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‘The Chosen’ Actor Jonathan Roumie on New RomCom ‘Solo Mio’

‘The Chosen’ Actor Jonathan Roumie on New RomCom ‘Solo Mio’

Last updated on: February 5, 2026 at 11:14 pm by DeWayne Hamby

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‘The Chosen’ Actor Jonathan Roumie on New RomCom ‘Solo Mio’ 2026-02-05T23:14:26-04:00 DeWayne Hamby

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Jonathan Roumie, widely known for his portrayal of Jesus in “The Chosen, says stepping out of sandals and into dress shoes was in the new film “Solo Mio” was a “blast.” The film, releasing today from Angel Studios is a warmhearted romantic comedy featuring Kevin James, Roumie and Kim Coates— delivered on the easygoing charm its makers hoped for, he added.

Jonathan Roumie and Kim Coates star in “Solo Mio.” Image courtesy of Angel Studios.

“We had such a wild ride just running around the streets of Rome and bringing this story to life with so much heart and so much pathos and so much fun,” Roumie said, describing the production as “a dream come true.” The actor spoke about the project during a conversation about the film, which he described as both nostalgic and broadly appealing.

“Solo Mio” follows a man in midlife navigating love and second chances, a premise Roumie said resonated across generations. He noted that the movie is “a rom com with a twist” and likened its intended tone to classic, enduring films.

“They wanted to create something that was nostalgic, that could stand the test of time, kind of like the John Hughes films from the ’80s,” he said, citing “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Sixteen Candles” as touchstones for the filmmakers’ ambitions.

Roumie emphasized the film’s emotional accessibility, saying it had already won praise across a wide age range.

“My nieces just saw the film. They’re teenagers. They loved it. They thought it was hysterical,” he said. “And we got people in the twilight of their years that came and saw the film and they loved it just as much.”

He explained that the story — centered on a 50-year-old man who “gets left at the altar” and seeks love later in life — contains “mature themes” handled with “authenticity and warmth,” qualities Roumie said made “Solo Mio” “so widely appropriate for pretty much any audience.”

Filmed in Italy, the production leaned into the country’s photogenic settings. Roumie acknowledged the challenge and benefit of shooting in a location that offers few unattractive vantage points.

“You couldn’t find a bad angle,” he said. “Italy kind of plays almost like a tertiary character in the film. It’s part of the ensemble.” He highlighted familiar Roman landmarks such as the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps and praised the Tuscan countryside, observing that the settings help create the film’s romantic, postcard-ready atmosphere.

Roumie discussed the experience of working on “Solo Mio” on break from “The Chosen,” noting the practicalities that allowed him to participate.

“It was in between seasons,” he said. “The only limitation that I have is just, you know, I’m obviously contracted with The Chosen until we’re finished, and but in between, I can pretty much work on whatever I feel fits who I am as an actor and who I am as a person.”

“Solo Mio,” he said, aligned with his artistic priorities: roles that are “meaningful, impactful, have heart, have fun, [and] a sense of humor.”

The actor also reflected on fame and the different scales of recognition he and his co-star experience. He praised James’ long career and said traveling with him provided lessons in handling celebrity.

“Kevin’s got way more history than I do. He’s way more famous than I am,” Roumie said, recounting life on location in Italy. “He’s just been a familiar face for so much longer than I have. And it’s just natural.” While James drew attention from fans, he often found himself able to blend in and focus on his performance — though he conceded occasional recognition, particularly around churches.

That dynamic — the contrast between public attention and the privacy to perform — appears to have contributed to the film’s relaxed energy. Roumie described the tone as one that doesn’t take itself too seriously while still “landing with a lot of heart in so many places.” The balance of humor and sincerity is something the actor said he deliberately seeks in his career. “This just slides right into the ethos of what I’m trying to accomplish as an actor,” he said.

The creative team set out to make a film that would evoke comfort and nostalgia while remaining accessible to modern viewers. Roumie said the filmmakers — writers and directors who fashioned the story with a focus on human relationships — hit that mark.

“It feels like a lot of the comments we’ve gotten so far that it’s a comfort film for so many people,” he said. The comparison to beloved ’80s films, he added, was less about imitation and more about embracing timeless qualities—strong characters, recognizable emotions and a kind of playful heart that endures beyond its contemporary moment.

Roumie’s assessment points to the film’s commercial and emotional strategy—present a recognizable romantic-comedy structure, populate it with mature, relatable characters, and use the Italian setting to underscore themes of romance and rediscovery. The presence of Kevin James, a performer with a track record of broad audience appeal, anchors the project in mainstream comedy even as Roumie’s role lends it a quieter emotional center.

As viewers experience the story for themselves, Roumie expressed gratitude for the experience and excitement about audiences’ responses.

“It was as fun as it looked,” he said.

“Solo Mio,” directed by Charles Kinnane and Daniel Kinnane and starring Kevin James, Alyson Hannigan, Kim Coates, and Jonathan Roumie, releases Feb. 6 from Angel Studios.

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