Drawing over 40 million views in its first season, Prime Video’s “House of David” is quickly becoming a household name.
The series tells the story of King David and his rise from shepherd boy to king after King Saul falls victim to his own pride and the prophet Samuel has no choice but to anoint a new king.
On July 10, Prime Video announced the renewal of “House of David” for Season Three.
“We are incredibly grateful to fans around the world who have embraced ‘House of David,’” Jon Gunn and Jon Erwin, creators of the show, said in a press release. “Season Three follows David through one of the most defining chapters of his life, and we’re honored to share this next chapter alongside our partners at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.”
“Whether audiences have known David through Scripture or are encountering him from a fresh perspective, we hope the series continues to reveal why his story has resonated across generations,” the creators added.
Michael Iskander, the 24-year-old Catholic actor who portrays King David, has also won the hearts of many with his portrayal of Israel’s famous king.
Here are 7 things to know about this young actor:
1. He is an Egyptian-born American actor
Iskander was born in Egypt before immigrating to the United States with his family at the age of nine. He has spoken about the bullying he received in school when he first arrived and having to learn English.
2. He performed on Broadway
Before becoming known to television audiences, Iskander performed on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning musical “Kimberly Akimbo,” where he played Aaron Puckett. The production went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2023.
His interest in performing began almost by accident during high school when a friend asked him if he would audition for choir because she would get $10 if she could get a boy to audition. The choir director immediately saw Iskander’s talent and put him in the school choir. That experience eventually led him to school musicals and ultimately Broadway.
3. “House of David” is his first on-camera role
Iskander has spoken about being a fan of the hit series “The Chosen.” While watching the series with his family, they would ask him if he could portray any character in the show, who would he portray. His answer? A young King David.
While on Broadway, Iskander was told about a series being made about King David. He immediately felt called to audition. Despite initially being told ‘no,’ he was then asked to re-audition. His mother encouraged him to pray and fast ahead of his second audition. After a 3-hour meeting with the creator of the show, he received the call that he got the role. This series was his first experience acting on-camera.
4. He is a convert to Catholicism
Before becoming Catholic, Iskander was raised in the Coptic Orthodox Church. Iskander’s journey toward Catholicism started several years ago when he happened to stumble into St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan. Although tourists filled the historic cathedral, Iskander went in, sat down in a pew, put his head down, and felt “as if nothing existed,” he told EWTN News.
“I looked at the altar knowing that’s where the Eucharist lies and I’m like, ‘I want the Eucharist.’ And I remember feeling this moment of extreme holiness,” he recalled.
He credited that day with planting the seed of his interest in Catholicism. From then on, he began attending Mass. As he learned more about King David in preparation for the show, that interest, which became a calling, kept growing.
After he finished filming Season 2 of “House of David,” Iskander got in contact with a priest in his area to go over questions he had about Catholicism. After a nearly two-hour conversation, he told the priest he wanted to convert.
Because the Catholic Church recognizes sacraments from the Coptic Orthodox church as valid, Iskander took part in a profession of faith during a Mass for him held on Aug. 21, 2025.
“It was just a beautiful day and I felt like I was home … It felt like the prodigal son who returned and his father accepted him with open arms,” Iskander said.
5. He underwent unusual training for the role
Preparing to portray the shepherd-turned-king involved more than memorizing lines. Iskander trained with shepherds, learned to care for sheep, practiced ancient-style movement, and underwent extensive physical conditioning. He has joked that the sheep wanted nothing to do with him at first.
6. He's also a singer
Music has always been a significant part of Iskander's life. In addition to releasing original music, he contributed vocals to the “House of David” soundtrack, including "Lead Me to the Water" with country artist Gabby Barrett. He also released a 6-track EP entitled “The Songs of David,” which features several Psalms sung by Iskander like he does in the show.
7. He hopes his work points people toward God
Rather than simply entertaining audiences, Iskander has expressed a desire for his performances to inspire viewers to explore Scripture and deepen their relationship with God. He has said playing David has given him opportunities to evangelize through storytelling.