Dallas Jenkins is revisiting the Pride flag controversy that sparked boycott calls against "The Chosen"-and explaining why even a public defense of his show left him frustrated. For the filmmaker, the problem was how quickly commentators assigned motives to a crew member they had never met.
According to ChurchLeaders' October 20 report, Jenkins discussed the controversy during a recent appearance on "The Jeremy Boreing Show." The conversation returned to May 2023, when a small rainbow flag on a cameraman's equipment appeared in a promotional video for the series' fourth season. The image prompted criticism from some Christian viewers, including conservative commentator Jon Root, who called for a boycott.
Jenkins said the production employs people with different beliefs and backgrounds, and his approach does not involve policing their personal equipment. He distinguished between the content the series presents to audiences and the personal expressions of individuals working behind the scenes.
At the time, the production defended its willingness to employ people who could help bring its portrayal of Jesus to the screen. Its response encouraged viewers to assess the series by its message while acknowledging that the people making it would inevitably disappoint some audience members.
But Jenkins said the controversy soon became a lesson in how speculation can take on a life of its own. Videos and commentary circulated that, in his assessment, repeatedly misrepresented the intentions of those involved.
One example particularly troubled him: Candace Owens' initial defense of the show. Although Owens supported the production, Jenkins objected when she suggested that the cameraman had displayed the flag to provoke a reaction, attract attention, or get himself fired.
Jenkins rejected that interpretation by emphasizing his personal relationship with the employee. He described the cameraman as "one of my closest friends" and "one of my favorite employees," challenging assumptions made by people who did not know him.
His objection reveals why the episode remained significant beyond the original boycott debate. A commentator could defend Jenkins and still, in his view, build that defense around an unfair portrayal of someone he valued. Support for the filmmaker did not make the accompanying claims acceptable to him.
The experience also sharpened Jenkins' thinking about public approval. He told Boreing that neither praise nor criticism serves as his motivation, explaining that his attention belongs on his work, his storytelling, and his service to the Lord.
That focus carries particular weight as "The Chosen" depicts the events surrounding Jesus' crucifixion in Season 6. Jenkins described the demands of filming those scenes and the unhealthy pressure that would come from also trying to manage everyone's opinion of him.
For Christian viewers, his comments return the discussion to a question that has followed the series throughout its success: How should audiences evaluate a production about Jesus when its cast and crew do not all share the same convictions?
Jenkins' answer remains rooted in the work that reaches the screen. His latest reflections also make clear that he intends to defend the people helping him create it when public commentary turns personal.
