Christian actor embraces pressure playing Jesus’ beloved disciple in Fox Nation series

Alister Hawke says playing John the Apostle in Fox Nation's Jesus Crown of Thorns Season 2 is a job with big shoes to fill, and a sense of reverence that accompanies telling the story of Jesus' closest disciple. The docudrama, a multipart series that moves beyond Scripture to illuminate the social and political currents of the era, centers Hawke's portrayal of John alongside others in the period when the early Christian movement took shape. The second season is streaming on Fox Nation this December.

Hawke spoke about the role on Fox & Friends Weekend, acknowledging the weight of bringing a biblical figure to life. There’s a certain reverence when you play a character like John the Apostle, he said, and the reverence, he explained, grows from the character’s obedience, faithfulness and consistency to the task at hand. His comments reflected a commitment to portraying John with both humility and fidelity to the era the series portrays.

I won’t lie if I say it didn’t add a sort of another layer of pressure, Hawke added, though he framed the pressure as constructive. The faith that underpins John’s story, he said, provided a lens through which to approach the material with nuance rather than merely reciting well-known events. Hawke described his aim as digging into the contextual moments that surround the gospel episodes, exploring the human side of disciples who faced danger, doubt and division as they followed a radical teacher.

Jesus Crown of Thorns, a multipart docudrama, goes beyond the text to unpack the social and political landscape of Jesus’ time. The series paints a fuller picture of the world in which the gospel story unfolded, illustrating the risks taken by Jesus and the followers who defended him while confronting entrenched power. The second season, now streaming, positions John not merely as the beloved disciple at the foot of the cross but as a person navigating loyalty, doubt and a murky historical moment marked by upheaval and external pressure.

A central thread Hawke emphasizes is John’s human dimension. The show’s creators say the series looks at the broader context of Jesus’ ministry, including the networks of influence, religious rivalries and street-level realities that framed decisions made by Jesus’ contemporaries. Hawke’s portrayal seeks to reveal how John’s steadfastness and obedience shaped his actions in moments of crisis, while acknowledging his own fallibilities within a volatile era. The result, Hawke suggests, is a portrait that invites viewers to consider the disciples as real people rather than archetypes.

The second season’s approach aligns with Fox Nation’s broader aim of presenting biblical figures with nuance and historical texture. By tracing the social dynamics surrounding Jesus’ ministry, the show invites audiences to reflect on what it meant to live out faith under pressure, and how those choices rippled through early Christian communities. Hawke described his preparation as a blend of scriptural study and immersion in the historical context, a method he said helps him stay true to the character’s inward life as well as his outward actions.

As the series continues, Hawke’s John serves as a throughline for viewers seeking to understand not just the spiritual milestones of Jesus’ story but the human struggles that accompanied them. The production team has worked to balance reverence for sacred texts with the demands of documentary-style storytelling, presenting a narrative that underscores both reverence and resilience. Hawke added that he sees John as a constant in a rapidly changing world, a figure whose loyalty to a transformative message persists even when faced with uncertainty and opposition.

Fans of culture and religion programming have noted that the show’s format—part documentary, part dramatization—offers a distinctive lens on familiar stories. By placing John in scenes that reveal the pressures of leadership, Hawke and the production team aim to spark conversations about how faith communities interpret ancient events today. The second season’s streaming availability on Fox Nation makes it accessible to viewers who seek a more contextualized understanding of the gospel narrative, beyond traditional retellings.

The broader landscape of faith-based entertainment continues to evolve as productions like Jesus Crown of Thorns explore the intersections of devotion, history and storytelling. Hawke’s commitment to portraying John with honesty — including the character’s moments of vulnerability — reflects a trend toward more fully realized biblical figures in contemporary media. For Hawke, the role is not only about honoring a long-held tradition but also about inviting new audiences to engage with the historical realities that shaped the early Christian centuries.

Overall, Hawke says the experience has reinforced his appreciation for the discipline of acting and the responsibility that comes with depicting a figure who remains meaningful to millions around the world. He expects that viewers will encounter John the Apostle as a complex, faithful, and imperfect human being who keeps faith under pressure—an image that resonates with audiences facing their own challenges in today’s world.

With the season available now on Fox Nation, Hawke’s portrayal of John the Apostle in Jesus Crown of Thorns continues to draw attention from viewers curious about how the series blends faith, history and contemporary storytelling. As audiences watch, they are invited to consider not only the events of the gospel but also the people who lived them, and the enduring questions about loyalty, courage and belief that ripple through time.

In sum, Hawke’s take on John highlights a performer’s effort to honor a biblical figure while offering viewers a richer, more textured sense of the era in which Christianity found its footing. The second season’s exploration of John’s place within a larger social and political tapestry aims to elevate the conversation about what faith looked like in a time of upheaval, and what it continues to mean for audiences today. The ongoing project, now streaming, suggests that biblical storytelling can be both faithful to its sources and expansive enough to illuminate the human realities behind the verses.