broken,” Amy says in the video. “It’s a story about faith, love, a lot of laughter. And it’s a story that no matter how far you run, Jesus is always coming after you, and you are never too far gone.”
“The Chosen Adventures” on Prime Video on Oct. 17.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
