I Visited ‘The Chosen’ Set—and the Costume Designer Transformed Me Into a Disciple!
Find out how designer Leila Heise turns TJMaxx finds into authentic Bible-era costumes
When you step onto the set of The Chosen, the hit historical drama about the life of Jesus, you’re not just walking into a production — you’re stepping back 2,000 years. Dirt roads, real stone structures and authentic backdrops set the scene. But I had the opportunity to visit The Chosen set, and it’s actually the costumes that truly transport you — all thanks to the masterful eye of costume designer Leila Heise.
Playing dress-up during my visit to ‘The Chosen’ set
During my visit to Jerusalem — I mean, Midlothian, Texas — Leila took me under her wing for a full Chosen-style makeover. She showed me around the “costume closet,” layered me in a robe, handed me a shawl to drape over my shoulders and wrapped my hair up into a piece of fabric. She even let me wear one of the prop necklaces — one that, as it turns out, had a surprising origin. “You’ll never guess where this necklace came from!” she said. “Where?!” I asked in anticipation.
“T…J…Maxx!” she said as we both burst into laughter.
Leila’s sense of humor and brilliant creativity were infectious as she sifted through racks of robes, sandals, belts, and tunics — for townspeople, religious leaders and Roman soldiers. “Everything you see on screen has been through a journey,” she said. “We start with something modern — sometimes even off-the-rack — and then break it down until it looks like it belongs in 1st-century Judea.”
How costumes are selected on ‘The Chosen’
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Leila has spent nearly two decades in the costume design field, with a background in both theater and film. She joined The Chosen in Season 1 and quickly became an indispensable part of the show’s world-building.
“When I do costume design, I have to take all of the characters into consideration,” she says. “A costume designer creates a world in which the actors can live in.”
Leila’s design process involves everything from hand-dyeing fabrics to physically distressing garments to give them a lived-in look. I had found this great piece of fabric, which happened to be an old curtain that was sun-bleached and distressed and ratted and torn, and we made it into a jacket, she explains. “I love layers and textures, it’s visually interesting that way.”
As I stood in full costume — linen layers, rope belt, leather sandals, and yes, that TJMaxx necklace — I began to understand how much intention goes into every frame of the show. The attention to detail is mind-boggling. Even the smallest accessories are selected with care — whether hand-made, found by Leila at a thrift store, or picked up at TJMaxx. “People think Bible times were beige,” Leila joked. “But they weren’t. There was color, texture and individuality. We want to reflect that.”
By the end of the day, I was dusty, hot, and waiting for Dallas Jenkins to round the corner at any moment and cast me in the next episode. Thanks to the brilliant, resourceful, and lovely Leila Heise, I felt proud to don a look that was 100% authentic to the heart of The Chosen!
Catch up with Jesus and see Leila’s work in Season 5 of The Chosen — now streaming on Amazon Prime!
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