In the lead-up to Easter, Dallas Jenkins is encouraging “joyous” celebrations.

Jenkins, the creator of the hit biblical drama, “The Chosen,” appeared on the “followHIM” podcast in an episode released Wednesday. The podcast, hosted by Hank Smith and John Bytheway, explores the weekly lesson in the “Come, Follow Me” study manual from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Every year around Easter, Jenkins said he enjoys focusing on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“I really do, especially as a storyteller, think about how this story still impacts us 2,000 years later, and how I never want to take it for granted,” Jenkins said. “‘The Chosen’ is in many ways, my attempt to make sure that we never take it for granted.”

The filmmaker also described how he observes Easter at home and with his congregation, and shared advice on how the religious holiday can be celebrated with greater joy, particularly among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

While building 5&2 Studios, the film studio that produces “The Chosen,” Jenkins worked alongside his co-founder Derral Eves, a Latter-day Saint. During this time, he realized he would be collaborating with several members of the church and began learning about the theological differences from his own evangelical faith.

“What I admire about (Latter-day Saint) folks is you guys are very well behaved, very tucked in,” Jenkins said. “Now, occasionally I’ll watch a BYU game and I’ll see you cheer like crazy.”

He added that during Easter services with his congregations, they often say, “I’ve seen you cheer during a Bears game. I’ve seen you celebrate multiple sporting events or graduations. What is the most celebratory and joyous and exciting victory in the history of the world that we get to participate in? It’s the resurrection of Christ.”

Though typically more “tucked in” during religious settings, Jenkins encouraged a “most joyous and celebratory” service during Easter.

“I appreciate the reverence of the different people within different faith traditions,” he continued. “But I would say it’s OK to express as much joy or more in the resurrection of your Savior as it is the student that hit a half-court shot that I just saw in the BYU game on Friday.”

“It’s OK to do it in the context of the greatest moment in the history of the world.”

Jenkins then shared that one of his favorite scenes from “The Chosen” is when Jesus tells the disciples to cast their nets on the other side, resulting in heaps of fish and a boisterous celebration.

The scene didn’t turn out as Jenkins had anticipated, but once he saw it come together, he realized the jubilee was exactly what the story needed — and those joyful portrayals have been part of why “The Chosen” has resonated with audiences.

“I’m honored evangelical mascot of the LDS church, so I’ve been granted favor to say certain things that maybe others can’t,” Jenkins said, while discussing the scene.

“There’s such a reverence, and there’s such a genuine respect for Christ (in the Latter-day Saint church), which is great. You guys probably do that better than we evangelicals do it, but sometimes it can lead to a formality, and I’ve seen it in paintings. I’ve seen it in some of the LDS videos. And portrayals of Christ are very formal,” he continued.

“This comes from a good place of honoring scripture, fidelity to scripture, just it feels like a reenactment of a scripture. One of the things that makes a scene … really work is the portrayals — the acting, the fun, the winks, the laughter, some of those moments that aren’t spelled out in scripture but undoubtedly would have happened.”

Reflecting on his BYU devotional

Jenkins also took a moment during his appearance on the podcast to reflect on his 2024 BYU devotional, where he spoke on overcoming failure and surrendering to God.

“I run into so many LDS friends or viewers of the show around the country, so many of them bring up that forum where I got a chance to speak at BYU to the students and community,” Jenkins said.

During the devotional, Jenkins recalled sharing his experience after a failed Hollywood movie, explaining that faith is about focusing on doing your part well rather than controlling the outcome, and that God can work through us in the depths of our failures, not just our accomplishments.

“There’s something especially poignant about whenever God works through failure and works through our lack and our desperation, as opposed to working through success. I think it’s especially wonderful when we see things that have become successful,” he said.

The name of his studio, 5&2, is a reminder that we are responsible for providing our best effort — five loaves and two fish — and the results are up to God.

Even as his projects, including “The Chosen,” became objectively successful, Jenkins believes the goal remains to offer God our best work and trust him with the impact.

“You’re not responsible for the feeding of the 5,000, you’re just responsible for loaves and fish,” he said. “It’s a good and healthy and important reminder.”

Those strolling around downtown Dallas this weekend might have noticed more tails, claws and snouts than usual.

Inside these flamboyant animal costumes, with cartoonish eyes and plushy paws, are people belonging to a subculture known as furries.

They came from different corners of the world, from different occupations – and as different animals.

Cats. Wolves. Lizards.

All of them, though, gathered for the “Texas Furry Fiesta.” The convention, held at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, drew more than 8,000 furries — people who create an anthropomorphic animal character.

Attendees saw the event as a safe space to connect with others in the fandom, which has long been stigmatized. In Texas and across the country, the group has also been swept into heated battles over gender identity in the classroom.

About 65% of furries have not told any family members about their interest, according to studies conducted by Furscience, a website started by scientists researching the subculture. About 40% felt that the fandom was not socially accepted, according to the studies.

Dallas-Fort Worth has hosted the annual convention since 2009, according to David Brooks, an event spokesperson who is also a furry. The convention was organized by Creature Arts, a Texas charity dedicated to coordinating activities for those interested in anthropomorphic art.

The convention features everything from panels for students applying to medical school to nighttime dances, Brooks said. While the community can interact on the Internet, the convention offers an in-person space.

“We have a lot of diversity in our community, ranging from race, sex or gender identity,” Brooks said. “It’s hard to find a space where you can gather together and engage in friendly behavior.”

Inside the hotel, hordes of costumed attendees gathered in halls, waited by elevators and snapped pictures. They poked each other with questions about their outfits, and eyed trinkets at vendor tables.

Benedikt Althaus, who goes by Xariif, wore a tiger fursuit draped in red, white and blue stripes and splotches, reminiscent of the American flag.

This is no American tiger, though: Xariif traveled from Germany. The costume was on the cheaper side of fursuit couture, costing about 2,000 euros (roughly $2300 at current exchange rates).

At these conventions, you find friends everywhere, Althaus said.

The fandom has faced controversy, having been tied to sexual fantasies in mass media. For example, a “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” episode portrayed furries as a sexually deviant group. Attendees pushed back on this characterization, saying they are not a fetish community, nor is there an inherently erotic element.

“Most of us are adults. Adult people do adult stuff,” Althaus said. “I don’t think that’s a huge part of this community.”

In 2022, a rumor surfaced in a Michigan school district that litter boxes were being added to unisex bathrooms for students identifying as cats, the New York Times reported. Similar accusations popped up across the country, leaving school superintendents, including the one in Michigan, to debunk them.

In 2025, Gov. Greg Abbott resurrected the hoax during his tour to pitch a $1 billion school voucher-style program, the Houston Chronicle reported. The same year, a bill, called the “F.U.R.R.I.E.S. Act,” was introduced to outlaw role-playing in Texas public schools.

“In some small rural sections of school districts in the state of Texas, they have in their schools, what are called furries,” Abbott told a gathering of pastors in Austin. “Kids go to school dressed up as cats with litter boxes in their classrooms.”

Similar events to the Texas Furry Fiesta have also been the target of violence. In 2014, at a Chicago-area furry convention, an “intentional” chlorine gas bomb was detonated, leaving 19 people hospitalized, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Near Main Street Garden Park, Alejandra Martinez did a double-take when she spotted a tail. Then, another.

It wasn’t a dog, or cat, or raccoon, but people.

While she can’t relate to the subculture, she can relate to the artistry and creativity required of it. At a small market on Saturday, she was selling handmade jewelry and charms for her business.

“If you look at it from a creative outlet, you definitely see, this is actually a hobby they’re dedicated to,” Martinez said.