Disney Exec Finds His True Calling Bringing Jesus to the World Through ‘The Chosen’ (Exclusive)
Rick Dempsey reveals how translations of 'The Chosen’ are reaching hearts worldwide
As the beloved series, The Chosen, rises in popularity, fans may wonder just how the largest crowd-funded TV show is actually funded. The Chosen is made possible through the generosity of donors and fans who believe in the show’s mission.
The Come and See Foundation, a nonprofit organization, now plays a vital role in supporting the series. As a 501(c)(3), the Foundation is committed to stewarding donor contributions with transparency, ensuring every dollar goes toward production and global distribution of the show.
One of their most ambitious goals is to translate The Chosen into as many languages as possible to make the life of Jesus accessible to people in every corner of the world. Their global vision and support from fans is helping The Chosen reach millions!
In The Chosen’s latest livestream, creator and director Dallas Jenkins said, “Season 6 is not yet funded fully. The lastest update that I’ve gotten from Come and See is that we still have $9 million left to finance the big Season 6 movie.”
“The first six episodes are coming to streaming sometime in 2026. Probably early fall. Now, why is it taking so long?” Dallas said, “Well, this is the biggest season we’ve ever done, this is the longest we’ve ever filmed and we want to release all of this in as many languages as possible all at the same time — so the language translation takes a very long time.”
Dallas and the team are taking their time working on final touches of Season 6, while juggling many other projects. In the meantime, Woman’s World spoke to Rick Dempsey, who leads the translation initiative for The Chosen.
From Mickey to Messiah
For more than three decades, Rick worked with some of the most beloved animated characters in the world — from Mickey Mouse to Buzz and Woody. As the longtime executive in charge of character voices at Disney Studios, Rick helped bring the magic of Disney to millions of homes worldwide. But today, he’s using that same talent for something even more meaningful: helping people hear the words of Jesus in their own language through The Chosen.
“I had been at Disney for about 35 years,” Rick told Woman’s World. “It was a great career. I enjoyed every minute of it, but my time there was coming to an end. I realized it was time to leave — and right at the same time, I was just kind of praying about it.”
That’s when he heard about The Chosen, a faith-based series about the life of Jesus. “They wanted to take it out around the world in as many languages as possible,” he said. “It was a perfect fit.”
Translating ‘The Chosen’
Now leading translation efforts at the Come and See Foundation, Rick sees this work as a mission. “I had done the secular entertainment path for 35 years and learned so much,” he said. “I looked at that like 35 years of schooling to do something that was really important. The next step — to do something that was transformative.”
The work is thoughtful and precise. “We audition local talent around the world to play each character,” he said. “We also have translators and theological experts ensuring it’s accurate and emotionally resonant in every culture.”
With their accurate and precise translations, more people are getting to watch the Gospel unfold — especially in markets where literacy rates are really low. “We can’t just put a subtitle on the bottom of the end. People may not be able to read quick enough,” Rick explains.
“So to be able to bring it to people in their heart language is critical. I think it will just resonate with the local audience when they can hear these characters speaking to them in the language that they’re familiar with.”
Deepening faith through translations
Along the way, Rick says his own faith has deepened. “It just brings a reality to Scripture. I’ve been a believer most of my life, but now, my eyes are getting to see it. I’m getting to experience the emotions of perhaps what the apostles were going through at the time.”
“Hearing Jesus speak to people in their language is what this is all about,” Rick says.
The Chosen team has a goal of translating the show into 600 languages, and they are currently working in 200 languages with more than 70 available on The Chosen app and close to 100 with subtitles.
Fans can contribute to the Come And See Foundation, stream The Chosen for free in the app or on Amazon Prime — and watch for more languages continuously being added as the team works towards their big goal to get Jesus to the nations!
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