Originally published in Crosswalk

The actor who portrays Israel’s legendary king in the hit Prime Video series House of David is crediting divine intervention for the show’s remarkable success. Michael Iskander was a relatively unknown actor until he landed the lead role, portraying a young man who boldly defends God’s honor while others falter and even bow to idols. House of David soared to Number 1 for its Season 1 finale, passing such titles as The Bondsman, Wheel of Time, Reacher, and Twisters. 

Jon Erwin (Jesus Revolution, I Can Only Imagine) and Jon Gunn (The Unbreakable Boy, The Case for Christ) directed it.

“It’s a blessing,” Iskander told Crosswalk Headlines, referencing the series’ popularity. “And ultimately, the success of the show is the work of the Holy Spirit. So I’m just thankful to Him, and I’m thankful to all the amazing people that work on the show, and the Jons and every single member of the crew and the cast. I mean, we struck gold with everybody working on the show, so it’s a blessing, and it’s an honor to get to tell the story.”

As a Christian, Iskander said he infuses his faith into each on-screen portrayal. Season 1 included several well-known stories from Scripture: the fall of King Saul, the anointing of David by Samuel and the shocking defeat of Goliath.

Iskander comes from a family rooted in faith. He was baptized into the Orthodox Church and spent his childhood immersed in church life.

“I remember when I got the audition, and I told my mom — and she said to me, ‘You better start fasting and praying now.’ And so I guess that kind of gives you a sense of how much my faith played into David.” 

Faith is essential to portraying David in a way that feels real, he said.

“There’s not a day that goes by without prayer or without Scripture,” he told Crosswalk Headlines. “And ultimately, this is a story about God. It’s not about David. I try to put God in everything that I can, and to tell his story. 

He added, “I grew up with the story of David.”

Although it was Iskander’s first role in a TV series or film, it was not his first time in the public eye. Iskander had a prominent role in the Broadway musical Kimberly Akimbo, which won a Tony Award in 2023. 

“I just wanted to focus on doing the story [of David] justice and doing David justice, and really being able to kind of honor this man who was known as [a man] after God’s own heart,” he added. “And it’s a challenge. It takes immense prayer and immense conversations on set.”

Season 2 of House of David is in production.

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